If you are a fan of  1990-style FPS games, then you are likely familiar with New Blood Interactive. Publishing throwback-style shooters such as Dusk, Amid Evil, and many more. This year at PAX East I was able to get a chance to play Fallen Aces. The upcoming mafia-themed FPS blends classic shooter gameplay with a comic book noir style. I got to spend 10 minutes playing a slice of the upcoming shooter, and it was packed with a ton of surprises.

A Unique Theme For A Shooter

The first thing that immediately stands out about this game is the era in which it is set. There are so few mafia-focused games, outside of the infamous 2K Games series aptly named Mafia. Fallen Aces immediately establishes its theme beautifully. The game bleeds 1930’s aesthetic, and it only gets better the further you get. Being verbally accosted by goons as they attempt to cave your skull in with a variety of different weapons. The comic book art style helps Fallen Aces separate itself from other shooters on the market. It honestly feels like I haven’t played a game like Fallen Aces before. This is saying something as I primarily play FPS titles.

Too often games shy away from the brutality or ugly side of the theme they are trying to establish. Fallen Aces leans into this very heavily and doesn’t shy away from how gritty the mafia theme is. From thugs trash-talking you as they try to murder you, to just how the world around is designed. Every little detail pulls you into the world more and more. Beating a fedora-wearing thug with a lead pipe has honestly never been this immersive and fun.

More Than Just A Throwback Shooter

If you have perused the Steam store then likely you have seen the over-saturation of “boomer shooters” in recent years. Fallen Aces immediately stands out from the competition within the opening minute of the demo. You start the demo armed with nothing more than your fists and whatever you can find. From chairs, beer bottles, lead pipes, and random items found throughout the world. You have to smash and fight your way through an army of wise guy goons. The demo doesn’t immediately lean into gun-blasting fun, it feels like an intentional holdback. This made when I finally got my hands on a gun feel special and exciting.

The melee combat feels as if you blended ultra-smooth peanut butter with rich and crunchy peanut butter. Combat is quick and reactive with goons clearing distance quickly to engage you. But while it is quick it certainly does not feel soft, every strike delivers a crisp crunch as you hit a goon. The shooting feels even more kinetic, while I only got to play with a pistol during my time with the demo. It was a powerful tool that could dispatch a goon in a single gory headshot. I cannot wait to see what other weapons will be at my disposal in the full game.

Subtle Immersive Sim Elements

Fallen Aces certainly doesn’t shy away from its gory and visceral combat. However, it does provide you with unique ways to navigate the level to eliminate enemies. Not only do you have options in terms of how you navigate the level. But, also in how you approach each combat scenario. In the first minute of the demo I stealthily knocked out a goon at the entrance to a main area. Then I jumped down to the next floor to square off with the goon below. However, in a later area, I stealthily took down an enemy and then navigated myself to a higher position to get the jump on another.

This variety in only a 10-minute demo, has me curious to see how it will be fleshed out in the full game. Could I perhaps do a full stealth run if I wanted to? Providing players with different means to handle combat scenarios adds a great deal of replayability to the title. Quite often most shooters create variety in action through different weapons and enemy types. Fallen Aces does this as well, but with the ability to completely manipulate an enemy combat situation into your preferred style was masterfully done.

A Wise Cracking Good Time

Fallen Aces looks like a great blend of the immersive sim, meets boomer shooter. With enough variety to keep players wanting more. I know I wish I had more time to run through the demo a few more times to see what else I could find. Fallen Aces should definitly be on your radar if you are a FPS fan of any kind. I look forward to playing more soon hopefully. You can wishlist the title on Steam here.

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