Forgive Me Father 2 early access review

DOOM-inspired shooters is a familiar term in gaming, just as much as Soulslike is, and there’s a reason for it. id Software’s legacy has rightly inspired the FPS genre in the 30 years since it debuted, and Forgive Me Father 2 wears those inspirations proudly. Whether it’s the rock-infused soundtrack or smooth gunplay, Byte Barrel has made a fun shooter where its simplicity allows you to run and gun without myriad distractions. If you’re in need of a great-looking title that’s fundamental yet satisfying in its approach to the genre, you won’t go far wrong with this.

Despite it being in Early Access, Forgive Me Father 2 is still a solid shooter that gives you a challenging yet balanced experience. It does feel a touch barren in terms of what you can do outside of shooting creatures’ heads off, but on the flip side of that, it’s the fluid shooting where it stands toe-to-toe with other titles that’ve taken their DOOM influences and made them their own. In the starting level of the Asylum, you’ve got access to a pistol and a shotgun, and while new weapons like a rifle can be acquired as you progress, they’re more than weighty and feel delightful when you pull the trigger.

Whenever you pull the trigger, you feel a real weight to each bullet fired. Generally, enemies are quite basic in their approach to killing you, but despite their intelligence feeling rather limited, they can do significant damage to you if you’re not constantly paying attention to where they’re coming from. As you make your way through these levels, be it the port, asylum, or WW1 bunkers, you’re always presented with a challenge that requires quick reactions and good accuracy, as headshots always prevail. New upgrades to weapons via tokens provide them with more punch, making combat easier, but don’t think for a second that these monsters get easier as you progress.

Gliding around levels is smooth, although turning is a little slow, and unless I’ve completely missed an option to adjust this, an update during the Early Access would be appreciated. Still, making you’re way through these levels starts off relatively linear, yet there’re secrets for you to find, and plenty of health, ammo, and shield supplies to keep you plowing through the disfigured enemies you’ll often be mowing down with your weapons. There are also Madness Skills which can be unlocked to improve things like improving damage dealt, always giving you the edge in a gunfight.

The presentation in Forgive Me Father 2 is superb. The cel-shaded visuals are a consistent sight to behold, making the scenery pop as much as the enemy’s heads do, and simple firing and reloading animations look great. It’s always worth pointing out the cool rock soundtrack that plays along as you’re shooting every bastard that comes your way, making for a pleasurable time pulling the trigger while plodding along to a guitar-fuelled backdrop. The SFX are also impressive, whether it’s in the sound of bullets ripping through flesh, the groans of the deformed bad guys, or the environmental noises that play out in the background.

Forgive Me Father 2 isn’t going to reinvent the wheel, and while some of the movement could be quicker, Byte Barrel has still put together an enjoyable shooter that gives you a solid run-and-gun ordeal in a Lovecraftian-inspired world. While there isn’t a ton of story, you do learn a bit through letters in the hub, but the world itself tells you all you need to know. If you’re after something that will scratch that DOOM itch, this is definitely one to try. Thanks to some stunning visuals and level designs, you can’t go far wrong with what this simplistic shooter does.