While some might argue that the golden age of FPS games is right now, there are a lot of those who are nostalgic for the first big era in the history of shooter games. We’re talking about the age of Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem, and Wolfenstein.
The idealization of these games through the lens of nostalgia is what led to the emergence of boomer shooters.
This sub-genre of FPS games is a pixelated shooter with modern mechanics and old features. In other words, it’s a cherry-picking fest between the old games and the new.
Now, the best current representative of the genre is definitely Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, but there are so many other exciting titles you should consider here.
- Less strict violence laws
The 90s in gaming were wild, and there was so much blood and gore (even nudity) in first-person shooters. Just remember games like Doom and Duke Nukem 3D, or even Wolfenstein 3D.
Many of these games were banned in some regions, and the only way to access them was to get an illegal video game copy. Back in the day, no one had any problem with it, especially since there weren’t any live service games, and all you had to do was crack it.
According to software review specialist Aleksandar Stevanovic, today, you would have to find pick the best VPN software from a review list and use it while playing, hoping that there are no other safeguards installed.
(Source: https://www.techopedia.com/vpn/best-vpn)
What does this have to do with violence in games?
Well, it’s not just about the pixels. You see, these boomer shooters are trying to capture an era, a philosophy of the video-game-making industry, which is why they’re not just reverting but turning the violence in these games up a notch.
We’re not suggesting that modern shooters are not violent, but their target audience is usually young, which is why they’re obsessed with getting a good age rating. This is not the case with boomer shooters, whose audience is older to begin with. In other words, not only is increased gore allowed, it’s lauded as one of the strongest features of the genre.
- Indie-dominated
One thing worth mentioning here is the fact that while these boomer-shooters are immensely popular, they’re mostly developed by indie studios.
Boomer shooters, as unique and fun as they are, don’t have that one thing that a major studio would need – a game that they can use for prestige. The funny part is that while lucrative, boomer shooters are not “ambitious enough” for these large studios. This is why the field is still dominated by indie developers.
More importantly, these are the developers playing games that they want to play. What they’re doing is sending a powerful message about how it’s not about the graphics or the engine – it’s about the gameplay. Here, pixels are not an obstacle: they’re a form of artistic expression.
Of course, a game like Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun belongs to a huge franchise, but if we’re completely honest, Games Workshop hasn’t really been that stingy with the license. The number of Warhammer games currently coming out is at an all-time high, but indie studios still make the majority of these games.
The bottom line is that major publishers and license holders realized just how successful an indie game can get. They decided not to miss out on a chance to capitalize on the medium. One good thing about these indie-developed games is that their development costs are quite low. Teams are small and made up of enthusiasts, which means that they can be profitable even with a lot less revenue.
- Designed with a specific audience in mind
When we say these games are being developed with a specific audience in mind, we’re going deeper than you assume. It’s not just about the age; it’s about people who are there for a bit of quick, adrenaline-inducing, mindless fun.
Don’t expect game-breaking stories and narratives. While they’re possible, these elements are usually used as placeholders. The game is there to be quick, violent, gory, intensive, and full of cliches.
Also, there are so many outdated game designs that desperately need to come back.
One such example is the FPS concept, which states that you don’t actually have a health bar but die if you take too much damage over a short period of time. This means that there are no health packs.
Also, there is no cover system in boomer shooters. You just soak damage, collect healing kits, and shoot everything that moves. It’s an outdated, unrealistic gaming principle that was so much fun. In a game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe (especially when playing as an Astartes), it even makes sense (lore-wise).
These games are usually not too deep, but they’re made by design to be simple, quick, and violent. They’re not made with the Fortnite generation in mind (although there’s nothing wrong with that, either). Instead, they’re designed to be played for 30 minutes by working millennials. In a way, they fill the same niche as anonymous casinos online and other quick forms of entertainment.
- Playing strong on the nostalgia card
Previously, we mentioned that these boomer shooters usually target an older audience. You either want people who actually played the original Doom as children or people who grew up watching their parents or older siblings play these games.
Most importantly, these developers are not recreating these games. No matter how fond you are of memories of these games, the reality is that, at the time, these games were a mess. The gameplay was nowhere near as smooth as you remember it; the games were buggy, and they were really clunky at times.
There’s a reason why these bugs are not slammed harder, and the main reason behind it is the fact that they’re glorified by speedrunners who treat them as quirky features (instead of flaws in the game design that they are).
Boomer shooters are modern games with modern engines deliberately using the style of a retro game. The best way to explain them would be to say that they’re these retro games as we remembered them, not as they were. This allows them to run smoothly and use all the advantages of modern shooter games (minus photo-realist graphics) while having none of the downsides of these retro games.
In fact, if you have played Boltgun, you might have noticed that animations, sounds, and even physics run smoother than those in much newer games (like the first installment of Space Marine). On the surface, however, you would have never guessed it, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the concept of boomer shooters and just assume that this is an old game. You would, however, feel it as soon as you start playing.
Boomer shooters are still new games
Don’t make a mistake in assuming that boomer shooters are retro games. They’re modern games built on modern engines and with modern gaming principles in mind. They’re just reskinned to look old to increase the game’s charm, play more strongly on the nostalgia card, and make them unique-looking from an artistic standpoint. They are, however, currently going strong and seem to be here to stay.
