Godfall

Developed by Counterplay Games and published by Gearbox, Godfall has the distinction of being the first game announced to release on the PlayStation 5. With this distinction as well as that of being a console launch exclusive, Godfall did garner a significant amount of attention. While some of the games and series that the title drew comparisons to set the bar quite high, Godfall ultimately became a thing of its own while falling into pitfalls that similar games have experienced.

Stylish brawler rarely upsets, but never fully satisfies.

Godfall can be an enjoyable and lovely gear-based action game while it lasts, but the repetition of its missions wears thin before the end of its campaign, and even thinner in the endgame afterward. Its combat is packed full of decisions to make and a healthy mix of familiar and genuinely novel mechanics, but its Valorplate suits aren’t as mechanically diverse as they initially seem on their gorgeous exteriors. With neither an interesting story nor a deep pool of varied content, all the choice Godfall offers doesn’t amount to much more than a bit of brief and shallow fun.

The combat feels good, but that doesn't stop it from being an aggressively mediocre game that lifted most of its gameplay ideas from better titles. Play those instead.

Godfall is one of the most beautiful games released in recent memory. It's just too bad the gameplay and story can't quite keep up.

Console launches are notoriously difficult for developers as they work to get a grasp on new technology. Historically, many launch titles come off as rushed, but with great promise for a new franchise. Counterplay Games’ first project falls into that category. Godfall packs together a splendid and deep combat system mixed with a quality loot system with plenty of variety. Great boss battles await players during their playthrough but getting through to those boss fights can be a chore. As good and varied as the combat and loot is, the same level of variety doesn’t extend to the world and missio...

The much anticipated launch of Sony’s powerful next generation PlayStation 5 console is upon us, and so are some new games and new IPs. One of the biggest titles that I was looking forward to was developer Counterplay Games’ Godfall—a futuristic looter/slasher, with online co-op, set in a fantasy world, centering on unlocking new suits (called Valorplates) to enhance your gameplay and also earning better and better weapons to increase your power in combat, somewhat akin to the Destiny series.

There’s something special here, but the gem that is Godfall is buried deep underneath a pile of issues and lackluster content. Godfall hamstrings most of its good ideas, crippling the game out of the gate. Offering multiplayer but no matchmaking or cross-play, throwing numerous enemies at you at a time without a way to toggle between targets, forcing you to chase after enemies hitting you with projectiles when your only long-range attack is on a too-long cooldown, and of course, that $70 price tag. It will be interesting to see what shape Godfall is in a year from now, but I suggest you hold o...

A disappointment in almost all areas besides combat and graphics, Godfall feels more like a next-generation showcase than anything else. A boatload of stats and unsubstantial loot are just some of Godfall's major problems.

“Godfall's dazzling visuals and promising combat are held back by repetitive dungeon crawling.”

Godfall's monotonous structure is held together by punchy combat that can't bear the full weight.

It's hard to say whether Godfall will receive the support it needs to really help with its longevity in the long run. We've seen so many live service games get a lackluster launch, only to flourish a year or two later. Sea of Thieves did it, No Man's Sky is practically the poster boy for "games that bombed at launch before getting redeemed later", and I hear Fallout 76 is actually decent now.The same could happen for Godfall, but at least for now, unless you're really itching to play a brand new looter game, you can probably give this one a pass.