SPRAWL is a first-person movement shooter in which a cyborg soldier escapes a walled megacity through wall-runs, slides and chained jumps. The campaign casts SEVEN, an exiled former soldier and former crown jewel of the corporate government, under the guidance of the disembodied AI FATHER.
The movement is the core draw, with wall-running and bullet time making every firefight flow like a parkour run. The shotgun’s jump-boost trick adds a layer of technique on top of an already smooth, satisfying system.
The guns feel great, with headshots and overkill executions delivering consistent satisfaction. The weapon variety spans pistols, SMGs, a chain gun, grenade launcher, rail gun and the standout shotgun, with the pistols also earning praise.
The retro pixel aesthetic is elevated by its lighting, with reflections making the world look far better than the low textures suggest. The soundtrack intensifies with the action and is one of the game’s strongest assets.
The final boss is the biggest complaint, turning the game into a bullet hell with excessive health on every element of the fight. The chapter-two water boss is similarly undermined by toxic water that drains health constantly.
Sentry bots hit far too hard for no real reason, and the invisible ghost troops demand constant attention or they are missed entirely. The Spire’s platforming is finicky, and the chain gun slows movement so much it is rarely worth carrying.
Overall, the movement, the guns and the style form an incredible-value shooter that plays beautifully. The five-hour length and the boss design are the only genuine missteps in an otherwise awesome package.