Project Warlock

Lore & Background

Project Warlock takes inspiration from classic 1990s shooters such as Blood, Doom and Heretic. The player explores non-linear levels while battling enemies and bosses, seeking keys, power-ups, loot, weapons, and ammo, some hidden in secret areas. Each level consists of one to four short stages, and levels are grouped into episodes sharing a common theme. The game adds light role-playing elements: the protagonist, an unnamed warlock, wields both conventional weapons and magical spells. After each level, the player returns to a workshop where upgrade points and experience points are used to purchase new spells, weapon upgrades, and player perks such as increased health. The workshop also saves progress, as the game does not allow quick saves; each level must be completed in its entirety. An arcade-style lives system is featured, with running out of lives sending the player back to the beginning of the current episode or, on the hardest difficulty, to the start of the game.

Developer Jakub Cislo, born after the classic shooters that inspired him, was introduced to games like Blood, Heretic and Doom by his father. He decided to replicate their fast-paced action and complex levels in a new game. The first iteration debuted on Kickstarter under the name Exitium 3D, which earned negative feedback. Cislo persisted, improving the game and renaming it Cataclysm 3D. In April 2017, the game was approved on Steam Greenlight, though the service was discontinued shortly after. Modest success allowed Cislo to assemble a small team including an artist, level designer, and sound designer. The game, now called Project Warlock, attracted publisher Gaming Company. A sequel, Project Warlock II, was published by Retrovibe and entered early access on June 10, 2022.

Reader's Guide

Project Warlock stands as a notable example of a modern indie revival of the 1990s first-person shooter style, created by a teenage developer working largely alone before assembling a small team. Its release on GOG.com as a timed exclusive and later on Steam highlighted the continued market for retro-styled shooters. The game received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its pixel art visuals, sound design, and fast-paced gunplay, while noting unbalanced spells and an overly dark atmosphere. Some reviewers described boss fights as poorly constructed. The game's development path—from a Kickstarter campaign under the name Exitium 3D, through a name change to Cataclysm 3D, to Steam Greenlight approval—illustrates the iterative process common in indie game creation. Its sequel, Project Warlock II, entered early access in 2022, indicating the game's lasting appeal and the developer's continued involvement in the genre. The game's use of a workshop for upgrades and a lives system, rather than quick saves, distinguishes it from many modern shooters and reinforces its classic design philosophy.

Did You Know?

• Project Warlock was developed by 18-year-old Jakub Cislo while he was still attending high school.
• The game was originally called Exitium 3D during its Kickstarter campaign.
• Project Warlock does not allow quick saves; progress is saved only after completing an entire level.
• A sequel, Project Warlock II, was fully released on May 28, 2025.