Gauntlet (2014)

 PC
User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 184 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 101 out of 184
  2. Mixed: 53 out of 184
  3. Negative: 30 out of 184

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  1. twistedreal
    Dec 1, 2014
    8
    I picked this game up on sale for $10 and I must say that it was a well $10 spent! Coop is a blast! I tried playing it alone but without the coop element it got dull pretty quick. Gauntlet, 20 years ago, was about being in the same room as someone else and killing monsters and getting gold together. I can do exactly this in Gauntlet 2014.

    My biggest issue with the game is the wizard    I picked this game up on sale for $10 and I must say that it was a well $10 spent! Coop is a blast! I tried playing it alone but without the coop element it got dull pretty quick. Gauntlet, 20 years ago, was about being in the same room as someone else and killing monsters and getting gold together. I can do exactly this in Gauntlet 2014.

    My biggest issue with the game is the wizard class. the combo button scheme is strange to me and isn't gauntlet like. The wizard isn't a class that anyone can pick up and play. All other characters are great!

    Don't look too much into the negative reviews. A lot of people don't understand what Gauntlet is (this is a little different from the traditional concept Gauntlet, but imo a good twist) . I think they were expecting something more along the lines of Diablo. You aren't going to have fun if you play this by yourself and conquer it in 4 hours. It was meant to be played as a team!    … Expand
  2. The_Fun_Too
    Aug 11, 2015
    9
    I liked this game. It´s very enjoyable.

    It´s kinda hard to play alone, and very fun to play with friends. I dont play the first Gauntlet, but i´m happy to aplay this one!
  3. TimTeamTebow
    Sep 25, 2014
    7
    Gauntlet has 3 "worlds" with 4 levels each.
    Each level has multiple floors.
    The last level in each is a short boss fight about 5 minutes long.

    While the game is fun, it is extremely short. I finished the game on normal in 5 hours.
  4. draulxx
    Sep 24, 2014
    6
    The developers put to much of their own game "Magicka" into this new Gauntlet game. Those whom were huge fans of the previous games likely wont enjoy this much. However if you were into Magicka you will likely have a great time. The wizard is basically magicka lite.

    The story is there but you kind of have to look for it which really pulls you out of the game. So this game should be    The developers put to much of their own game "Magicka" into this new Gauntlet game. Those whom were huge fans of the previous games likely wont enjoy this much. However if you were into Magicka you will likely have a great time. The wizard is basically magicka lite.

    The story is there but you kind of have to look for it which really pulls you out of the game. So this game should be avoided if your looking for a story. As for a party game , or a game to be played with friends or even on stream with friends this game will hold its own. It's not a 40-60$ game and therefore you get your monies worth.

    However it is not the Gauntlet that we all deserve. It is still however better than that "Thing" we call Sacred 3. However Sacred 3 is more of an rpg than this. You do no character building. There is no loot. Super limited on upgrades and most of which requires high difficulty play to even unlock.

    There are 4 characters / classes in the game. Warrior, Archer, Valkyrie, Wizard. The Wizard is a combo based spell caster. Adding different elements creates a different spell. It has more play style than anyone else and was very obviously inspired by Magicka, hence the Magicka LITE comment earlier.

    The Archer is the most mobile class and seemed to do a decent amount of aoe. The biggest thing you noticed is that you can actually move and attack which is extremely important when playing on higher difficulties. However as an archer you have a harder time destroying the monster spawners.

    The Warrior is a barbarian. Wielding an axe you chop like the best of em. Pretty generic, Decent survivablity but playing on harder difficulties ... is well... Hard as a melee oriented class. This is definitely the class that at best is meant for killing monster spawners.

    Then there is the Valkyrie. The tank. The Paladin... The avenger.... Yea , that's right. I said Avenger. She throws her shield like Captain America. She is pretty beefy, Can do a decent amount of aoe at melee and at range. Most importantly. She has a block. She is the best at survival. Can fight at melee or ranged. She is kind of a tank anyway. She has a shield and can block but takes a lot of damage. Use of all of the tools is required to play her.

    I stuck with the Archer while my co-op partner played a Valkyrie and then later swapped to Wizard. We played through the first door with no issues. However on the first floor of the second door we encountered a game HALTERING bug. Where the key we picked up did not actually acknowledge that we picked it up. However it was no longer in the game world and we could no longer progress. That was the stopping point for me. Once you hit a game breaking bug that rings bells.

    The Drastik Measure gives this game a 6/10    … Expand
  5. deathweeper
    Sep 24, 2014
    5
    It can be a lot of fun with friends but playing solo its very frustrating, annoying and overall boring. the graphics are fine but the game play is simplistic and unrewarding. Its also frustrating seeing how small your character is. You wouldn't beat this game because its fun, you would beat it because you want to see the ending or your very bored.
  6. Tridus
    Sep 25, 2014
    7
    Fun game with friends. Get a group together and go wreak havok. Shoot the food and steal the crown to annoy your buddies! Not nearly as much fun in single player, I wouldn't recommend it if you're playing alone. But with a group, it's a good time. Also plays much better with a controller, though it doesn't seem to recognize all of them by default (it worked with my Xbox 360 one, not with aFun game with friends. Get a group together and go wreak havok. Shoot the food and steal the crown to annoy your buddies! Not nearly as much fun in single player, I wouldn't recommend it if you're playing alone. But with a group, it's a good time. Also plays much better with a controller, though it doesn't seem to recognize all of them by default (it worked with my Xbox 360 one, not with a friends PS4 one).… Expand
  7. Thaeru
    Sep 23, 2014
    6
    Generic, that's the word I'd use. While Gauntlet might've created the genre and I've got fond memories of the classics, the game's repetitive nature and less-than-stellar enemy design leaves one to become bored quite quickly.

    The game's saving grace is the chaotic nature of multiplayer, it's restricted camera and competitive cooperative nature leads to a few extra hours of enjoyment but    Generic, that's the word I'd use. While Gauntlet might've created the genre and I've got fond memories of the classics, the game's repetitive nature and less-than-stellar enemy design leaves one to become bored quite quickly.

    The game's saving grace is the chaotic nature of multiplayer, it's restricted camera and competitive cooperative nature leads to a few extra hours of enjoyment but it'll eventually stagnate and you'd lose all motivation to keep going down to the next floor.

    Decent buy if you're nostalgic about the old gauntlets but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.    … Expand
  8. BSim500
    Sep 25, 2014
    4
    Was initially looking forward to it, but the controls annoyed me right from the start. No rebindable keys (and you can't use cursor keys - WASD only, "Shift" means "Left Shift" only, etc). Wizard's "combo's" also felt out of place for Gauntlet (which is about simplicity). Gameplay is highly monotonous (and yet I loved original Gauntlet on the Spectrum). I just couldn't get into it. WouldWas initially looking forward to it, but the controls annoyed me right from the start. No rebindable keys (and you can't use cursor keys - WASD only, "Shift" means "Left Shift" only, etc). Wizard's "combo's" also felt out of place for Gauntlet (which is about simplicity). Gameplay is highly monotonous (and yet I loved original Gauntlet on the Spectrum). I just couldn't get into it. Would have given it an 7-8 for overall gameplay, but Gauntlet's poor PC port keyboard support knocks it down to a 4.

    Cursor keys for movement have been around for oh 30 years or so (hint : if you're left handed with the mouse, then your right hand is naturally over arrow keys not WASD)... Come on people, stop tacking on a half-a**ed crippled keyboard bad port job as an afterthought to controllers.    … Expand
  9. adff500
    Sep 24, 2014
    1
    +++ Pros +++
    1. A remake of an arcade classic.
    2. Local and online 4 player co-op. 3. Hordes of enemies. - - - Cons - - - 1. Graphics are very basic (as a PS2 game) and camera is very far (no zoom). 2. Design and lenght of the game is very poor (3 worlds divided in several same looking levels). 3. Controls are horrible and cannot be changed (especially k+m is a disaster).    +++ Pros +++
    1. A remake of an arcade classic.
    2. Local and online 4 player co-op.
    3. Hordes of enemies.

    - - - Cons - - -

    1. Graphics are very basic (as a PS2 game) and camera is very far (no zoom).
    2. Design and lenght of the game is very poor (3 worlds divided in several same looking levels).
    3. Controls are horrible and cannot be changed (especially k+m is a disaster).

    Gauntlet: Nostalgia Quick Cash Edition. This game is unplayable in single player as the difficulty is set for 4 players co-op (4 pack costs 55€). I remember Gauntlet from the golden age of arcades where you had 600 health for 1 credit (coin) and you could enjoy the dungeons for a while. This remake is spitting in your face and is more expensive than a day out in arcade.    … Expand
  10. Unreamarkable
    Sep 26, 2014
    8
    This is a great remake, true to the fun of the original game. The difficulty levels allow players looking for a challenge to experience death on the level of the original title but there are also easier difficulties for the rest of us. The variation in play mechanics for each character is a strong point that allows Gauntlet to not be overly simple but also not to lose its arcadish feel.This is a great remake, true to the fun of the original game. The difficulty levels allow players looking for a challenge to experience death on the level of the original title but there are also easier difficulties for the rest of us. The variation in play mechanics for each character is a strong point that allows Gauntlet to not be overly simple but also not to lose its arcadish feel. The potential for growth in this game is still there, which keeps it from being a 10 in my books, but the foundation is fantastic and hopefully there will be some memorable DLC to push this game up the last few notches to a must-play co-op experience.… Expand
  11. ohtwo
    Sep 27, 2014
    10
    I am old enough to remember playing Gauntlet in the arcades and going crazy when I saw that a certain arcade had it. It was one of the best games of the 80s, hands down. I decided to purchase it on steam and I am glad I did. The game feels very much like the old gauntlet did, even keeping sayings like "Warrior needs food, badly.", the spawning skulls even look different as you damageI am old enough to remember playing Gauntlet in the arcades and going crazy when I saw that a certain arcade had it. It was one of the best games of the 80s, hands down. I decided to purchase it on steam and I am glad I did. The game feels very much like the old gauntlet did, even keeping sayings like "Warrior needs food, badly.", the spawning skulls even look different as you damage them to a certain point, and many other little things that just brought back great memories!

    The developers of the game also did not go overboard and try to re-create the wheel. The kept it simple and made it just overall very fun to play. Each class has a different feel to it, and I love how they integrated the achievements in to the game play. Example: Die 5 times and you will drop less gold on deaths. So dying isn't exactly a bad thing in this game.

    Also love the fact that this isn't a pure click-to-win game. You can, and you will have to restart the entire level if you don't pay attention. The game uses "Skull coins" or something to allow you to continue play after you die. If you lose all your skull coins on one level, you die completely and have to restart the level. Makes the game feel like the arcade!

    Overall 10/10. I can't see how they could of made this better. Loving this game and it's only $20 on steam.. Best $20 game I've purchased in a long time.    … Expand
  12. Dombeeduck
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    As a person who has played many editions of this series ( the original, legends, and dark legacy) I see this game as a great edition to those. While, it doesn't play exactly like the classics it modernizes the combat system. The Elf playing like the classic gauntlet by shooting things as much as possible, the Wizard shoots varied projectiles based on the combinations of buttons you hitAs a person who has played many editions of this series ( the original, legends, and dark legacy) I see this game as a great edition to those. While, it doesn't play exactly like the classics it modernizes the combat system. The Elf playing like the classic gauntlet by shooting things as much as possible, the Wizard shoots varied projectiles based on the combinations of buttons you hit beforehand akin to Magicka, the Warrior is a heavy hitting brawler, and the Valkyrie acts like a tank. The game takes a different method of character progression in comparison to Legends and Legacy by swapping out the leveling system with upgrading the

    character based off of their performance.
    For example: the wizard has a thing if you kill X amount of enemies you get a 15% reduction on the cool-down of your charge ability.

    The item system only allows you to carry two items but I'd argue that these items are significantly more unique with items such as a gargoyle or fire boots that leave a trail of flames that damage enemies.

    Overall its a breath of fresh air to the series and if you love gauntlet like I do you'll certainly love this game as much as I do    … Expand
  13. Euphio
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    With solid controls, tons of loot, many reasons to explore, and 4 classes that are incredibly varied with different control schemes Gauntlet's reboot is fantastic. The writing is witty and the game doesn't take itself too seriously, which is very welcome. The only downside is how Gauntlet thrives on couch co-op, which maybe very difficult for some to pull off since this is a PC only gameWith solid controls, tons of loot, many reasons to explore, and 4 classes that are incredibly varied with different control schemes Gauntlet's reboot is fantastic. The writing is witty and the game doesn't take itself too seriously, which is very welcome. The only downside is how Gauntlet thrives on couch co-op, which maybe very difficult for some to pull off since this is a PC only game as of right now.… Expand
  14. Drahsid
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    This is an amazing reboot, great game, lots of fun, with more features coming soon!
    I recommend you buy it now, especially if you like arcade dungeon crawlers, as the series is the granddaddy of them.
    #NeedFoodBadly
  15. simonblore
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    I'm giving this 10/10 because other people have been so harsh on the game. If you don't like it, fine. If you struggle with a Control Pad, use a Mouse & Keyboard instead and don't give it 0/10 without a better reason.

    Next up Gauntlet is barely an RPG. Sure, you play as something you are not in real life, but Unreal Tournament isn't an RPG. It is just a co-operative dungeon crawler like    I'm giving this 10/10 because other people have been so harsh on the game. If you don't like it, fine. If you struggle with a Control Pad, use a Mouse & Keyboard instead and don't give it 0/10 without a better reason.

    Next up Gauntlet is barely an RPG. Sure, you play as something you are not in real life, but Unreal Tournament isn't an RPG. It is just a co-operative dungeon crawler like Magicka was, but all indoors instead of a mix of locations.

    I'd probably otherwise say 8/10. It is a good game, will I play it for 50+ hours? Probably. Would I pay £14.99 for it? Clearly. Do I think it is a true reboot of the Classic Game? Absolutely.

    Next up we have a comment about class imbalance. Finding three of the classes hard? Play the other one. I can solo the game I have played so far with the Elf, so how you can say it is actually too hard unless you play the Valkyrie is beyond me. I agree about the Wizard, but in co-op that sort of thing may play better.

    Notice I agree with Thaeru who noted the game had a lot of Magicka in it as a negative criticism. Notice that Thaeru went on to give the game 6/10. Not 0/10 and not 2/10. Thaeru even found a game-breaking bug and it got 6/10 - about the worst game experience you can have.

    Think carefully before you mark a game that far in the Red.

    If you like co-op Dungeon-Crawlers. You will like Gauntlet. That's the bottom-line.    … Expand
  16. beergogglesftw
    Sep 25, 2014
    8
    This game is a lot of fun with friends.

    I feel like the Warrior needs a buff. He seems to always be the last one selected. I never cared for Magicka, but I actually really like the Wizard class here. Its easier and simpler than Magicka, but fun and rewarding to quickly learn the combos. It could use more content than what I've seen so far.I hope they add more without the threat of    This game is a lot of fun with friends.

    I feel like the Warrior needs a buff. He seems to always be the last one selected.

    I never cared for Magicka, but I actually really like the Wizard class here. Its easier and simpler than Magicka, but fun and rewarding to quickly learn the combos.

    It could use more content than what I've seen so far.I hope they add more without the threat of Microtransaction DLC. I bought a 4-pack and got my money's worth.    … Expand
  17. Sjalka
    Sep 26, 2014
    6
    Gauntlet 2014 is a good revision of an old classic. However, it is not Gauntlet. Some time ago, there was another reboot ( which did not have the license i think ) it was called "get Medieval" - which was much more in the spirit of Gauntlet.

    This Gauntlet however feels much more like a mixture between Diablo 3 and any other generic dual stick arcade game. 1) visuals: The game looks    Gauntlet 2014 is a good revision of an old classic. However, it is not Gauntlet. Some time ago, there was another reboot ( which did not have the license i think ) it was called "get Medieval" - which was much more in the spirit of Gauntlet.

    This Gauntlet however feels much more like a mixture between Diablo 3 and any other generic dual stick arcade game.

    1) visuals:
    The game looks OK - but not great. It does run surprisingly bad for how it looks though - and especially the settings/options menu is outright terrible.

    2) gameplay:
    The game offers non procedually generated dungeons, which limits the replayability. I am not sure if the original offered it ( i kind of doubt it ) - but from what i read about it, the actual levels were larger, a lot less restrictive.

    Gauntlet offers linear levels with occasional secret spots - but usually closes doors so backtracking or actually using the enviroment becomes unavailable. What made the original gauntlet special was the monster generators, which produced legions of monsters - turning the game more into a gorefest like "infested planet". This gauntlet is fairly conservative with its monsters it seems. The monsters are tougher - hence you get less.

    3) character classes:
    hm - they are not very balanced. While the original games classes were pretty much the same with just different sprites, in this revision the classes are a bit too different.

    the IDEA of them is not bad - and being different is very good, too. - but not if some class is much weaker.

    warrior: kind of generic melee class - but no reason to pick him when the valkyrie is better
    valkyrie: generic melee class
    archer: feels very weak, possibly a good support, but not so much suited for singleplayer in my opinion
    mage: interesting concept, but too complicated in a fast firefight. switching spells should not have been done with 3 key combinations, but rather with hotkeys - the mage already severely lacks other instant defenses ( dodgeroll, block etc )

    so for now - it is a fun game for a .. more or less fair price - if patches fix the game, especially the options menu and optimize it more.

    however, in terms of a revision of the old classic, it does not come very close.    … Expand
  18. DutchDagger
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    This is probably one of the best classic series reboots I've ever played. I was always a fan of the arcade and NES Gauntlet games, and this one combines what was great about those games with good graphics, humour, improved combat, and much more. If you're looking for a classic Gauntlet experience, try playing as the Elf, as his combat style is a lot like the original games. 10/10 I shot the food.
  19. Cacophony
    Sep 23, 2014
    9
    This game is a tremendous co-op experience with partially randomized dungeons and hilarious cooperative/competitive gameplay. The four playable characters have very unique playstyles which complement one another nicely, and the difficulty can scale up to require a truly seasoned party to overcome. Character progression is satisfying and interesting, eschewing Gauntlet Legends'This game is a tremendous co-op experience with partially randomized dungeons and hilarious cooperative/competitive gameplay. The four playable characters have very unique playstyles which complement one another nicely, and the difficulty can scale up to require a truly seasoned party to overcome. Character progression is satisfying and interesting, eschewing Gauntlet Legends' experience-based system for one which provides discrete bonuses for individual actions and achievements (you start healing when you blow up food if you do it enough!).

    Overall, Gauntlet is and always has been a game for people with friends, so if you have a group of buddies to play and laugh with (either over voicechat or on the couch with you), you're going to have a great time. Playing solo is still fun, but might be too difficult and doesn't really showcase the true shine of this title. For $20 this title is absolutely worth every penny.    … Expand
  20. HaltTheWolf
    Sep 23, 2014
    2
    First off this is not anything like any of the gauntlet games besides its only connection being its a top-down 4 player hack and slash. Let me first review each of the charters.

    Wizard -TooHardDidn'tPlay This class is really over complicated, why would you make the wizard have combos but none of the others? Gauntlet is suppose to be a easy 3 button masher. Warrior - Under-powered    First off this is not anything like any of the gauntlet games besides its only connection being its a top-down 4 player hack and slash. Let me first review each of the charters.

    Wizard -TooHardDidn'tPlay

    This class is really over complicated, why would you make the wizard have combos but none of the others? Gauntlet is suppose to be a easy 3 button masher.

    Warrior - Under-powered Valkyrie

    This class really just feels like a valkyrie that is missing power and getting into battle abilities.

    Elf - The Toothpick Shooter

    This class is the weakest out of all of them. Your main attack does not even do damage to the spawners ... When all the other classes quick attack does...

    Valkyrie - The Only Good Class

    The title says it, this class is actually kind of fun to play. All the classes should of been like this one.

    OVERALL - this game is a very generic boring game. This is unfortunate since I am a huge fan boy of all the other ones that have ever came out. I feel like this was a corporate product to get a quick buck. I would not recommend this game to anyone who likes games that are fun.

    P.S SCREW THIS METACRITIC FORMATTING.    … Expand
  21. notorious_pog
    Sep 23, 2014
    4
    A friend bought this for me, I played a few hours and never want to touch it again. The controls don't feel very accurate, and the game feels stale and repetitive after the first few levels. This would be fine if it was fun to play, unfortunately it's not.
  22. Jordanrosser13
    Sep 23, 2014
    10
    This game is everything I was praying it would be. The four characters available have differences in their playing styles which makes the game worth playing multiple times. The enemies are difficult at times but this forces the player to get creative rather than fall into the same murderous trance over and over again. Each floor contains something different from bosses, to death incarnate,This game is everything I was praying it would be. The four characters available have differences in their playing styles which makes the game worth playing multiple times. The enemies are difficult at times but this forces the player to get creative rather than fall into the same murderous trance over and over again. Each floor contains something different from bosses, to death incarnate, to just flat out treasure troves. To make things better, the game contains many upgrades in the form of relics and you can even customize your hero with new armor and weapons in the shop in the hub room. This game is made even more fun when you play with your friends, the teamwork element makes strategies more fun and gathering more loot than your friend is always a fun contest. I cannot wait to see how this game progresses. It is a fantastic reboot and is more fun than most games I've played this year.… Expand
  23. Kashemi
    Sep 24, 2014
    10
    Before Diablo there was Gauntlet. This game started it all, and now it was finally remade! Plus you can play in "classic" mode (arcade style). The classes are fun to play, the grinding is actually exciting, and the difficulties are, well, in fact like any arcade style game, Difficult.
  24. reviewmasta
    Oct 3, 2014
    2
    Positive
    _____________
    + Warrior chatter is hilarious + Core gameplay mechanics are really, really fun. Love the idea of being locked in a room and spawners coming up spawning endless waves of enemies and lobbing AOE fire bombs into the middle of them with the wizard. Or running into the middle of a huge mob and doing the warriors spin attack and clearing a huge hole in the group.    Positive
    _____________
    + Warrior chatter is hilarious

    + Core gameplay mechanics are really, really fun. Love the idea of being locked in a room and spawners coming up spawning endless waves of enemies and lobbing AOE fire bombs into the middle of them with the wizard. Or running into the middle of a huge mob and doing the warriors spin attack and clearing a huge hole in the group. It's really a shame the map designs don't complement this enough.

    + Decent graphics, but the FXAA isn't cutting it. You can see really bad jaggies.

    + Fun and unique characters, just wish they all had as much complexity as the wizard.

    + Wizard is really fun and probably the funnest character. He has so many magic spells that lets you have many play styles. Can play support or be an aggressive killing machine once maxed out masteries.

    Negative
    _____________
    - Bad camera when playing online multiplayer, you will often get screen locked. The hosts character controls the camera position and centers around him.

    - HUD and kill streak popups cover your character onscreen because they take up 15% of the bottom of the screen! Because when you're running away from hordes and disappear from the screen, lol!

    - A lot of bad map designs and way too repetitive. The run and kill styled maps just kill the fun aspects of this game, the camping and fighting off huge waves of enemies! Dungeon 2 and 3 both have way too much run and kill style maps. Bad map design decision that don't complement the game whatsoever. Sorry to whoever made these maps, but they're seriously some of the worst maps I've ever played for a top down view game like this.

    - Character balance isn't the best

    - The amount of content is way too little for a $20 title

    - Way too much grinding! Devs skimped on the content so they've added over 50+ hours of grinding the same boring masteries over and over! Have fun killing something crazy like 80,000+ different enemy types on every character to get the damage perks so you can play the harder difficulties. It's just awful and makes me not want to even fire up the game anymore.

    - Finding an online game is a nightmare. "connection lost", "game already started", blah, blah blah. Have fun enjoying pressing join game 10 times to get into a game, and when you finally get into one, the character you want to play is already taken! rinse and repeat 2 more times.

    - Puzzles are so brainless and boring. Stand here to spin this thing, crank this lever to release lava, push block to get key. I'm awful at puzzles and didn't even need to think for this stuff. It's just dumb filler puzzles.

    - Difficutlties need to be reworked. "Unfair", the highest difficulty isn't even that hard once your team figures out to focus fire the spawners. Once everyone does this, the game feels like normal mode and becomes way too easy. Most pub players don't know to do this, so I guess it gives the impression of being hard, but the experienced players that have an ounce of strategy know "unfair" is a joke.

    - 99% of the relics are all useless, I'm not joking. Just save your gold and get Ring of Mirrors. It's priced the highest for a reason, it's the strongest. Everything else just seems like a gimmick. Not to mention relics are very rarely used because of they require potion pickups in game. Once people get potions they just horde them until the arena map to spam them to make the arena map easier. A lot of people don't even use them because they forget they have them, that's how gimmicky they are.    … Expand
  25. Vapidity
    Sep 24, 2014
    8
    Honestly, I've played it for about 2 hour so far and I just wanted to stop in and say that I really like the combat, you gotta dash, attack, keep distance, use power ability, etc... but its different than D3 somehow. Having the 4 people is fun, no quests, just killing, the random things the characters say...all good. Is there in game chat besides emoting?

    TLDR: Played 2-3 hours,    Honestly, I've played it for about 2 hour so far and I just wanted to stop in and say that I really like the combat, you gotta dash, attack, keep distance, use power ability, etc... but its different than D3 somehow. Having the 4 people is fun, no quests, just killing, the random things the characters say...all good. Is there in game chat besides emoting?

    TLDR: Played 2-3 hours, liking combat and game in general.    … Expand
  26. TheChriss
    Sep 25, 2014
    10
    First time I saw this reboot on steam, I was thinking " 20$ only... should be like a mini game with such a price" I played the other gauntlet released on PS2 several yeears ago, and I remember having so much fun playing with my brother. So I guess this on could not be worst and I also needed a game to play with friends.

    The point is... This is perfect The maniability is really good    First time I saw this reboot on steam, I was thinking " 20$ only... should be like a mini game with such a price" I played the other gauntlet released on PS2 several yeears ago, and I remember having so much fun playing with my brother. So I guess this on could not be worst and I also needed a game to play with friends.

    The point is... This is perfect

    The maniability is really good and pleasant and easy to learn, and for those who say there is a probleme with the control... I guess they are not very smart because it's really easy to fixe with the keyboard and buying a pad is not that expensive...

    The progression of the caracter is something I really like... You don't loos your time in your inventory full of random **** like in diablo for exemple. You juste take pleasure by killing creatures and the succes system will upgrade your caracter, prefect!!
    But you spend time in this smart shop were you can choose your two Relics and try to find the best combo for your caracter.

    The graphics are simple and nice, we don't need more.

    This is the perfect game to spend hours and hours with friends and have fun with them. What else???    … Expand
  27. CodyMac82
    Oct 6, 2014
    10
    I'm giving this a strong 10. As a PC user who is a huge fan of Co-Op games it's hard to find anything worth playing with a friend. Been playing this with a buddy of mine for like 8 hours and have enjoyed every minute. It's a little more difficult than I expected it to be which is definitely not a bad thing and seems like it will give it some good replay value (we started on hard, as II'm giving this a strong 10. As a PC user who is a huge fan of Co-Op games it's hard to find anything worth playing with a friend. Been playing this with a buddy of mine for like 8 hours and have enjoyed every minute. It's a little more difficult than I expected it to be which is definitely not a bad thing and seems like it will give it some good replay value (we started on hard, as I usually do, and we got slaughtered). Lots of loot and upgrades which is always nice in these types of games. Anyways, if you're looking for a game to play with a friend this is it.… Expand
  28. Catwaffles
    Sep 24, 2014
    0
    By modern standards, the game is ugly, the controller support is bad (the wizard/ranger only shoot at 45* angles) and there's hardly any content. As a diablo style game, it lacks progression. I know it's $20 when most games release at $50, but I've played a dozen "indy" rpgs in a similar vein that release at $15 and they're far better games.

    Some people who played the very old    By modern standards, the game is ugly, the controller support is bad (the wizard/ranger only shoot at 45* angles) and there's hardly any content. As a diablo style game, it lacks progression. I know it's $20 when most games release at $50, but I've played a dozen "indy" rpgs in a similar vein that release at $15 and they're far better games.

    Some people who played the very old gauntlets like the splash from the past, I guess. But even they have to get tired of staring at generic grey walls and floors, right?    … Expand
  29. VoxPaladin
    Oct 1, 2014
    0
    Biggest joke of 2014, and It's not even funny.

    Extremely short single-player, lackluster content, terrible controls, no options for key bindings, underpowered classes and extremely repetitive.

    The co-op is also a joke, net code issues abounding in this stuttery lagfest of hack and slash. Or should I say, trash?

    0/10
  30. TitaniumDragon
    Oct 5, 2014
    6
    The original Gauntlet was perhaps the pre-eminent arcade hack-and-slash quarter eating game. The 2014 remake follows in the tradition of the original game, but changes the formula somewhat; rather than having four identical classes with the levels being what really defines how you fight, instead there are four different classes where the emphasis is on your powers and teamwork.
    Overall,    The original Gauntlet was perhaps the pre-eminent arcade hack-and-slash quarter eating game. The 2014 remake follows in the tradition of the original game, but changes the formula somewhat; rather than having four identical classes with the levels being what really defines how you fight, instead there are four different classes where the emphasis is on your powers and teamwork.
    Overall, the gameplay experience was decent enough, but there wasn’t all that much of it; for $20, only about 4-5 hours of gameplay feels a bit limited, but the fairly limited nature of the gameplay meant that stretching the game out any longer would have been a mistake as well, as there just isn’t enough meat to the game for such. While there are challenges to complete which grant the player permanent minor buffs, and a number of relics which the player can unlock, in the end none of them really felt interesting or exciting enough that I had to play the game over and over again, grinding through the levels to unlock them. For $5 it would be a fine game, and even for $10 it would be okay for a lark with friends, but at $20 I expect a more substantial experience than what this game has to offer.    … Expand
  31. arth1
    Sep 27, 2014
    2
    This game is nothing at all like the original. I don't think the developers have even played the original, but based it on the Nintendo DS version. And its "full controller support" only includes XBox controllers. Logitech users are not welcome.
  32. SenshudoTV
    Oct 9, 2014
    9
    Gauntlet gets everything right in an HD reboot/remake. It's stunning visuals for such a cheap game are worth the price of admission alone. The real fun begins when you bring a friend along for the ride via the local or online co-op multiplayer system. It deserves a place in everyone's library.
  33. Cyraga
    Sep 28, 2014
    6
    I went into this game hoping for a Gauntlet Legends-esque experience. I was disappointed in that respect, but what I got is a pretty fun experience for $20. Definitely check it out on Youtube before you buy it though as it's very basic and won't be for everyone.
  34. Skipnipper
    Sep 25, 2014
    10
    I had to give this game a 10/10. This is how games should be made, great old School fun. Get some mates together and really enjoy the multiplayer experience as it should be done, flawlessly.

    Very well done to the makers of this game, thank you so much!
  35. eekz
    Sep 26, 2014
    9
    Great classic game. Requires skill. Much more fun and action than diablo and alike games. I like skills that characters have and dynamic of gameplay. At higher difficulties game reminds me darksouls and is a challenge.
    Elves always steal crown in last moment :)
  36. kangggunw
    Sep 30, 2014
    5
    Game's combat systems, movements are very good. Combats are really fun and nicely programmed.
    But even for 20 bucks this is too short and too repetitive. The air and comical sense of it is wonderful and all and co-op is pretty fun but when i'm to score it, i simply have to comeback to the basic problem.
    For 1 week-with friends run it'll do 20bucks' work. otherwise If you bought it for    Game's combat systems, movements are very good. Combats are really fun and nicely programmed.
    But even for 20 bucks this is too short and too repetitive. The air and comical sense of it is wonderful and all and co-op is pretty fun but when i'm to score it, i simply have to comeback to the basic problem.

    For 1 week-with friends run it'll do 20bucks' work. otherwise If you bought it for singleplay, you have every right to be mad.    … Expand
  37. thandriel
    Sep 25, 2014
    9
    This game is very good cooperative dungeon crawler. If you expect RPG I have bad news for you. Character development is present only in form of perks (if you destroy enough food it actually starts to heal you, mage ignores first hit after taking amount of dmg, etc.), buying and upgrading relics (spells) and vanity items (armor skins).

    Each of four characters has unique feel and    This game is very good cooperative dungeon crawler. If you expect RPG I have bad news for you. Character development is present only in form of perks (if you destroy enough food it actually starts to heal you, mage ignores first hit after taking amount of dmg, etc.), buying and upgrading relics (spells) and vanity items (armor skins).

    Each of four characters has unique feel and different playstyle.

    Mage: Casting is done by combining 3 elements into 9 spells (very similar to magicka). It takes a while to get used to and such it creates disadvantage in the beginning. But after a bit of practice this makes wizard useful in any situation you can imagine and IMHO the strongest class.

    Valkyrie: My favourite. Mobile, strong, capable of tanking and with ranged attack.

    Warrior: Brutal killing machine, creates a lot of space with every blow. Capable of running through hordes and invincible when using his special attack.

    Elf: Quite the same as in the original. Bombs and arrows, bombs ON arrows :), sniping mode and dodging.

    Addressing issue Catwaffles mentioned: the wizard/ranger only shoot at 45* angles
    This is just false. All classes have omnidirectional aim.

    Graphics are mediocre. Not ugly, not awesome.

    Overall: Gather some friends and go play this. It's fun. And that's the most important thing, isn't it? Btw sorry for my English. It's not my first language.    … Expand
  38. SkepticMonkey
    Sep 27, 2014
    5
    This game will entertain you for about 4-5 hours, and then after beating it you will realize the only thing left to do is grind away in the same repetitive levels trying to attain quota rewards- an experience that ends up being... unrewarding.
    The games initial enjoyment quickly fizzles and you will be left wondering about the $20 price tag. I don't know how someone could give this a    This game will entertain you for about 4-5 hours, and then after beating it you will realize the only thing left to do is grind away in the same repetitive levels trying to attain quota rewards- an experience that ends up being... unrewarding.
    The games initial enjoyment quickly fizzles and you will be left wondering about the $20 price tag. I don't know how someone could give this a '10'; People need to keep that score reserved for games like Baldurs Gate 2 and XCOM:UFO defense or else you are just skewering the rating system.
    Pros:
    - Characters have very different playing styles, which adds a few more hours of entertainment mastering the different techniques.
    - fun co-op play.
    Cons:
    - it could be so much more!!! Have the different outfits provide perks! (fire arrows for the complete 'hard' level armor set for the elf, increased fire explosions for the wizard, etc.)
    - More character customization, random level generation, and better rewards would make for a gaming experience that would keep you coming back.
    (PS: character centered viewpoint on co-op would be an improvement, even if you are still confined to a limited space... I hate being at the edge of the frame and getting hit by an enemy I cant even see!)    … Expand
  39. somedude14
    Nov 8, 2016
    6
    Slayer Edition.

    Visually this is quite dated. Ran into one glitch where an arena wouldn't unlock the paths after clearing all the enemies, forcing a restart on 20 minutes of progress. Game itself is quite short, beat it on Hard mode in just over 3 hours. Then went on to Endless and Colosseum to see what those were all about, and they're really just fluff modes. Not much to do    Slayer Edition.

    Visually this is quite dated. Ran into one glitch where an arena wouldn't unlock the paths after clearing all the enemies, forcing a restart on 20 minutes of progress. Game itself is quite short, beat it on Hard mode in just over 3 hours. Then went on to Endless and Colosseum to see what those were all about, and they're really just fluff modes.

    Not much to do after you beat the game aside from play with the other characters and/or farm gold to get new cosmetics for your favorite character, but I don't see this having appeal to most people beyond the campaign clear. Games like Gauntlet paved the way for something like Diablo, but now that Diablo has been around, Gauntlet just feels like Diablo-lite.    … Expand
  40. slick_trick
    Oct 31, 2015
    9
    Excellent game with a very good learning curve, 5 characters that all play different. The wizard spell system is really well done and the others characters also have a somewhat complex system of their own in terms of learning how to actually survive the increasingly challenging levels. There is an active community playing Endless and it truly is endless.. the number 1 guy on theExcellent game with a very good learning curve, 5 characters that all play different. The wizard spell system is really well done and the others characters also have a somewhat complex system of their own in terms of learning how to actually survive the increasingly challenging levels. There is an active community playing Endless and it truly is endless.. the number 1 guy on the leaderboard has gotten to somewhere around the 1800th floor. You only have to get past the first checkpoint (19th) floor for things to start getting crazy. And there are always people jumping in the game if you make it public.… Expand
  41. medv4380
    Dec 2, 2015
    0
    Game was in part marketed as eventually having Linux support via SteamOS. I purchased the game as a gift for some friends, and family. They've been able to play it just fine, but the one copy I kept for myself has never been able to run because I've been waiting for the Linux Support, and they coded it in such a way it's impossible to get working in Wine. The whole 20 min Steam says I'veGame was in part marketed as eventually having Linux support via SteamOS. I purchased the game as a gift for some friends, and family. They've been able to play it just fine, but the one copy I kept for myself has never been able to run because I've been waiting for the Linux Support, and they coded it in such a way it's impossible to get working in Wine. The whole 20 min Steam says I've played the game was just a vain attempt to try and get it to work tough Wine like so many other Steam games do.

    As of Last month you could buy Steam Boxes on the Steam Store, but no update as to weather or not support will ever come.

    Since I did get it for some family my brother brought his machine over to attempt to get local multiplayer working. Getting multiple controllers to work on the PC is an out right nightmare, and I'm a Linux Guy willing to pound my head into a brick wall trying to get a game to work with Wine. One control is easy, two is hard, but doable. Four, and you may as well be blood letting to your favored God, or Devil. And that's on a windows box where the game runs just fine.

    As of Today it is Free for PS4 owners with a Playstation Plus account. I will probably be buying 3 additional controllers just so my wife, kids, friends, and family can all play local multiplay the way Gauntlet was intended to be played.

    At least I don't have to toss more money at this game just to get it to work, but the PC version is an unacceptable monster that should be avoided if at all possible.    … Expand
  42. tehace
    Nov 25, 2014
    9
    Game is genuinly fun, even better with friends and doesnt pretend to be something else than it is, its an arcade hack&slash, thats it and it plays really well (sacred 3 is basically gauntlet at this point but pretended to be something else).

    I've read a bad review of the classes here so I just gona give my two cents about it: "Wizard -TooHardDidn'tPlay This class is really over    Game is genuinly fun, even better with friends and doesnt pretend to be something else than it is, its an arcade hack&slash, thats it and it plays really well (sacred 3 is basically gauntlet at this point but pretended to be something else).

    I've read a bad review of the classes here so I just gona give my two cents about it:
    "Wizard -TooHardDidn'tPlay This class is really over complicated, why would you make the wizard have combos but none of the others? Gauntlet is suppose to be a easy 3 button masher." Giving wizard combos made him very distinctive from other characters and he is really a bit hard to master but once you do you can do amazing things with him.

    "Warrior - Under-powered"
    Not really, he is a bit harder to play as you need to be in mele range but his dash knocks enemies down and damage them (kills many of the weaker mobs) and while you're attacking easier mobs cant damage you so you have to watch out for projectiles and harder-hitting mobs which are relatively easy to avoid. Still fun to play if you prefer mele.

    "Valkyrie This class really just feels like a valkyrie that is missing power and getting into battle abilities."
    Haven't played it at all so far as I was focused on the other classes but if you think its good while others arent Im sure I'll like it :)

    "Elf - The Toothpick Shooter This class is the weakest out of all of them. Your main attack does not even do damage to the spawners ... When all the other classes quick attack does..."
    Its a sustained fire ranged class it have to do less damage as you can damage your enemies while constantly moving. Great class to play if your aim is good you as you can basically run circles with your enemies while sniping high-threat targets, also have decent aoe, if it would do more damage it would be OP as hell.

    If you give a game 2 because you can't play it Im not sure if thats a valid score.    … Expand
  43. SebboBastian
    Dec 24, 2018
    1
    repetition after repetition... ZZzzZZzzZZzzz to bad. May instead recommend to play Hammerwatch.
  44. Miriede
    Sep 27, 2014
    9
    The game is definitely good, short but managed to rescue the spirit of fun that the old version had. In hard mode the hordes of monsters are much smarter and it pleased me greatly. Recommend playing yes, the amount charged is totally cost-effective. I look forward to more expansions dungeons the biggest downside of the game yet. oh and Merlin is totally fun to play, it's a blast.
  45. Voyou
    May 15, 2021
    5
    There was no invulnerable insta-killing monster constantly chasing you in the original Gauntlet of 1985.
    Why?
    Because the original Gauntlet was a good game.
  46. sdgdsgsdgs
    Dec 31, 2015
    10
    Stylish and dynamic game. There are several characters to choose from, each with unique weapons and abilities, as well in a large variety of game monsters and monsters.
  47. katfrog
    Mar 11, 2017
    9
    "Gauntlet" is a rogue-like dungeon crawler that offers both single player and multiplayer options. The single player mode allows you to play a small-ish campaign and Endless Levels. Both are okay, but the real strength of the game is the multiplayer mode. It's a much more entertaining game when playing with friends. There are only two things you need to be aware of:
    1. Everyone    "Gauntlet" is a rogue-like dungeon crawler that offers both single player and multiplayer options. The single player mode allows you to play a small-ish campaign and Endless Levels. Both are okay, but the real strength of the game is the multiplayer mode. It's a much more entertaining game when playing with friends. There are only two things you need to be aware of:
    1. Everyone shares the same view of the screen. So you have to be aware of where the other players are or you can accidentally drag them up or down.
    2. The game spawns more monsters with every additional person. Not necessarily a negative, but on some levels three or four players gets you overwhelmed with bad guys.    … Expand
  48. PaleMimic
    Aug 20, 2017
    7
    As someone who never played the original Gauntlet titles I was curious to see what made it such a popular series. With 9 titles exisiting dating way back to 1985 I felt I needed to experience this title which dated back through the decades.
    Now this iteration of the game, as is customary with the other 9 games in the series (or so the wikipedia page tells me), is a hack'n'slash, dungeon    As someone who never played the original Gauntlet titles I was curious to see what made it such a popular series. With 9 titles exisiting dating way back to 1985 I felt I needed to experience this title which dated back through the decades.
    Now this iteration of the game, as is customary with the other 9 games in the series (or so the wikipedia page tells me), is a hack'n'slash, dungeon crawler. A formula that I somewhat enjoy, having played things like Torchlight as well as Path of Exile, alongside several other games.
    In this title there are a four different classes to choose from, including a warrior (bashy bashy type class), a valkyrie (sort of like the warrior but with a Captain America-like shield which can be thrown), an Elf (who can shoot stuff and throw bombs) and finally a wizard (who has a range of spells and I've also spent most the time playing). Their skills sets are all fairly versatile ranging from the mere axe swinging antics of the warrior to room clearing fireballs with the wizard. You can also buy upgrades for each class by collecting enough gold in each dungeon level. These upgrades range from several relics, which all classes can use, and vary from radial freezing abilities to summoning gargoyles to fight with you. Alongside the relics you can also buy new weapons which grant your character different abilities, class dependant of course. And of course you can buy cosmetic items to change the look of your class. Do you feel the wizard isn't Gandalf-y enough for you? Buy him a pointy hat. Or is the warrior too scantily clad for your tastes? Then buy him some armour. Each class has about three different cosmetic options for both the head and the body. Armours, hoods, capes and hats. Take your pick. You can also unlock capes by beating numerous waves of enemies in the colosseum, which I tell you now is no easy feat.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Overall I'd say this latest iteration of Gauntlet has many of the elements that dungeon crawling, hack'n'slash titles have and need. If you've played the other Gauntlet titles or have played titles such as Torchlight or Diablo etc this is definitley worth a look. Good day!    … Expand
  49. Kunray
    Mar 19, 2019
    9
    Fun old arcade game with a revamped ability to slightly upgrade your characters' skills and interchange attacks. Very minimal abilities in each level but it is fun to beat on any difficulty. Even if it can get pretty aggravating when your friends smash all the food.
  50. NightGeisha
    Jul 6, 2019
    6
    Gauntlet is a very nice dungeon crawler, that I enjoyed a lot.

    The game is procedurally generated dungeon crawler, with couch co-op (4-player same-screen) and online co-op. Visually it is OK, for a 2014 game. My only complaint is the language settings of the game, since the game does not allow to change it in-game. I'm not a native English and my Steam was not set in English as    Gauntlet is a very nice dungeon crawler, that I enjoyed a lot.

    The game is procedurally generated dungeon crawler, with couch co-op (4-player same-screen) and online co-op. Visually it is OK, for a 2014 game.
    My only complaint is the language settings of the game, since the game does not allow to change it in-game. I'm not a native English and my Steam was not set in English as default, and annoyingly the game get the language that way.

    But overall the game is OK. And I fully recommend it, especially on sale.    … Expand
  51. MavenUMP
    Dec 31, 2018
    0
    mouse controls are squishy and unresponsive like if you'd have enabled a hundred times vertical sync same time. But what makes the game completely unenjoyable to me is that there is no mouselook option (i know in same-screen it would be impossible but for online play it is a big disappointment that such essential like mouselook is not implemented). So the movement. aiming and camera ismouse controls are squishy and unresponsive like if you'd have enabled a hundred times vertical sync same time. But what makes the game completely unenjoyable to me is that there is no mouselook option (i know in same-screen it would be impossible but for online play it is a big disappointment that such essential like mouselook is not implemented). So the movement. aiming and camera is just very badly designed and controls are sluggish! Controls are EVERYTHING in games if those suck you can throw a game into the trash bin, what i will do now. Avoid!!… Expand
  52. explorerbay
    Aug 5, 2020
    6
    Its a good game to play with friends but it is way too short. Its a good remake overwall

Awards & Rankings

82
#82 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
65
#65 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 38
  3. Negative: 0 out of 38
  1. GameCritics
    Feb 25, 2015
    75
    In an era where action-RPGs are chock-full of skill trees, obscene amounts of loot, myriad spells and skills, the back-to-the-basics approach in Gauntlet is a breath of fresh air.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Dec 13, 2014
    75
    It’s a shame Gauntlet’s visuals are not as wonderful as its gameplay. [Dec 2014, p.75]
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 2, 2014
    70
    Gauntlet needs DLC. Badly. Still, good fun in the short term. [Issue#255, p.54]
See all critic reviews »