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Gauntlet (2014 video game)

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Gauntlet
Developer(s)Arrowhead Game Studios
Publisher(s)Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Director(s)Axel Lindberg[2]
Designer(s)Emil Englund
Magnus Johansson
Nils Hansson Bjerke
Programmer(s)Peter Lindgren
Kalle Sjöström
Emil Ernerfeldt
Artist(s)Robert Tatnell
Carl Brännström
Pontus Karlsson
Composer(s)Andreas Kinger
Erasmus Talbot
Johan Nilsson
SeriesGauntlet
EngineAutodesk Stingray
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
ReleaseWindows
  • WW: September 23, 2014[1]
  • AU: September 24, 2014
Slayer Edition
  • WW: August 11, 2015
  • PAL: August 12, 2015 (PS4)
Genre(s)Dungeon crawl
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gauntlet is a hack and slash dungeon crawl video game developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. A reboot of the Gauntlet series, it was released for Microsoft Windows in September 2014.[3][4][5] Gauntlet was re-released for both Windows and PlayStation 4 as Gauntlet: Slayer Edition in August 2015.[6]

Gameplay

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The player takes the role of one of four heroes, Thor the Warrior, Thyra the Valkyrie, Merlin the Wizard, or Questor the Elf (one player per character) allowing up to four-player multiplayer co-op gameplay.[3][4][7] The dungeons to be explored are part defined maps and part procedurally generated.[3][4][7]

Reception

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Both the original Gauntlet and Slayer Edition received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[8][9] Gaming website Shacknews stated that "so far, it looks like Gauntlet properly captures much of the spirit that made the 1985 arcade game so much fun", while also stating that the game isn't very intuitive in terms of figuring out the unlocked mechanics as you progress through the game.[3] Chris Brown of New Zealand website Gameplanet said that the PC version "scratches an itch I didn't realise I had", finding it "simple, but not brainless" but also "fun as hell"; he also highlighted the user interface in their preview build as "awkward".[4] In comparison to the 30-year-old original, Destructoid opined "the game isn't a true recreation; it's more Arrowhead's ideal take on it", finding that "while the content may feel sort of new, nothing's ever really that fresh with Gauntlet. And that's probably just the way that fans would want it."[25] Dave Rudden of IGN praised the same PC version's four-player co-op while criticizing the repetitive gameplay and low replay value.[17] Daniel Tack of Game Informer found the boss battles enjoyable but insufficient, and the PC version's level design bland and repetitive, describing it as a "sleepy, automated button mash".[12] Michael P. Huber, of GameTrailers, praised the same PC version's four distinct classes while also criticizing the lack of varied environment and replay value.[15]

Joshua Vanderwall of The Escapist gave the PC version three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying, "Arrowhead made a very true-to-source Gauntlet game, no doubt, but the source is 30 years old, and could use some modern accouterments. Gauntlet is as much fun as it has ever been, but it'll get old fast for those who still remember slogging through the original."[23] Jed Pressgrove of Slant Magazine gave it an above-average review, saying that it was "nothing more than a modest cycle of action, never selling itself as a self-important well of features."[26] However, David Jenkins of Metro gave it five out of ten, saying, "It's certainly not the worst Gauntlet revamp there's ever been, but there's too little substance or variety to satisfy either new fans or old."[24]

References

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  1. ^ Johnson, Erik (August 28, 2014). "Gauntlet reboot delayed, still arrives next month". MCV. Biz Media. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Petit, Carolyn (March 24, 2014). "Gauntlet: You Haven't Needed Food This Badly Since the '80s". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Wong, Steven (September 15, 2014). "Gauntlet hands-on impressions: Wealth, power, and extra helpings of turkey". Shacknews. Gamerhub. Archived from the original on October 3, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d Brown, Chris (September 16, 2014). "Gauntlet hands-on". Gameplanet. Gameplanet Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on September 23, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  5. ^ Tan, Nicholas (September 15, 2014). "Gauntlet Preview 2". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Matulef, Jeffery (July 8, 2015). "Gauntlet: Slayer Edition coming to PS4 in August [date mislabeled as "July 7, 2015"]". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Good, Owen S. (March 17, 2014). "Gauntlet returns this summer to PC, see its brand-new look in this trailer". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on September 22, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Gauntlet for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Gauntlet: Slayer Edition for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on September 16, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  10. ^ Carter, Chris (September 26, 2014). "Review: Gauntlet (PC)". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  11. ^ Donlan, Christian (September 29, 2014). "Gauntlet review (PC)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Tack, Daniel (September 29, 2014). "Gauntlet: Darkness Calls [sic] Review (PC)". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on September 30, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  13. ^ Tamburro, Paul (October 7, 2014). "Gauntlet Review (PC)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  14. ^ Clark, Justin (September 29, 2014). "Gauntlet Review (PC)". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  15. ^ a b Huber, Michael (September 29, 2014). "Gauntlet (2014) - Review (PC)". GameTrailers. Defy Media. Archived from the original on October 4, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  16. ^ Kozanitis, James (September 25, 2014). "Review: Gauntlet (PC)". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Rudden, Dave (September 26, 2014). "Gauntlet Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 1, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  18. ^ Rudden, Dave (August 20, 2015). "Gauntlet: Slayer Edition Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  19. ^ Brooke, Sam (August 17, 2015). "Gauntlet: Slayer Edition Review". Push Square. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  20. ^ Jones, Darran (November 6, 2014). "Gauntlet (PC)". Retro Gamer. No. 135. Imagine Publishing. pp. 100–1. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  21. ^ Wilson, Glenn (October 6, 2014). "Gauntlet - Review (PC)". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  22. ^ Wong, Steven (September 24, 2014). "Gauntlet review: Quintessential dungeon crawling". Shacknews. Gamerhub. Archived from the original on September 28, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  23. ^ a b Vanderwall, Joshua (October 6, 2014). "Gauntlet Review - Battle Weary". The Escapist. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Jenkins, David (September 30, 2014). "Gauntlet review – coin-op needs reboot... badly (PC)". Metro. DMG Media. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  25. ^ Makedonski, Brett (April 10, 2014). "Gauntlet is a lot like you remember, just upgraded". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  26. ^ Pressgrove, Jed (October 2, 2014). "Review: Gauntlet (PC)". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
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