Reviewed on PC

It’s safe to say that you’ve probably never played anything quite like Post Void. Sure, bits and pieces of the game may look and feel familiar, but this fast-paced FPS from YCJY Games is mostly unconventional. The end product is something that fills a very specific niche, but the gameplay is so smooth, and the entry fee is so low that you might as well try it.

Surrealist Shooting Mayhem

The goal of Post Void is to get through 11 stages by shooting a bunch of enemies and reaching each level’s exit. It’s a simple formula, but the game is certainly no cake walk. For all of its intuitive design, Post Void is bent on providing a high — punishing even — level of challenge.

When you start playing, you’re briefed on your objective, which is to simply survive by killing enemies to replenish your rapidly draining health. Again, this all sounds simple — and the idea of it certainly is — but the game’s difficulty makes it so that you’ll likely die within seconds.

Levels are large and maze-like, and you’ll find enemies hiding in corners, ready to blow you away. Everything moves at an incredibly fast pace, so you need to ensure that your aim is true. While there’s no gamepad support (at least at this time), the mouse and keyboard controllers are smooth and responsive. Moving around the levels, aiming, and picking off bad guys feels great.

You start out with a basic, no-frills pistol. As you clear stages, you’re granted different upgrade choices. You can equip a new weapon like an SMG or shotgun, or you can unlock faster reload, for example. These options invite you to experiment as you play through the game multiple times in your quest to reach the end.

Post Void is heavily influenced by arcades and old school shooters, and as such its main focus is to invite players to repeatedly try and, hopefully, do a little better each time. It kind of succeeds, but things can get so crazy that you’ll likely go through long stretches where you don’t feel yourself getting better at the game. These moments can be discouraging, which is a shame considering the game is all about quick restarts and fast runs, but there’s still a lot of fun to be had, even despite some frustration.

Psychedelia, Bloody Pixels, and Loud Music

The look of Post Void is what you’d get if Hotline Miami was a first-person shooter. Every level is drenched in highly stylized pixel art and bold colors, giving the game a surreal look. The insane action lends itself really well to this graphical direction, and the art of Post Void is definitely a highlight.

Like the action, the music in the game is fast-paced, if a bit repetitive. It’s solid loud rock fare, but you’re dying and restarting so many times that the music can get a little grating, even if it is good overall.

With a price tag of just $3, I’d recommend Post Void to just about anyone. It almost feels like it would be an unlockable mode in a traditional shooter rather than a complete game, but that’s all a part of its charm. How much you enjoy roguelikes and arcade shooters will determine the mileage you get out of Post Void, but it’s definitely a very fun game worth checking out. Plus, it’s so unique and stylish that you’ll likely be won over by some aspect of it, be it the game’s wild FPS action or its outrageous presentation.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

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