First Thoughts On 3DRealms’ Modern (But Classic) FPS Ion Maiden

Can you remember 2009? I know; it was a long time ago. But in the spring of that year, it seemed all but certain that 3DRealms (and Apogee) were just about gone forever. Yet today, I’m writing about a brand-new 3DRealms game that’s made in honor of some of the classics that defined its legacy, such as Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior.

Ion Maiden features a recent 3DRealms character recruit named Shelly Harrison, aka: Bombshell (who also starred in the 2016 first-person shooter by the same name). With a female lead, it’s easy to let your mind assume what “Bombshell” means, but in both the namesake game, and this one, Shelly’s a bomb diffusing expert. However, in Ion Maiden, she detonates far more than she diffuses.

Like Duke 3D and Shadow Warrior, Ion Maiden is built on an engine that’s complicated to say in a sentence: Build. Building a game with Build builds anticipation, and I’m not sure the build number of this beast, but I can tell you one thing: this game looks great. Yeah, it looks like a 90’s software-rendered game, but better.

Simply put, you are going to dig this game if you liked those other ones, which could also include Blood, but Ion is more in line on the humor front with the others. Currently, there are six fun weapons to use, along with very attractive and large levels that seamlessly blend in with each other.

Classic components for Build games include puzzles and secrets, and they are absolutely plentiful here. That’s more so the case with secrets, which in my opinion, are much harder to find than they were in Duke 3D.

On that topic, having played Duke 3D very recently, I found myself having to re-learn how to play a Build engine game, but only in very subtle ways. I don’t want to spoil anything, especially with this “Early Access” only having just been pushed out the door, but I’d encourage you to think outside of the box. I finished the first two segments of the game with 7 / 20 secrets found, after genuinely trying to find them all. Once you learn little tricks, though, some secrets will become easier to find (YouTube helped clue me in on certain mechanics that now help).

If a story matters, Bombshell is set out to take out a transhumanist cult leader named Dr. Jadus Heskel. He’s built up and released a cybernetic army on Neo DC, so your job is to start leaving your bomb shells everywhere (and they are crazy satisfying to use). Ion Maiden‘s release, and story, is coincidental, as Far Cry 5 is out at the end of the month, and has us fighting cultists just the same. There’s a slight difference in graphics fidelity, however (read our FC5 gameplay preview).

If there’s anything that strikes me as unfortunate about Ion Maiden right now, it’s that it’s only in Early Access, and the campaign available is considered a preview (I have not personally completed it; I’m trying to make the most of it by scouting out secrets). The game is currently selling for $18 USD over at Steam. I’m not going to suggest anyone buy an early access game this early, but if you love the old Build games, chances are extremely good that you’re going to dig this one as well. If you don’t want to jump in now, there’s no need to; the game is not going anywhere (assuming the development doesn’t take Forever).