Gauntlet
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Gauntlet
Gauntlet pays faithful homage to the '85 original, but doesn't bring the replay value expected in the post-coin-op era.
Sadly, the biggest problem with this whole package may be that Arrowhead has already made a truly great Gauntlet tribute anyway, and it was Magicka. There was a game with the freedom to choose its own first principles, while still having Gauntlet's mean-spirited playfulness baked into it. The difference, I suspect, is between being creatively inspired by the spirit and ethos of a legendary design, and being cast as a kind of well-intentioned caretaker.
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.
A retro-restoration that's fun with friends for a while, but the repetitive levels and a lack of any relevant progression set the stage for a mundane mix.
An old-fashioned game in a newfangled era, Gauntlet does too much and too little all at once.
There are some neat little deviations from the formula here, but it's far too safe to linger in your memory once you've had your fill of slaying monsters.
Gauntlet is a polished game that does right by its predecessors. It's a great mix of both old and new school sensibilities, and despite the fact that the art style isn't as pronounced as it could have been, the actual core of the game is very sound. With the addition of online play to the series, this one will have legs for quite some time and deserves a spot in the Gauntlet pantheon.
Gauntlet is an accessible co-op dungeon crawler that's at its best with a group of friends. It may be on the shorter side, but while it lasts it's an unpredictable and memorable experience. Hopefully this is only the first of many steps into the perilous Gauntlet.
