If you thought the boomer shooter revival had run out of creative ideas, think again. KOOK, an indie retro FPS from Lone Wulf Studio, just released its latest gameplay trailer on November 5, 2025, and it’s serving up Victorian steampunk chaos mixed with Lovecraftian nightmares and Quake-style gunplay. After years of development that fans have been watching unfold on Twitch, this passion project is starting to look genuinely special.
What Makes KOOK Different
The premise alone sets KOOK apart from typical shooters. You play as a kook, slang for a madman, in a Victorian era world where ancient cosmic entities have returned to claim everyone’s sanity. The twist? You were already insane before they showed up, so you’ve got nothing to lose. While cultists and regular people lose their minds and transform into enemies, you’re just having another Tuesday. It’s a darkly humorous take on the whole Lovecraftian horror setup that usually treats madness with deadly seriousness.
The setting blends steampunk aesthetics with cosmic horror in ways that feel fresh rather than derivative. Victorian architecture provides the backdrop, but distorted time and gravity twist everything into surreal angles and impossible geometry. You’ll find yourself running on walls, navigating upside-down corridors, and experiencing perspective shifts that would make M.C. Escher proud. The game deliberately plays with spatial orientation to reinforce that sensation of reality breaking down around you.
Weapons With Movement Mechanics
KOOK doesn’t just give you guns and tell you to shoot everything that moves, though you’ll certainly do plenty of that. The weapons themselves integrate movement mechanics beyond the classic rocket jump. The Time Vampire crossbow fires wooden spikes that stick into walls, creating makeshift stairs and platforms you can climb. The flamethrower’s alternate fire acts like a jet thrust, launching objects, enemies, or yourself backward through the air.
Other weapons showcased in trailers include a revolver that the developer spent considerable time juicing up with satisfying animations and effects, plus various experimental designs that look like someone raided a Victorian workshop and weaponized everything they found. One particularly memorable piece appears to be a crossbow made from an actual cross, because why not add religious imagery to your arsenal when fighting eldritch abominations? The weapon variety emphasizes creativity over realism, perfectly fitting the game’s unhinged tone.
The Developer Behind the Madness
KOOK is the work of jitspoe, a developer who went from AAA studios to solo indie development. His resume includes work on major titles like Ghost Recon Future Soldier, Far Cry 3 and 4, LawBreakers, and Radical Heights. After years in the big budget trenches, he struck out on his own, first creating Fist of the Forgotten, a Limbo-like platformer, before diving into KOOK as his passion project.
What makes jitspoe’s approach interesting is his transparency. He streams the entire development process on Twitch regularly, showing viewers exactly how he builds levels, animates enemies, programs mechanics, and troubleshoots problems. This isn’t carefully curated marketing material. It’s actual game development with all the trial, error, and occasional frustration that entails. Fans have been following along for literally years, watching KOOK evolve from early prototypes into the polished experience shown in the latest trailers.
Built With Godot Engine
KOOK runs on Godot Engine, the open-source game engine that’s been gaining serious traction among indie developers tired of Unity’s policy changes and Unreal’s performance overhead. Godot excels at giving developers complete control without corporate strings attached, making it perfect for solo creators or small teams with specific visions. The engine has matured significantly over the past few years, and KOOK demonstrates its capability for creating visually striking 3D games.
The visual style mixes low poly models reminiscent of late 90s shooters with modern rendering techniques like real-time lighting and self-shadowing textures. This creates a nostalgic aesthetic that still looks sharp and atmospheric on current hardware. It’s the sweet spot between retro authenticity and contemporary polish that the best boomer shooters aim for.
The Lovecraftian Bestiary
Enemy design pulls from Lovecraft’s cosmic horror pantheon while adding original twisted creations. The trailers show Mi-go, the fungal creatures from beyond that Lovecraft described as having membranous wings and crab-like claws. Cultists appear in various states of transformation, some still recognizably human while others have mutated into something far worse. Tentacled horrors lurk in dark corners, and reality-warping entities defy easy categorization.
Each enemy type appears to have distinct behaviors and attack patterns rather than being simple bullet sponges. Some rush you aggressively while others hang back and use ranged attacks. Environmental hazards and the gravity-defying level design create tactical depth where positioning matters as much as aim. For a game inspired by Quake’s fast-paced action, KOOK seems to understand that enemy variety and interesting encounters beat endless waves of identical targets.
Why No Release Date Yet
KOOK has been in development for years with multiple trailer versions released since 2024, yet Lone Wulf Studio hasn’t committed to a release date. This might frustrate some potential players, but it reflects a healthy development philosophy. The game launches when it’s actually ready, not when a publisher demands it or financial pressures force the issue. Solo developers don’t have quarterly earnings reports to satisfy or shareholders breathing down their necks.
The ongoing development streams show steady progress rather than feature creep or aimless wandering. Jitspoe clearly has a vision for what KOOK should be and he’s methodically building toward that goal. The trailers demonstrate significant polish and coherent design rather than rough prototypes held together with duct tape. When the game does eventually launch, it seems likely to be a complete, finished product rather than an Early Access project that stays incomplete for years.
The Boomer Shooter Renaissance
KOOK arrives during a golden age for retro-inspired FPS games. Titles like DUSK, Amid Evil, Ultrakill, and Prodeus proved there’s genuine demand for fast-paced shooters that prioritize movement, weapon variety, and level design over realistic graphics and cover-based gameplay. The genre has carved out a sustainable niche where creative indie developers can thrive without competing directly against AAA budgets.
What separates the good boomer shooters from forgettable ones is identity. Having Quake-like mechanics isn’t enough. You need a hook, a unique angle that makes your game memorable. KOOK’s combination of Victorian steampunk, Lovecraftian horror, sanity-as-a-gameplay-element, and perspective-warping level design gives it that distinctive identity. It’s not trying to be a Quake clone. It’s using Quake’s foundation to build something weirder and more personal.
Community Reception
Reddit discussions about KOOK’s trailers show genuine enthusiasm from players who’ve been following the development journey. Comments frequently praise the dedication and transparency of watching a solo developer build the game live on stream over multiple years. There’s a sense of investment beyond typical hype cycles. These aren’t fans watching carefully crafted marketing. They’re people who’ve seen the sausage being made and respect the craft involved.
The fact that KOOK has built a following before launch without major publisher backing or marketing budgets demonstrates the power of consistent, honest communication with your audience. Jitspoe isn’t promising revolutionary features or trying to ride trends. He’s just making a game he finds interesting and inviting people to watch. That authenticity resonates in an industry often dominated by corporate doublespeak and manufactured hype.
FAQs
What is KOOK about?
KOOK is a retro FPS set in Victorian era steampunk world where you play as a madman fighting Lovecraftian monsters and insane cultists. You’re immune to the sanity-destroying effects of cosmic horrors because you were already crazy before they arrived.
When was the latest KOOK trailer released?
The most recent gameplay trailer dropped on November 5, 2025 for the Boomstock event. Previous trailers were released for events like Lovecraftian Days in April 2025 and throughout 2024 as development progressed.
Who is developing KOOK?
Lone Wulf Studio, specifically solo developer jitspoe, is creating KOOK. He previously worked on AAA titles including Ghost Recon Future Soldier, Far Cry 3 and 4, LawBreakers, and Radical Heights before going indie.
What engine does KOOK use?
KOOK is built using Godot Engine, the open-source game development platform. The developer streams the entire creation process on Twitch, showing how he uses Godot alongside tools like Blender and Substance Painter.
When will KOOK release?
No release date has been announced yet. The game is still in active development with the creator prioritizing quality and completion over rushing to market. It will launch on Steam for PC when ready.
What makes KOOK’s weapons special?
Many weapons include movement mechanics beyond standard shooting. The Time Vampire fires spikes you can climb like stairs, while the flamethrower can jet thrust you backward. The game emphasizes creative mobility and combat options.
Can I watch KOOK being developed?
Yes, developer jitspoe streams the development process regularly on Twitch at twitch.tv/jitspoe. He also posts progress videos and dev highlights on YouTube showing how various systems and features come together.
Is KOOK inspired by Quake?
Yes, KOOK takes heavy inspiration from Quake’s fast-paced movement and combat while adding unique elements like distorted gravity, perspective shifts, Victorian steampunk aesthetics, and Lovecraftian horror themes to create something distinct.
Conclusion
KOOK represents everything that makes the indie boomer shooter scene exciting right now. It’s a passion project from an experienced developer who knows how to build quality action games, infused with creative ideas that AAA publishers would never greenlight. The Victorian steampunk meets cosmic horror setting feels fresh despite pulling from well-worn genres. The weapons integrate movement mechanics that add depth beyond simple shooting. The distorted gravity and perspective shifts create memorable moments that stick in your mind long after you’ve logged off. Most importantly, KOOK has genuine personality. It knows exactly what it wants to be and commits fully to that vision without compromise. While we don’t have a release date yet, the years of transparent development and steady progress suggest this will be worth the wait. If you’re tired of modern shooters that prioritize realism and seriousness, or if you just want to shoot eldritch abominations with weaponized Victorian technology while reality collapses around you, keep KOOK on your radar. Wishlist it on Steam, follow the development streams, and prepare for madness. After all, you can’t lose your sanity if you never had it to begin with.