In an era dominated by live-service behemoths and AAA sequels, solo developer Alex is crafting something refreshingly distinct: a love letter to forgotten aerial combat games filtered through modern boomer shooter sensibilities. They Call It Gravity, revealed through Reddit’s Indie Sunday showcase on October 5, 2025, resurrects the lost genre of physics-based flying shooters while infusing Doom Eternal’s tactical push-forward combat into three-dimensional aerial warfare. It’s Descent meets modern FPS aggression, wrapped in a package that promises keyboard-and-mouse accessibility without sacrificing the depth that made classics like Forsaken and Terminal Velocity beloved.
The game’s hook lies in its ambitious fusion of contradictory design philosophies. Advanced aerodynamic simulation featuring lift, drag, and structural damage coexists with intuitive controls that don’t require HOTAS setups or flight sim expertise. Players pilot highly agile drones through handcrafted arenas, targeting weak points, severing wings, and exploiting armor vulnerabilities while managing physics that make every maneuver feel consequential. It’s the kind of ambitious scope that typically requires studio teams, yet Alex is building it solo – a testament to either insane dedication or beautiful madness, possibly both.
Reviving the Forgotten Genre of 6DOF Shooters
They Call It Gravity positions itself within the nearly extinct Six Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) shooter genre – games where players navigate fully three-dimensional spaces without traditional ground orientation. The genre flourished briefly in the mid-’90s through titles like Descent, Forsaken, and Terminal Velocity before largely disappearing as mainstream audiences gravitated toward more accessible ground-based shooters.
“Hi, I’m Alex, a solo dev working on They Call It Gravity – aerial shooter inspired by retro flying games we all played a long time ago,” the developer introduced in previous Reddit posts, acknowledging the genre’s nostalgic appeal while recognizing its niche status. The challenge lies in reintroducing complex spatial navigation to audiences conditioned by two decades of ground-based FPS conventions.
However, Alex clarifies an important distinction: “It’s not entirely accurate to say it has full ‘true’ 6DOF, as you lack direct control over the roll. The drone behaves more like an aircraft, relying on lift and exhibiting limited stability, particularly at steep bank angles like 90 degrees.” This hybrid approach bridges traditional aircraft behavior with 6DOF freedom, potentially making the game more approachable than pure 6DOF classics that overwhelmed players with complete spatial freedom.
Reddit user gilben, clearly experienced with the genre, immediately recognized the appeal: “Are those six degrees of freedom (6DOF) controls that I’m noticing? I’m constantly searching for 6DOF games that steer clear of dull, gray hallways. I anticipated there would be many more following the popularity of Outer Wilds, but I haven’t found as many as I’d hoped.” This comment captures the genre’s current state – small but passionate audience seeking experiences that mainstream market largely ignores.
What Makes 6DOF Special
- **Complete Spatial Freedom** – Movement unrestricted by traditional up/down orientation
- **Three-Dimensional Combat** – Enemies attack from all vectors, not just forward arc
- **Disorientation Challenge** – Spatial awareness becomes core skill rather than assumed baseline
- **Physics Complexity** – Momentum and inertia matter across all movement axes
- **Unique Strategic Depth** – Positioning and angle management gain unprecedented importance
Doom Eternal’s DNA in Three Dimensions
The game’s most intriguing promise involves translating Doom Eternal’s revolutionary combat loop into aerial warfare. Doom Eternal’s “push-forward combat” – where aggressive play replenishes resources while defensive tactics starve players – created paradigm shifts in FPS design that influenced everything from modern Call of Duty to indie darlings like ULTRAKILL.
“Engaging combat mechanics influenced by games like Doom Eternal and Dark Ages,” Alex describes, suggesting systematic resource management that rewards aggression. In Doom, glory kills restore health, chainsaw kills provide ammunition, and flame belch drops armor – creating tactical rock-paper-scissors that eliminates passive cover-based shooting.
Translating this philosophy to three-dimensional aerial combat introduces fascinating complications. How do you create “glory kill” equivalents when distances are vast and enemies are mobile? How does resource management work when players can flee in any direction? These design challenges make They Call It Gravity’s attempt particularly ambitious – successfully implementing push-forward mechanics in 6DOF space could revolutionize the subgenre.
The October 5 gameplay trailer showcases “3 minutes of uninterrupted combat” that demonstrates these mechanics in action. Rather than isolated firefights separated by exploration, combat flows continuously as players navigate between target clusters, suggesting encounter design that maintains Doom Eternal’s relentless pacing despite aerial freedom.
Advanced Physics: Aerodynamics That Actually Matter
Where They Call It Gravity distinguishes itself from arcade-style aerial shooters is its commitment to meaningful physics simulation. “Physics-based flight and advanced damage system – destroy weak points, detach wings, and damage armor while utilizing aerodynamics,” the Steam description promises, suggesting complexity beyond typical health-bar-depletion combat.
The aerodynamics system incorporates actual lift generation requiring players to manage angle of attack for altitude control. “You can modify your height in terms of aerodynamics by increasing the angle of attack to gain additional lift,” Alex explained when answering technical questions. This introduces flight sim concepts into arcade shooter framework – steep climbs bleed speed, aggressive banking affects stability, and damaged wings create asymmetric handling.
The damage modeling goes beyond cosmetic destruction. Targeting weak points, severing control surfaces, and breaching armor create tactical depth where shot placement matters as much as raw DPS. A well-placed burst that destroys an enemy’s stabilizers creates easy prey, while careless spray-and-pray wastes ammunition without meaningful effect.
“Additionally, you can directly utilize the RCS controls (Q, R on the keyboard, or shift and space, depending on your preferences),” Alex added, referencing Reaction Control System thrusters that provide direct vertical control independent of aerodynamic lift. This dual control scheme – aerodynamic surfaces for efficient maneuvering, RCS thrusters for immediate corrections – creates skill ceiling where expert players optimize control method combinations for maximum agility.
Keyboard & Mouse Accessibility: Breaking Genre Barriers
Perhaps They Call It Gravity’s most radical design choice involves prioritizing keyboard-and-mouse controls over traditional flight sim peripherals. “Intuitive controls that make flying a breeze—no controller needed!” Alex emphasizes repeatedly, addressing the primary barrier preventing mainstream audiences from enjoying aerial combat games.
“I mentioned this point just because I played several flying games recently (indie as well) and it was impossible to control the ships from keyboard and mouse,” Alex explained when questioned about controller support. This accessibility focus could determine whether the game remains niche curiosity or breaks through to broader audiences who won’t invest in specialized hardware.
However, this doesn’t mean abandoning traditional control schemes. “Yes, there is a plan for that, and steam deck support too!” Alex confirmed when asked about official controller implementation. “Probably after public demo stage I will start address that.” The roadmap suggests keyboard-mouse as primary with controller support following once core mechanics solidify.
Reddit user IAMAVelociraptorAMA’s enthusiasm captures the accessibility appeal: “Hey, this is awesome! I’m a huge fan of arcade-style flight simulators. I’ve added it to my wishlist—best of luck with everything!” The “arcade-style flight simulator” phrasing perfectly describes the hybrid approach – simulation depth with arcade accessibility.
The Solo Development Challenge
Building complex aerial combat games typically requires teams with specialized expertise – flight model programmers, particle effects artists, AI developers for three-dimensional pathfinding. Alex’s solo development amplifies both the achievement and the risks inherent in such ambitious scope.
“This game is a mix of everything I love – flying, control systems & physics (my job), and the incredible feel of modern proactive shooters,” Alex shared in earlier promotional posts, revealing professional background in control systems that explains the confidence tackling complex flight physics. However, professional expertise in one domain doesn’t automatically translate to game development proficiency across art, audio, level design, and UI/UX.
The planned September playtests (which have presumably occurred given the October timeline) represent crucial validation moments where theoretical designs meet player reality. Solo developers often build features that work perfectly in their own hands but confuse everyone else – playtesting separates viable mechanics from developer-only mastery.
“Playtesting kicks off this September, and I would love to see you join! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments; I read every single one!” Alex’s emphasis on community feedback suggests understanding that solo development requires external perspectives to avoid design blind spots that teams naturally catch through internal playtesting.
Handcrafted Arenas vs. Procedural Generation
They Call It Gravity’s commitment to “handcrafted arenas” represents significant design philosophy that shapes entire gameplay experience. Unlike No Man’s Sky’s infinite procedural universes or roguelikes’ randomized layouts, handcrafted environments enable precise encounter choreography, deliberate pacing, and authored moments that procedural systems struggle replicating.
“You’ll explore a unique blend of vast open areas and enclosed arenas set against breathtaking engineered structures,” Alex describes, suggesting environmental variety ranging from open-sky dogfights to claustrophobic facility interiors. This variety prevents repetition while allowing each space to teach specific skills – open areas emphasize long-range combat and pursuit mechanics, enclosed spaces demand tight maneuvering and close-quarters awareness.
The “push-forward tactical action” framework benefits particularly from handcrafted design. Doom Eternal’s encounter spaces are meticulously constructed to enable specific combat flows – jump pads positioned for escape routes, environmental hazards creating risk-reward decisions, enemy spawn timing orchestrated for rhythm. Replicating this precision in three-dimensional aerial combat requires even more careful spatial design since players approach from any angle rather than ground-level constrained movement.
However, handcrafted content creates replayability challenges that procedural games sidestep. Once players master arena layouts and optimal strategies, repeated playthroughs lose surprise discovery that drives engagement. The promised “comprehensive upgrade system for your drone” presumably provides build variety that makes familiar spaces feel fresh through different loadout approaches.
The Upgrade System and Build Variety
While specific details remain scarce, the “comprehensive upgrade system” promises depth beyond cosmetic customization. Meaningful progression in aerial combat games can include weapon loadouts, armor configurations, thruster upgrades affecting acceleration and top speed, sensor packages expanding detection range, and special ability unlocks enabling new tactical approaches.
The challenge lies in balancing upgrades that provide genuine power increases without trivializing challenges or creating dominant meta builds that invalidate alternative choices. Doom Eternal handled this through weapon mods that enabled different approaches to identical encounters – sticky bomb launcher versus precision bolt for dealing with specific enemy types, creating preference rather than obvious superiority.
Aerial combat adds complexity through maneuverability versus durability tradeoffs. Lighter armor enables tighter turns but reduces survivability, heavier weapons provide firepower at the cost of acceleration, expanded fuel tanks increase operational range but decrease agility. These physical consequences of upgrade choices create meaningful decision points where player preference determines optimal builds rather than mathematical superiority.
Community Response and Wishlist Momentum
The Reddit community’s reception across multiple promotional posts has been consistently positive, with comments emphasizing enthusiasm for the forgotten genre’s return. “That’s awesome! It brings to mind games like Forsaken and Tribes,” user Pindaman commented, connecting They Call It Gravity to beloved classics while implying modern execution could attract nostalgic audiences.
However, some feedback highlighted potential design considerations. “I’m puzzled as to why this game lacks multiplayer features. It seems like an ideal candidate for either local split-screen or online play. It looks fantastic!” user jazir555 questioned, identifying common expectation for aerial combat games despite single-player focus.
Alex’s consistent engagement with community feedback demonstrates understanding that indie success requires building invested audiences rather than simply announcing products. “Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments; I read every single one!” and “Just give me a shout if you’re interested in participating in closed playtests; I can provide you with a key!” create direct developer-player relationships that larger studios can’t replicate.
The cumulative wishlist momentum across multiple promotional pushes suggests growing interest, though without public wishlist numbers, actual scale remains unknown. Steam wishlists serve as crucial conversion metrics – games with substantial wishlist counts convert significantly better at launch than those without established interest.
Technical Challenges of Solo 3D Combat Development
The technical ambition required for They Call It Gravity becomes apparent when considering the systems needing implementation and optimization: Three-dimensional enemy AI pathfinding that doesn’t embarrass itself in open space, performant particle effects for weapons and explosions visible at distance, dynamic lighting supporting various arena types, physics simulation maintaining stability across extreme velocities and orientations, and networking architecture if multiplayer ever gets added.
Solo developers typically choose constrained scopes that minimize risk – 2D games over 3D, turn-based combat over real-time, limited enemy types over diverse rosters. Alex’s choice to tackle simultaneously challenging problems (3D aerial physics, complex combat systems, advanced damage modeling) either reflects exceptional competence or underestimated complexity that could delay or compromise final release.
The planned October playtests represent the moment where theoretical designs meet practical reality. Player feedback will reveal whether control schemes actually feel intuitive to fresh users, whether combat pacing maintains engagement across extended play sessions, whether physics simulation creates fun complexity or frustrating unpredictability, and whether performance holds stable during intensive combat scenarios.
Market Position and Commercial Viability
They Call It Gravity enters a market with limited direct competition but uncertain audience size. The 6DOF shooter genre’s near-extinction reflects either market rejection or simply lack of quality entries rather than fundamental disinterest. Successful execution could capture underserved niche, but commercial sustainability requires audience beyond hardcore enthusiasts who remember Descent fondly.
Comparable recent indie successes like ULTRAKILL (retro FPS revival), Prodeus (boomer shooter modernization), and even Vampire Survivors (genre resurrection through accessibility) demonstrate that forgotten genres can find substantial audiences when modernized thoughtfully. However, these succeeded partly through accessible entry points – ULTRAKILL’s immediate action, Prodeus’s familiar controls, Survivors’ mobile-friendly simplicity.
The game’s pricing strategy, monetization approach, and post-launch support plans remain undisclosed. Premium priced indie games ($20-30) compete against Game Pass inclusion expectations and massive backlog culture, while too-low pricing suggests lack of confidence that undermines perceived value. Finding sustainable pricing that respects development investment while remaining accessible determines commercial viability independent of quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does They Call It Gravity release?
No official release date announced yet. The game is currently in development with playtests occurring in September-October 2025, suggesting possible 2026 release window.
Does it have full six degrees of freedom (6DOF) controls?
Not entirely. While offering extensive spatial freedom, players lack direct roll control, with the drone behaving more like an aircraft using lift and exhibiting limited stability at extreme angles.
Do I need a controller or flight stick to play?
No. The game prioritizes keyboard-and-mouse accessibility, though controller support is planned for post-demo development stages, including Steam Deck compatibility.
What platforms will it support?
Currently confirmed for PC via Steam, with Steam Deck support planned. No announcements about console versions.
Is there multiplayer or co-op?
Currently single-player focused. The developer hasn’t announced multiplayer plans, though community feedback has requested it.
How can I playtest the game?
Follow the developer on Reddit (u/Reasonable-Test9482) or join the Discord server linked on the Steam page to request playtest keys.
Who is developing They Call It Gravity?
Solo developer Alex (Mizarates), who has professional background in control systems and physics, is creating the game independently.
Conclusion
They Call It Gravity represents the kind of ambitious passion project that defines indie gaming’s appeal – one developer attempting something major studios abandoned, fusing forgotten genres with modern sensibilities to create experiences unavailable anywhere else. Whether Alex can successfully balance advanced flight physics with Doom Eternal’s tactical aggression remains to be seen, but the attempt itself deserves recognition.
The game’s success hinges on execution challenges that sound simple but prove devastatingly difficult: making complex flight controls feel intuitive to keyboard-mouse players, translating push-forward combat to three-dimensional space without losing its tactical depth, crafting handcrafted arenas that remain engaging across repeated playthroughs, and building enemy AI that provides challenge in fully three-dimensional combat without feeling cheap or exploitable.
For players seeking experiences beyond the mainstream, They Call It Gravity offers intriguing proposition – Descent’s spatial freedom modernized through contemporary design philosophy, accessible enough for genre newcomers while deep enough for veterans seeking challenge. October’s playtests will determine whether the promise translates to reality, but regardless of outcome, Alex’s dedication to reviving forgotten genres enriches gaming’s ecosystem through diversity of vision that only indie development enables. Sometimes the most important games aren’t the ones that succeed commercially, but the ones brave enough to attempt what everyone else abandoned.