PAX East 2025: Arms of God brings auto-shooting to Hell's door

The world has ended. Demons roam the earth, and the servants of God are strapped with big heat.  Arms of God is a double play on words. Templars have been called to arms, and they can hold up to five weapons thanks to 4 robotic arms. 

Arms of God is an auto-shooter in which players have to worry about movement and dashing. Even in its beta form, the game is very strong in its customization options and unique take on combat. 

Feel the Wrath

Like Vampire Survivors and many other games after it, Arms of God is an auto-shooter. The goal is to dodge and survive. There is a bevy of customization and combat options from the start. Players can use melee weapons like swords or ranged weapons like rifles. I chose the shotgun since shooting demons with shotguns just clicks with me. 

Arms of God is fast-paced and tight, with a strong sound presentation. Inspired by Doom, there is a thumping soundtrack of metal playing as the demons fall. The shotgun has quite the crunch as the enemies were maimed and dismembered with each volley. The levels last a set amount of time, and if the player survives at zero, the level is won. 

Five Arms of God

Between levels, players take currency earned by slaying the demons and use it to purchase new weapons and enhancements. At the start, I was a formidable war machine, but by the end of the ten waves, I was an infernal machine built to stop demons cold.  Augments include laser sights, additional barrels, incendiary bullets, and so much more.  

As the waves continued, my warrior became more dangerous, but so did the demons. Initially, they were gremlins and imps, but soon, they became more diabolical. Some were tentacled and morbidly obese. Some spewed projectiles from a distance. Others are infused with magic powers and attempt to attack the player aggressively.

Raise a little Hell

It was exhilarating to slay waves upon waves of foul demons with the power of 3 shotguns, a ranged gun, and a buzzsaw! Dodging attacks and taking. Downing evil felt euphoric and was a good, grand time, even if the levels were short and lasted anywhere from 60 to 90 seconds. 

At the end of the demo, there was a boss. As eager as I was to fight and slay the boss, I was eliminated in two hits. Perhaps it was inevitable for the demo, or perhaps I could have had an attempt at victory should I have dodged right away. 

Shoot everything

Arms of God is still in beta and slated for a release in 2026. However, it's already a strong contender for being the new premier auto-shooter. Its weapons, customization, and action are a sight to behold, and it feels great to be able to conquer waves of demons. There's more to unfold with Arms of God, and I cannot wait for it when it releases early next year.