Un-Retro Review: Enter the Gungeon (PC)
12Developed by Dodge Roll and published by Devolver Digital in 2016
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Enter the Gungeon is available on PC and PS4: http://dodgeroll.com/gungeon/
Although I generally don't cover modern games on my channel, I thought I'd make an exception for Enter the Gungeon, a brand new twin-stick shooter developed by Dodge Roll.
Choosing from one of four adventurers, you must descend into the titular Gungeon in search of a fabled weapon that is rumoured to be able to kill even time itself. The Gungeon is protected by legions of the Gundead, a weird mix of gun-toting bullets, monsters and deranged cultists, all of whom can kill you in a heartbeat. Make no mistake, this is an incredibly tough game. Combining elements from classic twin-stick shooters (Smash T.V.) and Rogue-likes, the Gungeon is a place where tensions run high and death is permanent; if you die then you lose all your items and have to start from the beginning.
The Gungeon is divided into multiple, randomly generated levels. Each level contains a series of interconnected rooms that must be cleared of the Gundead before you can proceed. Enemies will usually drop spent bullet casings, which act as currency for the shop that can be found on each level. There is also a (very) small chance that a bonus item, such as extra health or ammunition, will spawn when a room has been cleared.
Guarding the elevator to the next level is an end-of-level boss that will take a great amount of skill and determination to beat. These encounters are all about learning the enemy's attack patterns, keeping mobile and gradually chipping away at the bosses health...without dying. If you thought the regular Gundead were tough, the bosses are something else entirely - those who've ever played a bullet-hell shooter before will know what to expect.
Should you succeed in defeating the boss, you'll be rewarded with a small selection of new weapons, bonus items and Hegemony credits that can be used to unlock new items which then have a chance to appear on subsequent attempts.
Perhaps one of the most impressive things about the game is the sheer number of weapons on offer. From pistols to laser rifles, crossbows to RPGs, the sheer number of guns means that each game will be different. As well as standard firearms, there are exotic curios, such as the T-Shirt cannon and fish-shooting barrel-gun whose power lie in their versatility rather than sheer damage.
Eventually, you will succumb to the perils of the Gungeon. Be it a stray bullet, or your own stupid clumsiness, you will regularly find yourself dying and having to start from scratch. In the video I recorded, my downfall was trying to kill the weird cultist that buffs other enemies in the room; try as I might, I couldn't get a decent shot on him and wasted too much health in the attempt.
Although the game advertises co-op play, this is restricted to local multiplayer (same room) only. Given the sheer chaos that can occur on-screen, a second player might prove more of a hindrance than a help, especially given how claustrophobic some of the rooms can be. This is a game tailored for the single-player experience first and foremost.
As with many of Devolver Digital's games, the game features some beautifully rendered pixel-art graphics that make it look like a game from the 16-bit era. Whilst the retro-look might be somewhat cliché these days, fans of retrogaming (such as myself) are sure to lap up the classic pixelated look of the game.
The PC version of the game supports multiple control schemes, including mouse/keyboard, as well as PS4 and Xbox control pads. I would strongly recommend that anyone who is thinking of buying the game to use a joypad as it's most definitely the superior control scheme for this type of game.
Although I normally steer clear of games that punish so severely for dying, I'm surprised by just how much I've enjoyed Enter the Gungeon. The steady drip-feeding of new content, plus the huge number of guns and items on offer mean that each game can be completely to the last, offering real replay value even if the setting looks familiar. If you're your a fan of retro-themed games with a difficulty level to match, then Enter the Gungeon comes highly recommended.
Just remember that you might need to practice meditation and light a couple of scented candles to unwind after playing...
#retrogaming