CONCEPT

On a distant planet named Gunymede lies a legendary gun that can kill the past. The Gungeon is a fortress built with the highest measures of security to guard the weapon. Adventurers known as “gungeoneers” arrive from different walks of life to enter in hopes of finding treasure.

You’ll run, shoot and dodge your way through a screen filled with bullets. The humorously charming pixel art may have you believe this game is a breeze, think otherwise; this game is challenging enough to require even the most skilled of players to improve their dexterity to advance.

DESIGN

You begin by selecting one out of four playable characters each with a different gun and ability. Each level begins with you descending down upon different floors in a labyrinth filled dungeon. Exploring consists of the player advancing towards different rooms to encounter either enemies, obstacles or and new characters.

You begin with a basic set of weapons to fight your way through different rooms. 💣🔫

You can shoot in 360 degrees and dodge roll in 8 directions (all variants of the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis). Rolling will allow you to evade bullets as they come flying towards you. This is one of the most important mechanics in the whole game besides shooting and is a key to your survival.

Fight your way through vicious enemies and survive for as long as you can. Along the road, you’ll collect keys to unlock chests that contain weapons and items. Visit a local pub to heal and purchase resources until finding the path that leads to the boss.

If you’ve successfully passed the boss you’ll be awarded health, currency, resources, and another gun to help you on your way down to the next area.

Chests contain useful items and weapons. Life is like a box of chocolates! You never know what you’re going to get! 🎁🍫

The level of intensity quickly rises

Firefights are very intense. Complex enemy attack patterns and other surprises challenge players. Each new level adds more depth and difficulty to the gameplay. The game is designed for you to die so you come back and discovering something new each time.

Levels have a teleportation system that helps to transverse areas rapidly.

Being able to follow enemies attacks with quick reflexes are needed to carefully evade the oncoming hurricane of bullets traveling towards you. 

As you find different characters along the way, they’ll populate the lobby of the entrance to the Gungeon before you begin each new descent. Characters offer missions to defeat enemies, new weapons to purchase, faster ways to reach new floors, and enable the player to find more content, making the game rewarding and accessible.

You’ll come across people trapped in prison cells during your time exploring. If you are able to set them free they will assist you by opening up new services when you visit them in the lobby. 🗝

Firefights

The shooting is the most important aspect of the game and the mechanics are great. All the guns are either strange, exotic, random, unique. Some of them are much noticeably harder to control or not as powerful as other guns. You’ll be constantly finding a gun to call your favorite only to find another even better gun, and so forth.

The controls are tight, smooth, and responsive. You’ll have to be very concentrated if you’re going to want to advance. Enemies won’t always appear in the same room and their attacks will change, requiring the player to adjust their strategy to survive.

Enemies are creative, having their own sense of charm and they are difficult. The enemy’s attacks are so creative, that they catch you off guard. Enemy projectiles can ricochet off walls, explode into more pieces, or can be homing missiles. Attacks are interesting and make combat enjoyable.

When the player starts any level, if you come across the boss room door you can enter it immediately. Continuing to explore the level will reward you with all the resources you’ll need to help you along the way. Spoils are automatically magnetized to the player once all enemies are defeated in a room. They can also be picked up by walking up towards them.

Your statistics will be displayed on screen once you die. ☠️

AESTHETICS

In Enter the Gungeon, the way each door opens is like Western films. Turn over tables to protect you from bullets. Along the way, tables will even become weapons themselves. Some objects (like barrels) across levels don’t contain anything at all. It would’ve been ideal to have them contain at least some resources.

The animations of the explosions are pleasing to the eye with all the little pixels glittering on-screen.

Each chamber has numerous types of bosses that cycle during your playthroughs. One of the bosses for the first chamber is a parody of Metal Gear Solid’s Gattling Raven from the original Playstation.  🦅

VALUE

Enter the Gungeon is perfect to play with another friend. To start cooperative mode walk towards a character dressed in purple in the Lobby. The second player can only take control of him and only him which is kind of a disappointment. It would’ve been a better decision if the player could choose any of the available characters.

Other details and things

If your health bar is full you can save heart pieces that only appear available after you defeat a boss. There is a mischievous rat that will appear to rob you of your goods if you decide to leave them behind. You can customize the control layout however you want, allowing accessibility. 

VERDICT

Combat is satisfying and can feel punishing but the game is compelling enough to have you come back to discovering something new to find whenever you descend. Some rooms are large and contain nothing inside, which is fine, we all need a breather from the action. However, it defeats the purpose of exploring and hopefully coming across another unique moment because it feels like a waste of space.

This is a fast arcade game that may seem to difficult for many players. In fact, Enter the Gungeon is one of the most difficult games to play. There’s plenty to be found when adventuring into the depths of the Gungeon. 

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