I'm starting to steer away from really fast-paced action games; I just don't have the reflexes I used to. However, my love of rogue-likes and enjoyment of anything Devolver Digital publishes led me to picking up Enter The Gungeon. Enter the Gungeon is an incredibly intense and challenging top-down shooter. The difficulty may be daunting at first but smooth gameplay makes this a very easy title to jump into and will keep you coming back. Lets look at what makes this arcade-inspired game so charming.
What if there was a gun that could rewind time!? There is just one catch, you have to fight through hoards of tough enemies to get to it. Darn... Gungeon is a key word seeing as almost everything in this game is themed around guns and ammunition. Many of the basic enemies are actually walking bullets with guns of their own. Even the bosses have names like Gatling Gull, The Gorgun, and Ammoconda. The art helps bring this ridiculous theme together. This game features a modern twist on classic 16-bit looks with vibrant levels and silly looking characters/enemies.
Gameplay comes first and foremost in Enter the Gungeon. You will rarely stop moving as you travel from one room to another. Starting with a basic pistol you'll be avoiding enemy attacks while trying to shoot back. One key ability is the dodge roll which lets you move right through bullets and over chasms. You know this important feature seeing as the developer went as far as to name their company after it. This game will keep you on the edge of your seat with enemies and bosses that all have a wide range of different attack styles. If that wasn't bad enough you need to be careful not to fall into pits and in later levels you can even find turrets built into the map.
As you travel room to room you'll find accessories that provide different perks along with guns... Lots of guns. Although you may not usually carry too many at a time the variety in weapons is pretty incredible. You have the standard weapons like machine-guns and shotguns along with a equal selection of wacky guns. For example, there is a shotgun that shots out teddy bears that charm your enemies into fighting for you and then there is the letter "r" which shots out the letters for "bullet" (and the sound effect is literally someone saying the word bullet). Whichever character you choose to enter the Gungeon with will offer different perks. One has better aim and an extra live while the others have a lock-pick or start with a specific additional weapon.
There is no doubt this game will test your reflexes and maybe even your patience. I doubt much of the latter; this game simply feels too good. Its so well balanced and movement is so smooth you are bound to be having just as much fun when you start as you will when you near death. As this is a rogue-like nothing is carried over from each go but with repeated attempts you will continue to hone your skills. You can however find the same merchants you see in the Gungeon in the main lobby and its here you can use special credits to unlock new gun and items to find on your return to the Gungeon. There is even a options for couch co-op! I dare you to give this game a shot, or a couple thousand for that matter.