Upcoming Feature: Top Dreamcast Games 14.Official Animal Crossing: New Leaf Thread 121.The randomness can lead to some tedious rooms or chambers, but finding a floor that's a total bore is so unlikely to happen that anyone normally opposed to roguelikes should strongly consider heading into the Gungeon themselves. Even if someone is struggling, though, there are many guns that can save a run and ease the difficulty down considerably. It's hard, but it's the kind of hard that anyone can be good at with enough patience. More than anything, what makes Enter the Gungeon such an enjoyable experience is the mere fact that it manages to be inviting without losing any challenge in the process. Its design heavily favours single-player interactivity, which, given how infrequent it's likely to be, is enough to justify local co-op but not online. It is a shame that there is no online alternative, but this is clearly not a title meant to played through in multiplayer often. If enemies are hitting too hard or rooms are starting to get overwhelming, finding a friend for local co-op can make the experience manageable. This is a title that demands one's attention in every regard, while still managing to be friendly enough to newcomers. The mechanics heavily favour skilled play, but even someone who just keeps their focus can make it through reliably. The Gungeon's many rooms aren't easy, but it seldom feels like the player is at fault for dying. Shooting living bullets with a gun that fires other guns is such a unique scenario that any other game trying to replicate such a situation would have to wear its homage on its sleeve, otherwise it would be accused of plagiarism. It's silly, but it's the kind of silliness that can lend a game an incredibly strong identity.
Just about every aspect of Enter the Gungeon is themed around bullets or guns. While the Gungeon's layout is always changing, it maintains a feeling of consistency each playthrough, largely thanks to the fantastic aesthetic. When the cards fall just right, however, there's no better feeling than lugging around an armoury of guns from room to room, tearing apart everything in sight.Įach chamber has its own feel, set of enemies, and bosses that it rotates randomly from run to run. Thorough, and careful, exploration will always lead to new goodies, but sometimes what a player finds isn't what a player needs. Every chamber of the Gungeon tucks away guns, items, and shops for gungeoneers to discover. There are ways to lighten the load of a boss fight, but they are left up to chance, just like any other roguelike. There are some bosses where even a small hiccup can lead to instant death. The downside, of course, is not being able to attack while dodging, and potentially rolling into a position where you will quickly be eliminated by other enemies in the room.īoss fights take the most advantage of the shoot 'em up/bullet hell hybrid by encouraging players to dodge as frequently as they attack.
For one quick frame, it's possible to dodge through enemy bullets without taking damage. Strafing carefully can handle most one-on-one encounters, but several enemies at once will usually necessitate the dodge-roll. Too many enemies at once means that the screen will be filled with projectiles, coming from every angle.
While players might think they are smart for hoarding their guns for boss fights, they actually put themselves in more risk thanks to the bullet hell elements.Įnemies are relentless and can take a whole clip to mow down with the default guns. Just about every other weapon found within the Gungeon will have a set amount of ammo and inevitably run out. Every starting firearm comes equipped with infinite ammo, but reloading is still necessary. Combat involves firing off at enemies from afar, while being mindful of how much ammunition any given gun has. The core gameplay itself is very reminiscent of a shoot 'em up mixed with a bullet hell. This is a game that is only one part roguelike and that part stops at the level design and how items are acquired. What separates this gun-toting roguelike from others, though, is how it presents itself. It has randomly generated stages that are all a part of one larger labyrinth, players lose everything and have to restart upon death, and death is fairly common.
It's worth mentioning Enter the Gungeon is really no different from other games within its genre. There comes a time in every genre, however, when a game comes around to challenge the idea that an entire genre is simply "not" for someone. By the very nature of their existence, roguelikes are not for everybody. Since more roguelikes are short and meant to be replayed constantly, the difficulty is usually ramped up a bit higher than it would be otherwise. By design, they are meant to invoke a feeling of freshness every playthrough thanks to their random nature, along with the thrill of danger around every corner. Roguelikes have it hard when compared to other genres.