#ENTER THE GUNGEON GAMEPLAY FULL#

“A light spattering of dungeon traps, NPCs to save, and sacrificial shrines round things out, but these elements serve more to add variety than to force you to make the best of bad situations like in other roguelikes. These aren’t just laser guns of different colors and sizes, but wholly unique tools that provide a ton of fun, creative ways to blow enemies to bits. One of my favorite guns fires two projectiles out in opposing sin curves, and if they come back together to intersect without hitting anything else, the resulting fusion reaction causes a massive explosion that can clear the screen if placed properly. That noise means your currently equipped gun is getting stronger and stronger with each downed foe, to the point where even a basic pistol can shave chunks of life off a boss if you’ve really been on a tear. One passive item, the Metronome, lets out a little chime with every kill you make without switching guns or taking damage. Lots of Guns.The funky stuff is where it’s at though, both for the humorous descriptions and clear pop-culture influences, and because much of it opens up altogether new ways to play.

Still, there are a few too many dull, conventional weapons – I couldn’t help but feel pangs of disappointment whenever I’d open a chest and find one of the many similar shotguns or handguns instead of something crazier. Things like clip capacity, accuracy, and bullet spread help differentiate your MAC-10s from your M4s, and nice reloading and shooting sound effects make even the most basic starting guns fun to fire off for a bit.

#ENTER THE GUNGEON GAMEPLAY FULL#

Your arsenal is full to bursting with both conventional firearms like the enemy-penetrating sniper rifle or the winchester, and decidedly non-conventional ones like a fire-spewing pitchfork or a laser rifle that sends bullets flying back lightsaber-style whenever you reload. “As diverse and interesting as your foes are, though, the wide array of guns and gadgets is the true star here. What ensues is a fast-paced juggling act that challenged both my reflexes and my brain. The one-eyed Behoslter for instance, in addition to the standard array of bullet eruptions, will switch constantly between spawning little minions to take shots at you, firing homing rockets that need to be shot down before they reach you, and a continuously sweeping death beam that needs to be perfectly rolled over.

Like a BossThis is especially so for the slew of memorable bosses, who will truly test your mettle by filling the screen with nonsense and plunging you into a true bullet-hell. The roll was clearly considered in the design of many areas and battles, making it a vital tool rather than an optional crutch for getting out of jail for free. Right from level one, there are enemies capable of throwing sinkfulls of bullets your way, giving veteran shmup jockeys ample opportunity to show off their juking skills, while a partially invincible dodge roll can get you out of tight spots when your left thumb can't. Aiming is precise, with just the right amount of stickiness to keep it from feeling too hard or too easy to hit moving targets. It’s not all just for looks either – a deep love of arcade shooters is present throughout. This mix of goofy fetishism is immediately disarming, setting a unique, charming tone right away.

The story revolves around a giant uber-bullet that falls from the sky, shell casings and primer rims are worked into the otherwise-standard environmental art at every opportunity, and many of your enemies themselves are (you guessed it) actual bullets who fire what I suppose are their little cousins out of the guns they hold with stubby, T-Rex-like hands.

No really, it's all about that – to a hilarious degree. It’s all wrapped up in a breezy, delightfully silly package that kept me shooting, smiling, and shooting some more.Enter the Gungeon is all about bullets and guns and shooting stuff. Even judged purely by arcade shooter standards, Gungeon makes the grade, and its carefully implemented roguelike elements add variety, structure, and replayability to that base. Genre fusion can often be nothing more than a developer clumsily smashing together two popular things in order to make a third, ultra mega popular thing, but Enter the Gungeon makes skillful use of elements from both sides of its family tree.

Enter the gungeon gameplay