Approach again in 2019, I did my first recreation evaluate for Destructoid. It was for Doinksoft’s Gato Roboto. I wasn’t an enormous fan. I believed that it performed properly however was spinoff and insubstantial, largely paling compared to the video games it took inspiration from. To be truthful, nevertheless, that was one among Doinksoft’s first makes an attempt as a studio, and imitating those who impressed you is a completely truthful approach to begin out.

With that out of the way in which, nevertheless, now we have Gunbrella. Now, that is one thing I can get behind. Or get underneath. Whereas there’s nonetheless some apparent inspiration exhibiting via in lots of locations, Gunbrella makes it apparent that it’s a recreation that began with a easy idea and grew from there. It’s the very best, most natural approach to make a recreation.

Gunbrella (PC [Reviewed], Swap)
Developer: Doinksoft
Writer: Devolver Digital
Launched: September 13, 2023
MSRP: $14.99

Gunbrella casts you as a easy woodsman who returns dwelling to seek out his spouse murdered and his daughter kidnapped. The one clue he has to go off of is the homicide weapon, a gun that can also be an umbrella. I’m unsure why the eponymous gunbrella was left behind on the homicide scene. That’s fairly careless. It’s simply hanging me now as a plot gap. Fridge logic, because it’s usually known as, or an icebox scene, as Alfred Hitchcock termed it.

Anyway, the Woodsman then units out into the world to seek out the one who broke up his household and get revenge, and the world sucks.

Whereas Gunbrella depicts the entire planet as a small, interconnected sidescroller, it’s typically implied that it’s been going downhill for a very long time. The super-privileged have secluded themselves in a spot known as Avalon, the place they use know-how to maintain themselves in perpetual consolation on the expense of everybody else on the earth. In the meantime, their Gunmen, a non-public police power, set out into the broader world to kidnap kids.

It’s a bit like Cave Story in its storytelling. There’s loads of handwaving in favor of preserving a way of caprice. It appears like it is going to all crumble in the event you ask a number of too many questions. Nonetheless, the necessary components are there. You’re out for revenge, the unhealthy guys are unhealthy, and the world sucks. All issues which are simply understood.

Gun-slash-fashion accent

The core aspect of Gunbrella is basically with the titular weapon and the mobility that comes with it. Whereas it may be used to drift like Mary Poppins, merely opening it propels the protagonist within the path it’s pointed. On this manner, it acts like a double leap or a splash. It additionally blocks projectiles, and in the event you leap and level it downward, you may bounce on it.

All of that is unlocked initially, and it’s solely a matter of studying and internalizing all of it, which wasn’t that troublesome, in my expertise. My largest downside was utilizing the appropriate persist with purpose when my thumb was skilled to make use of the A button to leap. You need to use the left set off to leap as a substitute, however it feels bizarre making an attempt to sprint and leap and shoot and purpose. This is perhaps a type of uncommon platformers that work higher with a mouse and keyboard.

Nonetheless, the give attention to mobility provides Gunbrella a Mega Man X high quality. It by no means fairly reaches that platforming perfection, however it additionally does an important job of constructing a recreation round its motion. There’s loads you are able to do, all obtainable from the start, and it’s all intuitive. The only a few instances that you just’re separated out of your trendy firearm make you’re feeling bare, sluggish, and susceptible.

If something, the one actually disappointing a part of the gunbrella is its secondary ammo system. You’ve an infinite variety of shotgun shells, however the whole lot else is available in restricted portions. Because of this, I solely switched away from the shotgun when there was very clearly a greater possibility, which isn’t quite common.

Trash Empire

Even with bosses, I obtained probably the most mileage out of the shotgun. Bosses are one of many locations that Gunbrella disappoints. The primary few of them are quite nice, however these collaborating within the climax didn’t have the identical polish. The final boss, for instance, I principally stood underneath, absorbed its harm, and continued to fireside upward with the shotgun. I solely required the primary try, I didn’t have to formulate a technique, and I didn’t be taught any of its patterns. Not the very best remaining observe to exit on.

Nonetheless, a lot of the recreation is tits. The story is a tad weak total, however it’s held up by very good pacing and nice characters and dialogue. It does an effective way of presenting a surreal, dream-like world weighed down by melancholy. It’s relatable and human, even whereas being fully fantastical.

There are additionally numerous selections you make all through the course of the sport, however they’re by no means actually offered as such. You’re typically given the choice to be trustworthy and caring, or a whole dick in the event you favor. Nonetheless, there’s no express good versus evil system in place. Usually, you make the choice that appears proper within the second and take care of any penalties later. There aren’t any flawed decisions, and Gunbrella received’t pull the handbrake in the event you act selfishly, however you will note it immediately mirrored within the story. Alternatively, there are some issues that you just don’t have any affect over. Such is the character of video video games.

The gameplay itself is equally well-paced. It’s fairly a bit longer than the extra bite-sized Gato Roboto, however its world isn’t overly filled with aspect actions and pointless detours. On the identical time, there’s nonetheless an honest quantity of selection in its design. The breeziness of the entire expertise is kind of refreshing.

Wet Day

There’s nothing actually revolutionary about Gunbrella, and there isn’t actually one factor that it actually excels at. Nonetheless, if there’s something spectacular about it, it’s in its consistency. From prime to backside, it’s an pleasing expertise. There are some weaker moments, however they’re very short-term and in no way intrusive.

For that cause, Gunbrella is a quite simple advice. It’s a strong platformer with loads of appeal. I’m unsure it will likely be on the prime of my thoughts after I consider my favourite video games, and I don’t assume I’m going to be wanting to scoop up a bodily copy someday sooner or later, however I undoubtedly loved my time with it. It’s price maintaining for a wet day.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}