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Releasing on May 4th is the newest bullet-hell dungeon crawling game from Chunkybox Games Wildcat Gun Machine. This is the first release from Brisbane, Australia’s small indie dev team. Wild Cat Gun Machine will be available for PC and Nintendo Switch. So, how is the indie title from Chunkybox Games? Find out in our review of the Wildcat Gun machine.
Story: No story at all in this bullet-hell shooter
Unfortunately, players will find no story at all in Wildcat Gun Machine. No synopsis or background on the character. You are the nameless protagonist and find yourself in some hostile environment, forced to clear your way room to room, floor through floor, improving and defeating floor bosses. That is really what you can sum up from playing Wildcat Gun Machine. We may see more in terms of the story later on from the indie dev, but at this point, if you’re looking for a solid story, you should look somewhere else. Wildcat Gun machine is a pure gameplay kind of game.
Gameplay: All the hallmarks, but none of the substance
Speaking of which, how is the gameplay in this Chiunkybox release? With our review of Wildcat Gun Machine, we would say this is a hit and miss. Staring out, the protagonist will have a pistol and be tasked with your standard room cleaning gameplay style. Defeating enemies will unlock the door leading into the next room leading to the boss, which defeating the boss will unlock a large door to the next chapter, with four ending with a terribly difficult climax.
Along the way, the player will be able to find various new primary weapons lying on the ground within each chapter that will offer multiple fire rates, bullet types, and secondary effects. The player will also have the ability to buy new secondary pistols each different, abilities including dashing and movement speed, and the amount of life you will have before you are forced to start over again. The player can purchase these upgrades by using bones that enemies drop as you defeat them, playing through each floor of Wildcat Gun Machine.
The gameplay of Wildcat Gun Machine could use a little more work. Coming will all the hallmarks of a good bullet hell game, challenge, a killer soundtrack, visuals, and a unique combat style. Unfortunately, the Chunkybox Games title Wildcat Gun Machine has its limitations. Half of the upgrades are extra lives, and progression still feels limited even with the various secondary and primary weapons options. In addition, the upgrades do little to make a difference within the game, missing any major abilities or skills that make the Wildcat Gun Machine feel different. As a result, the Chunkybox title falls short compared to the other bullet-hell genre games.
Graphics/Audio: A brightly colored package with a killer soundtrack
Wildcat Gun Machine offers an attractive art style, a neon punk cartoon style with bright colors and hard edges. Shooting your enemies and causing explosions will be an entertaining light show of violence and destruction. There is something great to be found within the art style of the Chunkybox Games title, but it won’t subvert your expectations or anything.
This is also for the audio, giving players a visceral electric dance style soundtrack as they are making their way through each room. This electric pulse-pounding soundtrack does well with the hectic gameplay and style of Wildcat Gun Machine. Together with the two, wrap Wildcat Gun Machine in an attractive, incredible-sounding package that does everything it can to make up for the other shortcomings of this Chunkybox Games title.
Conclusion: A decent first entry by the indie team, but it doesn’t stand out in the genre
Even with the interesting art design and fantastic soundtrack of the Chunkybox Games entry title Wildcat Gun Machine, it doesn’t do enough to make up for shallow gameplay that slows the player’s progression and the lack of narrative. These factors may turn some players away, looking for more depth in their games.
While Wildcat Gun Machine will offer much of the staples players will find in many of the bullet-hell type games, there isn’t enough to distinguish this Chunbox Games title from the rest of the others out there to play. Hopefully, the developers will balance their games out more and add more content to their game with time.
For now, with our review of the Chunkybox Games title Wildcat Gun machine, we say maybe skip this title in exchange for one of the other bullet-hell type games. But, if you are interested in the Chunkybox Games title Wildcat Gun Machine, it’s currently available on PC via Steam, GOG, & Epic Games Store, and Nintendo eStore for $14.99. lastly, If you’re interested in the developer or what they might release next, you can find them on their development website.
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