Greedy Guns – What We Think:
Do you like games like Metal Slug? What if it had a lot of weapons to choose from and more fleshed out combat mechanics? Greedy Guns by Tio Atum is a combat-focused 2D platformer with those aforementioned elements, and it’s shaping up nicely.
Greedy Guns’ moment-to-moment gameplay is inspired by games like Contra and Metal Slug. The main goal is to kill everything that moves. Much like the games it’s inspired by, it features a solid foundation of action-based mechanics. It has less of a focus on platforming and more of a focus on shooting.
One of the best aspects of this game is its well-designed combat system. It not only features an aiming system which allows you to aim in any direction using the mouse or right analog stick, but also two defensive skills – a dodge roll and a pulse action that pushes away enemies and their projectiles. Both of these actions in tandem with the shooting mechanics make the combat feel more fair, since you have more of a fighting chance when swarmed with multiple enemies or projectiles.
Thankfully, the game knows how to design fun combat scenarios. In this preview build, I encountered enemies that would hop on you from a distance, which required that you use your dodge ability more often. Another instance where the game mixed things up is when I faced a boss that shot a bunch of projectiles at me, effectively turning it into some kind of bullet hell. I was then able to use my pulse ability to avoid them easier.
The game does a great job with mixing up the gameplay so that it doesn’t feel repetitive – something action-heavy 2D games sometimes struggle with. This preview build seems promising in that regard, and hopefully they can add enough variety when the full game comes out.
Feel the Need for Greed
One of the main systems in Greedy Guns is its gun-purchasing mechanic. Enemies will drop money which can be used on machines that let you purchase and swap out guns. Since you can carry only two guns at a time, the final game is probably going to have scenarios where specific guns are preferably used. However, I appreciated that within this preview build the game didn’t force me to choose a certain type of weapon. I like having the option of choosing what guns I like, even if they aren’t ideal for certain combat sequences.
Guns have a good amount of variety to them. Some have wide-spreading projectiles, others fire faster, and some do more damage, causing them to overheat. There weren’t a whole lot to choose from in this build, but I’m sure when the final game is released it’ll have plenty.
As long as the final game has a number of interesting weapons to choose from, this mechanic will feel a lot more enjoyable. I’ve always enjoyed games with a selection of diverse weaponry; it can make experimentation a more enjoyable aspect of the game’s combat.
The game has a bright, cartoonish visual style. Characters are expressive – areas of the game pop and clearly differentiate themselves from one another. In a world where designers gravitate toward dark and moody aesthetics, it’s nice to see a more lighthearted art style.
Trigger Happy
From what I played of Greedy Guns, if you’re a fan of run-and-gun games, you should keep your eyes on this one. It’s smartly designed in many areas, from its combat to its art style. While I don’t know how the final game will turn out, this preview build was an enjoyable little romp. It’s currently on Kickstarter, so check it out.
Visit the Greedy Guns Kickstarter page.
Watch the Greedy Guns Kickstarter trailer below:
