Game: Gunfire Reborn
Genre: Action, Rogue-lite
System: PC
Developer|Publisher: Duoyi (Hong Kong) Interactive Entertainment
Age Rating: EU 12+ | US: Teen
Price: USD $ 11.99| CAD $ 13.49| AUS $ 16.95 | UK £ 9.29|EU € 9,99
Release Date: 23rd May 2020 (reviewed early access version)
Jump into early access
Codes used with many thanks to Duoyi Interactive Entertainment.
I have really come to enjoy early access games on PC over the last couple of years. There’s something rather special about having the ability to play a game that is still in development and see it grow into its final product from update to update. The first game to turn me around to this idea was Hades, a rogue-lite adventure based on Greek mythology. Early access also seems to be a great way for developers to get feedback from fans of the game to steer the project in a favourable direction.
For today’s impression article, I got the chance to try out Gunfire Reborn, a rogue-lite first person shooter (FPS) that leaves an impressive first impression.
The Cat in the Hat
Gunfire Reborn has you playing the cat in the fine hat known as the Crown Prince. This feisty feline is on a mission from the spirit realm to vanquish evil.
The story is currently a work in progress, like with most of the game, but this will possibly translate to destroy all the enemies and save the day. But you never know, maybe I’m wrong; it might be about the cat’s quest for an even finer hat.
Once you level up further into the game, you also unlock a second character, a dog called Ao Bai. Each character has unique abilities. The dog can dual wield weapons for a short period whilst the cat can summon an orb which freezes enemies on the spot.
Smooth animations
This game instantly drew me in with its graphics and general design. First off, the Cat looks just superb. It pulls off the mysterious-yet-kinda-cute appeal. I want to pat it, but I’m worried it would have a feisty comeback teemed with some sharp claws.
Then there are the enemies. In the first area you take on animated statues clearly inspired by the Chinese Terracotta Army. Then as you progress to new areas, you take on anthropomorphic animals like chicken snipers and lizard guards. It’s all rather charming, and unlike many FPS games, this title is completely void of blood and gore. On defeat, the statues just crumble into pieces and the animals disappear into spirit-like fragments.
It’s like Quake
The gameplay left an instant impression, reminding me of one of my old PC favourites, Quake. The movement and speed just felt silky smooth and the gun play incredibly satisfying.
Then there are the guns which are both familiar in design: crossbows, sniper rifles, chain guns, assault guns. But they have an Eastern mythology twist to their design, making them feel fresh and unique. They throw in plenty of unique guns too, like the Dragon Gun which shoots an orb that pulls enemies towards it before exploding. There’s also a gun that allows you to place a marker, and on pulling the trigger it shoots a beam towards that marker. So when you move, the beam will bend, allowing you to potentially shoot enemies from cover.
All the weapons come with various perks and benefits to match a variety of play styles. Sniping is often my preferred class, so I was a happy camper. However, I thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with all the weapons in the game and discovering new play styles.
Get ready to rogue-lite
Just like all rogue-lites, you can find many perks in the game. In Gunfire Reborn these come in the form of scrolls which can potentially aid you in your adventure or hinder you if you pick up a cursed scroll. It’s a game very much about rolling with the punches and adapting to the situation on the fly.
Upon death you can spend soul essence, which you collect in the levels to buff up your character, making each run just that little bit more manageable. You also unlock new abilities like accessing random challenge portals that spawn in rooms. These rooms could be filled with enemies, traps, or a bit of both. Success grants you more rewards. You can also collect money to spend at the frog trader or to enhance your equipped weapons.
Co-op time
To add to an already great early package, the game features co-op play! The developers kindly provided a second code for my friend and me to test online. You can play with up to three other players, privately or in public.
The benefit of playing co-op is that your team mates can revive you should your character go down in combat, and this makes things a little easier. There’s no friendly fire, so have no fear that you will accidentally injure your teammates. But the difficulty is certainly increased, depending on the number of players on the team. The end-stage boss in particular is still a hefty challenge even if you bring a friend along for the ride.
Early today, finer tomorrow
The game is of course still in early access, so there are some rough edges to fine-tune. There’s a limited number of room designs in each stage, but the developers are hard at work currently, updating this game on what seems like a weekly basis.
Gunfire Reborn is currently available only on Steam’s Early Access. After reaching out to the developers, they did inform me that consoles are under consideration. Here’s hoping this title comes to the Switch in the future, so keep watching this space for further coverage (and even finer hats) and a final review when it’s all finished.
You must log in to post a comment.