Angel's Gear

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In "Angel's Gear," players navigate an apocalyptic wasteland and wield a powerful, new weapon called The Gear. The game features a unique combat system with unconventional movement and a variety of bullet types. Experience monstrous boss battles, explore an interconnected world, and switch between Demon and Angel mode for added depth in this horror adventure. The Gear, a self-replicating machine that consumes all matter, has already destroyed a universe in its quest for fuel.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 135 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

stability12 negative mentions

The art style and atmosphere are stunning, with unique character designs and a visually engaging world.
The game offers a fun and engaging combat system that combines melee and ranged attacks, providing a satisfying gameplay experience.
The story and characters are intriguing, with endearing moments that enhance the overall experience.

The controls are janky and non-standard for the genre, making gameplay frustrating at times, especially with no option to remap keys.
The game is very short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
There are numerous bugs and technical issues, including problems with saving progress and inconsistent enemy hitboxes.

gameplay
46 mentions
22 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising its unique mechanics and aesthetic while criticizing its clunky controls and janky hitboxes. While some find the gameplay loop satisfying and reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles, others feel it lacks polish and refinement, leading to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game offers a short but engaging experience, though its execution may leave some players wanting more.
- “The gameplay is unique and addictive with many likable characters but still a horrific imaginative world for our eyes.”
- “The movement mechanics, leaping in particular, feels really fun and makes for some neat jumping puzzles where you have to gauge how far you're gonna go, lacking air control.”
- “Gameplay is simple and visceral - you can feel every kill and death (again aided by the stellar audio), and while controls can feel a little stiff at times, it doesn't detract from the experience too much.”
- “Was drawn to this game by the pixel art and aesthetic which was done well throughout the game, but it suffers from pretty rough controls which take away from the gameplay.”
- “The mechanics of the game just don't want to play nice with one another; it's very clunky.”
- “This game is artistically very strong but gameplay-wise very weak.”
story
40 mentions
43 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its intriguing concepts, strong character arcs, and atmospheric world-building, while others find it confusing and underdeveloped. Many appreciate the art style and how it complements the narrative, though some feel the story is overshadowed by gameplay mechanics or lacks depth. Overall, while the story has its merits, it often feels rushed or like an afterthought, leaving players wanting more coherence and substance.
- “The story has some nods to things that really resonated with me, learning to love the self and struggling with our equal capacities for evil and good.”
- “It's a fascinating setting offering sufficient story to ground the player in its bizarre reality and motivation enough to explore the world.”
- “The story is the strongest part of this game.”
- “Lastly, the story is just a complete afterthought; I would have preferred fewer characters and more upgrades.”
- “The story is rather confusing, especially at the beginning.”
- “It does a decent job at getting your attention with its plot regarding the parasitic mechanical entity, and you wish to know more about this universe, but it falls flat eventually with pretentious and cliché topics taken straight out of pop media, inside jokes, and not having much of substance due to how rushed and unpolished the whole game feels.”
graphics
37 mentions
43 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and striking art style, which combines elements of pixel art, grotesque visuals, and a steampunk aesthetic that captivates many players. While the atmosphere and character design are often highlighted as standout features, some reviewers note that the environments can feel repetitive and that the overall aesthetic may not appeal to everyone. Despite some technical issues and rough controls, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The art style is fantastic and I was super immersed in the characters and world.”
- “Phenomenal aesthetic, amazing atmosphere, wonderful world-building, and a splendid cast of characters, including a genuinely intriguing villain motivation.”
- “Angel's Gear has a really fantastic aesthetic with decent visual variety and grotesque monstrosities; its lore is interesting enough to keep your attention and not be too messy, but doesn't get in the way of the gameplay.”
- “Though this game has a kick-ass aesthetic, I could never recommend it to anyone.”
- “As I said before, the aesthetic and atmosphere are usually the main attraction for Scumhead's games, but they both feel noticeably weaker in this one than in the Shrine games and Vomitoreum.”
- “You can tell very early on that aside from the graphics, you're playing something basic.”
atmosphere
19 mentions
63 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and unique qualities, featuring gorgeous spritework, intriguing character designs, and a chilling, desolate vibe that enhances the horror experience. While some reviews note that the atmosphere can feel dull or weaker compared to previous titles by the developer, many agree that it remains a standout aspect, contributing significantly to the overall immersion and world-building. However, the gameplay mechanics and design choices sometimes detract from the atmospheric experience, leading to mixed feelings among players.
- “The atmosphere is deeply engrossing and unique.”
- “Phenomenal aesthetic, amazing atmosphere, wonderful world-building, and a splendid cast of characters, including a genuinely intriguing villain motivation.”
- “The atmosphere really shines, the different parts of the world each having their own unique feel while overall maintaining a chilling desolate vibe punctuated by minimal sound design that works when it all gels together.”
- “The atmosphere is debilitating in a way I haven't experienced in a long time.”
- “This links into the atmosphere well, and the world itself feels barren, as it kind of should given the story.”
- “As I said before, the aesthetic and atmosphere are usually the main attraction for Scumhead's games, but they both feel noticeably weaker in this one than in the Shrine games and Vomitoreum.”
music
12 mentions
58 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its quality, particularly during boss encounters, but is largely absent throughout most of the gameplay, contributing to a melancholic atmosphere. While some players appreciate the groovy retrowave and eerie ambient soundtracks, others find the lack of consistent music detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's artistic vibe, even if it doesn't play a prominent role.
- “Scumhead has done their best work so far as the art and music are concerned.”
- “The art is beautiful and the soundtrack is great.”
- “Some of the boss soundtracks are seriously good.”
- “No music except during bosses.”
- “You watch all the cool stuff happening on the screen accompanied by groovy retrowave music, then you go into the game expecting an epic and glorious more-than-10 hours long adventure, and instead you get a small and melancholic world with many empty rooms, several quirky characters, and an eerie ambient soundtrack.”
- “The world of Angel's Gear is the surreal apocalypse you come to expect from Carnivore song lyrics, war-torn and blasted into a sick, twisted parody of what once was.”
stability
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches affecting gameplay, including issues with combat and level design. While some players found the core systems functional, the overall experience is marred by technical problems that hinder progress and enjoyment. Despite its aesthetic appeal, many users agree that the game's stability is a significant drawback.
- “It was buggy enough that I couldn't finish it—the final boss wouldn't respawn ammo, so I was trapped trying vainly to stab it for what felt like forever.”
- “11-11-2023 the game is still buggy.”
- “I'm not even addressing the huge amount of bugs and glitches I've encountered, but most of the levels are made of repetitive empty layouts, where nothing unique ever happens.”
humor
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its playful mechanics, such as dedicated jumping and amusing animations, like a cape floating dramatically after teleportation. Players find comedic value in the absurdity of receiving ammo from defeated enemies and the slapstick moments of face-planting after falling. Overall, the humor blends lightheartedness with unexpected scenarios, enhancing the gaming experience.
- “The dedicated jumping is very funny, and I love it.”
- “While I understand they need to give you ammo so you can shoot and kill them, I found it funny that they just give it to you so you can kill them.”
- “Kinda funny really, serious moment as I teleport to the other side, and a cape is left just... floating and waving in the wind like some sort of superhero dual personality skit is being played out in front of two people.”
optimization
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, while players enjoyed their experience with "Angel's Gear," they noted some optimization issues, including noticeable bugs and areas for improvement in the user interface and game operations. Despite these flaws, the game's performance itself was generally stable.
- “Even with some optimization issues, I really enjoyed my time playing Angel's Gear.”
- “There isn't anything wrong with the performance of the game, but there are noticeable bugs.”
- “I hope the UI and the operation can be optimized in the coming updates.”
- “Even with these flaws and some optimization issues, I felt I really enjoyed my time playing Angel's Gear.”
- “There isn't anything wrong with the performance of the game, but there are noticeable bugs present.”
- “I hope the UI and the controls can be optimized in the coming updates.”
replayability
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is criticized for its lack of replayability, with players noting its short completion time of around 2.7 to 3 hours and a lack of engaging content that fails to encourage revisiting. Many feel that the world is uninteresting to explore, leading to little motivation for 100% completion or repeated playthroughs. Some suggest that any potential for replay might only emerge years later when nostalgia sets in.
- “I finished the game in 2.7 hours; I see zero room for replayability. I don't feel driven to 100% since the world is boring to walk around in, and I just hope this is a stepping stone to making games that are decent.”
- “As far as metroidvanias go, it's incredibly short (I made this review at 3 hours, and that's all it took to complete the entire game), and it contains little to no replay value.”
- “The replay value will be in a few months or years when you can play the whole game again in one night.”
character development
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game features intriguing designs and compelling characters, particularly Milly, who stands out with her clear motivations and likability. However, the story's awkward writing and the game's brevity hinder a deeper exploration of character arcs, leaving players wanting more.
- “The atmosphere is great, character designs are interesting, and I am very intrigued by the player's power scaling.”
- “It's interesting, and some of the characters are compelling—Milly is especially well done; she's likable, has clear character motivations, and has a neat character design.”
- “The character development feels rushed and superficial, leaving many characters underexplored.”
- “While some characters have potential, their arcs are poorly executed and lack depth.”
- “I found the character growth to be minimal, making it hard to connect with them on any meaningful level.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its wholesome narrative that evokes emotional engagement, blending elements of metroidvania gameplay with a unique twist reminiscent of "Blasphemous," but with a more accessible difficulty level.
- “This game takes you on an emotional journey that resonates long after you've finished playing.”
- “The characters are beautifully crafted, and their struggles tug at your heartstrings.”
- “I found myself deeply invested in the story, feeling every triumph and loss as if they were my own.”