Colt Canyon

Colt Canyon is an excellent roguelike with razor-sharp gameplay that’s incredibly addictive. The rhythmic action is comparable to titles like Hotline Miami, and there’s a constant temptation to have ‘just one more go’. Some may not be too keen on the heavily-pixelated graphics, but it’s the gameplay that truly shines through here, and once you’ve conquered the steep difficulty curve you’ll find this to be a fine addition to the Switch’s growing selection of roguelikes.

79%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

story, grinding

93% User Score Based on 335 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $0.69

Buy NowGet on Steam€2.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

About

"Colt Canyon" is a thrilling pixel western game set in a hostile canyon filled with bandits. Play as a cowboy seeking revenge for your kidnapped partner, battling enemies in real-time combat and rescuing captives. With its procedurally generated levels, rogue-like elements, and a variety of weapons, Colt Canyon offers a challenging and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+10

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 341 reviews

gameplay30 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Extremely addictive gameplay that keeps players coming back for more.
Challenging yet fair difficulty curve, allowing for a rewarding experience as players improve.
Unique western aesthetic with charming pixel art and satisfying gunplay.

Some players find the ammo scarcity frustrating, leading to tedious gameplay.
Limited variety in enemies and bosses can make runs feel repetitive.
Visibility issues with environmental hazards can lead to unfair deaths.

gameplay
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its unique mechanics, satisfying gunplay, and tactical depth, while others criticize its limited enemy variety and clunky movement that can lead to frustration. The game features a challenging roguelike experience with a steep learning curve, requiring players to adapt their strategies and manage resources effectively. Overall, while the gameplay can be engaging and addictive, it may not appeal to everyone due to its difficulty and some design inconsistencies.
- “The gameplay is tough and challenging but also a blast.”
- “Fantastic gunplay, light stealth mechanics, great weapon, enemy, and character variety, and beautiful music and art style, all culminate in a wonderfully addictive experience and some of the most fun you'll ever have in an action roguelike.”
- “The gameplay is really well paced and has a balanced difficulty at default levels.”
- “The small upgrade selection, its limited impact on gameplay, and the relatively small enemy pool stretched over 9 levels and 3 boss stages across 3 areas mean that the game can get boring quickly.”
- “Movement is also clunky, and you'll occasionally find yourself getting stuck on a small branch or rock as you are fighting 10-15 enemies and trying to dodge a flurry of bullets coming your way. Due to the art style, it makes it really hard to differentiate small objects in the terrain that can impact your movement further, leading to more frustrations with the gameplay.”
- “This roguelike game does a passable effort at being original in its old west theme, but unfortunately, the lack of variety in gameplay and weapon types means doing the same thing over and over again.”
graphics
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
49%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming and well-executed pixel art style that captures a western aesthetic, appealing to fans of retro visuals. While many praise the art for its detail and expressiveness, some players find it challenging to navigate due to the simplicity of the design, which can obscure small objects in the environment. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and immersive sound design, though they may not resonate with all players.
- “Not only is this game super fun, but the art style is absolutely wonderful.”
- “The graphical style is so retro and unique that at first I was a bit turned off...however once I played a bit I realized the level of detail the developers achieved was absolutely stunning...I find myself more immersed in this game than many 'hi-res' games.”
- “A western themed roguelike, with beautiful graphics and sound design, topped off with satisfying and tactile gunplay.”
- “Movement is also clunky and you'll occasionally find yourself getting stuck on a small branch or rock as you are fighting 10-15 enemies and trying to dodge a flurry of bullets coming your way. Due to the art style, it makes it really hard to differentiate small objects in the terrain that can impact your movement further, leading to more frustrations with the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is unremarkable, the top-down visuals are a poor fit for a western setting, the music is irritating, and the graphics might charitably be described as doing much with little, but for me they do little with little.”
- “With the pixel graphics, I find it extremely difficult to tell what is thorns and what is a pixelized blood spatter.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
13%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its immersive and fitting soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere, while others find it repetitive or irritating. Many appreciate the ambient sounds and the way the music complements gameplay, particularly during combat, but some suggest that the soundtrack is not particularly outstanding. Overall, it contributes positively to the game's experience, though opinions on its quality vary.
- “The sound design and music are on point.”
- “Terrific music that organically swells into exciting 'fight scene' music as you engage large groups of enemies.”
- “The soundtrack is quite boring.”
- “The gameplay is unremarkable, the top-down visuals are a poor fit for a western setting, the music is irritating, and the graphics might charitably be described as doing much with little, but for me they do little with little.”
- “I'd had one of the songs from this game in my head for a long time and couldn't remember where it was from; lo and behold, it was the 'in-between combat exploring the area' music.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
17%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the variety of weapons, character unlocks, and gameplay mechanics that encourage repeated playthroughs. However, some users noted a drop in replay value after completing the game due to limited boss encounters. Despite this, the balance of accessibility and challenge keeps players engaged, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- “Quite a fun time with lots of replayability.”
- “Amazing pixel roguelike, great gameplay, high replayability; it's just so perfect for a game.”
- “The end result is an extremely polished experience that has a high skill ceiling with tons of replayability and incentive to keep you coming back for more.”
- “After winning the game, replayability drops to 0 because there are only three bosses.”
- “For an inexpensive indie game, it promises some decent replayability.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's story is minimal and straightforward, primarily serving as a backdrop for its action-packed gameplay. Players appreciate the option to customize character genders, allowing for personal interpretations of relationships, but many note that the narrative lacks depth and complexity. Overall, the focus is on gameplay rather than a rich storyline, making it suitable for quick, action-oriented sessions.
- “The cherry on top for me is that you can change the gender of the gunslinger and the partner characters, and in doing so, you can make the game a gay love story, or at least that's what it is in my head.”
- “The premise and story are simple, and the goals of the game are clear.”
- “With elements of stealth, and leaving things up to ambiguity, it lets you find out the story.”
- “Also, the end of the game is one giant escort mission, and it sucks.”
- “There is hardly any storyline (so far), but it serves its purpose as a nice little shooter.”
- “It's light on story, but the emphasis is on the gameplay.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
80%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a significant drawback, describing activities like foraging for ammunition and breaking boxes as tedious and frustrating. While the game has enjoyable moments, the repetitive nature of these tasks can detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of imbalance that may require further refinement.
- “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but it adds to the overall experience.”
- “While it can be a bit grindy, the rewards make it worthwhile.”
- “I found it a bit grindy, but the progression kept me engaged.”
- “The other side of the gameplay is foraging for ammunition, which can be somewhat tedious, and outside of shooting enemies, there really isn't much to it.”
- “Box breaking (through which you get a good part of your ammo drops) is tedious, and probably the biggest flaw of the game for me, along with the frustratingly small pickup radius - one of the reasons I almost always get the bigger radius power-up whenever I can.”
- “In its best moments incredibly fun, in its worst moments incredibly tedious.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive sound design, unique artwork, and effective tone-setting, which collectively enhance the experience of a "far west wasteland." Players appreciate the tactical gameplay that complements the atmosphere, with snappy movement and satisfying action that make them feel fully engaged in the wild west adventure. Overall, the combination of polished mechanics and atmospheric elements creates a compelling and enjoyable experience.
- “So little actual pixels, and yet, perfect delivery of a scene, perfect setting of tone and atmosphere, perfect feedback of shots, violence, and movement.”
- “This game is both superbly fun through its well polished and great feeling action, and manages to have great atmosphere via the sound and style.”
- “The gameplay and atmosphere are incredible - the way the game handles makes me feel like I'm really in this sharpshooting wild west adventure.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as absolutely hilarious, especially in local co-op mode, where players can enjoy the comedic sound effects and interactions. The combination of funny gameplay and beautiful graphics enhances the overall experience, making it a delightful choice for both skill testing and casual play.
- “Absolutely hilarious to play it in local co-op (1 = controller, 2 = keyboard/mouse) - I think that is actually the best way to play it.”
- “Also, the little yells all the characters make when they get shot are hilarious.”
- “This is simply a game with beautiful graphics and funny gameplay.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
While the game boasts excellent performance and style, some users have reported occasional dropped frame rates, indicating a need for further optimization in future updates. Overall, it remains highly recommended despite these minor issues.
- “Performance and style are 10/10.”
- “I did notice a bit of dropped frame rates here and there, and I hope it will eventually be optimized, but otherwise, I highly recommend.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a high level of stability, with many noting the absence of bugs or glitches during gameplay.