GIGABUSTER
- October 3, 2022
- WALLER
Get on Steam"GIGABUSTER is a single-player Action game with stunning graphics, where you play as Liz, determined to stop corporate mergers funded by the enigmatic "Happiness Project." Infiltrate 9 companies, tackle stages in any order, and enjoy a variety of movement options, weapons, and powerups. Skip dialogues and cinematics for quick action, and upgrade your heroic appearance in the shop. Engage in arguments with a colorful cast of everyday CEOs and experience fast-paced combat."
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features beautiful art and creatively themed levels, reminiscent of classic Mega Man titles.
- Controls are generally responsive and fluid, allowing for enjoyable movement and combat mechanics.
- The game has a quirky and fresh take on anti-corporatism, with a decent story and likable characters.
- The game suffers from a lack of polish, with numerous bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, including softlocks and control issues.
- Level and enemy design often feel unbalanced, leading to frustrating experiences where players can easily avoid hazards or tank damage.
- Overanimation can obscure important feedback, making it difficult to gauge enemy attacks and resulting in unfair hits.
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their imaginative and bold aesthetic, reminiscent of classic styles like Mega Man, featuring fluid animations and well-designed levels. However, some users note the lack of standard graphics options, such as resolution and vsync, which detracts from the overall experience. While the art style is generally well-received, it may not appeal to everyone, and there are hopes for improvements in future installments.
“Gigabuster is a very pretty game, with a lot of imagination and thought put into its visuals, and with a decent enough story.”
“Reminds me of old school Mega Man with a fun aesthetic and fluid animations and combat.”
“It's a fun speed game with tight movement and combat, and the art style is really good for what it is.”
“There are a lot of standard options missing from the graphics settings, most notably resolution and vsync.”
“The art style is okay, but I would understand if it puts off a few people.”
“Overall, I like how the game feels and hope a second part can be made with a better art style and tweaking of mechanics.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Gameplay is a mixed bag, with many mechanics that feel underutilized and a rush-through approach that detracts from the experience. While the movement is enjoyable, it can be overly fluid, leading to some balance issues. Despite its short length, players feel the game offers good value, especially if purchased on sale, and recent updates have improved the overall experience.
“Overall, I like how the game feels and hope a second part can be made with a better art style and tweaking of mechanics.”
“The base price is justified for the amount of gameplay there is, even if the game's a little short (I beat the game in less than 3 hours on my first run), so I do think I got my money's worth. If you're lucky enough to get the game on sale, then it's definitely a steal.”
“There are still a few bugs and gameplay tweaks that need to be sorted out, but a lot of the fixes and quality of life changes have greatly improved my experience with the game, and I found myself enjoying it way more than when I played it the first time.”
“Those mechanics should have more use during the stages or on bosses.”
“If you've had the chance to read my review before, you've probably recalled that I wouldn't have recommended this game unless you were a fan of the Mega Man Zero series due to the gameplay and game feel not hitting the mark.”
“So again, there are still a few bugs and gameplay tweaks that still need to be sorted out, but a lot of the fixes and quality of life changes have greatly improved my experience with the game, and I found myself enjoying it way more than when I played it the first time.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The story in Gigabuster is generally regarded as decent but somewhat generic, following familiar cyberpunk tropes involving a tech corporation antagonist and a rebellious protagonist. While the characters are likable and the dialogue includes humor, some players feel the writing lacks depth and the main character's controls could be more impactful. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with imaginative visuals and themes, and it accommodates players who prefer less focus on the narrative.
“Gigabuster is a very pretty game, with a lot of imagination and thought put into its visuals, and with a decent enough story.”
“A fun little game with a surprisingly decent story.”
“Characters drive the story instead of themselves into the ground.”
“My only real complaints are that controlling the main character doesn't feel as weighty as I would like, and the story/writing feels weird.”
“The story's fine, if a little generic to the cyberpunk genre (big tech corporation bad guy/robot trying to take over the city, little rebel girl takes them and their cronies down), the characters are likable, and there's humor to the game's dialogue.”
- stability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while the portals function well and the experience is enjoyable, players report several minor glitches, particularly with the UI, and significant performance issues on the Steam Deck that require specific compatibility settings to resolve.
“It was so pretty and had very cool portals that were actually not buggy, unlike the cannons in Wurst's factory.”
“There are a few minor glitches, generally with the UI requiring extra button presses to behave properly.”
“A lot of fun, but it’s very buggy. On Steam Deck specifically, it’s hard to run unless you use the ge-proton7-43 in the compatibility settings.”
- music2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with many reviewers noting its quality and standout tracks, especially for an indie title. However, some users feel that the sound effects could be more impactful.
“The music is amazing; very rarely do I find indie games putting out banger after banger.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“Each track is beautifully composed, making it a joy to listen to while playing.”
“The sound effects are sometimes lacking in punch, but the music is solid.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and doesn't add much to the overall experience.”
“While the music is decent, it often feels out of place and doesn't match the game's atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game's optimization is lacking, likely due to the entire level being loaded simultaneously, which hampers performance. There is optimism for future updates that could improve both game design and optimization.
“I encourage the dev to continue to update the game as I think it can be amazing with game design changes and performance optimizations.”
“My guess is that the whole, or most of the level, is loaded at once, causing it to be unoptimized.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is primarily found in its dialogue, which adds a likable charm to the otherwise generic cyberpunk storyline involving a rebel girl battling a big tech corporation. Overall, the humor enhances character interactions and contributes positively to the narrative experience.
“The story is fine, if a little generic to the cyberpunk genre (big tech corporation bad guy/robot trying to take over the city, little rebel girl takes them and their cronies down). The characters are likable, and there's humor in the game's dialogue.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to sluggish controls, premature enemy attacks, and tedious encounters, which detract from the overall excitement.
“As excited as I was, it falls short with sluggish controls, enemies shooting before the screen fades in from black, and tedious enemies.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which quickly became boring and frustrating.”
