Gun Crazy

My time spent with Gun Crazy wasn’t terrible; it also wasn’t anything special. It felt like a half-baked idea that sacrificed length for difficulty. The game in its current state is hard to recommend, especially at the asking price of $4.99.

65%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

story, monetization

68% User Score Based on 76 reviews

Critic Score 56%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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Buy NowGet on Steam $4.99

About

Gun Crazy is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by Ritual Games and was released on November 12, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Gun Crazy" is a frenetic arcade-style shoot 'em up game with old-school pixel art and a retro soundtrack. Players must tackle bosses, dodge bullets, and use various weapons to defeat enemies, with the option to use continues for those who struggle to complete the game on their first try. The game is recommended for those who enjoy a challenging action experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 76 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features tight controls and fluid gameplay, reminiscent of classic run and gun titles.
The pixel art and animations are colorful and well-designed, contributing to an enjoyable visual experience.
The game offers a fun, albeit short, arcade experience with a decent soundtrack and engaging boss fights.

The game is extremely short, with many players completing it in under 30 minutes, leading to feelings of repetitiveness.
There are significant technical issues, including a lack of options for customizing controls and poor visibility of bullets against the background.
The overall design feels rushed and unfinished, with many players comparing it unfavorably to more polished titles in the genre.

gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The gameplay of "Gun Crazy" is generally well-received, featuring fluid controls and engaging run-and-gun mechanics, complemented by appealing pixel art and diverse level designs that introduce challenging elements reminiscent of bullet hell games. However, players note that the game is quite short and could benefit from additional power-ups, stages, and technical improvements. Overall, it offers a solid experience for those who enjoy retro-style shooters, despite some criticisms regarding its length and complexity.
- “The controls are fine and the gameplay is fluid while the animations and sprites are pretty cool.”
- “Gun crazy is an okay retro-styled shoot 'em up; it has good gameplay, a good pixel graphics art style, and good enemies and boss designs.”
- “Gun crazy is a good choice for those who like challenges, achievements, and short gameplay coupled with a high replay factor.”
- “The controls are fine and the gameplay is fluid while the animations and sprites are pretty cool, but again, it's way too short!”
- “It most definitely needs gameplay and technical improvements, like having more power-ups and stages, or having a proper options menu with actual graphics options such as running the game in windowed mode. However, given this game's price tag, these minor issues can be forgiven.”
- “Most of the game (up to the point I'm playing) is a 2D side-scrolling action run 'n' gun, but there are some diverse gameplay elements that keep you entertained. For example, the camera stays in a particular spot, and enemies start replicating themselves whenever you shoot at them, or boss fights shoot lots of bullets at you (which reminds me of some bullet hell titles). It can get somewhat challenging.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many users praising its quality and enjoyable tracks that complement the gameplay. Some players appreciate the option to adjust the volume, allowing for a customizable experience. Overall, the soundtrack is described as stellar and fitting, enhancing the game's atmosphere despite some criticism of the visuals.
- “The music in this game is absolutely stellar.”
- “Graphically it looks pretty and the music accompanies well.”
- “Music is good, and the sounds are pleasing.”
- “The music is fine, visuals are annoying and their only purpose is to mess you up by covering your screen.”
- “Plus, you can volume slide them down if you just don't want them interfering with the music.”
- “Maybe the music, too?”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The graphics of "Gun Crazy" feature a colorful pixel art style that evokes nostalgia, reminiscent of classic Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx-16 games. While the levels offer some variety, the overall visual presentation is considered basic, lacking modern graphical options and resolution adjustments. Despite these limitations, the graphics are generally well-received for their charm and fit within the retro shooter genre.
- “Okay, with that said, Gun Crazy is an okay retro-styled shoot 'em up. It has good gameplay, a good pixel graphics art style, and good enemies and boss designs.”
- “It's really astonishing to me that the average reviews of this game are mixed. Gun Crazy is a really cool arcade-retro-like game with diverse maps, graphics, and elements, along with a fair amount of enjoyable music.”
- “Graphically, it looks pretty and the music accompanies well.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “It most definitely needs gameplay and technical improvements like having more power-ups and stages, or having a proper options menu with actual graphics options such as running the game in windowed mode.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
The story in "Gun Crazy" is minimal, focusing primarily on gameplay rather than narrative, as players control a girl battling robots and aliens without any substantial backstory or context. Many reviewers express a desire for at least a basic storyline to explain the character's motivations, noting that the lack of depth detracts from the overall experience. Overall, those seeking a more engaging narrative will likely be disappointed.
- “Gun Crazy is an okay retro-styled shoot 'em up, but the story is lacking.”
- “There really isn't any story; you just play as a girl who fights robots and aliens.”
- “For those who expect a longer game or a story to follow, you won't find it here.”
- “I do wish there was a little bit of a story; I'm not talking about anything major, just why we're doing this.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of "Gun Crazy" is criticized as a blatant cash grab, with reviewers noting its rushed development and low-quality execution typical of games made with GameMaker Studio. The game is perceived as a poorly crafted retro platformer that prioritizes profit over quality, leading to a negative reception among players.
- “Gun Crazy is a very badly made 2D retro pixel platformer/shooter slapped out from a GameMaker Studio platformer template, with some pixel crap dumped on top of it and rushed out onto handhelds (Switch, PS Vita), and then thrown over the fence onto Steam's parking lot as an afterthought/cash grab.”
- “GameMaker Studio is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is described as a humorous 2D side-scrolling action title that keeps players entertained with its diverse gameplay mechanics. Players encounter amusing scenarios, such as enemies replicating themselves and engaging in chaotic boss fights reminiscent of bullet hell games, adding a layer of challenge to the humor. Overall, the blend of funny elements and engaging gameplay contributes to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience.
- “Funny 2D game.”
- “Most of the game (up to the point I'm playing) is a 2D side-scrolling action run 'n' gun, but here comes the diverse gameplay I was talking about, which keeps you entertained. In some levels, for example, the camera stays in a particular spot and no more funny run 'n' guns. Enemies start copying themselves into thousands of units whenever you shoot at them, or boss fights start to shoot lots of bullets at you (which reminds me of some bullet hell titles). It's obvious enough that you have to dodge them while trying to eliminate them, and it can get somewhat challenging.”