GUNBIRD
- May 10, 2020
- CITY CONNECTION
Get on SteamGUNBIRD is a classic vertical-scrolling shooter game featuring local multi-player options for up to 2 players in a cooperative mode with a split screen. The game boasts a cast of quirky characters, each with unique abilities, and offers customizable game settings including difficulty levels and online rankings. Players follow Marion, the Little Great Wizard, and other characters in a comical story about a magical mirror that grants wishes.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Excellent arcade-to-Steam conversion with great menus, sound, and performance.
- Charming characters and fun gameplay make it a great introduction to Psikyo shmups.
- Visually stunning with a solid difficulty curve, making it accessible for newcomers while still enjoyable for veterans.
- Lacks some features like level select and save states, which limits practice opportunities.
- Controller mapping can be complex and confusing, especially for non-standard controllers.
- Some players may find the game too easy or simplistic compared to other shmups.
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Gunbird is characterized as quirky and somewhat absurd, contributing to its charm, though some players find it to be a bit pointless. Despite this, many reviewers appreciate the game's excellent gameplay and controls, indicating that the humor does not detract from the overall experience.
“Gunbird is an excellent arcade shooter, but it helps to have a bizarre sense of humor.”
“Funny little pointless story.”
“I can look past the humor, though, because this game plays great, controls great, and is extremely satisfying to complete.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its good menus, sound, performance, and adjustable controller settings. However, some users expressed a desire for HD optimizations, which may be challenging due to the game's age.
“Good menus, sound, performance, adjustable controller settings, etc. It's all here.”
“The only thing I'd like to have seen was perhaps some HD optimizations, although given the game's age, that's not really doable.”
“The only thing I'd like to have seen was perhaps some HD optimizations; although given the game's age, that's not really doable.”
“The game runs poorly on modern hardware, and it feels like it hasn't been optimized for current systems at all.”
“I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their impressive level design and overall aesthetics, featuring excellent pixel artwork that enhances the game's appeal as a standout shoot 'em up title.
“Great level design and overall aesthetics.”
“A legacy great shoot 'em up with fantastic pixel artwork.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story of Gunbird is a lighthearted and somewhat whimsical adventure, focusing on the quest to collect pieces of a magic mirror while thwarting a trio of clumsy pirates. Although some find the narrative to be amusing, it is often described as lacking depth and purpose.
“Gunbird is a somewhat lighthearted take on the genre, with the story centering on seeking out the pieces of a magic mirror that, when assembled, will grant the adventurer's wish, but the player has to keep a trio of clumsy pirates from getting it first.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters or care about their journey.”
“While the premise is interesting, the execution falls flat, leaving the narrative feeling predictable and uninspired.”
“The dialogue is often cringeworthy, detracting from the overall experience and making it difficult to stay engaged with the plot.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, reminiscent of the Strikers series, but some players find the charge shot mechanics disruptive to the overall flow of the game.
“The gameplay in this title is the simplest of the Psikyo games, similar to the Strikers series.”
“I tend not to care for charge shot mechanics as they interrupt the flow of the game.”
“The gameplay in this title is the most simple of the Psikyo games, similar to the Strikers series.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its coolness, complementing the characters and art style effectively. Overall, it enhances the game's atmosphere and player experience.
“The music perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing every moment.”
“I love how the soundtrack evolves with the gameplay, making each level feel unique.”
“The character themes are catchy and memorable, adding depth to their personalities.”
