Gunhound EX

66%
Game Brain Score Based on 123 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Gunhound EX Game Cover
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Gunhound EX is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up game where players control powerful mechs in a post-apocalyptic world. With various weapons and abilities, pilots must battle against enemy forces and colossal bosses to complete missions. The game features hand-drawn graphics and intense combat, testing the skills and strategies of even the most seasoned shoot 'em up veterans.

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Reviews

66%
Audience ScoreBased on 123 reviews
graphics5 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • Gunhound EX is a fun throwback to classic mech games like Cybernator and Metal Warriors, offering enjoyable arcade-style gameplay with a variety of weapons and customization options.
  • The game features solid pixel art and a bombastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making it feel like a nostalgic trip to the 90s.
  • Once players adapt to the controls, which can be challenging at first, the game provides a rewarding experience with engaging boss battles and varied level designs.
  • The port suffers from significant control issues, with many players reporting that the game is unplayable with a keyboard and that controller support is inconsistent and difficult to set up.
  • The game is quite short, with only a handful of levels, and the unskippable cutscenes can become tedious, especially when retrying difficult sections.
  • Many players have noted that the graphics and overall optimization are lacking, leading to issues like black screens and poor performance on modern systems.
  • story56 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered weak and generic, serving primarily as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Many players find the dialogue tedious and poorly translated, leading to a lack of engagement with the plot, which is filled with anime clichés and shallow characters. While some appreciate the nostalgic references to classic mech titles, the overall consensus is that the story is not a significant draw and can often be skipped without missing much.

    • “In the end, the story concludes appropriately and nothing feels amiss.”
    • “The game also has a rockin' and bombastic soundtrack that adds to the game's fast-paced nature with some pretty good voice-overs for the dialogue that takes place before and during missions.”
    • “There is also a simple but solid story element accompanied by sweet Japanese voice acting.”
    • “If you are here for the plot, you’ll be disappointed because it is very plain and quite generic.”
    • “The story is run-of-the-mill and an unsalvageable mess that never becomes remotely interesting.”
    • “The plot is harmless, stereotypical fluff.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with many reviewers noting that they are low-resolution and reminiscent of older consoles like the PlayStation and Sega Saturn, featuring pixel-art aesthetics and parallax scrolling backgrounds. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and solid performance, others criticize the lack of optimization and the overall mediocrity of the visuals, describing them as hazy and outdated. Overall, the graphics may appeal to retro fans but could deter those seeking modern visual fidelity.

    • “The graphics look pretty solid for what they are, and some larger-than-life boss battles are definitely the highlights of the game.”
    • “The game definitely feels like a successor to Assault Suits Leynos 2 in terms of aesthetics; visuals definitely feel like they came from the PlayStation or Sega Saturn era with its low-res but eye-pleasing pixel-art graphics along with some nice parallax scrolling backgrounds and sprite rotation, all while running at a slick frame-rate.”
    • “Gunhound EX hits all the high points, with colorful graphics, countless enemies, frustrating boss fights, and even a countdown on the 'replay' screen similar to old NES games like Contra.”
    • “Very low resolution graphics.”
    • “The graphics are mediocre at best.”
    • “Graphics were mediocre at best, extremely blurry and low res.”
  • gameplay23 mentions

    The gameplay of Gunhound EX is characterized by its fast-paced, challenging mechanics that blend elements of side-scrolling shooters and arcade-style action, reminiscent of classics like Metal Slug and Contra. Players can choose to engage in tactical maneuvers, such as ejecting armor for speed at the cost of vulnerability, while the game features varied mission types to maintain engagement. Despite some criticisms regarding difficulty spikes and control issues, the overall experience is praised for its satisfying, responsive gameplay that appeals to fans of old-school gaming.

    • “The game does a fantastic job at making you feel like you’re piloting a tanky mech, but it can be as fast-paced as you want. It has a mechanic that allows you to eject your armor, making you faster but more susceptible to damage, which works well with the game's challenging nature.”
    • “Contrast to the slower-paced and methodical gameplay of Astro Port's Gigantic Army, Gunhound EX's time attack-styled gameplay encourages you to act and shoot quickly throughout the game's 5+ stages. If the timer reaches zero, you won't be able to score points for the remainder of the stage, but you can't be reckless unless you prefer seeing the game over screen.”
    • “Sick sidescrolling shmup (think Metal Slug) that nails the anime/mecha feel with heavy mechanical controls and really cinematic, visceral arcade action scenes.”
    • “Despite a few problems, I would stand a better chance of finding decent gameplay in the latest Mega Man.”
    • “Don't be fooled, this game has some of the worst gameplay I've ever experienced.”
    • “The gameplay can be difficult to learn, and even then is challenging.”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a rockin' and bombastic soundtrack that enhances the fast-paced gameplay and evokes a nostalgic 90s arcade feel. While some players find the soundtrack to be outstanding and energizing, others describe it as decent but not particularly groundbreaking. Overall, the audio complements the game's action, with a mix of great tunes and some minor audio issues.

    • “The game also has a rockin' and bombastic soundtrack that adds to the game's fast-paced nature with some pretty good voice-overs for the dialogue that takes place before and during missions.”
    • “The music is great, with some awesome tunes to get you pumped for the next stage or boss.”
    • “The OST is okay, nothing to write home about.”
    • “The music's fitting enough and the graphics get the job done.”
    • “When this game's music is composed by the same person behind Thunder Force V, it must be good.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers a moderate level of replayability through an unlock system tied to player scores, allowing players to earn new weapons as they progress. However, while the grind for achievements can enhance replay value, the overall experience may feel limited for those not deeply invested in mastering the game, as it is primarily single-player and relatively short.

    • “To add replay value, the game comes with an unlock system that is attached to your score; every single point you earn (even if you die) will be gradually added to a score meter, and you’ll unlock new weapons after you reach certain milestones.”
    • “While it may be grindy (especially if you want to unlock all achievements), it is an interesting way to add replayability, and the game will reward you accordingly depending on how well you play.”
    • “But once you get past all of that, you're left with an awesome arcade-style game with great-feeling controls, punchy music, and good replayability.”
    • “While it's not as good as those classics, it's a really fun game despite being really short and, unless you're really into mastering these types of games, not very replayable.”
    • “It's singleplayer-only with limited replay value (achieve high scores to unlock extra weapons).”
    • “To add replay value, the game comes with an unlock system which is attached to your score; every single point you earn (even if you die) will be gradually added to a score meter and you’ll unlock new weapons after you reach certain milestones.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is significant, as players must repeatedly tackle limited levels to accumulate millions of score points for achievements, which can lead to a tedious experience. While this grind adds replayability and rewards skillful play, the necessity of repeating missions and enduring the same dialogue can become frustrating, especially given the game's short length.

    • “Considering the fact that you'll need millions upon millions of score points in order to unlock them all, you're in for a heck of a lot of grinding of the limited number of levels.”
    • “There is a lot of grinding involved.”
    • “Without spoiling the game, the unlock system requires blatant in-game grinding, and since the game is so short, you'll just be grinding one mission over and over again to rack up the points.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with users reporting compatibility issues on Windows 10 with NVIDIA graphics cards. While some have found workarounds by disabling the Steam overlay and fullscreen optimizations, overall, the PC optimization is considered poor, particularly regarding graphic modes.

    • “Windows 10 and NVIDIA do seem to have compatibility issues, but I got it running without any problems by disabling the Steam overlay and fullscreen optimizations from the executable properties.”
    • “It definitely looks like a fun game, but the PC optimization is pretty bad.”
    • “Graphic modes are not optimized.”
    • “Win10/Nvidia does seem to have compatibility issues, but I got it running with no problem by disabling the Steam overlay and fullscreen optimizations from the executable properties.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game generally runs smoothly and offers an enjoyable experience, though players have noted some glitches and unclear objectives. Overall, it is considered fun and visually appealing, with a playtime of around four hours depending on skill level.

    • “Runs great, looks great, fun to play.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance even during intense action sequences.”
    • “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a seamless gaming experience.”
    • “Overall, the game has some glitches, and some objectives are not clear, which affects the overall experience.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it frustrating to progress.”
    • “There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, leading to an unstable experience.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by the varied and challenging enemies, which are often positioned in amusingly frustrating locations, adding a comedic twist to the gameplay experience.

    • “The enemies are varied and challenging, and sometimes placed in hilariously annoying but doable spots.”
    • “Funny thing.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere is characterized by a tight and immersive experience, enhanced by challenging missions and effective mech customization. Players appreciate the controls, which become intuitive with practice, particularly in managing the constant switching of weapon subsystems.

    • “The atmosphere is tight, with challenging missions that keep you engaged.”
    • “The mech customization adds depth to the experience, enhancing the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The controls feel pretty nice once you get accustomed to the constant switching of the weapon subsystems.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development is generally viewed as decent, with effective character design and strong Japanese voice acting contributing positively to the overall experience.

    • “The character design is decent in my opinion, and the Japanese voice acting is spot-on.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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