Gunman Taco Truck
- January 28, 2017
- Romero Games Ltd.
Gunman Taco Truck has been a pleasant surprise. It is a very good action roguelike that dishes up a heaping helping of difficulty with a smear of silly humor and a sprinkle of strategy and rolls it all up in a post-apocalyptic tortilla. Even though the game was designed by a 9-year-old, this isn't a simple kids' game, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it takes planning, reflexes and a bit of luck to successfully make it to Winnipeg.
In Gunman Taco Truck, survive a post-apocalyptic wasteland by cooking and selling tacos from your truck while defending against mutants and other hazards. Navigate through varied environments and upgrade your vehicle and weapons to stay alive. Your goal is to reach the safe zone in California, but you'll face many challenges along the way.
Reviews
- Fun and addictive gameplay that combines shooting and cooking mechanics, providing a unique experience.
- Great retro graphics and sound, with a charming and humorous theme that resonates with players.
- Solid replayability with various difficulties and routes to explore, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- The game is plagued by bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play at times.
- Achievements are broken and the game lacks proper support from the developers, leading to a sense of neglect.
- Difficulty spikes can be overwhelming, especially for new players, making it feel unfair and unbalanced.
- gameplay40 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as addictive and engaging, combining straightforward mechanics with a variety of challenges that keep players on their toes. While some find it rudimentary, the humor and creative premise enhance the experience, making it enjoyable despite occasional frustrations with resource management. Overall, it offers a fun mix of action and strategy, reminiscent of roguelike games, with a unique taco truck theme set in a post-apocalyptic world.
“Came for the music, stayed for the gameplay.”
“Very enjoyable little game that combines a nice challenge with some good gameplay.”
“Super fun and addictive, with great sound—gameplay is quick and engaging on the road, lots of variety and good inventory for the taco side of things!”
“You can't dictate a menu, so people are constantly asking for things you don't have unless you have stockpiled cheese, sauce, cilantro, or lettuce from the store stops, which might not even sell some of them.”
“Not knowing where to get salsa to make the taco because the game mechanics change every game, every minute.”
“While the core gameplay is fine for a mobile port, I can't recommend the game.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their well-executed retro pixel art style, which effectively complements the creative premise and gameplay. While some reviewers note that the graphics are standard for the genre, they appreciate the attention to detail and quality, avoiding the sub-par models often seen in similar titles. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
“Love the graphics, love the creative premise, love the gameplay.”
“Woa, I really like the sound effects and the classic style graphics.”
“The graphics are your standard retro-style graphics, but well done, with them not taking the excuse to do sub-standard models, as some developers using this style are wont to do.”
“Even folks with integrated graphics should be able to run this.”
“[b]graphics and performance[/b]: 3.5 stars”
- humor21 mentions
- 90 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as offbeat and unrelenting, often eliciting laughter through its quirky concepts and engaging storytelling. While some players find it hilarious and reminiscent of old flash games, others feel that certain aspects, like gameplay mechanics, can detract from the overall comedic experience. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with action, making it enjoyable and replayable for many.
“In general, replayable, enjoyable, hilarious.”
“The humor and lore is suckerpunch quick, unrelenting without taking precedence over gameplay.”
“Story and artwork had me laughing my ass off in the first 30 seconds and the action and gameplay are fun, fun!”
“Basically, this is a point-and-click mouse game that's unfunny and uninteresting.”
“Basically, this is a point-and-click mouse game that's unfunny and uninteresting.”
- music14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its Tex-Mex style that complements the gameplay and pixel art graphics. While some find it enjoyable and fitting, others note that it lacks memorability. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the overall experience.
“Came for the music, stayed for the gameplay.”
“Love the art and the music - well worth the 12 bucks!”
“Music's good too; its tex-mex style fits the game but isn't particularly memorable.”
- stability12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs, crashes, and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Despite initial hopes for improvements through patches, many players feel that major issues remain unresolved, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state is marred by instability.
“Unfortunately it's been somewhat buggy from the start. At first I was glad to see the devs were putting out bug fix patches, but the last time they did so was a year ago, and there are still some fairly large issues like achievements not working, game crashes, etc.”
“A buggy, crashy mess.”
“Very fun but also very buggy/glitchy.”
- replayability10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers solid replayability, particularly through its difficulty settings, making it enjoyable for short play sessions. However, some players feel it lacks depth in replay value, which slightly detracts from the experience.
“Fun game to kill an hour or two, solid replayability with the difficulties.”
“In general, replayable, enjoyable, hilarious.”
“The game suffers a bit on the replayability side, but the rest of the game makes up for it.”
“Replayability: 2 stars”
- optimization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's retro theme is well-executed, and its performance aligns with expectations for a non-demanding title, earning a rating of 3.5 stars for optimization.
“The retro theme works really well for this game, and the performance is what you would expect out of a non-demanding game.”
“Graphics and performance: 3.5 stars”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players report significant time investment in grinding, with one user noting they spent 1.7 hours to reach a specific destination while facing challenging battles. This suggests that grinding can be a lengthy and potentially frustrating aspect of gameplay, requiring perseverance to overcome obstacles.
“I spent 1.7 hours grinding to reach Canada and fought my battles with an empty tank, surviving with only 55 HP.”
“I spent 1.7 hours grinding to reach Canada and fought my battles with an empty tank, surviving with only 55 HP.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game appears to heavily rely on microtransactions, particularly in the original mobile version, where players can purchase upgrades and better trucks with real money, potentially affecting game balance.
“The game balance seems to be designed around microtransactions, similar to the original mobile version, where players can purchase upgrades or better trucks for real-world cash.”
“The monetization model is clear and allows players to enhance their experience through optional purchases without feeling forced.”
“I appreciate that the game offers a fair balance between free play and paid options, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players.”
“I suspect the game balance is built around microtransactions in the original mobile version, where you can buy upgrades or better trucks for real-world cash.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is highly praised for its humor, with players finding it laugh-out-loud funny right from the start. Coupled with engaging artwork and enjoyable gameplay, the narrative contributes significantly to the overall fun of the game.
“The story and artwork had me laughing my ass off in the first 30 seconds, and the action and gameplay are fun!”
“The story and artwork had me laughing my ass off in the first 30 seconds, and the action and gameplay are fun!”