Nongunz

With a number of unlockables and different ways to improve your chances of survival, there are plenty of ways to play this title. Though the initial learning curve can be somewhat tough to get around it is worth as Nongunz is a satisfying title when you get the hang of it. Of course, it is not a game that will click with everyone but if it does you will absolutely love it.

61%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

grinding, story

55% User Score Based on 278 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

Nongunz is a single player platformer game. It was developed by Brainwash Gang and was released on May 19, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

Nongunz is a nihilistic action platformer roguelike. Nongunz is obscure in both gameplay and theme. Nongunz is a riddle that demands sacrifice.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 278 reviews

gameplay24 positive mentions

grinding17 negative mentions

The game features a unique and intriguing art style that enhances its dark and atmospheric theme.
The gameplay mechanics are challenging and rewarding, encouraging players to learn and adapt as they progress.
The soundtrack is fantastic and complements the overall experience, adding to the game's immersive quality.

The game lacks clear instructions and explanations, making it difficult for players to understand its mechanics and objectives.
Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The difficulty curve can be steep, with punishing mechanics that may deter some players from continuing.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
67%
12%
The gameplay of this game is polarizing, with many players finding it frustrating due to a lack of clear guidance and an intentionally opaque interface that obscures mechanics. While some appreciate the challenge of discovering gameplay elements on their own, others criticize the game for being overly complex and poorly designed, leading to a tedious experience. Overall, the core mechanics are seen as potentially enjoyable, but the execution and user experience detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.
- “Nongunz throws you into a roguelike that is reminiscent of old-school games while utilizing modern mechanics.”
- “The gameplay itself is pretty standard jump and shoot, and really isn't terrible.”
- “It has satisfying gameplay, a fun incremental system of progress, a massive variety of enemies and stages, and an enticing visual/audio style.”
- “The gameplay is a complete mess, unplayable and badly thought out.”
- “Never in my life have I cared less about learning a game’s mechanics, but even if I wanted to understand what was going on, I don’t think the deliberately opaque and artsy interface would have allowed me to.”
- “This game is not an easy game to get into; the lack of any explanation on any of the game's mechanics could turn a lot of people away.”
graphics
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
43%
16%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the unique and artistic style, which is often described as vivid and atmospheric. However, some users criticize the clarity and execution, noting that the art can be confusing or poorly drawn, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, while the aesthetic is praised for its creativity, it sometimes sacrifices functionality and clarity, leading to a divided opinion among players.
- “I really appreciated the art style.”
- “The game truly did shine with its very unique art style, and the acoustics in the background were very well done.”
- “It's 2D graphics, but it looks gorgeous with a unique art style and very cool lighting effects.”
- “The core of its gameplay is fine (roguelike + sidescroller = fun), but everything from the interface to the graphics is too obtuse.”
- “Just poorly drawn graphics.”
- “Combine that with meh graphics and no story, there is just nothing interesting about the game to keep me playing.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
32%
7%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its fantastic quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, contributing to a sense of gloom and engagement. While some noted minor issues like repetition and occasional audio cutouts, the soundtrack is generally described as memorable and fitting, with a unique style that complements the game's aesthetic. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly enriches the gaming experience.
- “Each boss has a curious and original design to say the least, and the game is really challenging, with a soundtrack that will probably stick in your mind for a while after playing.”
- “Everything, from the music to the characters, matches to generate a real feeling of gloom that matches perfectly with the intent of the story and mechanics.”
- “The music in the game really adds to the oppressive, nihilistic atmosphere, and the whole game is engaging and dark with rich, fleshy sound effects and smooth animations.”
- “The card system is interesting, but warrior parts seem to not spawn when you need them the most, which is kind of annoying, and the music keeps cutting out when I'm wearing earbuds, which is a shame because I really like the music, but that's just a couple of little nitpicks on a bone-solid game.”
- “The movement feels clunky, the music is so frustrating and I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, if you even can.”
- “While the art and music in this game is fairly decent, the gameplay left a bad taste.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often leading to feelings of frustration and despair. While some appreciate the depth it adds to the gameplay and the eventual rewards, many criticize the excessive time required to progress, particularly in unlocking achievements and bosses. The clicker mechanics and health regeneration system further contribute to a sense of monotony, making the overall experience feel shallow and overly reliant on grinding.
- “Until then, you'll keep grinding and fighting with a feeling of despair as your only guide to get to the end of it all.”
- “This game is brilliant once you've collected enough cards to get decent speed and jump height, it just takes way too much time grinding to get to that point.”
- “- the grinding required to both unlock the final boss and get some achievements isn't enjoyable.”
story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
The story in Nongünz is characterized by a minimalist and cryptic approach, which some players find intriguing while others see it as lacking depth. The game's atmosphere effectively conveys a sense of gloom that aligns with its mechanics, but many reviewers feel that the absence of clear narrative elements and instructions detracts from the overall experience. While the mystery can be engaging, the lack of guidance leaves players frustrated and struggling to grasp the game's premise.
- “Everything, from the music to the characters, matches to generate a real feeling of gloom that aligns perfectly with the intent of the story and mechanics.”
- “That’s about as specific as I can get into the plot without spoiling it, and Nongünz exists to have its mysteries unraveled.”
- “The minimalist approach to story is very reminiscent of the Souls series.”
- “The game is very minimalist, visually, story-wise, and mechanically.”
- “On the surface, Nongunz looks like a roguelike shooter with next to no story behind it.”
- “Everything is just symbols, no text, so figuring out what to do is a mission without outside help from forums and wikis.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is described as gripping and dark, enhanced by a poignant soundtrack and a unique art style that creates an oppressive, nihilistic feel. Players appreciate the engaging sound effects and smooth animations, which contribute to the overall immersive experience. The combination of challenging gameplay and a rich, eerie atmosphere encourages players to delve deeper into the game's narrative.
- “The music in the game really adds to the oppressive, nihilistic atmosphere, and the whole game is engaging and dark with rich, fleshy sound effects and smooth animations (I especially like the rolling animation whilst wearing a skull, very cute).”
- “But also the dark art style works well for the game's atmosphere, which is aided by the soundtrack (which grows as you progress!).”
- “The intriguing atmosphere makes this title very interesting and pushes you to play more to try and understand what is actually going on.”
- “The dark art style works well for the game's atmosphere, which is aided by the soundtrack that grows as you progress.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
- “While the game attempts to create a unique atmosphere, it ultimately falls short, leaving players feeling disconnected and unengaged.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is consistently praised for its clever writing and lightheartedness, with players appreciating the amusing elements like the anthropomorphic skulls. Even frustrating moments are met with a sense of amusement, highlighting the developers' effective use of humor throughout the experience.
- “Even when I was unable to exit the game, it didn't make me mad enough to leave a negative review; it just made me smirk at the fact that the devs are being humorous.”
- “The writing is consistently funny, but not invasive.”
- “The fact that the skulls are animals seems very funny to me.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts very high replayability, with players noting that achieving 100% completion is a significant challenge. The inclusion of random dungeons enhances the fun and replay value, making it an appealing choice for those looking for extended gameplay. Additionally, its affordability and support for a new developer add to its overall attractiveness.
- “Very high replayability because completing the game 100% is a tremendous feat.”
- “It's fun, replayable, a great price, and it supports a new developer.”
- “Random dungeons = extremely replayable.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Overall, user reviews on stability are mixed; while some players report no glitches and a smooth gameplay experience, others have experienced occasional screen glitches.
- “I have wanted to get this game for a while now, and since it was on sale, I finally decided to give it a go. I'm glad to say that this game does what it wants to do perfectly—no glitches that I have encountered, no annoying tutorials, and it features challenging and fantastic survival gameplay and mechanics, along with an amazing, creepy atmosphere and art style.”
- “The screen sometimes glitches, why?”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it unplayable.”
- “I experience constant lag and frame drops, which ruins the experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization for the game is notably poor on Mac systems, leading to significant performance issues that hinder gameplay.
- “Terrible performance on Mac; I can't really play.”
- “The game runs poorly on lower-end systems, making it frustrating to enjoy.”
- “Frequent frame drops and long loading times ruin the experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the character designs and overall aesthetic are praised for their uniqueness, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game.
- “The character designs are interesting, the music is fantastic, and the general aesthetic is pretty unique.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a strong emotional response, indicating that the game's potential failure could lead to significant financial losses, evoking feelings of sadness and concern.