Xenogunner

About

Xenogunner is a single player arcade shooter game. It was developed by Clickteam and was released on April 1, 2020. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

The power of Xenonature.. In the future year of 2011, Zeta Reak, kind, gentle king of the Xenolians, is overthrown by a powerful tyrant named the "Xenogunner". The Xenogunner is a mysterious...

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

music7 positive mentions

Fun and challenging boss-rush gameplay with unique and creative bosses that provide satisfying encounters.
Stylish, colorful Genesis/Mega Drive inspired pixel art and a fitting, energetic soundtrack that enhances the experience.
Polished controls (especially on keyboard and mouse), solid replayability with multiple characters, difficulty options, and customization features.

Short overall length and some segments between bosses feel shallow, which may affect perceived value for some players.
Inconsistent difficulty spikes and some bosses feel unfair or rely on very fast, hard-to-dodge attacks with poor telegraphing.
Technical issues including poor controller support, input bugs, lack of achievements, and clunky UI/navigation for gamepad users.

story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The story is generally seen as simple and somewhat disjointed, with some players finding it goofy and overly expanded, while others appreciate its charm and contextual cutscenes. Although not particularly deep or coherent, the narrative is engaging enough to complement the gameplay and is delivered through visually appealing cutscenes. Overall, it serves well for players focused on gameplay but may feel underdeveloped for those seeking a strong story-driven experience.
- “A first time player can expect 4-10 hours to clear all of the main story campaigns, and an extra hour or two to clear the hidden campaign.”
- “It even manages a decent enough story, considering it's a first commercial effort for the team.”
- “Pretty cutscenes for the main character's story campaign.”
- “- The story is ok, but not particularly coherent.”
- “I still don't quite know what exactly xenonature is, despite knowing it's critical to how the story works.”
- “- Goofy boss design and silly goofball plot is somewhat at odds with the punishing difficulty.”
music
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
11%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised as energetic, fitting, and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the art style and gameplay. While mostly well-received, some users feel a few boss themes could benefit from tweaks or overhauls. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong and hype element of the game.
- “Great boss rush game with responsive controls, fantastic art style, and amazing music.”
- “Has outstanding music, fun gameplay, and looks nice.”
- “Presentation-wise, the music is energetic and pleasant to listen to, and it helps take the edge off the more frustrating fights.”
- “Music isn't all the bangers all the time, and a few bosses definitely still need tweaks or overhauls.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The gameplay is a challenging yet fair blend reminiscent of Megaman and Cuphead, featuring satisfying boss fights and smooth character controls. It offers a brisk, polished experience with quality-of-life improvements, making it a refreshing modern take on the genre, though the relatively short playtime may affect perceived value for some players.
- “Now, about the gameplay, it's kind of a mix between Megaman and Cuphead for me, two games which I really like because of their challenge. This game definitely has challenge to it too. The boss fights are hard, but not to the point where they're unfair, and it always feels satisfying to beat one, especially the final boss. The character controls fluently, and although there was only one level of flying with a ship, it was a bit hard to control but really enjoyable. I kinda wish there were more stages like that.”
- “It really feels like a proper modernization of the genre, with good quality of life features alongside polished controls and UI, while still having authentic gameplay.”
- “Playing through the game in full with both characters will put you somewhere between 4-5 hours of gameplay, which means the price may be a bit steep for some players. But if you're the type for whom time is a premium, I think this game's brisk pace will suit your needs fairly well.”
- “Playing through the game in full with both characters will put you somewhere between 4-5 hours of gameplay which means the price may be a bit steep for some players.”
- “The boss fights are hard, but not to the point where it's unfair unlike certain games, and it always feels satisfying to beat one too, especially the final boss of the game.”
- “The character controls fluently and even though I didn't see more than one level of flying with a ship, it was a bit hard to control it too.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics feature a unique, cute, and gorgeous art style, reminiscent of classic pixel artwork with standout key art pieces in cutscenes. Overall, the visuals are complemented by responsive controls, enhancing the boss rush experience.
- “The game's art style is gorgeous, the music is fitting, and the bosses are unique and fun to play against.”
- “The art is generally cute and fairly unique as far as pixel artwork goes, with the variety of pretty key art pieces during cutscenes working to carry the game's dialogue.”
- “The artstyle is pretty cute and unique too, really has that Genesis zest to it.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers strong replayability through varied playable characters with unique campaigns and challenging difficulty that encourages improvement. While the overall length is relatively short, it provides enjoyable, repeatable experiences similar to classic NES and SNES games.
- “+ all of the playable characters play differently and have different campaigns, providing replayability.”
- “The game has a lot of replay value, and the difficulty adds to the challenge of improving and finishing it without dying, similar to old NES and SNES games.”
- “It's a good length, something you can finish your first run of in the span of an afternoon and part of your evening, and it's also very replayable.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Xenogunner adds a creative and enjoyable layer to the game, balancing out its various issues and deficiencies with a fun and quirky tone.