One thing that a lot of companies seem to drop the ball on in regards to game content is perhaps the overall content itself. 2017 came with its bumps and bruises but moving forward into 2018 seems very promising for the game industry as a whole. We all know that Nintendo, as of now, is reigning supreme as it has created the fastest selling console in US history. It has helped to rekindle the flame in Japan regarding console purchases, thus creating a resurgence on its home turf. One major point that still remains is the Switch has created such an illustrious library of indie titles through its Nindies program that so many seem to overlook them, perhaps because so many of us are spoiled by that of the AAA titles. However, we happened to come across an incredibly addicting puzzle title that not only provides you with infinite replay value, but incredible artwork that truly reminds us of those good old 90’s. We’re talking about Gunhouse from indie developer Necrosoft Games. It’s a zany and wild puzzle title with tower defense mechanics thrown into the mix to create a uniquely challenging and over the top experience that just about anyone can enjoy. It’s actually cool that Gunhouse is a hybrid game which is being played on a hybrid console. Win-win!

Gunhouse is not like your ordinary game because just by looking at its visuals, you can clearly tell that it’s in a league of its own. Many of us were enamored by Cuphead’s visual aesthetic and how it paid homage to the 1920’s Mickey Mouse style that Walt Disney created, and now Gunhouse brings in this fresh graffiti looking style that totally blew us away the minute we laid eyes on it. It’s hard to pin down just where much of its inspiration came from, but for some reason, we see a lot of Looney Tunes style animations coupled with some wicked composition by famed Fez composer Disasterpeace. When you blend the two together, you get a game that’s unlike any other on the market right now and truthfully, perhaps it’s the ONLY game on the market right now that really stands out in terms of artistic appeal for Nintendo Switch indie titles. We’re not trying to downplay other titles but when you truly sit down and spend a great deal of time playing with Gunhouse you come to realize that this is an experience that cannot be duplicated.

Yes, there are of course a plethora of tower defense style games that combine elements of challenging puzzles but nowhere near as addicting as Gunhouse. Actually, the more we think about it, it sort of reminds us of Dr. Mario, Puyo Puyo Tetris or even the classic Meteos with the addition of vegetable guns, icicle guns and having to save orphans from danger instead of saving planets or fending off viruses. With infinite replay value in this game (literally the game doesn’t end) and a hardcore mode that will truly test your wits, Gunhouse is one puzzle title you can’t sleep on.

So the whole gist of the game is quite simple in that, all you need to do is protect your orphans from being kidnapped from the evil alien invaders. Where things get real challenging however is when it comes time to actually doing it all, which requires some very quick thinking and solid hand-eye coordination. Unlike in Puyo Puyo Tetris or Meteos where you need to only match a certain number of pieces, the unique objective here is to match the same blocks together to create even bigger blocks which then transform into weapons that you use to shoot down enemies. Located at the top of the box is a small indicator to let you know which block to connect and should you connect the right ones, you gain bonus points and ultimately build a stronger gun. You don’t have to follow what the indicator tells you which is actually nice because it allows you the freedom to do whatever you please, but in doing so you lose access to all the powerful attacks you can unleash onto the enemy. What’s also uniquely different from other puzzle games is that Gunhouse is played on a horizontal plane rather than your quintessential vertical plane that’s found in most puzzle titles. In fact, it combines both the vertical and horizontal aesthetic into one package, as you build bigger blocks vertically but shoot at your enemy targets horizontally.

Each stage gets progressively harder and so you’ll need to always be mindful of your weapon power, but also how much money you acquire from defeating a large group of enemies. All of your weapons start at level 1, which can be upgraded through the game’s store and you also have the choice to buy more unique weapons should you get bored of the one’s equipped. It becomes a whole new strategy as you come to realize that every enemy will respond differently to certain weapons you use, and because of the uncertainty of just what enemy will show up it’s up to you to use discernment and choose the weapon best suited for what’s to come. Also, it's important to know that your primary and secondary weapons will behave differently so that too creates a new element of thought. Boss battles in Gunhouse are no joke as these things are unrelenting in their pressure, and will slowly chip away at your tower with powerful attacks. Fortunately in Gunhouse when your weapons run out of ammo, the gameplay pauses and brings you back to the building block section in order to reload.

This is, of course, the plus side of the game because had we not had the chance to pause, we’d die a lot more than we should. Given the sheer difficulty of the game it’s quite endearing to have that option available where you can come up with a new strategy every time to fend off whatever comes your way. Each stage you embark on is randomly generated but beautifully crafted artistically that oftentimes, our minds started to trail off and became so absorbed in all the eccentric colors. Pastel greens, royal blues, majestic purples, Gunhouse uses every color in the rainbow to really demonstrate just how vivid and sharp the Nintendo Switch’s screen is, and you become so absorbed in it all. Every stage has tasks you can complete in order to gain more perks, such as making sure you have $50,000 in the bank, or creating a specific size block with a certain weapon.

Our only major gripe with Gunhouse is that we wish there were just more options to choose from, rather than just the normal Play Gunhouse! and Hardcore Mode. It would’ve been cool to maybe add in a high score mode or extra bonus content to just create even more replay value, as if it didn’t already have enough to begin with!

With its really far out, goofy yet pleasing visual appeal along with its incredibly challenging gameplay mechanics, Gunhouse really hits the spot and always keeps you satisfied no matter how long you spend playing it. Hours could pass by and you’ll still be going at it because it just never ends! The more weapons you unlock, the more interesting things become because all of them act differently, and generate really funny looking animations when they’re in use. We especially love the vegetable gun because when activated at full power a massive carrot comes out of the ground and smacks all the enemies as a secondary, while its primary weapon spews out a machine gun array of vegetables at the enemy.

The icicle gun is our second favorite because it acts as a more defensive tool, slowing down enemy advances which gives you time to reload into your other weapons for maximum damage. You can also purchase more hearts as you acquire more money which, of course, will prevent you from dying too quickly, and you can buy shields as well. The bosses themselves are so hilariously designed that we couldn’t help but laugh while playing, especially at the ice cream boss. The constantly changing title screens are a wonder to look at too and keep things fresh every time you log in! We could go on and on about Gunhouse but it truly holds true to infinite value so we want you to experience it for yourself!

Just when you think you’ve saved all the orphans more aliens continue to invade and so your game face must always be on. That’s the charm of Gunhouse, it doesn’t shy away from challenging players and rewards you greatly not just in the money you receive in game, but just the overall interaction you have with everything around you. It’s an immersive experience that we truly recommend anyone to pick up and we challenge you to see just how far you can get in the Hardcore Mode! Be sure to follow us on Twitch to see us playing it live and of course, follow us on Twitter to stay updated about the latest game releases and more.
As always, for all things sweet, with news straight from Japan, be sure to keep it locked here on Honey’s Anime.