GMB is a very special game. It might look like a roguelike/lite but it’s really more of an arcade game with light roguelike elements. Being dropped in levels with random enemies, weapons, abilities and upgrades is all part of the game. But it’s more focused on keeping your combo max (for better currency and passive activation), efficiency, dancing around enemies and being able to do it with all the difficulty levels (there are 5 total). Finishing the game the first time is just the beginning. And doing it with 4 distinct characters along with the way they react to weapons/abilities/upgrades adds to the variety. They might look similar at first but you’ll soon find out otherwise. The game has 4 worlds with 3 levels and one boss each. Each level comes with 3 waves of enemies. The higher difficulties don’t just add more health and damage but more mechanics are also introduced such as the enemies being able to drop mines or heal others.
So let’s get to the positives. Firstly the gameplay is brilliant and something I haven’t seen before. Being a mix of pinball movement with twin stick shooting works incredibly well. It’s a delight and the reason why I remained engaged the entire 25 hours to 100% the game. The graphics are gorgeous and the animations are on point too. The bosses are fun and there are lots of different enemies with their own moves etc. The achievements are reasonable even with the hardest difficulty and clearing the game within 30 minutes. It’s the kind of game that doesn’t have a high difficulty curve. You can get good at it fairly quickly the more time you invest in it.
As for cons, I can mainly think of three. The music doesn’t match the visuals and gameplay. Or there is something weird going on with the mixing that doesn’t make the music shine as much. Other people noted that the levels look too similar and therefore add to the repetitiveness. I can understand this but it didn’t affect me as much because I was so focused on the gameplay. Not all the characters are created equally. Sprout’s speciality is abilities and the first one is unlocked after the first level, assuming it’s a good ability you want. Sprout also has low health. So you start very weak until you get some decent abilities while the other characters are just stronger and better right from the get go. Sprout needs some balancing. There are a few very minor bugs that aren’t really worth mentioning to be honest. And lastly, the next points are more of a feedback to make the game better. Having some sort of control over what weapons, abilities or upgrades you get would be nice. Think of re-roll or banishing stuff. Being able to see the stats that come with upgrades and having an overall stats menu for the character would be cool too. Right now you can only see the stats for your weapons.
GMB is one of those games that are rare. They don’t come very often. The mix of originality that works so well to the point that it feels natural. It’s the kind of game I question why we haven’t had something like it before. Not everyone is going to like it as much or care about what it’s trying to do. It’s not trying to be a roguelike/lite, it’s trying to be its own thing and it’s wonderful for it. I paid over €16 and think it’s worth it. I can’t guarantee that everyone is going to like the game but if you’re one of those who do, you’re going to LOVE IT and want more.
So let’s get to the positives. Firstly the gameplay is brilliant and something I haven’t seen before. Being a mix of pinball movement with twin stick shooting works incredibly well. It’s a delight and the reason why I remained engaged the entire 25 hours to 100% the game. The graphics are gorgeous and the animations are on point too. The bosses are fun and there are lots of different enemies with their own moves etc. The achievements are reasonable even with the hardest difficulty and clearing the game within 30 minutes. It’s the kind of game that doesn’t have a high difficulty curve. You can get good at it fairly quickly the more time you invest in it.
As for cons, I can mainly think of three. The music doesn’t match the visuals and gameplay. Or there is something weird going on with the mixing that doesn’t make the music shine as much. Other people noted that the levels look too similar and therefore add to the repetitiveness. I can understand this but it didn’t affect me as much because I was so focused on the gameplay. Not all the characters are created equally. Sprout’s speciality is abilities and the first one is unlocked after the first level, assuming it’s a good ability you want. Sprout also has low health. So you start very weak until you get some decent abilities while the other characters are just stronger and better right from the get go. Sprout needs some balancing. There are a few very minor bugs that aren’t really worth mentioning to be honest. And lastly, the next points are more of a feedback to make the game better. Having some sort of control over what weapons, abilities or upgrades you get would be nice. Think of re-roll or banishing stuff. Being able to see the stats that come with upgrades and having an overall stats menu for the character would be cool too. Right now you can only see the stats for your weapons.
GMB is one of those games that are rare. They don’t come very often. The mix of originality that works so well to the point that it feels natural. It’s the kind of game I question why we haven’t had something like it before. Not everyone is going to like it as much or care about what it’s trying to do. It’s not trying to be a roguelike/lite, it’s trying to be its own thing and it’s wonderful for it. I paid over €16 and think it’s worth it. I can’t guarantee that everyone is going to like the game but if you’re one of those who do, you’re going to LOVE IT and want more.