Critical Reception: Twisted Pixel's The Gunstringer

This week's edition of Critical Reception examines online reaction to Twisted Pixel's Kinect shooter The Gunstringer, which reviewers praise as "classic game design that just so happens to have motion control." The Gunstringer currently earns a score of 83 out of 100 at Metacritic.com. Corey Cohen at Official Xbox Magazine scores The Gunstringer at 9 out of 10. "As The Gunstringer -- a resurrected outlaw seeking payback on the gang that betrayed him -- you're the protagonist in four multi-act plays, each culminating in a boss fight with one of your former comrades," he explains. "These revenge vignettes involve tons of run-and-gun, of course, and at times the camera will cut away to show the 'live' audience's reactions. All the while, a colorful spaghetti-western narrator sets the scene with amusing dialogue, even dynamically commenting on your actions (a la Bastion) throughout." The gameplay also proves to be exceptional. "Controls are everything in a Kinect game, though, and happily, Gunstringer's core mechanics are loads of fun," Cohen assures. "Because the game is a rail shooter, you don't move forward or backward: you simply raise your left hand to jump and move it side to side to steer around objects or peek out from behind cover during shootouts. "Meanwhile, you sweep your right hand across the screen to select targets, then swing it upward to fire, as if recoiling from shooting a gun. It takes a while to master using both hands simultaneously, and slightly herky-jerky running makes certain parts (like sprinting across narrow bridges without falling off) tricky, but the controls are refreshingly comfortable overall." "As funny and goofy as it all is, our favorite moments overflow with Twisted Pixel's trademark looniness," Cohen writes. "At four hours, Gunstringer's a short ride, but it's a thrilling one you shouldn't miss." GamePro's Andrew Hayward gives The Gunstringer 4 out of 5 stars. "It's a familiar tale, sure, but less standard is the fact that your character is a marionette puppet dangling from strings, and that the enemies include the offspring of an uncomfortably demonstrated cross-species love affair, along with one of those inflatable tube dancers typically found outside car dealerships." Hayward describes the result as "a creative adventure that delivers laughs, thrills, and perplexing stares alike, all via a refreshingly peerless presentational approach." "The Gunstringer rarely sticks to one form for long, effortlessly shifting between play-styles without lengthy tutorials or breaks in the action," Hayward praises. "At times, the game takes the shape of a simple side-scrolling platformer, or swaps to a similar perspective for boss fights in which you'll move about the screen evading attacks. Hayward finds that this variety makes for an ideal Kinect game. "The play mechanics feel notably simplified from what an equivalent controller-based experience might entail, but such decisions keep The Gunstringer from ever feeling awkward or frustrating," he notes. "And while the campaign comes across as a bit lightweight, thanks to a quick runtime (about three hours), the myriad play-styles ensure that it is lively and entertaining throughout." Hayward adds: "Amidst constant industry talk about brutal work conditions and failing studios, every bit of this package makes it seem like these folks are having an absolute blast creating one-of-a-kind games -- and it's an infectious type of jubilance that emboldens this memorable experience into more than the sum of its parts." Andrew Reiner at Game Informer rates The Gunstringer at 8 out of 10. "Roughly three hours into this Kinect-only shooter, I told myself I was going to take a break," he recalls. "My current level was going to be my last for the day, until The Gunstringer lowered his pistol in disbelief to watch a lumberjack make passionate love to an alligator. At this moment, I told myself that I would endure any amount of arm pain to see this ridiculous game through to the end." Reiner continues: "I couldn't tear myself away from it. Twisted Pixel Games' unique brand of humor (read: disturbing, over-the-top, certifiably mad) is on display through most of this tale. Players step into the boots of The Gunstringer, a skeletal marionette containing the soul of a restless spirit hell-bent on exacting revenge against his former posse." Reiner also praises The Gunstringer's Kinect-optimized gameplay. "While most of the action can best be described as a shooting gallery on rails, platforming and evasive maneuvers add unique challenges to this familiar gaming mold," he notes. "Kinect handles all of these actions as well as one could hope. The shooting action is fast and skill-laden, and the platforming challenges, while simplistic in design, factor in lag (most jumps have long runways) and further add intensity to the mix." "The Gunstringer proves that Kinect can appeal to hardcore gamers looking for fast-paced action and a great story," Reiner concludes. "You won't find animal petting, unnecessary exercising, or a blurry approximation of yourself digitized in this game. This is a classic game design that just so happens to have motion control."