JohnnyFan of 90’s movies? Love big guns and bloodbaths? Well, Showgunners is a game for you to check out! This new turn-based strategy game developed by Artificer and published by Good Shepard Entertainment is an interesting take on this game genre. I love turn-based strategy games. My all-time favorite game is the OG X-COM: UFO Defense from 1994. It took me from being a console junkie to PC gaming in a big way. There are many games that I have loved over the years but turn-based strategy games are the ones that I dumped a lot of my gaming time into. There have been many quality games released for this genre… but there has been a lot of boring unimaginative rubbish that gets released on the market too. So, let’s lift the hood and have a look at what’s driving this new game called Showgunners.
What jumps off the page straight away and makes this game even cooler for an old boy like me, is that it has this wonderful mix of that 80’s and 90’s aesthetic with a strong influence vibe from movies like 1987’s The Running Man. I grew up with all those classic action movies and to have a game that hits me in the reminiscing feels, this game already gets a tick in the box. You control a team of contestants in a TV reality game show but not the ‘Survivor’ or ‘Married at First Sight’ type of TV shows. This one is 100% drip fed adrenaline, action packed showcase where contestants strap on the best armor, lock and load their deadliest weapons to fight their way through mazes of traps and puzzles and battle waves of psychotic inmates who just want to massacre you.
It’s a perfect mix to entertain the viewers tuning into the show with a commentator in the background detailing the step-by-step action occurring in the arena in true ESPN style. Gameplay mixes third-person view and turn-based combat. As you progress through the arena you freely control the character to avoid traps and tricks set up to stop you from reaching your goal. Whilst you move around in the third-person parts of the arena, you get to meet fans show them some love as this builds your ratings. Fans are a great part of the game for you to engage with as you progress. At various points you’ll get to meet your fans who to take a selfie, sign an autograph or ask a question. How you respond depends on whether you get a point in the following character traits; cocky, asshole, nice or funny.
As you build those points through your interactions, you can get offered a contract from a corporation wanting to sponsor your team. Each sponsorship gives you a bonus for when you hit the arena; like extra medkits, XP boosts or discounts off guns and equipment. I really like this part of the game as it makes you think about how you want to develop your team with the various bonuses on offer from these corporations. Combat jumps out at you in random and unexpected places. Outside of moving towards the main arena fights, your team can be ambushed in a random area and it’s a fight to the death. When you engage in combat, the game switches you into a turn-based system where you utilise action points for your weapons, utility items and character skills. You get the opportunity to build a squad with other contestants that have their own unique abilities to bring to the arena. You can also use items, like exploding barrels, that have been placed in the environment to set up your coup de grace on the psychos.
As you progress through Showgunners, the XP system adds skill points for you to spend on abilities that are particular for that contestant. So far, I have only used Scarlett and Marty. Scarlett is a nimble assault type of character while Marty is all about brawn and kicking in psychos’ heads. Each style gives you a unique way of neutralizing the bad guys during combat. Finishing move cutscenes are great as your team delivers the killing blow whilst the commentator describes in gory detail to the audience. Most traps you come across as you work towards the combat arenas just require a simple LMB click when you get close to the device. However, if you spring the trap, get ready to take a fair bit of health damage that will put you at a disadvantage when entering a combat zone.
Spread throughout the area are treasure boxes that will give you an item or cash. Some of them require thought on how to get to them or they are just simply available as you are progressing through. Each level has a certain amount and for the completionists out there, you want to Pokémon them all up. The game also has implemented secondary challenges for the player. They aren’t necessary to complete to be able to progress to the next stage, but I have been engaging in any that I find for more loot and fame. Making sure you explore all parts of an area gives you a great way to find other ways than the main objective of squeezing out as much XP and loot out as you can. This in-turn will make you more of a dominating force in the higher levels and meet more fans to build your fame to get those lucrative contracts from corporations.
Ultimately this all leads to the final battle with a unique boss. Each boss has a different mechanic that you must overcome. For example, the first boss Fuse can prevent contestants using their ranged weapons, so melee abilities are all that you have. Knowing that each boss has a different mechanic to face makes you really think about what type of gear you take into an arena and where you spend your skill points. In between matches you head to your “quarters area”. This is the place you chat and listen to teammates, buy new equipment, listen to audio logs and eventually recruit new members to your team. Once you are done you hit the rejuvenation chamber in your room to get healed up and rested for the next day of fighting.
Overall, Showgunners gives turn-based strategy a great lift with its unique approach and gameplay style. I am looking forward to spending more time in-game to get my ratings up and giving more love to my fans. Showgunners is chaotic fun and I’m loving it!
This review utilised a key provided by Good Shepard Entertainment and Showgunners is available now on Steam.
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Chris Inglis
