Gunbrella (PC) Preview

Of all the Indie publishers that I’ve dealt with over the years, Devolver Digital has a tendency to release the most unique and sometimes off-beat games. Gunbrella, developed by Doinksoft who is known for games such as Gato Roboto and Demon Throttle, is no exception. This side-scrolling Metroidvania is a unique one, and I think it’ll end up being high on folks’ End of Year lists once it is released.

In Gunbrella, you play as an unnamed, gruff protagonist armed only with a unique weapon. The titular Gunbrella is a gun that also serves as a defensive (and mobile) umbrella. With it, you can not only deflect enemy projectiles (if timing your block right), but you can also float, glide, and dash with it as well. Even though Gunbrella is a Metroidvania, it is more similar to Zelda II than Bloodstained in its progression, for example.

In Gunbrella, you are searching for the man who murdered the protagonist’s wife and stole his child. The only clue you have is the titular weapon, which the man left behind. During my time with the game, I encountered scrappers, bandits, cultists, and even eldritch horrors in this Western-themed world. While I only played about 3 hours for the preview, skilled players could probably beat the section I played in about 2 hours.

Other than almost soft-locking myself by not preparing well enough for a boss fight that came out of nowhere, I had a blast with Gunbrella. The movement and platforming feel good, while the gunplay feels a little bit less enjoyable. I can’t really pin down why I had such a hard time with the gunplay, but there was a certain level of jankiness to it that just never quite clicked for me.

Despite that, there are multiple difficulties, and since the game hasn’t been released yet I’m sure there is time for fine-tuning. Even in the 3-hour segment I played, I noticed there was a lot of emphasis placed on choice and questing. Some quests are entirely optional, yet will open up easier avenues down the line in other quests. Some also provide you with half of a vitality upgrade, which will give you an extra heart for every two you collect.

Also, there’s a sense of humor underneath the gritty, noir-infused story that really hits every so often. The only major problems I had with Gunbrella’s exploration is the lack of a map and that bosses weren’t telegraphed in any way. There were times I’d stumble into a boss unexpectedly or I’d lose track of where I wanted to be because there wasn’t a map to look at where I had been.

Overall, I have high hopes for Gunbrella. It is a little rough in the difficulty department, even on Easy though. As stated there are some issues (like the lack of a map), but I really enjoyed my time with it. If you’re looking for a new Metroidvania to check out, Gunbrella is definitely one to watch.

A PC preview key for Gunbrella was provided by Devolver Digital for this preview.