Aaron grabs his favorite guns and pups for another descent in Enter the Gungeon. Also, sometimes his favorite guns aren’t very good and he loses for that reason and that reason alone. Cough.

Previous Enter the Gungeon Experience

  • E3 trailers
  • Obsessive Googling for a release date
  • Pre-release stream gameplay
  • Played for an hour or two before recording this video

Initial Expectations, Hopes, Dreams, Fears

  • I hope this is my next Spleunky
  • Looks challenging in a Binding of Isaac sort of way
  • Charming sense of humor
  • I expect a variety of fun guns and items in that Gungeon
  • I want the Bullet plush toy so bad

What actually happened

The amount of giddiness I had upon booting up Enter the Gungeon on the first day was something I hadn’t felt in months. For as quickly as I wanted to get straight to the gameplay, the title screen song gave me pause and I had to let it play. “Enter the Gungeon… enter the gungeon!” My instructions were clear. I should enter the Gungeon.

Make no mistake, the Gungeon is an unforgiving place. I had thought years of Spelunky and The Binding of Isaac had prepared me for what lied within, but I was soon filled with humble pie. I learned quickly not to expect to get to the second floor of the Gungeon every time. While the first floor isn’t necessarily difficult in terms of enemies, sometimes the rewards aren’t enough for success. No new guns? Use your weak starting weapon. A lack of keys? Shed a tear as all of those precious chests sit unopened. At least I have my corgi.

While frustrating, this would be more of a strike against the game if the act of simply playing it wasn’t satisfying for me. The cutesy characters, fluidity of combat and inherit act of trying again to “git gud” (or lucky) at a roguelike is my nirvana. I dodge roll all day and every day. Each death isn’t the end, but instead another chance at my amazing victory.

Will I keep playing?

There’s no doubt that I want to master what Enter the Gungeon has to offer. Giving up is not an option. I can’t stop until all the gungeoneers have killed their pasts!

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