Of course, you’ll also come across a multitude of chests, shops, and other ways to bolster your tiny adventurer as they seek out the legendary Gun That Can Kill the Past. There’s an additional fifth character playable only by P2 in the local-only co-op mode, with a suitably co-op-specific loadout. The game offers four characters to traverse the Gungeon with, each with a different starting loadout of guns, usable items, and passive upgrades. doseone’s background tracks skillfully tread the line between grim dirge and sick beat, keeping you equal parts amped and terrified to see what lies ahead.
Meanwhile, the Gungeon’s five chambers themselves are given a darker, surprisingly atmospheric treatment, each with its own distinct aesthetic. Colorful, cutesy, chunky pixels are put to good use in both the playable characters’ sprites and the dreadful Gundead – yes, that’s really what they’re called – you’re tasked with taking down. The excellent presentation doesn’t end there. The first time I booted up the game, I spent several minutes just soaking it in. Between gorgeous pixel art and a jaw-dropping theme song by doseone, Enter the Gungeon makes one hell of a first impression. It may only be April, but I would bet money that Dodge Roll Games’ first release has the best title screen of 2016.
A lilting voice croons, “Ennnnnnter the Gungeon, Enter the Gungeon.” A sea of falling stars illuminates the scene. A lone drifter stands before a dimly-lit fortress.