The music also is especially fitting, and becomes an excellent backbeat to the thump of the shotguns. If nothing else, the game is worth playing to see the massive amount of effort put into the visuals here it's just that good. Every detail in this game is perfectly crafted, there are so many tiny things you can pick up on, and the backgrounds and set design are drop-dead gorgeous. The game adopts a retro pixel-art style, but Easy Trigger Games really knocked this direction out of the park. There are a few more than frustrating fights, but the game's presentation and core gameplay never held me in that frustration for too long, and I came away with a rush of dopamine everytime you take down one of the baddies. This game is moderately difficult otherwise, but the boss fights demand pattern recognition, smart use of ammo, and good timing. The game's best ideas come from these fights, and they don't budge easily. Each level is capped off with a boss, which each have a lot of personality and have a suprising amount of depth amongst themselves. The level design is top notch, with a perfect amount of light platforming and some hidden secrets and passageways to get better items and hidden 'stash' collectibles. The lead up to each boss fight is snappy, and checkpoints allow for quick drop-ins back to the shooting. The enemy variety on top of the foundation of guns ensures that no moment feels repetitive. The criminals have their own distinct set of weaponry and attacks, from one that uses a lot of vehicles for combat, to one that employs samurai. There are 20 main levels in Huntdown, broken up into 4 areas controlled by the different gangs in the city. You are always equipped with a boomerang and a gun with infinite ammo, ensuring you won't run out of options if ammo gets tight, but you also have a kick move which is invaluable when taking on the more hostile enemies. Ripping through crowds of violent aggressors with an automatic shotgun, or throwing a perfectly placed grenade gives the game a wide range, and you are constantly encouraged to pick up something new, as you can only hold one additional gun at a time. The gunplay itself is the game's strongest element, and no weapon felt useless or unable to get the job done. This means mowing down thousands of goons armed with a war room's worth of guns, swords, explosives, and artillery. In Huntdown, you play as one of three bounty hunters taking on contracts to eliminate targets and anyone else who gets in your way. It's goofy and campy, but it manages to be one of the most solid examples of a modern action game in its style. Huntdown is a throwback action game in the vain of Contra and Mega Man, set to a backdrop of gorgeous sci-fi cyberpunk visuals.

The huntdown review