GoNNER 2 (2020) [Switch]

“Denn die Todten reiten Schnell.”
(For the dead travel fast)

-Bram Stoker

Press A to die, says GoNNER 2, and it’s not joking. Skull-headed Ikk is going to eat it time and time and time again as you explore his bizarre, chalky world. It’s a compact game that’s lovingly put together, though, and there’s enough going on to keep patient players interested, so there’s a fair chance you’re going to keep mashing that button to die. Bite-sized games of this nature are right at home on the Switch, so that’s the platform I used while checking out GoNNER 2, but it’s worth noting that it’s readily available on Xbox Game Pass so if you’ve got that you can give the game a shot risk-free.

 Narrative: 6/10

This is one of those games where I end up wishing I could put “?/10” as one of the scores in the 8-Bit Review since, much like the original game, GoNNER 2 has a plot but it’s told in a somewhat unconventional way. By “somewhat unconventional” I mean that the storytelling here ranges from obscure to completely bonkers, so don’t expect a straightforward tale of love and loss. Instead, well, our hero Ikk from the first game ends up helping the embodiment of Death. Death’s realm is full of monsters, so Ikk has to go clear them out! That’s what I took away from it, anyway, as there’s no dialogue and you’re largely left to do what you’d like in a manner you determine for yourself. “Do some extermination work for Death” is as good as explanation as any!

 Visuals: 9/10

Much as the story, such as it is, ends up feeling pretty surreal and bizarre, GoNNER 2’s chalk-drawing graphics add to the simultaneously cute and unsettling aesthetic that saturates this series. The screenshots attached to this review don’t really do GoNNER 2’s looks justice. Everything moves, shimmers and shakes even as Ikk bounces around spewing hot death at his foes. The ground looks like it’s constantly being redrawn like something out of an old cartoon. Objects and creatures generally suggest shapes rather than hold them, which means it’s actually a little more disturbing when you come across a boss and they’re clearly a giant bird or a spider-creature.

Much as in the original game, when you do well by racking up a long combo, the graphics go even more insane, launching into a crazed swirl of colors. Probably not the best game to play when you’re intoxicated. Well, maybe it’s one of the best games to play when you’re intoxicated? Try it and see.

 Audio: 7/10

GONNER 2’s audio is just about as strange as its graphics. Everything consists of little beatbox-style crackling and popping, backed by a jazzy beat. There’s something to be said for minimalism when it’s done in a high-quality and effective way, emphasizing the small victories and defeats that are taking place on the screen. That’s what we’ve got here. You’ll come to fall in love with the little snaps that represent your bullets connecting with enemies or the sound associated with scooping up items.

 Gameplay: 8/10

This is a roguelite framed as a side-scrolling shooter with bullet hell elements! Let’s unpack all of that. Roguelites are typically run-based games where you’re intended to die a lot, gradually refining your techniques so you’ve got a better shot at a solid run that will allow you to progress – check and check. As for the rest, Ikk inhabits a 2D world where you’re typically going from one end of the screen to the other, dodging a huge amount of nastiness that’s coming you’re way. GoNNER 2’s somewhat nonlinear, so you can choose from different styles of level to play through as you go; if you end up really enjoying the new water levels, for instance, you’re often allowed to choose to play those.

Ikk’s got a few means of fighting back. Naturally, there’s a selection of guns that you can use to blast away at baddies in traditional twin-stick shooter style; that’s right, no more weird jumping to angle your shots like in the original game. These guns run on an ammo system, but reloads are readily available from both enemies and the environment. So long as you’re not missing too often it’s tough to run out of shootybangs. It’s still possible, though, and when that happens you’ll have to fall back on Mario-style stomping or on GoNNER 2’s new dash move. This is a great way to both avoid getting blasted and smash into foes when you’ve got no other choice. Successful battling will earn you coins – the game doesn’t say that’s what they are, but it’s what they are, trust me – and you can spend those at shops toward the end of each area. There’s also boss battles to get through. They’re mean. Expect to get wiped off the map by the nasty spider/tentacle creature you’ll likely encounter first, and things only get tougher from there.

Under normal circumstances, taking a hit means losing Ikk’s head, weapon and pack. You’ve got a health bar, but it’s attached to the head and not to Ikk, so if you take a hit without a head you’re finished. There’s a lot of implications here and it might be the defining aspect of GoNNER 2’s gameplay. Sure, the best scenario is that you don’t get hit, but that’s optimistic, isn’t it? When that one shot does slip through your defenses, your calculus switches from defeating your enemies as quickly as possible to determining the most efficient way of getting your head back without taking that second, fatal shot. You’re pushed onto the back foot immediately, especially since you’re also suddenly unarmed, but you’re also not so harshly punished that you’re forced to restart after taking one hit. This makes for a unique experience even within the genre. Oh, and in case you do take that second, fatal hit, you can spend your hard-earned coins to try again…but that doesn’t return your gear, so if it looked like it was tough to get it back without dying again, don’t get your hopes up.

 Accessibility: 5/10

While GoNNER 2’s health system is unique and interesting, this by no means implies that this is a forgiving game. This is still a traditional roguelite. You’re going to die a lot. Constantly, in fact; everything about this game works against you from the start, including the graphics since it can be a little tough to see the source of your death. GoNNER 2’s certainly a game that’s worth spending time with so you learn to play it and get the most out of it, but it’s not just going to reveal its secrets to you immediately.

I’d actually drop this score even further…except there’s multiplayer! You can grab a friend or three who are a little better at the game and see if they can carry you to victory. It’s local only, so you’ll have to grab that friend in person and that might be a little tough circa 2020, but the fact is that it’s still present. Co-op players appear to have full access to all of Ikk’s abilities and weapons, so it’s not like someone has to play as a sidekick character or anything like that. Having a buddy can definitely help water down this game’s brutality.

 Challenge: 9/10

It’s a roguelite, what did you expect? GoNNER 2 is tough. Extremely tough, in fact. You’ll likely die multiple times before even catching a glimpse of the first boss. The unique life system takes some getting used to and you’ll likely die a fair amount with life still on your head early on. Even when you’ve gotten the hang of retrieving your head, the sheer amount of bad stuff flying around the screen means that survival isn’t guaranteed. This is one of those games you’re going to have to stick with for a while if you’d like to see it through.

 Uniqueness: 6/10

Likewise, it’s a roguelite, what did you expect? Run-based games where you’re intended to die a lot aren’t especially uncommon these days. GoNNER 2’s not especially unusual from that perspective, though the game’s presentation, life system and nonlinear nature help set it apart somewhat. It’s also interesting to discover the particulars of each piece of gear you come across, but that’s a standard feature for the genre as well. Really, the most unique aspect of the game might be the aforementioned multiplayer; it’s a feature that more roguelites could use.

Personal: 8/10

Still, you don’t need to be unique to be a lot of fun, do you? The roguelite formula has been done, but that also means it’s been refined. GoNNER 2’s a great example of that. The classic roguelite experience is to encounter a game that seems completely impenetrable, but that opens up as you keep playing and find more inroads to success. For all its graphical and gameplay weirdness, that’s the simple concept that’s at the core of GoNNER 2, and it works just as well as it always has. Fans of roguelites, shooters, chalk drawings and Death are strongly advised to check this one out.

Aggregated Score: 7.3

Cory G. believes the pen is mightier than the sword…well, depending on how sharp the pen and sword are. A child of the ’90s and a prolific writer, he strews his work about like Legos made of words, just waiting for your brain to step on them. He enjoys a devilish challenge, so when it comes to talking about some of the more difficult games out there, you might just run into the Infernal Accountant Mage. Some advice: hold on to your soul around this guy, and don’t sign anything. Read more at popzara.com.