Guns, Gore And Cannoli does exactly what it says on the tin. This 2D run n gun shooter has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek and it's not afraid to lampoon shooters and Hollywood of the past.
You are Vinnie Cannoli a mob enforcer for the Belluccio family. The opening cutscene features the head of the Belluccio family who is Don Corelone in all but name instructs you to go straight to Thugtown to rescue Frankie who has been kidnapped by the Bonnino family. Trouble starts as soon as the ship that's taking you to Thugtown reaches the docks with a horde of undead swarming all over the ship. Someone has poisoned all the bootleg alcohol and it's infecting the entire population but it's not just the undead you have to deal with because the army are out in force to wipe out the undead and they don't take prisoners.
The controls are simple to get to grips with as you would expect for this kind of game. There's no fancy control scheme here and the game just your basic run, jump, crouch and shoot. The distance of any explosives you need to throw is set by how long you keep the Right Trigger pressed and that's as complicated as it gets. There is also a kick attack that can get you out of some tricky situations especially if you get caught off guard while reloading a weapon because when that animation starts you can't stop it. You will pick up a variety of different weapons as you progress and they are easily cycled through with ammo pickups dotted sporadically throughout the scenery.
Your default weapon is powerful enough to take down the majority of enemies and it's unlimited ammo make it the go to weapon of choice. There is a varied selection of mules weapons to pick up as you progress and it's good to see such a large amount of different weapons other than the standard pistols. Each weapon has it's own attributes and will suit a particular kind of zombie better than any mules weapon. The Tommy Gun is best used against the American footballer who rushes straight at you with get speed and if he catches you he deals a load of damage so he needs taking down quickly. The Shotgun is best used against zombies that follow you relentlessly around the screen so stopping power is your best friend here. Then there are the gun toting zombies who are probably the easiest in the game to kill with your pistol. There is also a flamethrower amongst other weapons which is an absolute blast to kill zombies with and so much more.
The amount of different enemies you will face is also impressive. You will fight Zombies, The Army, Mutated Rats and The Bonnino family. Each of these enemies has different classes to contend with as well. Some will rush you, shoot at you, explode when shot or throw weapons at you. These enemies never gang up on you but they will battle against each other which sets the scene for some totally bonkers firefights which you will be in the middle of. You will have to use a certain amount of strategy to defeat the different factions the humans will use cover as much as possible as throw grenade at you. But the zombies will just come straight at you so be warned. The biggest problem you will face when fighting is the aiming mechanic. You cannot aim at all. You can only shoot straight ahead and in some sections when you have multiple enemies coming at you formal directions it can become very frustrating and lead to a lot of unnecessary deaths. Thankfully just before a big sequence is about to play out you will usually find a checkpoint which helps stop it becoming frustrating. Why the second thumb stick wasn't used for aiming is crazy, especially in a game as frantic as this
The hand drawn graphics are absolutely perfect and everything on screen stands out. even when it's complete chaos on screen. Even the violence is beautifully realised and when you see parts of people's bodies flying across the screen you can't help but chuckle because the amount of detail that's been packed in is unbelievable. Even the backgrounds are packed with visual easter eggs that are hidden throughout the game. You might spot Donkey Kong or even R2-D2 if you can take your eyes off the action for a second. The voice acting, although stereotypical is too cheesy to be taken seriously and will provide you with a lot of laughs. The soundtrack on the other hand is very bland and uninspiring.
Guns, Gore and Cannoli isn't the most original game out there but it's the most fun I have had with a 2D shooter since Super Time Force. The beautiful visuals with their hidden secrets kept my attention throughout the entire game. The only negative I can think of is that there is no way to aim in any other direction then straight ahead.
Review copy supplied by XCN.
Game: Guns, Gore and Cannoli.
Genre: 2D Shooter.
Developer: Crazy Monkey Studios and Claeys Brothers.
Publisher: Crazy Monkey Studios.
Platform(s): Xbox One.