Rating
Gonner
"Gonner is a tough as hell procedurally-generated 2D platformer with roguelike elements, following the largely misunderstood and altruistic Ikk on a journey to cheer up his only friend in this world—a giant landbound whale named Sally—by searching for just the right trinket in the deep and dark places nearby. With Death as his mentor, supplying bo...
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Gonner Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Get ready to throw your Switch! GoNNER will test your platforming skills as you run, jump, and shoot your way through extremely difficult levels. It might be a bit too challenging for some players, but its tight equipment system, beautiful art style, and fun gameplay will keep you coming back for more. It's currently one of the best values on the console.
Regardless of this minor grievance, if you’re after a game that’s fun to pick up and play, GoNNER is well worth the asking price. Its unique visuals, great soundtrack and wonderfully responsive controls make it a title you’ll go back to again and again; perfect for a portable device like the Switch. If, however, you have little patience for hard games and those that don’t spoon-feed you information, it’s probably best you steer clear. You’ll probably end up throwing your Switch out of a window otherwise.
Shooting, dodging, clinging to walls, and making it through each world without dying is no small feat. Like The Binding of Isaac, GoNNER is a game about trying and re-trying to succeed. It’s not frustrating or hard in a way that’s off-putting. Rather, like the best roguelikes, it begs you to try again. You feel like you failed Ikk when he dies, not that the game was cheap or punishing. For $10, you could do a whole lot worse on the Switch. And if you like hard, side-scrolling action games...
Gonner presents a stiff challenge that might not be for everyone, but if the potential oddities of this disquieting adventure seem up your alley, it’s well worth trying to figure out; just be prepared to maybe look up a few things for clarification. It’s not quite the tops of this take on the roguelike genre, but Gonner definitely earns its spot at the table.
Don't lose your head in this weird, challenging sidescroller.
The boss battles in GoNNER are static, unlike the procedurally generated nature of the main levels. At the end of world 1, you always fight the same boss. These battles are very challenging with boss specific enemies and environments that differ from the main levels. The equipment that might have been perfect for the main world, could be less effective in a particular encounter. Unfortunately there isn’t much diversity when it comes to equipment.