Huntdown

Not only does Huntdown perfect what's been done in 2D shooters, it offers several new ways forward for the genre. A retro-minded tour-de-force that feels right at home in 2020.

Huntdown is a throwback run and gun shooter that cares about style and rewards precision.

Huntdown is awesome, plain and simple. The action is intense and extremely fun, with big, superb levels, tons of firepower to work with, and a cavalcade of amazing enemy encounters and even more amazing bosses. Huntdown is an extremely enjoyable romp that does its coin-op predecessors proud when it comes to satisfying gameplay and perfectly-executed graphics, earning its spot alongside the other retro indie greats...or just alongside other great action games, period. If you're reading this, then just go and buy it. You will most assuredly not be disappointed.

As a whole, Huntdown delivers nail-biting boss battles, exceptional music, a slick design, and fast-paced combat. It’s a throwback to a time where games did a lot with a little, while testing players’ skill the whole way through. Admittedly, the difficulty (unless players want to drop it down to easy) is going to be a turn off, but most will find the checkpoint system forgiving enough.  For our money, the punishment made the victory all the more satisfying.

Huntdown is, quite simply, one of the best side-scrolling shooters I’ve ever played. Incredible retro pixel art, generous local co-op, a stonking frame rate and an addictive game play loop that had me coming back for more; Huntdown is the total package.

Hunt down Huntdown as fast as you can, because this game is just concentrated action movie goodness delivered straight into your veins.

Some of Huntdown‘s boss battles might have elements that feel a little unfair, especially on higher difficulty levels, but it can’t be denied that it’s a great game with lots of character. It does a brilliant job of feeling like a blast from the past, yet the responsive controls and cover mechanics firmly plant it in the modern age. It’s the best of both worlds, basically, and if you’ve ever enjoyed mowing down legions of goons on a 2D plane while characters’ wisecracks compete against synthesised 80s beats for your attention, you’ll absolutely love it.

While not hitting it out of the park like it could have, Huntdown still manages to deliver an extremely satisfying and raucously fun package that will appeal to genre newcomers and veterans alike.

It rarely swells beyond the sum of its parts; with parts as precision-tooled as this, it doesn’t need to.

Huntdown is a nihilistic, loud, explosive, even obnoxious arcade shooter. But deep within its acid comic style and vulgar tone lies a superb, meticulously crafted action experience, packed with creative and addictive carnage, at a breakneck pace, for an agreeable price. Heed the warning: Do Not Sleep on Huntdown. It’s an absolute blast.