Unlike Prohibition Laws, This Game Stands The Test of Time
The 1920's prohibition couldn't have come at a better time. The US had just finished with their stint in WW1 and the harsh slap of enforced sobriety would continue to sting well into 1933, overlapping the Great Depression by about 3 years. All these factors left people of all demographics looking to wet their whistles if not drown their sorrows completely, enter the mafia. Wiseguys and goons alike would bootleg booze to the masses while toting Tommy guns and avoiding if not downright battling the feds. This lead to the fame of guys like Al Capone and his ilk, the kind of 1920's criminals that would go on to influence pop culture to this day, but there's something else that's no doubt even more influential on American culture, that thing being the shambling undead. Leave it to the indie teamup of Rogueside and Claeysbrothers to combine the two elements in their own indie game. The sleaze and glamor of the 1920's is about to have it's brains munched on by swarms of zombies, it's time for Guns Gore and Cannoli
Aptly named Vinnie Cannoli is headed to Thugtown on Don Bellucio's orders. His mission is to retrieve the made-man Frankie the Fly, who's weasel-y demeanor flighty name should be an undead giveaway, but then again that may be the reason that Don Bellucio wants him reigned in. Before player-character Cannoli can even disembark from the ferry, he's accosted by mobs of "chunk faced goons". It seems that since Saint Patrick's Day, all of Thugtown has been overtaken by the undead. The plot thickens as Vinnie guns his way through the streets, buildings and sewers of Thugtown. Frankie knows more than he's letting on and it's a race against time to solve the mystery and leave the overrun city in one piece. The plot to Guns Gore and Cannoli is original and well executed thanks to the voiced lines and animated cutscenes, strongpoints of the game, but if you think that this game is all gab and no gore then you're dead-wrong, capiche?
In the most simple terms, Guns Gore and Cannoli is a run-and-gun 2d shooter in vain of games like Metal Slug, giant bosses and all. Where this game differs is that it's only two-direction aiming instead of eight directions, this doesn't sound like a huge problem at a glance, but take it does mean that shooting up or down towards enemies on different platforms is impossible if they're outside Vinnie's line of sight. Despite being controller compatible and having no need of a mouse, I found that the mouse/keyboard combo fit this game, as it's a shooter at heart. Things like throwing grenades, melee attacks, and switching between nine different guns all make Guns Gore and Cannoli feel more like an fps turned 2d than the typical side scrolling shooter. Oddly enough headshots still matter in this game, so the struggle of either jumping or crouching to find that perfect angle is going to be worth it, you'll be rewarded with that satisfying head explosion, gore and all.
One of the biggest elements to making an indie hit is having that 0h-so good graphical style and originality while adhering to a budget. Guns Gore and Cannoli is a textbook success. From the cutscenes and characters to backdrops and enemy design, this gangster v zombie shooter makes it's bones with style and design, even for a 1920's themed game it's still original enough to be it's own thing. An almost cutesy design contrasted by bloodshed, crime and horror plays to the game's own sense of humor too, none of this is to be taken seriously, though the game is seriously good. Blowing away goons and zombies while both eating and being a Cannoli was never boring or tedious, a little hard, but that's better than being too easy. If you compare Guns Gore and Cannoli to other 2d shooters it's an excellent game that's still fun after being released six years ago, there's a sequel too, so stay tuned for that one as well, Comrades.
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