Gunbrella Preview: A Gun Smoke Filled Mix of the Supernatural and Noir

gamerant.com:

Gunbrella starts on a boat. It is an innocuous start, as the main character steams through the pixelated waters to reach the dock and the beginning of developer Doinksoft's demo for the game. Even after the first 20 minutes of playing, it still feels more light-hearted mystery than menacing. Only near the end does the tone shift and give a glimpse of the dark forces within, cumulating with a fight against a boss that is downright unnerving in its movements, ferocity, and gore. Mysteries are stacked on top of other mysteries, and it's up to the player to find answers. So begins the tale of the man who wields the Gunbrella.

Luckily, the protagonist of the story is well-equipped to deal with the supernatural elements that will cross his path, and he will do it all while attempting to solve the mystery at the heart of the story: where did the Gunbrella come from? The demo does a great job feeding users small details through the protagonist's in-game journal, where he records clues as well as some of his personal thoughts on the matters at hand. The journal is also used to keep track of quests, puzzle hints, and information given by the various denizens of the world.

The star of the game is, of course, the Gunbrella itself. Movement with the Gunbrella is very fast. It is quick to accelerate the player and carries them farther than any umbrella has any right to, so the Gunbrella is a fearsome mobility tool. Doinksoft is attempting to maintain a balance between ease of movement and gunplay by not allowing users to shoot when the umbrella part is engaged and open. This includes using the Gunbrella to block incoming fire and even return shots when opening it right before taking damage. Players are able to change so quickly with a