Game Review: Gunscape (Xbox One)

Gunscape from Blowfish Studios is a hybrid of the first person shooter genre & construction style games like Minecraft. The game is only as good as the communities’ imagination, creating & building levels to take part in huge PvP battles, Co-op stories and much more.

Now I confess to not being a fan of construction style games, I have never been able to get into Minecraft but marvel at the wonderful creations that others have made. I went into Gunscape with a certain level of trepidation, wondering if I would be able to get to grips with the building aspect of the game.

I’m happy to report that not only is Gunscape incredibly fun to play but is also so user friendly that even a novice like myself was able to build a level & upload to the servers.

If you want to try it out yourself just search for GBHBL Dino Surprise. (The surprise is hidden in a room at the back of one of my temples!

To help ease you in there is a campaign mode created by the studio themselves. This is a great place to start showing of the clever designs, weapons & enemy types. It is reminiscent of many classic FPS games such as Doom & Quake, fans will instantly feel at home.

A large expanse of options awaits players ready to dive into the more social aspects of the game. From the menu screen you can choose what mode you wish to play, see the highest rated/popular maps as well as the latest creations for the imaginative community.

As a novice it is mind-blowing to see some of the creations here…we have maps based around classic FPS games & levels. Some of the most popular ones see re-creations of Goldeneye (N64) levels such as The Dam & Facility.

Now finding a Free for All game with more than a handful of players is a bit of a problem unfortunately. It does detract from the enjoyment when you’re running round a near empty map trying to find the few other players taking part. That being said gameplay wise it reminds me of Unreal Tournament which is a very favourable comparison. The FFA level designs are a mix of incredible, frantic or meandering mazes. Well worth checking out a number of users designs.

Which brings me to the level editor….

In a stroke of genius, the game is organised into themes taken from all aspects of FPS games over the years. This makes level creation so much more simple as it’s broken down into sections that include blocks, enemies, weapons & props. Creating a themed level is so much easier as you don’t have to flip through hundreds of variations of the same thing.

At any stage you can test your level out to see if it is actually playable & you can even be joined by other players to help you build or just have a quick battle!

Being able to build your own campaign mode, a sequence of levels with your own story is something every player should at least attempt. You’ve always thought you had a good idea for a game…well now is your chance!

It is incredibly user-friendly & uncomplicated, something I’ve never really experienced in most construction games. Everything can be edited in some way or another…even the music you have playing in your level which is some of the most addictive, toe-tapping stuff you’ve heard.

Ultimately the biggest problem Gunscape faces is the death of the community. It’s already not quite as big as I would have hoped & I can see it being deserted in months to come beyond a few dedicated players. I hope I’m wrong & that more players pick it up & give it a try…you won’t regret it.

When a game makes you change your mind about an entire genre (building/construction games) you know it’s done something right. A lot of fun with plenty of variety thanks to the imaginative user base.