NonGunz: Doppleganger Edition | PS4 Review

Cryptic, and challenging is the Digerati published NonGunz: Doppleganger Edition. This indie with an underlying message, and vaguely explained mechanics drops the player head first into a world of skeletons, living body parts, and guns. The objective to it all being for the player to best four bosses, gather their numbers, and unlock a case from an outside of the game secondary perspective using those said numbers. Effectively making for a game within a game type of experience with roguelike elements at play. The grind is heavy, and the foes formidable. Even more daunting, and haunting is what lies in wait at the end of it all should you make it to the end credits.

In NonGunz the player finds themselves, initially, taking on the role of a headless skeleton with a gun. They are placed on what looks like church or cemetery grounds with a few buildings open for entry. It is in these buildings, graves, mausoleums, shrines, and a church where the action will take place. The church at the far right hand side of the plot of land is where the random roguelike dungeons exist. It is here in these randomized rooms that you will face off against enemies using your tools to amass points, collect cards, and rescue worshippers. The points being the major point of it all. As you kill enemies, and the worshippers continue to worship back on church grounds your collective point value will increase. Both through combos, and gradual gains. 

Outside of the church dungeon these points can then be spent on a shrine that houses a mural of skulls, and weapons. Filling up the parts of this mural gives you access to single use skulls, and weapons that increase in strength the more they are leveled up. Starting off clear, and going from red to blue the weapons, and skulls will give the player an advantage when attempting a full playthrough. That playthrough being the defeating of all four of the game's bosses. A feat which is only accomplished by carefully navigating enemy filled rooms, rooms with loot, rooms with vendors, and boss inclusive rooms. All of which are shown in a small onscreen map for reference sake. Should things get hairy, and your life low ditch the playthrough with all you have by exiting out background windows.

The Gameplay ...

At base level the mechanics that you'll be using center around the skeleton's movement, their weapons, and the skulls they set on their headless body. In the ways of movement the base skeleton can slide and shoot upwards. It can also dodge, and roll through hazards and enemies. Additionally it can jump, and shoot forward. With the skulls, which are of various animals, you'll also gain special abilities like an extra jump, a turret, or other helpful things. The weapons themselves change up the gameplay approach to an extent as well. At first you have access to a handgun with infinite bullets, but will gain access to other firing and melee weapons as you open up chests in the dungeons. Along with that there are item themed cards that can be burnt to buff your character, replenish health, and other things pertaining to the character. 

Back on church grounds you'll also find a crypt that houses the shallow grave of a body that acts as an AI skeleton helper which can be sent out to loot the dungeons. This AI assistant requires the collecting of all it's body parts which come in the form of cards. Once completed the AI assistant can be sent out on looting runs brining back cards for use later on. Alongside the AI grave within the crypt also lies four storage coffins which can hold the cards that you collect. Cards which can be taken out as seen fit, and used while attempting a complete playthrough. It should be noted that different cards do different things in accordance to character stats, and that the cards do hold number values that deteriorate over time. Learning what cards do what is yet another cryptic part of gameplay. Not far from the crypt lies a death vendor who will sell you items for points. Giving you a head start on your next playthrough should you be willing to splurge. In addition to these two buildings of opportunity exists an underground chamber with the worshippers you rescue from cages during a playthrough. The more worshippers you have the more the points will increase without any extra effort. The benefits to this are obvious.

Outside of this macabre, and melancholy world of black, white, and fleshly colors lies what appears to be the real part of the game where a blank slate of a man exists in a room. In that room lies a telescope looking out into a white void, a computer where he's playing the same game you are, a treadmill, a playable guitar, and a desk drawer containing a briefcase with a number lock that contains four digits. The four digits being the numbers that will flash up at each boss fight, and must be inputted into the briefcase's lock to reach the ending. This is the end goal for the game.

Within the Doppleganger Edition players are privileged to new content not initially available in the original release. These new additions include an Arena Mode in which you can rack up more points by blasting through waves of enemies. Between each wave there's a button to press to initiate the next wave. This is the house at the far left end of the main church/cemetery grounds, and can be entered at any time. Also new to this edition is Co-op Mode, and that is basically a cooperative two player version of Arena mode that takes place in a single room with spawning enemies.

The Presentation ...

Visually the game is a black and white 2D platformer with a small array of fleshly colors. Though the color palette is simple the details are grand in scale, and have hints scattered all over as to what this game is all about. Figuring it out is up to the player, but it goes without saying that this game visually depicts the high cost of violence. It is a grim vision of death, and violent acts. Something the player behind the scenes, and in their room is unable to cope with in the end. Accented by a static visual filter, and a haunting soundtrack this unsaid adventure houses layers upon layers of meaning that are there for interpretation much like an abstract piece of art at an art gallery is.

The Verdict ...

There's no denying this game is brutally challenging, especially if you do not understand the gameplay loop. That loop requiring the player to make more incomplete runs than complete ones with quick window exits to retain and amass points, weapons, worshippers, and cards so that eventually a full playthrough is possible. Like everything else in NonGunz this grindy gameplay loop ties into the overall meaning behind it all as well, and therein lies this game's biggest and most profound accomplishment. It's a game that's meant to make you think. To think about violence, and mortality. The taking of life, and the sacrificing of it. You have to look at every single detail from character to creature design, and beyond to piece together what it is the developer is trying to portray with their game. Once you do all those hours spent will make sense. It is that reason I gladly give this game a recommendation. It is so much more than a game. It is a message. A worthwhile message.