“Guncraft” comes through with dynamic battlefield gameplay and unlimited customization in a FPS platform. Recommended!
“Guncraft” is under the copyright of Exacto Game Studios/Reverb Games. All Rights Reserved.
VIDEO GAME TITLE: Guncraft
TYPE OF GAME: Shooter
PLATFORM: Steam
PLATFORM GAME REVIEWED: STEAM PC GAME
DEVELOPER: Exacto Game Studios
PUBLISHER: Reverb Games
RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2013
Marrying the addictive nature of block building sandbox games with the speed and competition of modern first-person shooters, Guncraft features gameplay that is instantly intuitive and addicting. Players can create arenas and levels based on anything they can think of, and once complete, utilize these stages for addictive fast-paced shooting action.
Where fast paced FPS meets unlimited voxel-based game, “Guncraft” stands a part offering both and more. Finally, coming out after their successful Kickstarter in early 2012, Exato Game Studios seek “to break the traditional standards of indie game developers” with “Guncraft”.
The game features fast paced FPS combat, tons of different game modes and creative outlets such as creating your own guns and crafting maps submitted to the developers for approval.
This game also showcases completely destructible environments as well as complete customization each class from appearance to various kill streak rewards.
Overall, combat in “Guncraft” is fast paced with no limit to sprinting, hook shots to get to hard to reach places, and vehicles such as hover bikes to get across the battlefield fast. Gun play in the game is interesting as there is no recoil, which may seem disconcerting to hard core FPS fans, but rest assured it does not limit the amount of fun that can be had from soaring through the air sniping any who pass through your crosshairs.
The destructible battlefield plays hugely into the game with rocket launchers doing more than just blowing up the enemy, but molding the battlefield to the carnage taking place. This adds more than just craters, but allows players to adapt using newly blown holes to take cover in or making your own nook as a sniper to conceal yourself in.
All together, this causes the battlefield to feel more alive so you have to do more than aim at that one building everyone camps in, but look for new additions to the map made by players whether blown out or built.
Building at first seemed to be impossible to work in such a high paced environment, but the thought was countered when looking at much of the “pre-fab” options such as towers, bunkers, bridges and more that builds itself in an intense environment. Of course buildings do not come without a price as the game uses an in-game currency to purchase the right to place buildings and individual blocks.
While you do not receive money from blowing things up, you do gain money from breaking out your building tool to break blocks at different speeds depending on your class advantages.
Each class uses full customization whether that be appearance or passive class benefits. Preset guns range from the usual assault rifle to a gun that looks like a bald eagle each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Â Many preset appearances come with the game such as a pirate, gruff army veteran, or even Mr.T’s Caucasian counterpart Mr.W. Melee weapons each have their own perks such as one-hit perk at the cost of “pre-fab” buildings or all around melee tools that doesn’t do anything the best, but can be used in any situation.
Various perks are also at your disposal such as “Demolitionist” which allow players to use weapons such as the Blockbuster without worry of running out of ammunition. Construction bonuses allow you to choose how you want to build, whether that be purely pre-built buildings or high income perks from breaking blocks with the building tool.
Since the game is voxel-based, the amount of creativity and the number of maps that can be made is limitless. Some of the maps were developed by Exato themselves, but they also feature many community created maps that they approve in the map list of each lobby. Skins and guns can also be shared, voted on, and used among the “Guncraft” community as long as there is no obvious copyright infringements or vulgarity.
To accompany the wealth of different maps, come the many featured game modes in “Guncraft”. There is the run of the mill game modes such as Death Match, Team Death Match, and Capture the Flag.
Then there are the more unique game modes such as Spleef, Lava Survival, and Meteor Survival.
Those who played on custom Spleef servers in “Minecraft” will be delighted as it is an official game mode in “Guncraft” using the building tool in maps such as a bowl of alphabet soup trying to knock each other down into the fatal tomato soup blocks.
Lava Survival uses the same mechanic of knocking people into lava, except you can also freeze people by shooting them then breaking blocks under them. Meteor survival  uses the same freezing mechanic, but people are killed by random meteor showers that break the environment and the last one standing wins.
Though the game has so many game modes it has the one unfortunate pitfall, the number of players willing to play them.
On release there was a sizable number of people who wanted to try out the new game modes which were a great amount of fun. Over time much of the player base instead sticks to the usual Deathmatch and Team Death Match for their “Guncraft” needs, but hopefully it is a problem that solves itself as the game is out for longer.
The controls for “Guncraft” use standard W-A-S-D to move and left click to shoot for basics while building and other controls are best looked over in the settings menu.
Which is better, keyboard or controller pad?
Keyboard and mouse are definitely go to as the controls are much more manageable. Some gamers who are used to using a joystick or even an XBOX 360 controller may prefer using them over a keyboard and mouse.
Graphics are good for a voxel-based game as everything is clearly conveyed. Similar to “Minecraft”, the games are never known to be great when it comes to modern gaming graphics, but for those who enjoy the visual style will also enjoy “Guncraft”. There is good shading, especially around shadows behind letters.
While there is not, the most distinct or mind-blowing explosion sounds in triple-A FPS games, for what sounds there are it is clear such as gunfire, explosive sounds and death sounds. There is no real advantages to using headphone or stereo systems for bass or otherwise. All sounds are more simple and clear than intricate.
There doesn’t appear to be any music during the matches except after the two minute mark each match.
“Guncraft” has tons of replay value as there are so many modes to play and plenty of players with varying skill levels to challenge your metal against.
With so much to offer such as mass customization, tons of game modes and destructible environments “Guncraft” is hard to pass up for voxel gamers. While it may not appeal to hardcore FPS fans, the game mashes many great elements together allowing for tons of fun among friends or with fellow Guncrafters.
It is unfortunate though that much of the game modes appear to be vacant due to the player base playing Team Death Match or Death Match, I hope this problem is fixed as more try the game.
“Guncraft” comes through with dynamic battlefield gameplay and unlimited customization in a FPS platform giving the game a 4 out of 5. Recommended!
PROS:
+ Destructible battlefield.
+ Tons of customization.
+ Huge creative outlet for fans of voxel games.
+ Fun and simple FPS fire fights.
+ Several game modes.
NEGATIVES:
– May not appeal to hardcore FPS fans.
– May not appeal to those who do not like “Minecraft” style graphics.
– More creative game modes appear vacant a majority of the time.
