Nongünz è una bella sorpresa. Dai toni tristi e sofferenti, questo action platform sparatutto in 2d offre una sfida di buon livello sia per difficoltà che per longevità. Il difetto più grande ci è parsa l’eccessiva punizione verso il giocatore (morire è facile e si ricomincia d’accapo perdendo i vari benefit conquistati precedentemente) ed il fatto che la trama sia decisamente oscura.

Nongünz delivers fast action packed platforming with roguelike mechanics and a punishing difficulty.

Nongünz needs you to sit patiently with it for at least a few hours to truly appreciate it. I felt myself being compelled every time I died to enter the dungeon again. When I didn’t understand something, I strove to figure it out, and for every discovery you’re rewarded with a new tool in your arsenal against the legions of the dismembered. And I’m sure there are plenty of other secrets that are waiting to be unearthed. I found it a little ironic that while Nongünz professes to be thematically nihilistic, the gameplay itself is rich and complex. This game won’t set the world on fire, it’s a fun way to blast away two or three or four or five evenings. Because in this pointless existence, what else matters…but gaming?

Whether or not you should buy Nongünz depends on your attitude towards retro games. It’s one of the more fun retro-games I’ve played albeit with a control system that takes at least some practice. Yet, it does have the flaw that many retro games have and that is lack of long-term replayability. In short, if you’re looking for a nice, retro looking carnage-crazy shoot-em-up that will fill an odd afternoon this is worth a look. If you don’t like retro games, this one isn’t going to sway you.

Nongünz is a mixed bag of fresh ideas and strange design decisions. There is a lot of depth to be found in here, but it is well hidden and only the hardcore fringe of the Roguelite players will find their heart’s desire. If I think about previous games that gave me a similar feeling, I would say Devil Daggers. I can’t quite get into it, but I can see how a few can love it to bits. For others like me, Nongünz would need a lot of play-testing and adjustments to become enjoyable for a wider audience and less grindy, but then the game was not geared that way in the first place and that’s just fine, to each their own. If you disagreed with me and recognized yourself as someone who would enjoy this, then you must absolutely get it, the rating is a “SAVE” for you. If not, give this one a pass.

Not being a fan of either genre myself, I cannot in good conscience recommend this game. That being said, I know there are many people out there that would love this title very much. However, where games like Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series have brilliant gameplay that make up for their harsh mechanics, Nongünz it seems tries to be that and misses the mark.

En definitiva, Nongünz es un roguelike prácticamente redondo (queda pendiente algún ajuste, aunque nada grave) pero no se contenta con proponer unas mecánicas adictivas y un reto consistente, Nongünz esconde un mensaje y hace todo lo que puede por animarnos a buscarlo, de cada jugador dependerá que se encuentre o quede enterrado. Por dar algunas pistas, el Gran Altar (a falta de un nombre definido me permito bautizarlo) en el que accedemos a armas y cráneos está adornado con tres palabras: DULCE BELLUM INEXPERTIS*.

Nongünz es una apuesta arriesgada, con un apartado visual y sonoro que impacta y nos meterá de lleno en el oscuro y tétrico mundo que nos propone. Si logramos entender cómo funciona y tenemos paciencia para conseguir mejores objetos encontraremos un juego muy entretenido y muy difícil.