Bloody Hell, They Did It! Gungeon Games Break Free, Bring Bullet-Hell Chaos (and a Lamb) to Everyone's Phone!
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Get ready, mobile gamers! Both Enter the Gungeon and its spin-off Exit the Gungeon have broken free from exclusivity, launching on iOS and Android with touch controls, online co-op, and even a familiar cult lamb, promising portable bullet-hell chaos for everyone.
You know that feeling when you've been waiting for a magical spell to fully charge, and then BAM, it not only works but brings its even cooler cousin along for the ride? Yeah, that's pretty much what just happened for mobile gamers, especially if you've been eyeing the Gungeon titles from afar, perhaps trapped behind a rather shiny, albeit restrictive, walled garden.
For what feels like ages, *Exit the Gungeon* has been doing its thing exclusively on Apple Arcade. It was like that one mate who always insisted on using a specific, fancy type of coffee bean – perfectly fine, but a bit exclusive, you know? Well, my fellow digital adventurers, the digital floodgates have officially burst open, and *Exit the Gungeon* is now free to roam the wild lands of Android and iOS, alongside its elder, bullet-spewing sibling, *Enter the Gungeon*.
Now, for those who might've been living under a particularly un-Gungeony rock (no judgment, we've all been there, probably trying to figure out if that new 'Web3-enabled' toaster actually mines crypto), let's set the stage. *Enter the Gungeon*, which first graced our screens back in 2016, is a bona fide bullet-hell roguelike dungeon crawler. Think 'The Binding of Isaac' but with more firepower, more puns, and a distinctly gun-obsessed aesthetic. It's renowned for its brutally fair difficulty, its ludicrous array of weapons (we’re talking guns that shoot other guns, mate), and its endlessly replayable, procedurally generated madness. It’s the kind of game that tests your reflexes, your pattern recognition, and your ability to remain calm while a gazillion projectiles fly straight for your face. An absolute riot, if you’re into that sort of delightfully chaotic self-flagellation.
Then came *Exit the Gungeon* in 2019, initially as an Apple Arcade exclusive. It’s not quite a direct sequel, more of a spin-off, flipping the script (or rather, the dungeon). Instead of descending into the Gungeon, you're trying to escape it, climbing your way out. It introduced a shifting weapon mechanic and a more focused, arcade-like experience. While it maintained the core Gungeon charm, its platform exclusivity meant a whole heap of potential players were simply left out in the cold. A real shame, given its pedigree. But hey, good things come to those who wait, or, as it seems, to those who simply wait for an exclusivity deal to run its course. It’s a curious trend, isn't it? These platform exclusives – they promise unique experiences, but often feel a bit like a magical barrier stopping genuinely good games from reaching everyone. So seeing *Exit the Gungeon* break free... it's a small victory for player choice, I reckon.
But this isn't just a simple copy-paste job, mind you. We're talking proper mobile treatment for *Enter the Gungeon*. The developers haven't just thrown the PC version onto a smaller screen and hoped for the best. Oh no. They’ve gone and done a few rather clever things that actually make a difference:
First up, **touch-friendly controls**. Now, I’m gently skeptical about how well a bullet-hell game, which demands pinpoint precision and lightning-fast dodges, can translate to a touchscreen. My thumbs already ache just thinking about it, but the promise is that they’re specifically designed to let you swipe, tap, and poke your screen to conquer the depths. If they pull it off, it’ll be like performing a complex arcane ritual with just your fingertips – utterly impressive.
Then there's the **long-requested addition of online co-op multiplayer**. Bloody hell, they actually listened! This is massive. *Enter the Gungeon* is already a blast in local co-op, but the ability to team up with other Gungeoneers, even if they’re not in the same room (or even the same postcode), changes the game entirely. Imagine coordinating bullet-dodging strategies with a mate who’s halfway across the planet. This is the sort of feature that truly unlocks new ways to play and makes those seemingly impossible boss fights just a tad more manageable (or, let’s be honest, gloriously chaotic).
And for the pièce de résistance, we have a **brand-new playable character: The Lamb from Cult of the Lamb!** Talk about a crossover episode nobody saw coming! It’s like finding out your D&D barbarian can suddenly cast high-level cleric spells because they joined a rather peculiar cult. This fleecy hero comes with new abilities inspired by the hit cult simulator, adding yet another layer of weirdness and replayability to an already ridiculously deep game. It just goes to show you, sometimes the most delightful surprises come from the most unexpected digital unions.
Now, let's talk brass tacks. Prices are pretty standard for mobile ports of this calibre, especially for games that offer hundreds of hours of delightful, punishing chaos. *Enter the Gungeon* is available for £8.99 / $8.99, and *Exit the Gungeon* comes in at £4.99 / $4.99. Not exactly pocket change for a quick mobile distraction, perhaps, but for the sheer depth, replayability, and genuine innovation on offer? Reckon that's a fair dinkum deal for a true dungeon-crawling epic, especially with the online co-op and the cult-leading lamb thrown into the mix.
So, if your thumbs are ready for a workout, your patience is iron-clad, and you fancy a bit of bullet-hell magic in your pocket, it sounds like the Gungeon is calling. This time, everyone's invited to the bullet-riddled party. Go on, give it a go. What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, you know, hundreds of glorious, chaotic deaths. And maybe a bit of carpal tunnel. But what's a bit of physical discomfort when you're escaping a dungeon with a sentient lamb, eh?
Tags: Mobile Gaming, Roguelike, Bullet-Hell, Game Releases, Indie Games
Original article: Eurogamer