Playing Every Game in the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality
PEGBRJE: ‘Butsbal’ and ‘Super Ledgehop: Double Laser’
Shooty Shooty Page 38
Butsbal is an arena shooter created by xtase studios, a solo indie developer based out of The Netherlands. Players will get together friends (or bots) for some high octane bouncing bullet times.
While the goal is game mode dependent, the player will always fulfill the secondary objective to shoot everyone at all times. Armed with a simple blaster with five bullets, players will use either mouse and keyboard or a controller to aim and fire. These bullets are special, however, as they have infinite velocity and the ability to bounce off of walls.
The only way the bullets disappear is if they hit a player (including the original shooter) or if they hit another bullet to cancel each other out. This creates a duality for each shot. It is not just acting as a way of taking the opponent out but also denying them specific spaces. If a bullet is bouncing through a corridor, opponents will avoid it in fear of being hit, or waste a bullet in the hopes of clearing it out.
This is a variation on the traditional arena shooter formula that many will crave, especially with the numerous game modes. Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are present for time-limited shooting, while Capture the Flag allows players to see how many points they can score whilst avoiding bullets and carrying a flag. Last Man Standing is by far the most stressful. It is already easy enough to be hit by a stray bullet, so not being able to respawn adds to that already existing pressure.
With a capacity for eight players, Butsbal gives you the sleek and clean arena shooter experience with an area denial twist. This is definitely a game worth grabbing.
Super Ledgehop: Double Laser is a twin stick shooting adventure crafted by ChairGTables, a uniquely named indie dev and speedrunner. Players will follow the Chizuru, a cute anime girl who is excited to be here and wants to find her big brother — if only she knew who he was. Unfortunately for her, the government seems to be going nuts, so she might as well save him and take them down at the same time.
Armed with her BB gun, Chizuru will run through dozens of levels in an attempt to reach her brother, taking down lackeys, cannons and bosses alike. The key here is that her shots are quite weak, but can be empowered with the strength of song if she shoots at the exact moment of the beat. That’s right, this is a rhythm shooter.
The music keeps everything in game moving forward, with an assistant at the top to help players visualize when the down beat occurs in the music if not entirely clear. Consistently shooting on the beat and hitting enemies helps give better multipliers for the player, with audible ‘NICE’ phrases at times to keep players informed. Taking damage will ruin this streak, however, so keeping that in mind is crucial.
The other key feature of Super Ledgehop: Double Laser is the ability to deflect and ‘absorb’ enemy bullets. After understanding the basics, Chizuru’s uncle will give her a bracelet that allows her to deflect bullets back to their source. However, by holding that same button the bracelet will freeze the bullets that touch her, and all those touching that bullet, in place. After a brief moment, all of these bullets will be added to the player’s arsenal and can be scrolled through. This new ammunition also can be amplified by the music, turning simple fireballs in to a massive flamethrower or an ice shot in to a full length rink of ice. It makes combat even more dynamic as players use their enemy’s attacks against them and adapt to how those attacks are crafted.
Super Ledgehop also features witty and ridiculous dialogue surrounding Chizuru’s attempts to save a brother she didn’t know she had. She runs in to strange yet hilarious counterparts to her own nonsense, from a Default Character to one who has a sister complex. All in the glorious name of allowing Chizuru to call people Cheeseheads. It’s utterly ridiculous, but in the most fun way possible, giving you top notch fun while laughing along. If you love twin-stick shooters and wanted a little more nonsense sprinkled in, this is a perfect game to grab.
