If you’ve ever walked past a building site and wanted to get your hands on one of those menacing pneumatic drills, then GunDrill might be the game of your dreams. The indie, 2D platformer showcases beautiful colors reminiscent of the wild west, and requires you to mine for monsters.
The monsters, in fact, should be avoided at all costs, as it’s actually a substance known as “Ore” that you seek. GunDrill’s dystopian setting pits a mysterious soldier against the terror that lies beneath the surface. Equipped with the titular weapon - that’s both a gun and a drill - the soldier must dig deep to score some Ore and bring it back to an ambiguous train traveling through the alien world. Its premise may sound bleak, but its gameplay footage looks like action-packed fun.
The mines - in which you will delve so deeply into - are rife with Ore, but unfortunately, the monsters that dwell there are not too keen to see their home being scavenged. As a means of attack, the GunDrill can be aimed in four different directions, including down to ride the weapon like a pogo stick and double-tapping in any given direction to trigger the tool’s firearm mechanics. Aside from protecting you against worm-like beasties and slithering eyeballs, the GunDrill can also help you to pass through various blocks by using the latter part of its name. The gun element can also be used for blasting obstacles out of the way, but it's not as effective as the drill.
GunDrill is currently in its demo phase but fans of the limited gameplay can support the project’s progression by donating through its Itch.io page. Alpha Beta Gamer mentioned that the current build is a “little too easy” but praised its pixel art and fun action gameplay. Its colorful, other-worldly setting should be applauded - thanks to artist Zoya Schultz - as well as its accompanying score by Brain Mowat - a thought-provoking soundtrack amidst some atmospheric synth riffs mixed with the wild west harmonica melodies of the track Desert Plains.