Shakedown: Hawaii could also be a cold 2D parody of Grand Theft Auto with nary a swear or drug reference in sight, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a deeply cynical game from the hour or so I’ve performed to date. Out immediately, it’s the sequel to Retro City Rampage, developer Vblank Entertainment’s earlier joke-a-minute GTA parody. This time they’ve traded within the pseudo-NES sprites for SNES period color and definition, though the game’s story of an ’80s company head making an attempt to remain related within the day of gamer-branded gentle drinks and VR arcades is as modern because it will get. See the launch trailer under.
While a number of greyed out menus recommend that the monetary juggling a part of the game will turn out to be extra prevalent later, the Shakedown: Hawaii I do know for now’s similar to its predecessor. It’s a lightweight, playful parody of Grand Theft Auto the place cops are expendable, the place your wished meter is not any motive to sluggish your rampage on the best way to the following mission, and the ammo is plentiful. A bounce button lets you sure throughout gaps in some ranges, or off the roofs of automobiles to be able to goomba-stomp some passing no one to be able to steal their money. It’s vibrant, loud and dumb.
The missions I’ve performed to date are rapid-fire with minimal padding. No drive to an goal has been over ten seconds, give or take, and the cutscenes a brief and to the purpose; cash. Playing because the pot-bellied, balding former chief of an ’80s enterprise/felony empire, you’re out to flee chapter. This includes shutting down NotAmazon deliveries (with weapons), cornering the VR funding market (with VR weapons), and promoting cola with on-line game XP boosters included (by some means, additionally with weapons).
GTA 5 was outlined by its fixed misanthropy, and what I’ve performed of Shakedown: Hawaii appears much less keen on telling jokes than it’s in referencing and pining for a golden age that by no means was. This is a world the place consoles bombard you with adverts earlier than letting you play, and the place controllers want their batteries continuously altering. A world of streaming video (clearly “just a fad”) and YouTube and your grey-haired protagonist understands none of it. So far, I recognise no Game Genies or cameos from Contra, however I see a well-recognized world twisted with a fun-house mirror.
Whether Shakedown: Hawaii is any good? I’m actually not sure – I’ll must play extra. The controls are snappy and responsive, however to date the game hasn’t actually challenged me, and the jokes to date really feel extra offended than humorous. Initial evaluations appear in every single place, too. Only one factor is definite – it’s out now, prices £15/€20/$20, and is (briefly) unique to the Epic Store here.
