Graphics and Audio
The graphics for Gunblitz are what is to be expected from a 2D shooter, but at the same time they seem to do the job. The art style is fairly simple and overall has a comic book feel to it. The background seems to be one solid picture that is just rotating continuously, much as you would see in older movies when they were filming car chases or horseback scenes.
For a 2D game, Rapture has managed to do some pretty cool stuff with the ships in the game. There is one enemy type in particular who start out as satellites that appear to be part of the background. These satellites then morph into ships right in front of your eyes and begin attacking you. I only saw this particular strategy used in one level during my play time, but I can only hope and assume they use it later on in the game.
The audio in the game is limited to the music, which normally would be a bit upsetting to me seeing as how I like the artistic value of video games which includes the voice acting and performances, but with the type of game that Gunblitz is, it works for me. The music is very simple, yet varied. Each level has a different tune that you rock out to as you shatter line after line of your foe’s defenses. The music is exciting and well placed so that you get the proper feeling on each level and at the correct time, and since you only spend a short amount of time on each level it doesn’t get old. I do find the menu music slightly annoying, but just try to avoid spending too much time in the menu and it is a non-issue. I did notice that the music cannot be turned down in game. The sound effects can, but the music can only be turned down outside of game, which is needed because it seems to be overly loud.
The other sound effects in the game are where it starts to fall short. Most of them seem to be rather generic and flat, from the sound of the guns to ships being destroyed and your guns being vented it doesn’t really do the rest of the game justice. They just aren’t exciting and seem out of place in a fast paced shooter like this. I would prefer that amongst the music, the chaos of the fight, and explosions that I have no idea what is going on and what sound is coming from where. Instead what I get is a chaotic game with exhilarating music, but rather flat audio other than that. Luckily the other audio is quiet and it doesn’t distract too much from the music and other excitement of the game.
