There's a Vietnam veteran yelling past you as he fires indiscriminately in your direction. Each one has unique voiced lines that hint at their personality and the way they'll try to take out down. Huntdown has plenty of creative enemy design, but the bosses are where the game really shines. The only place where cover is essential is during the plentiful boss encounters. After all, most foes go down with a few shots from even your basic handgun, so you can unload if you feel danger is just ahead. There are tests all over the levels to remind you to take cover, but you can often avoid them once you know they're coming. It's not quite as smooth as the cover in Gears of War, but it fits right into the gameplay loop before too long. Whether you're ducking into an adjacent alley or leaning against a crate, your chosen bounty hunter will duck out of harm's way waiting for their perfect next shot. One new trick is an optional but vital cover system. One more positive? The enemies chunk up real good. It's not just a retro game, it's an opportunity to teach an old dog new tricks. You never feel like you're fighting the game, and veterans can jump right in after testing each of the buttons once. This core gameplay feels just as good in 2020 as you play Huntdown.

Each bullet lands where you need it to, each jump has just the right arc, and each enemy goes down with strategy instead of dumb luck. Beyond their looks, these two games excel because of their tight controls. You've got the action movie stylings of the early Contra titles and the more cartoonish Metal Slug. Even decades later, you think of two names when you think of side-scrolling shooters. Why is that? Let's start with the gameplay. It's a familiar setup, especially if you're old enough to remember the days of countless beat 'em ups in your local arcade. Even amongst a current sea of revivals, few have done it better recently than Easy Trigger Games. Run and jump alone wor with a friend through twenty colorful cityscapes, each with its own deranged boss fight and unique theming. Your tools? Everything from handguns and throwing knives to 50 cal cannons to an electric guitar. You're hired to clean the streets by wiping out a quartet of gangs, each deadlier than the last. You play as one of three bounty hunters, John Sawyer, Anna Conda, or the robotic Mow Man. What's wrong? They just want you to come out and play! Who Do You Play As In Huntdown? Presenting a passionate tribute to the grimy action movies I love, Huntdown is a masterclass in how to make side-scrolling shooting relevant in the modern age. Thankfully, in this case, I didn't need to worry. It's made me wary of any game that goes heavily into the decade I love, and that made me wary when I loaded up Huntdown. This nostalgic urge has led me towards loads of disappointing games that rely on their radical theming to hide their so-so gameplay. It may not be the same for everyone, but there's something so alluring to me personally about the mixture of gaudy neon lights, huge hairstyles, and saxophones on every soundtrack.

Huntdown platforms