Video Game Review: Fury Unleashed

Fury Unleashed

Awesome Game Studio

Action/Roguelike

Nintendo Switch

When I was younger, one of my favorite Super Nintendo games was Contra III: The Alien Wars. The side-scrolling run and gun gameplay was fantastic, and constantly trying to get better so I could actually beat the entire game in one playthrough kept me coming back for more. I didn’t grow up during the arcade era of gaming though, so I didn’t discover other games in the genre like Metal Slug until around the PlayStation 2 era. Still, those types of gaming experiences have left their mark on me, and I’ve been wanting to find something that scratches that same itch.

Fury Unleashed is a roguelike action platformer that sort of carries the same energy as Contra and Metal Slug. Players will assume control of Fury, a cool and tough comic book character that runs and shoots stuff. Players will take Fury through various scenarios that fill the pages of multi-genre comic books. The game utilizes a combo system that enhances the character’s strength as they defeat enemies in rapid succession. The combo system is what really helps Fury Unleashed stand out on its own. High combos not only activate conditions but lead to better loot drops too. The system encourages aggressive gameplay and forces the player to play at the game’s own tempo rather than taking a slow and methodical approach.

The action moves along smoothly thanks to the crisp controls. Players will shoot with the right analog stick, allowing for free aim. The controls are mapped well allowing for easy access to jumps, special moves, and melee attacks. The physics works well, making the platforming intuitive and fair, though its nothing spectacular.

Fury Unleashed truly shines due to the gunplay and the upgrade systems. As a roguelike, players are expected to fail over and over again. It’s not an easy game, and the recommended “Hard Mode” doesn’t hold the player’s hand at all. Players will need to learn the ins and outs of Fury Unleashed and become proficient at the game’s flow before they will make any real progress. Dying means starting over, but players won’t lose everything. Experience and levels ups carry over between runs, allowing players to upgrade their characters and gain more for the combos that they build. The system feels good and it’s nice to have a character that grows with the player.

Like most games in the genre, Fury Unleashed supports local cooperative play for two pals that just want to shoot stuff. The cooperative mode works a lot like the singleplayer version. There isn’t any compromise in this mode except that players need to stay relatively close to each other due to sharing the same screen. We noticed some frame rate drops when playing with two players which hurt the experience just a little. Still, the game is just as enjoyable with a friend as it is alone.

The stages are randomly generated leading to a bit of luck in every run. The layouts, enemies, and weapons that players will run into will never be the same, giving the game tons of replayability. Players can’t simply memorize patterns to excel in Fury Unleashed, they will need to genuinely get better at the game. Still, sometimes the player will get a bad hand, and those who don’t like the random elements of roguelike games might be a bit hesitant to give this one a try.

Visually, Fury Unleashed is pleasing, though it might take a second to get used to. The game uses cartoonish visuals that make the tone a little more friendly than some of its predecessors. It doesn’t look too serious, and the visuals will likely be appreciated by younger audiences most. The graphics aren’t astounding, but none of the visuals are a distraction, which is ideal for a game like this. The music is fantastic, with tunes composed by Adam Skorupa and Krzysztof Wierzynkiewicz (Known for their work on The Witcher).

Fans of the classic run and gun shooters will find plenty to enjoy in Fury Unleashed. Those who like roguelike elements will certainly appreciate the challenge and the unique combo system. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s an enjoyable experience that easy to pick up and play by yourself or with a friend.