Gonner is a flashy 2D platformer/shooter with roguelike elements. There is plenty to see and unlock, but its best to remain purposefully vague on this point. The game is designed to bloom slowly, revealing itself to the player in layers. I don't intend to spoil that for anyone. The game isn't shy about being hostile to new players. The first time you book up the game, you won't know what's going on and the game offers you no guidance. It's up to you to figure out what all the flashy icons on the HUD mean, what you need to do, what this or that item does. You're going to die. A lot. But the more you exert yourself, the more the game rewards you. There are secrets, various unlockables and cool design flourishes dished out in spades to those who are willing to work with the game on its own terms. If you run out of patience quickly or you don't enjoy the basic tenants of the roguelike genre, I'd advise you to pass on this one. A lot of indie games have been designing around this 'hard roguelike' trope that's been so popular recently. Gonner stands out among them simply for its overall level of polish. The graphics are dripping with personality, the controls are tight, the sound design is impeccable (seriously, bravo to the sound designer). In the 2010's my favorite games have been hard little indie gems like 1001 Spikes, Super Meat Boy and Nuclear Throne. I don't know if Gonner has the staying power or depth of these games (I'd be lying if I said I had an understanding of the full scope of Gonner after 10 or so hours), but, if you're looking to scratch an itch for a difficult, twitchy platformer/shooter, your 10 bucks would be well invested here.
