This is a very streamlined game - the combat is stripped to simple but versatile rules, there's no ammo pickups or inventory sorting, and the story gives you only as much as is needed to get you shooting up the next level. The downside is that the plot is very Video Game™, though the companion characters are still likeable and have fun dialogue. The upside is that Showgunners plays smoothly, with each character really having a unique playstyle that you can still get used to quickly because of how no-frills the combat rules are. My main complaint is that I wish the reality tv angle was expanded on - before the game released, I really hoped there would be more interviews to do, a stupid gameshow the characters would hate doing, artificial drama drummed up by the producers. I understand it's not what the game wanted to be, but I'm still sad this setup wasn't used to its full potential, I was looking forward to it. :( I don't regret buying it on release and I'm wishing Artificer that they get to follow up on that sequel hook at the end. I would be happy to see another game with these characters and get to know them better.
The visuals in this game are very good, way above usual VN standards; there's a lot of effects and animations, and the backgrounds and sprites are uniformly solid. The story is solid, too - it's way less branching than Cinders, the studio's other VN - it offers less incentive to replay it to get a different endingbut as a tradeoff, it's longer and more complex. It's definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of VNs, and on sale it's a downright steal.
It's been a while since I've last played Cinders, but the branching story and the depth of character the four leading women have are had left a big impression me. I'm very happy to be seeing this title on GOG - it's an engrossing VN with so many ways to shape protagonist's story. You can be sympathetic to your step-family, you can be a sleuth and a go-getter, you can escape from your dreary life into the arms of a handsome man, you can be a ruthless schemer on a warpath. This game is a gem. My biggest gripe is that the love interests aren't that gripping - Perrault was my favorite, and I enjoyed the conflict in his route, but the other two were less interesting. I didn't mind, though - the relationships in Cinders' family, and her deciding on a path in life, are the center of the story, and they have enough depth to make up for it.
