Mighty Goose
Developed by Blastmode/MP2 Games
Published by PLAYISM
Released for Xbox One/Series (6/5/2021)
Optimized for Xbox Series X|S
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4/PS5/Switch
INTRO
Just from taking a quick glance at the preview screenshots for Mighty Goose, it's obvious from the artwork of the tank vehicle that it was paying tribute to the run & gun classic series Metal Slug. Immediately intrigued and always on the lookout for a good new run & gun action experience, this one had been on my radar for some time now. Finally, close to a year after its release and after missing it's run on Game Pass, I finally got around to dedicating some time to play through Mighty Goose (brought to us from Netherlands-based developer Blastmode), so without further ado let's get right into it and see if it's worth your dollars & time...
PRESENTATION
Right off the bat, Mighty Goose impresses with some very colorful & detailed pixel graphics. The menus are simple and easy to navigate. The explosions look awesome and are quite the spectacle. The soundtrack, composed by Dominic Ninmark (Blazing Chrome), is a blend of rock/jazz music and is easily one of the highlights of the overall package. There's a decent variety of enemy designs and they're all fun to blow to smithereens. Unless you just really dislike pixel-art, there's little to complain about with Mighty Goose in regards to the overall presentation...everything looks and sounds good.
GAMEPLAY/CONTROLS
Mighty Goose plays like your standard 2D run 'n gun shooter. While the jump felt a tad floaty at first, I quickly warmed up to it and the controls are tight enough to handle any situation the game throws at you once you get a feel for them. There are several different gun pick-ups available, including a machine gun and electric gun that arcs into nearby enemies. These weapons are devastating but limited in ammunition, similar to how the weapon pick-ups in Metal Slug work. As you kill enemies, you'll build up a meter and when this is filled up will enable you to unleash Mighty Mode. In Mighty Mode you're near invulnerable and have increased firepower until the meter has drained out. Along the way, you'll also come across several vehicles (another element from Metal Slug) that can be hopped into. These help mix-up the gameplay and there's a decent variety of vehicles including a tank, mech and jet. At the end of each stage you'll face off against a boss and while none of them are all that memorable or challenging, it was fun blasting through all of them to see what's next. Mighty Goose is basically an homage to the old Metal Slug games, though it lacks the stiff challenge of those old quarter munchers which might turn off hardcore fans of the genre. Personally, I had a fun time playing through the game despite the fact that it didn't really pose much of a challenge.
ARMORY
From the main menu you can access the armory, which allows you to assign perks, secondary weapons and companions. These will be locked initially, but as you play through the campaign you'll slowly unlock these. There's a nice range of perks, with minor upgrades like speed boosts or double jumps and major perks like a remote assistance partner or even "power of the gods" which basically makes you invincible with infinite ammo, charges and mighty meter. You'll have to play through the game to unlock power of the gods, so you can't just go in with god mode enabled. The use of the perks is balanced with an energy meter, with the better perks taking up 50% of the energy and the lesser ones anywhere from 20-40%, which limits how many perks you can have active at once.
The secondary weapons present a decent amount of variety, with stuff ranging from a magic hourglass that slows down time, a pillar of flames that can be summoned or skeleton allies that can be summoned to fight alongside you. There's also the useless goose honk, which just simply has your goose make a honking sound. This one's good for those looking to get the maximum challenge from the game. There's also a number of companions to select from, with 7 in total that have to be found in the campaign in order to be selected in the armory. They all have different methods of attack and can also be controlled by a 2nd-player via local co-op (no online though). The armory menu provides some nice options for those looking to make the game a bit easier and the option to have a second player join in is always welcome.
SETTINGS/OPTIONS
While simple, the settings menu provides some nice accessibility options. Auto-fire can be toggled so you don't have to mash the fire button constantly. There are some nice cosmetic settings which allow you to disable or enable screen shake, flashing screens and slow-motion events. Rounding out the solid options is the ability to outline enemy projectiles, which highlights bullets to make them stand out more.
CLOSING
If you're a fan of 2D run & gunners, particularly the Metal Slug series, you may want to check out Mighty Goose. There are several reasons why this one's worth a play for genre fans: the excellent pixel art, the awesome synth-rock/jazzy soundtrack, polished presentation and tight controls all make this one a joy to play. While not quite as challenging as your typical run & gunner, the new game + mode will offer some incentive for replay and an increase in difficulty.
The biggest issue with Mighty Goose is the difficulty, or lack thereof, when compared to your standard entries in the genre. Experienced vets will likely blast their way straight through this one with only a few deaths along the way. This makes Mighty Goose a good entry-point for those interested in the genre or even those who want a more chill run & gun that doesn't require every sense to be heightened just to complete a stage. In the end I'd say Mighty Goose is worth checking out, though the initial asking price of $20 is a bit high considering how short the game is though, so you may want to hold out for a sale.
Final Verdict: If you enjoy 2D run & gun games (especially Metal Slug), you might want to check out Mighty Goose. Great art, awesome music, fast-paced action and solid controls make this a highly enjoyable experience.
Purchase Links:
Buy Mighty Goose - Xbox Store
Buy Mighty Goose - Xbox Store
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