Gunlock is a simple single screen arcade style scoreathon, featuring an en vogue Game Boy™ pixel art style and pallet.

Evocative of arcade and home console video games of the 80s, the action takes place in a arena that wraps at the edges with the goal to either kill or be killed. Your performance in Gunlock is measured by combo multipliers and total score. Progression is made by defeating bosses to unlock further arenas and by collecting dropped nuggets. Nuggets are then spent on further weapons and colour pallets. I did not enjoy all of the guns available and found myself selecting my favorite 3, but this does give you the option choosing how you want to play and is a welcome option.

The mechanics of the game are explained well enough in a brief tutorial level and can be expressed with a keyboard and mouse or controller. Having tried both control options I found that unsurprisingly I was more accurate with a mouse than a analog stick or steam controller touch pad. The action felt tangible enough through the controls that any failure felt like it was my fault rather than any fault of my controls.

The enemies come at you in waves, getting progressively trickier but also fair as you advance. I felt like each enemy was teaching me something about the game and its mechanics or at least reminding me. Once you have dispatched with enough foes the arena boss makes an appearance to give you a final exam, and can take a few tries to master.

The art style is very well realised but distracting at times. I found myself not noticing enemies due to the colour pallet on occasion. However once I had locked in a zen state with the game this ceased to be an issue. I can appreciate why the game has the art style it has, and if had one thing I could say to the developer it would be to carry on with the pixel art style because you clearly have developed a talent for it, but I would like to see more colour in future titles.

The sound design and music is fitting for the aesthetic, featuring 8bit tones and noise layered with the odd wild west whistle. I enjoyed the sound and music, it feels appropriate for the action happening on screen. There is a lack of sound from the enemies (unless I just didn’t notice) but I feel this may have been overkill, as the game strikes a nice balance between gunfire and music.

I really enjoy Gunlock, it's a great game to easily spend a few rounds or an hour on. It requires no investment from the player other than the development of your ability to improve and reach higher scores. While there are a few minor things that nagged me about the game overall I would recommend this game and say that it is worth your time and money, especially if you enjoy polished retro style arcade games.