Thank you Aleski Rajamaki, Matias Rajamaki, and Codera for sending us this game to review!

PuzzGun is a 2D retro styled puzzle solving platformer game by Aleski Rajamaki and Matias Rajamaki with easy-to-pick-up gameplay. The controls are easy to learn, and on level one you are shown a detailed illustration of each function. You play as a cowboy who decides he wants to explore a mysterious castle owned by an evil wizard. Apparently, nobody that entered the castle was ever seen again, and he wants to be an exception, of course. The wizard sees you right away, however, and “enslaves” you to the castle “forever.” Once you complete the 63 levels in the game (21 levels per section, no skipping levels), you will be freed from the castle.

Your objective in each level is to reach the rainbow gem, which can be anywhere in the level. You can jump up to two blocks high. To help you reach the gem, you can shoot only gray blocks in your way to make them disappear, become bouncy (make you spring upward when stepped on) or to spawn a green block next to or on top of it to make it easier to reach some place with the gun in your hand. These effects depend on the ammo type you shot the blocks with. Ammo is limited harshly, but just barely enough to complete the level is provided. You may have to collect it, though.

To collect ammo (if necessary), you will need to find the spinning colored cubes in the level. They could be right next to your spawning point or across the level. If they happen to be across the level, you will most likely spawn with some ammo. The different colored spinning cubes (collectible ammo) associate with the different ammo types. The green cubes will spawn a green block next to or above a grey block. Blue cubes give you ammo that will make a block disappear, and a yellow cube will make a block bouncy, meaning you will spring upward when you step on that block.

Like most games, there are a few things you can do that will kill you. These include falling off of the map and contacting spikes, spinning razor-like gears, and deadly lasers. When you die of any cause you will turn into a bunch of red pixels in a sort of splashing formation.

The controls are rather simple, but still require explaining, which the first level provides. Left-click to shoot your gun, right-click or scroll to swap ammo types. Use your mouse to aim. A to move left, D to move right and W or Space to jump. E for map, Q for playing tips, and R to restart the level. Often doing something in the wrong order will cause you to have to restart.

In story scenes, the graphics are formed by somewhat large pixels. However, the art in these scenes is descriptive and detailed and ultimately very pretty. I find the art style interesting in a good way. In the normal levels the pixels are much bigger and compliment the retro style better.

The music that plays in each level is as far as I know the same, but it goes in a pretty large loop and I like it because it is very calming and keeps me from getting super frustrated at the game when I can’t figure out how to complete one of the puzzles.

PuzzGun can be puzzling and frustrating at times, but YouTube videos and walkthroughs are very helpful if you get stuck. I found PuzzGun to be a very enjoyable title with no moral issues besides cartoon violence. To anyone looking for a fun puzzle game I would recommend PuzzGun. I look forward to future games made by these developers.