Bounty hunting is nothing new. Where there are criminals, there will always be heroes who put them in their place. Even in the distant future, lawless aliens will need to be rounded up and made to pay for their crimes. Mighty Goose explores this possibility with its fast-paced all-out shooting fun.
Developed by Blastmode and published by Playism, this is an arcade run and gun title filled with retro vibes. You control a beefcake goose who must take down every enemy he faces. Honk, shoot, and pillage your way to victory. Bad guys need to pay, and only a burly space goose has the balls and skills to make it work.
Mighty Goose is loaded with arcade fun.
Run and Gun shooters are so easy to get wrong. Developers can go OTT on the manic action, without focusing on layers of depth and challenge. Luckily, Mighty Goose has all the mayhem in abundance, but it also has elements of strategy and customisation that allow you to alter the gameplay.
There are plenty of primary and secondary weapons to choose from, war machines to drive, skill chips to allocate, and companions to team up with. Every gamers experience will differ, yet everyone will enjoy the same high-energy arcade gameplay from start to finish.
Every stage is unique.
It was easy to fall for the retro charm that oozes from Mighty Goose. The side-scrolling perspective moves smoothly through each of the unique stages. You will leap from moving trains, free prisoners, be forced to battle to the death, and more. I loved the imagination and variety of missions that you undertook.
Nothing screams old-school arcade title more than monstrous screen-filling bosses. Every beast you face sends shivers down your spine as they leap from side to side, firing projectiles, making your life a misery. As with most enemies, it’s simply a case of learning their attack pattern and finding their weaknesses. Yet, this is easier said than done as death is all but guaranteed. Your toasted goose carcass lies on the ground, and you must rethink your approach and try again.
The world of Mighty Goose is wonderful to explore.
From the main base hub to each world you explore, Mighty Goose is a wonderful pixelated adventure. The simple yet striking graphics show off a modern arcade aesthetic. The sprites all vary, and each has a level of detail to make them easily identifiable. Whether your foes are dropping from the sky, spawning in front of you, or rolling from the side, the action is always smooth. The firing and punching animation is clean, and the vehicles all generate a sense of speed as they blast around the levels. The stages have layers of complexity that make each standout, and I never tired of progressing my journey.
When you have a sound team that has worked on some great indie titles, you know this will be a winner. Dominic Ninmark has composed tracks for; Moonrider, Blazing Chrome, and Gravity Circuit. His magical touch has excelled with an eclectic mix of synth-rock and funky-jazz fusion progressions. It was a brilliant combination that helped drive the gameplay forward and to set the scene. This, combined with the loud crashing sounds of munitions blaring, worked a treat. The audio was just what I expected for an arcade title, but the quality was higher than I could ever hoped for.
The well-designed UI makes playing this a cinch.
I’m not all about an easy life, but when a developer comes up with a simple control system, I’m one thrilled gamer. The clean-cut and easy-to-understand UI made learning and playing this a walk in the park. Selecting your companion, secondary or primary weapon, and navigating the landscape was easily achieved. Furthermore, the lack of latency issues and responsive controls enhanced the playability.
Arcade titles are renowned for their replay value. Even if they are short, they are usually addictive and get under your skin. Mighty Goose has combined moderate gameplay with an NG+ mode and the desire to keep playing. Veteran gamers will mow through the levels and will use their ungodly skills to annihilate every boss. Yet, they will find the NG+ mode challenging. Completionists need only finish the game to unlock most achievements, with some grinding required for the remaining few. You’ll have plenty of reasons to return to this inexpensive arcade shooter.
Mighty Goose ticks all the boxes.
It isn’t always easy to pick the correct casual game. Everyone has to have a game they can turn to between their triple-A marathons, and I believe Mighty Goose could be that title. The levels are short enough to try with limited time, and the action is interesting enough to keep you wanting to play. Excellent graphics, a wonderful soundtrack, brilliant concept, and unique levels made this stand out from its peers. I loved it and recommend you buy it here! If you ever need a bounty hunter, give the goose a call!
