Bronana brings innovation to a well-trodden genre. If you have played Brotato or Vampire Survivors, you’ll know what to expect. However, random events, RNG, and a healthy dollop of mental snacks stand in your way. Accordingly, you must think fast as you annihilate everything in your way.
This roguelike bullet hell title was developed and published by busy bear. Moreover, it is a single-player isometric game that is colourful and pleasant to look at. There is a smattering of Hades ideas as each room offers unique upgrades, cash, or additional experience. As such, you must choose wisely as you tackle each of the 20 hellish arenas.
Bronana has no story.
Though it wasn’t necessary, Bronana has no story. As far as I know, you are a cool banana who is trying to save their motherland. The wave of annoyed fruits and snacks wish to stop you as you perform your heroic task. Furthermore, some gigantic bosses wish to smash you as you progress.
This approach isn’t fresh. Yet, the inclusion of a blacksmith, merchant, the devil, a beggar, and a spin-the-wheel game of chance helps to mix things up. Moreover, there are bounties to complete that add a sense of danger and trepidation. This was great as I found core gameplay to be easier than its peers. Consequently, the layers of chance and luck ensure that it isn’t a walk in the park.
Genre typical mechanics.
Each arena has a set timescale. If you can survive the countdown or you eliminate every foe, you move to the next room. At the end of each round, you have the chance to randomly spawn a vendor. Each of these helpful individuals can improve your gear or offer new equipment.
I stuck with ranged weapons as they were more useful and powerful than the melee alternatives. Subsequently, the action is slightly unbalanced and genre purists will grumble at this problem. I’m sure the developers will adjust this element to get the balance just right.
As you progress, you can find items to improve an array of stats. Furthermore, there are different bananas to unlock to test unique character builds. I rarely found that the opening attributes impacted the action negatively and this was a shame. It would have been nice had there been a clear line between each skill and ability, but this wasn’t to be.
Bronana looks great.
Though the gameplay may lack balance, graphically, it looks great. The vibrant colours are eye-catching and the characters are evil and amusing. I enjoyed the varied backdrops but wish that there were more environmental challenges. Strangely, you can run through obstacles and there are no pits, spikes, or fiery holes to avoid. This was a mistake from the developer and I believe these hazards should be included.
The audio is upbeat, fun, and aggressive. The soundtrack plays out without overpowering the action. However, the sound effects slap you in the face. The noise is crazy as you sprint across each arena and decimate every monster you encounter.
Excellent controls.
This is a Steam Deck-compatible title. As such, you can play it with a mouse and keyboard or gamepad. No matter which option I selected, Bronana plays perfectly. The inputs are responsive and the layout is intuitive. Furthermore, the UI is easy to navigate. As such, this is easy to play from the off.
There is plenty of replay value and longevity. If you love this genre and you want an amusing alternative, this will be up your street. Though I found it slightly imbalanced and a little easy to play, I wanted to return for more.
Bronana is fun but not perfect.
This genre keeps producing great indie games. The action is fun and I adore the casual experience, but Bronana isn’t perfect. The gameplay balance is off and it isn’t as tough as I’d have liked. Moreover, the progression system has minuscule increments and this may frustrate. However, I enjoyed it despite these issues. The graphics and audio are great and it was easy to master. Accordingly, despite the minor shortcomings, I recommend buying it here! Can you master your banana? Pick your weapon, select your abilities, and annihilate everything in sight.
