Luckslinger Review (PC)

Luck is a core mechanic in most games nowadays, largely through the random generators employed by developers to govern systems like the loot ones, or even through the procedural elements that govern the levels and their actual content.

However, very few games actually allow players to mess with their luck, as only complex RPGs, like Fallout, truly give players a chance to invest in their luck and have tangible advantages, or disadvantages, because of it.

Luckslinger, coming from indie studio Duckbridge, allows players to manipulate their luck and takes things even further, as players can summon their lucky stars while traveling through this side-scrolling action platformer.

Throw in the Wild West setting, plus some surprising yet awesome hip-hop beats, and Luckslinger is definitely a title that stands out from the pack.

Does the new game manage to get lucky or should players try their luck with another title? Let's find out.

Story

The story in Luckslinger is a pretty simple one, as you're a bounty hunter who, after receiving a mystical gold bracelet, can manipulate his luck as long as he actually has it. You can get bits of luck from enemies that you kill, alongside cash or hearts, which are in pretty limited supply.

You reach the town of Clovercreek, a small settlement that's out of luck after six bandits stole the precious luck charms. It's up to you, being a kind-hearted and profit-oriented bounty hunter, to find the bad guys and show them that their luck has run out.

The whole plot is straightforward but the characters, the tone of the conversations, and all sorts of other things pay homage to the famous spaghetti westerns that reigned supreme decades ago.

Activate your luck in Luckslinger

Gameplay

In terms of gameplay, the actual luck system makes a key difference and elevates Luckslinger miles above other side-scrolling action platformers. As you kill enemies and become luckier, you can shoot more powerful bullets, see enemy bullets dodge you, or see a special platform manifest in front of you in order to save you from falling into oblivion.

However, as you get shot, your luck tends to run out. This manifests itself as objects falling apart, bridges or platforms dismantling beneath your feet, or surprise enemy spawns.

Besides these luck-based random things, you can also summon your luck by pressing a button and, for a short time, anything that happens to you is inherently lucky. This can often represent the difference between life and a painful restart during tough fights or boss battles.

Luck aside, the game is also a pretty competent side-scrolling platformer, allowing fans to wield their revolver against all sorts of foes, ranging from different outlaws to tricky armadillos or aggressive eagles.

You can jump or roll to avoid most of the aforementioned dangers, but the controls don't always register. The same goes for the reload function, which can be quite essential in some situations where you have to take out multiple foes in quick succession. You can resort to your throwing knife, but most of the times you'll forget about it.

The levels are pretty well designed and there are even special portions where you gamble to get unique items, such as a boomerang or a shotgun, which can also help you on your journey. You can even play Russian roulette to really test your luck, while visiting stores and NPCs back in Clovercreek.

Special mention goes to the duck companion that flies around you. Depending on your luck, the feathered creature can help distract foes and keep them from firing, or retrieve things like hearts or throwing knives.

The respawn and reload systems are also a bit confusing, at least at first. You have several respawns that take you back to your last checkpoint, but once you deplete them, you'll be taken way back to the beginning of the level. This can prove a bit frustrating, depending on how close you were to the final scene of that chapter.

Ride through town in Luckslinger

Visuals and Sound

Luckslinger uses a simplistic pixelated visual style, but even if it doesn't exude the extra elements developers usually add to their pixels, it still paints a decent picture and manages to keep things simple.

While the brief mention of a spaghetti western theme can easily elicit thoughts of rapid piano solos and country music, Luckslinger goes on a drastically different route. It employs some pretty impressive hip-hop beats throughout your adventures.

Conversations, instead of being voiced, are brought to life via vinyl scratches, and even the loading screens show the protagonist performing all sorts of hip-hop-related activities, from breakdancing to shooting basketball shots and other things. While you might end up hearing the same main themes depending on your luck and restarts, things stay pretty varied through the game's levels.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion