14 DAY TRIAL // 
Creating a turn-based strategy game that could stand out from other similar titles and not be compared to XCOM is a complicated task. Although Showgunners borrows a lot of things from XCOM, it adds its own twist on the formula.
Developed by Artificer, Showgunners combines turn-based combat, exploration and puzzles to offer XCOM fans a fresh perspective on the genre. In between heavy tactical turn-based battles, you’ll be exploring arenas in search of money and gear, while avoiding traps and solving simple, yet clever puzzles.
In Showgunners, you play as Scarlett, an ex-cop turned bounty hunter, who is looking to avenge the murder of her family. Surprisingly, the game has a compelling story told through stylized cutscenes that remind me of XCOM: Chimera Squad.
Set in a dystopian future, Showgunners is built around a reality show called Homicidal All-Stars, a violent tournament in which participants fight to the death. But since this is a show and people must be entertained, every death must be as brutal as possible. Considering that most of the participants are either volunteers like Scarlett who have something important they want to achieve or death-row inmates, Homicidal All-Stars is terribly bloody.
Scarlett must progress through a string of arenas to finally face the serial killer the murdered her family. Each arena introduces new enemies that become more powerful as you progress. These aren’t procedurally generated, but that doesn’t detract from the fun at all.
Before entering each new locale, Scarlett and her unexpected companions must find the entrance through a maze-like area riddled with traps, puzzles and loot boxes. Apart from actual money that can be used to purchase weapons and consumables, Showgunners introduces another type of currency that makes perfect sense: fame.
Fame is gained through kills, victories and by signing autographs. Once Scarlett reaches a certain fame level, she can choose a sponsor that will provide her with some very cool benefits. Many sponsors will only unlock if Scarlett has a certain number of personality points, which can be obtained by signing autographs for the fans.
The list of sponsors and the benefits they offer is visible from the beginning of the game so that you can plan ahead. It’s a neat system that not only adds the fun factor to the game, but also a very helpful mechanic the lets you further min-max your team composition.
Scarlett won’t be fighting alone in the arena, but her companions will be introduced gradually as you advance the story. Each character is well fleshed-out and is built with a specific class in mind. Sometimes you need to repurpose Scarlett to make the team work, but I’m actually happy that there’s so much variation in Showgunners.
There’s not a lot of room for experimentation in Showgunners, but the characters have interesting abilities and play very differently. The game also has a pretty decent skill tree where you can unlock various skills to further improve your characters. Those skills that cheat AP (action points) are especially good to have, as they allow you to chain multiple kills in a single turn.
Combat is XCOM-like, yet a lot bloodier. You can take two actions per turn: move and shoot. Surprisingly, if you decide to use your shoot action first, you will no longer be able to move afterward, so you have to plan ahead. The game also features a cover system, which seems to be working fine. However, I still hate it when enemies hit me through total cover.
Besides weapons, characters can use general and unique skills. General skills include using a combat item like a grenade or medikit, while unique skills are specific to each character and define their playstyle. Enemies are just as varied and come in waves, so most often than not it’s not just a tactical battle, but also a race against time.
Some arenas have objects that can be interacted with like barrels or buttons that enable or disable various mechanics. Hazards like trains and poison are also present in some arenas making battles more interesting than those typical to an XCOM-like game.
In between fights, Scarlett can interact with her teammates, while players get to learn more about her motivations and what drives her to win the tournament. These intermezzo moments are purely optional if you’re only interested in what the game has to offer combat-wise, but I found them quite interesting and enjoyable.
Showgunners is presented from a top-down perspective regardless of what sequence you’re playing, the combat or exploration part. Visually, the game looks nice, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. The voice acting though is pretty strong, especially the announcer who some might find irritating (I think the voice-acting is spot on).
The only issue I have with the game is that the environments repeat too much, and they become boring after a while. Even with the different and optional objectives, as well as occasional “plot twists,” you kind of know what to expect after a while. But that certainly doesn’t make Showgunners a bad game, it’s just something that I noticed after spending more than a dozen hours fighting in the same arenas.
The Good
- Solid turn-based combat
- Combines combat and exploration elements
- Great voice acting, nice cutscenes
- Compelling story
The Bad
- Progression system is a bit shallow
- Animations could be more varied
Conclusion
Even if most of the mechanics are basic, including the progression system which isn’t very deep, Showgunners still has a lot to offer in terms of tactical combat. The fact that it also has a compelling story it’s just a bonus. Unfortunately, replay value is almost zero, but this is a 12–15-hour game, so you’ll get enough entertainment for the price you pay.
Although it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, Showgunners adds its own twist on the formula, and I think it works pretty well. If you’re an XCOM fan, this is a no-brainer.
Review key was provided by the publisher.
