Necromunda: Hired Gun
Descending into the Underhive
There’s nothing more satisfying in gaming than taking apart a room full of dangerous enemies with surgical precision – aside from doing it with your pet growler in tow. If man’s best friend is a robotic pup capable of upgrades and possessing a bark as dangerous as its bite, then all the better. This latest venture into the licensing department of Warhammer 40,000 is looking like a lot of crazy fun.
Set on the planet of Necromunda (a crime-ridden and lthy world notable for its termite-mound-like hive cities’ and weapons factories Necromunda: Hired Gun is a shooter with one eye on Doom’s incessantly violent pace. Picking up contracts, it’s a mercenary’s life for you, and each mission takes you deeper down into the underbelly of Necromunda. There’s a suggestion of freedom to choose contracts and hunt targets at your choosing. Money you earn can be spent on upgrades and new weapons.
“NECROMUNDA IS A SHOOTER WITH ONE EYE ON DOOM’S INCESSANTLY VIOLENT PACE.”
It’s not hard to see the in uence of Doom on Hired Gun. In action it’s a riot of speedy shootouts, e plosions, and up-close-and-personal takedowns. Weapons are a mi ture of familiar but meaty machine guns and the more outrageous science- ction and fantasy tools in the Warhammer , arsenal. rom the get-go you’ll have access to such toys as e plosiveround- ring bolters, autoguns, laser sniper ri es, plasma guns, power knives, and grenade launchers. We see the Graviton gun’s plasma bolt gently glide towards our target with the anticipation of epic destruction in its wake. It makes us feel good.
HAVE FAITH
Movement is fast and free, and by adding and upgrading augments you’re able to wall-run towards the assorted gaggle of gangsters and mutants that inhabit Necromunda. When Mirror’s dging it isn’t an option you can grapple and zip to new heights and get the drop on enemies. A boosted jump enables you to leap towards enemies, making these epic
environments feel approachable. our cyber-enhanced masti is on call too, there to hunt out and stall enemies – handy for managing a group of unfriendlies. It’s clear Hired Gun has one eye on what’s gone before. We see Doom, Dishonored, and even elements of ar ry in the game’s approach. What sets it apart from all of those is the world; Necromunda is a unique blend of gothic stone cathedrals and the ery furnaces of heavy industry as it produces equipment for the mpire. nemies are an oddball mi ture of mutant punks and lumbering mechs. What remains to be seen is how all these elements mesh together. Solo play appears to be a grind through contracts right now, but we hope there’s an engaging narrative underpinning our freedom to choose, whether that’s which particular gangland goon squad we target ne t, how we upgrade our gun for hire, or how we engage with the enemies in our sights. There’s plenty to like here.
IMPRESSIONS
Streumon Studio has a knack for making solid yet unambitious shooters, but Hired Gun could buck that trend. Ultimately it’s the uniquely atmospheric world of Necromunda that could save this one.