Surprisingly re-playable

At first glance this game looks like a bad rip off of Dungeon Defenders; it is certainly modeled similarly but it is nothing like that game in play style. Gunfire: Reborn is a FPS set in a clunky alien environment and you start the game playing as, what we now think is a fox.... it's not a cat!
There are two other characters to unlock and each character has two unique abilities. For me, this game feels like you are playing a ground team adventure with the cast of Star Fox.

As you play the game you earn 'Talent' points which you can use to revive if you are downed and a teammate cannot get to you or you can save those points to unlock skills on the talent tree at the end which will make you stronger the next time you play. Note: You can only use the self revive once so use it wisely. These points are also how you level up. Each talent skill bought represents a new level.
So, the 'Fox', his (or her) primary ability is an Orb of stasis? It holds an enemy still for a short time, useful for self defense or freezing a sniper at range. The secondary skill is a poison grenade that does corrosion damage and slows the enemies. Both of these abilities can be improved at the end of level chests where you get to pick one of three random options. These are different each game so you rarely get the specific build you want and have to adapt your play style to the bonuses you get.
There are also 'Cursed Chests' where the Skill Scroll comes at a price; you have to decide if the price is worth it.

Enough about the mechanics, how does it play? It's actually quite a clever game, you get good bonuses for Critical hits so head-shots are important but you can also spray and pray, if that's your preferred tactic. The basic gun you start with has unlimited ammo and should easily get you through the first level where you will find new guns are dropped for you. As you get further through the game, more new guns are dropped and each time you discover one, that is then unlocked to appear anywhere in the game.
The guns themselves then have varying inscriptions that make them more or less suitable to differing play styles. As you progress the weapons also get more powerful and can be upgraded further at the Crafter who is placed randomly about the map, along with his buddy The Peddler who can sell you new gear, health and ammo.

I appreciate I am making this sound really complicated.... it is but, it leads you into the complexities gradually so as a player you find it makes sense as you go.
The game is up to four player co-op but you can play solo and it is still fun. Granted, it is more entertaining with some support.
The loot that drops is all yours and not shared but you can drop weapons to share them with your team mates if that takes your fancy. Since the weapons have different properties, I have found that me and my duo buddy like different weapons so chopping and changing to get the best balance for the team is important, but that's enough about how we play :)

Overall, this game surprised me with how re-playable it actually is.

Originally published on 8 December 2020.