Gunman Clive successfully pays homage to the best of platforming's past while maintaining a solid identity of its own
Gunman Clive, originally an iOS device game available in the Apple App Store, has made its way onto the 3DS, and for a game that is just under two dollars, it can be highly recommended in spite of its short length. Gunman Clive is a good little game because it does a fine job of harnessing elements and design choices that were implemented in platforming's past while maintaining its own solid identity.
Stylistically, Gunman Clive's aesthetics are admirable. It's a playful western: winds kick up dirt past old saloons, trains rumble through the tracks in the desert, and UFOs and ancient artifacts zip around the screen threatening the life in these humble western settings. Yes, Gunman Clive's pencil-drawn art-style encompasses a small cast of varying characters, but in an era where Cowboys and Aliens is a box office hit, it's no surprise, and the intermixing here is charmingly acceptable.
The character animations, particularly when an enemy is shot, are impressive. Clive is a gunslinger, a cowboy out to rescue Ms. Johnson who has been kidnapped. The simplistic story sounds familiar just as the gameplay feels so. The most immediate comparisons many will draw is to old-school Mega Man games. Clive runs and jumps at about the same speed and distance as Mega Man, and he shoots a gun. Stage design is also clearly inspired by the original Mega Man series. Other influences peek out at different points in the game; there is no doubt that the cart ride level screams Donkey Kong Country, and Clive rides a rocket in side-scrolling shoot-em-style in one stage.
Gunman Clive does what a good platformer should: successfully executes a diverse range of gameplay elements. It is held back, however, by its extremely short length. Expect to beat it in thirty minutes or less if you are seasoned in playing this kind of game. You do unlock the option to play through the game twice more as two different characters, most interestingly as a duck with no weapons or defense of any kind. Because of the extra characters, the value reaches a balanced level. Another aspect that may be considered a flaw is poor weapon upgrades.
Enemies will sometimes drop an item that enhances Clive's gun, but they're not that exciting. Clive's standard pistol makes for the most theatrical kills, but the missiles are a bit too slow and only truly useful against bosses, and the bubble gun is disappointing. A laser gun that shoots through barriers and an upgrade that makes Clive's gun shoot three bullets in the same amount of directions, are strengths.
Gunman Clive balances its pros and cons out into a nice package, so whether you prefer the Nintendo 3DS's 3D capabilities and button/analog control, or playing Gunman Clive on your iOS device, perhaps with retina display, this is a cheap, short, but well designed platforming shooter.