PopSlinger [Review]
PopSlinger is a lackluster arcade experience.
Image credit: Funky Can Creative / Artax Games
Funky Can Creative's PopSlinger is an arcade style shooting brawler with a VHS aesthetic. While the new console release sports 4k resolution, it still feels like it lacks polish.
You are Ria Carbon, recruited by former PopSlinger Gin to help fight off the invading Corazones. You travel to different locations in the city to clear them of the invaders and defeat human bosses corrupted by them. Cutscenes in the underdeveloped story are fully voiced and lightly animated, presented in a UI reminiscent of Persona games.
Image credit: Funky Can Creative / Artax Games
Movement is handled like a classic brawler, allowing you to move forward and back as well as sideways. You’ll use different soda-themed projectile weapons earned over the course of the game and can switch between them freely, since sometimes enemies will have barriers impervious to all but one weapon. Every enemy has a color and you’ll gain bonuses for chaining either four or eight kills of a color, including bonus actions from Gin like turrets, a shield, or healing.
Combat is repetitive and became tedious for me quickly. The chaining system could be interesting, but navigating the screen to hit enemies of the right color became frustrating because the field of view is too small, leaving little room to maneuver. Ria’s dodge move ends in several still frames, making it feel clunky as it breaks the rhythm of combat. Combat is especially repetitive because hitting enemies doesn’t feel rewarding; there isn’t good game feel or enough juice.
Image credit: Funky Can Creative / Artax Games
I was underwhelmed by the game’s art and presentation. Levels feel barren and lifeless, even with the hand-drawn style. The game is just too static. I lacked any desire to see more of the world, which didn’t help things when I was already bored of the combat.
I had hoped for a lot more from PopSlinger. I do think there are good ideas here; it just didn’t have enough time in the oven in every respect.
PopSlinger is available now on PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch; and via publisher Artax Games on Playstation 4 / 5 and Xbox One / Series X|S.
Overall Score: 3/10
Played on: PS5
