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Rightfully, Beary Arms is unapologetic with its intriguing concoction of elements of cute meets violent. Its bullet hell and roguelike gameplay systems, though familiar in its foundation, introduce some novel quirks.
Rightfully, Beary Arms is now available on PC via Steam, with an Xbox release planned for 2024. Developed by Daylight Basement Studio, Rightfully, Beary Arms is marketed as “a bullet hell roguelite that is about much more than collecting loot, dying, and losing everything.”
Rightfully, Beary Arms Review
Music and Art
Rightfully, Beary Arms welcomes you into the game with a title screen that perfectly encapsulates the “cute” part of its identity, both in visuals and music.
The level selection screen is perhaps the one that wraps it all together, being visually satisfying while simple enough to clearly portray important information.
Further, there's an undeniable uniqueness to the enemies and environments in terms of their designs. Each pixelly stage and enemy combine for a level that always has something to focus your eyes on if you're not already occupied by the dozens of projectiles flying at you. Each of them is different, but not out of place as to what a gunslinging bear in an astronaut suit would encounter.
Gameplay
Diving into the core of any game – its gameplay – Rightfully, Beary Arms has its peaks and troughs.
For those familiar with the roguelike bullet hell genre, the mechanics here will feel familiar but with a twist. Starting with controls, they're not the most intuitive for keyboard and mouse users. This isn't a game-breaker, but there is a learning curve that might put off some.
The tutorial aids a lot with this, especially as down the road you would have up to four different, unique weapons with different effects. Ammo management is also necessary, but it's also not shoved in your face and you will most likely always have a gun loaded to tear through the enemy in front of you.
One feature that stands out, but also requires acclimatization, is the dash mechanic. It's a neat inclusion, providing an added dimension to strategy and movement. Yet, dashing through certain terrains or dodging bullets becomes a challenge till you get the hang of it. It can lead to moments of frustration, especially in areas where its use is paramount to completion.
The game also introduces a deviation in the time to kill for its enemies. Compared to its genre peers, Rightfully, Beary Arms demands a tad more patience and strategy. This could be seen as a refreshing challenge for some or a slightly tedious endeavor for others. The game takes a while in making you feel powerful, if at all, as the enemies are also getting stronger as you get more upgrades and weapons.
The game punishes getting hit with a momentum-disrupting screen flash apart from taking a chunk of your HP. Mirroring the enemies, your character can tank quite the number of hits too and is forgiving with regards to how many times you can get hit.
Yet, for these slight discomforts, the game redeems itself with an impressive arsenal of weapons and a diverse range of maps. This ensures no two playthroughs feel identical. There's always a new strategy to try, a new weapon to master, or a new map's secret corner to explore.
Additionally, the enemy design in terms of gameplay deserves special mention. They’ve managed to strike a balance where the enemies are distinct enough to provide a variety of challenges yet not so diverse that they feel misplaced. It keeps the game grounded in its genre, ensuring you’re always on your toes, but without the overwhelming sensation of constantly having to adapt to something drastically new.
Conclusion – 6/10
Rightfully, Beary Arms is a treat for those who love the roguelike bullet hell genre but are yearning for a twist in the narrative. The game's art and music wrap players in a deceptively cute embrace, only to throw them into a frenzied dance of bullets, dashes, and relentless enemies.
It has its pain points, especially concerning controls and time to kill the enemies. The expansive choice of weapons and maps ensures the gameplay remains fresh, but it can only carry the game so far. The well-designed pool of enemies keeps players engaged without over-complicating the experience, but feeling powerful is important in a game like this.
Rightfully, Beary Arms is worth a try if you're a fan of the roguelike or bullet hell genres and want to dip your toe into something a little more challenging but not too far of a departure from your beloved game genres.
Rightfully, Beary Arms is now available on PC via Steam, with an Xbox release planned for 2024. This review was done on version 0.1 of the game's Early Access on Steam and was given access by a representative of Daylight Basement Studio.
