This is by far, one of the most fun Side-scrolling shooters I've played in a while. And I think such a fun, indepth and well made game, deserves an indepth review.
STYLE
I gotta say, I was hesitant at first because of the Art Style. Not because the characters are anthro animals (Hell, I'm a frurry, that isn't gonna bother me), but because it reminded me a little of Starbound, but as I scrolled through the screenshots and it started growing on me, I decided to play the game.
I am GLAD I was wrong because when you actually play it, this game is NOT like Starbound AT ALL. The characters are animated extremely smoothly, each reload animation for each weapon is unique, enemies are unique and easy to read, all that mixed with the physics engine, which reminds me of games such as Strike Force Heroes and Plazma Burst 2, give this game the feeling of being alive in my eyes. The fact the backgrounds are dark also help characters pop out during gameplay, which makes your life easier to spot enemies.
The art and spritework for the characters is vibrant and pleasant to look at and the visual effects for gunshots, explosions and even the gore are honestly way better than I expected from this title, with characters being surprisingly expressive and reacting to just about everything around them. Your player character blinking and closing his eyes when you completely botch a Levitation launch and give yourself a concussion into a wall for example, or when your character's eyes close after triggering an explosion via firing at the pretty shiny red barrel we all love to shoot at adds a layer of characterization to these little fellas. There's even cold mist coming out of your character's mouth in cold enviroments.
Aftermaths of a shootout aren't just a few bodies littering the ground. Their yellow blood (and your own) will be splattered all over the walls, floor and even ceiling. Prop objects will also get stained. Objects you used as a cover will either be destroyed, or riddled with bullet holes. Explosions will create large cracks in the scenery. Lamps will be obliterated by a bullet. Afertmaths in this game are gruesome. A gunfight can end up looking as if you just went trhough a slaughterhouse.
GAMEPLAY
The game is tough, but fair. For any new player, I cannot stress enough to listen to one of the loading screen tips. "This is not an action shooter". While it can have action-ish moments, this game is not primarily an action shooter. You may not be as squishy as most of your opponents, but you're not rambo.
When I listened to that tip and played a bit more tactically, I found myself, while not breezing through levels, having a way better time. One complain I do have is that the recoil on some weapons is downright comical with how strong it is, but in a way it works for the game's tension because it forced me to be way, way, way more precise and careful when getting into a gunfight.
Another thing that elevates the gameplay in the combat AND movement department is the "Levitation" feature. Not only can you use it to clear gaps when necessary, you can use it to just completely change up your strategy on how you want to tackle the level:
From flinging yourself to the roof of a facility instead of using the front door and clearing it infiltrating it from the roof, to nudging a pile of objects to drop towards your enemies and wash them get KOed before you finish the job, to even picking up explosive barrels and throwing them into your opponent, or flinging yourself across the arena, popping in slow motion and just letting Hell rain down on your foes, the Levitation mechanic just adds such a layer of uniqueness to the gameplay which makes combat almost feel like a sandbox. With the amount of physics objects around the level, which surprisingly don't get much in my way, you can find creative solutions that might save you ammo and prove less risky than throwing yourself into a difficult gunfight.
Kicking and dropkicking have the same use. Not only to break crates, but also to topple objects on top of unsuspecting enemies with more ease with a well placed dropkick, further adding to the combat sandbox.
Though I don't use it much, the mechanic of taking over your enemy's body adds another great layer to the gameplay and is the way you will unlock new characters to play as. I remember something in "Clone Drone in the Danger Zone", where in the campaign, you'd possess the body of the enemy who killed you. While it's simplier here, with you simply choosing which body you'll revive as, it adds a layer of strategy. Do you think you were doing well as the default character type, or do you prefer the tankier Orange? Maybe the agile and fragile two tailed being is more your style and you think you can finish the level with him?
It's a clever way to unlock characters aswell, though I personally try to finish every level from the beginning without dying.
The enemies in my opinion, are the stars of the show. Not only do their colors help identify them, they feel like characters rather than just silent faceless goons for us to exterminate. From the little black nervous cannon fodder ones trying to build up confidence to face you, to the burly angry orange ones ready to slap anyone in the back of the head for even so looking at them wrong, to the calm and tactical white ones who take things methodically, each enemy is unique in how they attack and react to you. I used Plazma Burst 2 as an example of a game I really like, but if it had a great flaw, was that the enemies, though different in design and health pool, mostly felt the same, while in Gunsaw I truly feel like I need to change up my strategy when facing most of them so I don't get sent to an untimely end.
Weapons, though I do think some could ease up on the recoil, feel punchy and satisfying. I dont think any weapon I picked up really felt useless. Although the ammo system might be simple (light, medium, heavy bullets and explosives), it actually helps greatly for you to decide what your best course of action will be. Having weapons of different ammo types also being able to show up in every slot also encourages the player to experiment and see what better fits them in that situation. If you have a whole arsenal of only one ammo type, you'll just eat through your reserves faster and find yourself dry on ammunition. But if you have one of each in each slot, not only you'll not virtually disarm yourself, you'll also have a weapon for almost every occasion you see fit. Shotguns and SMGs are great at close range for example, so you could sacrifice your shotgun for a Sniper Rifle so you can pick some targets off from a distance.
The arsenal in this game is all about choices, pros and cons. The weapons aren't there to replace each other, but rather compliment each other.
SOUND DESIGN
When you fire a gun, you'll feel it. When you reload it, you'll feel it. When something explodes nearby, you'll feel it. When an enemy's head is blown to pieces, you'll feel it.
The sound design is crunchy and satisfying. I know the sounds of animals getting hurt can be distressing for some people, but the developer was kind enough to add an option to completely turn that off, which I can heavily appreciate.
Even small things such as the sounds of your character's footsteps on different objects, like how it creaks when you walk on pallets
CONCLUSION
This game is fun. Very fun. I HIGHLY recommend it.