GAME REVIEW | Going Fully Loaded with "Shotgun Cop Man"
DeadToast Entertainment first got my attention with 2019’s My Friend Pedro. While it had its fun and silly moments, having to play finger gymnastics in order to make the game work was a pain in the ass! Thankfully, DeadToast has taken the worst aspect of that game and made it the very best part in its latest: Shotgun Cop Man! What it results in is a shooting puzzler adventure that delivers on the goods and then some!
The titular Shotgun Cop Man is a cross between Michael Chiklis and Kingpin, mainly because both are big, bald men who know a thing or two about guns. He goes to Hell, not because of something he did as a cop, but rather for a mission. Satan needs to be arrested, and the horned one isn’t going to jail quickly and quietly. Nay, the Devil is throwing everything at Shotgun Cop Man to keep himself a free man. However, our hero’s guns aren’t just for killing; they’re also for getting out of any sticky situation.
Those sticky situations include spikes, saw blades, trick doors, and cannons. While both of your guns can be used to kill devils, it’s your trusty shotgun that will also be your means of propulsion. Making big leaps, evading enemy fire, and avoiding deadly hazards will require the power of your shotgun. However, until you land safely to reload, you only have three shotgun shots to use in order to avoid taking damage.
At the end of each level will be a set of goals: speed run time, enemies killed, and whether you came out of it without getting hit. Getting all three is a hell of a challenge, seeing as the underworld throws so much at you at once. So if you want to have a better time playing Shotgun Cop Man, don’t worry too much about achieving all three the first time around. (It’ll help with boosting the game’s replay value, which it certainly has plenty of.)
Not worrying too much about those goals helps with making DeadToast’s latest game a ton of fun! Roaming around each level, killing demons, and avoiding traps is a joy to experience if you don’t focus on getting it done quickly and efficiently. Even if you get hit too many times, and our hero utters the phrase, “I die,” it won’t be as frustrating as it was when playing My Friend Pedro. There are some generous checkpoints, which will aid in you finding new ways to tackle levels and enemies with your weapons of choice.
Although you keep your trusty shotgun all throughout Shotgun Cop Man, your main weapon can be switched out from time to time. From a pistol and Uzi to — yes — another shotgun, gaining these new weapons will help with making mincemeat out of any demon that stands in your way of arresting Satan. However, once you get hit, your main weapon will revert back to a regular gun, so one must be careful when they gain something more powerful. Otherwise, you’ll certainly find yourself in many sticky situations.
Where the game truly shines is during the boss battles. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun dealing with the toughest of the tough demons in Hell, but facing off against saws, skeletons, shape-shifters, and even Satan himself was truly delightful! Yes, it can get wicked frustrating (especially the Machine one), but these boss fights have so much silliness intact, that you can easily forgive it when it throws everything at you at once. Plus, when’s the last time you fought a demon with laser farts?!
All of this can be experienced with its excellent controls. Unlike My Friend Pedro, aiming and shooting won’t make your fingers numb by the end credits. It might take a few tries before you figure out a level’s layout, but once you do, you’ll become the best damn Shotgun Cop Man this side of Hell’s Kitchen (or any other room in Hell). Fun will be had, even if your bald hero takes the brunt of the damage.
Once you beat Shotgun Cop Man, there’s still more to enjoy. You can revisit levels and attempt to gain all of the goals, but that’s not all! Players can also give their own twists on Hell with the level creator. With the ability to share with anyone online, that gives you an insane amount of levels to try your hand on and become the master of arresting Satan!
PROS:
- Extremely fun levels
- Great boss battles
- Terrific controls
CONS:
- Gets tough-as-hell later on
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Shotgun Cop Man is a wild and super exciting escapade through the hottest place imaginable. Great controls, wonderful puzzle mechanics, and a simple sense of humor make DeadToast’s latest game a real good time for all. Even if it takes you a dozen times to get through one level, the amount of fun Shotgun Cop Man delivers is worth trotting through Hell to get through.
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Thomas Schulenberg of Tinsley PR. Reviewed on the PC via Steam.
