Enter The Gungeon

What Is Enter the Gungeon?

Enter the Gungeon is a bullet-hell dungeon crawler that treats every firearm like a main character — think "The Binding of Isaac" meets "Hotline Miami" with a truckload of puns and pixel art. Developed by Dodge Roll and published by Devolver Digital, this Windows title turns the simple act of shooting into a chaotic, rewarding puzzle. Its core promise: you step into a living dungeon where guns have personalities, bullets fill the screen like confetti, and death is just a chance to learn a better reload pattern.

Publisher & Developer

Devolver Digital (the indie powerhouse behind *Cult of the Lamb*, *Hotline Miami*) brings you Dodge Roll's debut title — a studio that clearly spent too much time thinking about what a sentient shotgun would say.

Key Features at a Glance

• Over 400 unique guns, each with its own behavior, quirk, and often a joke (yes, there's a gun that shoots bees).
• Roguelike progression: every run is a fresh floor layout with permadeath, but persistent unlocks keep you coming back.
• Synergy system that turns ordinary items into insane combos when paired correctly — like turning a water gun into a room-flooding hose.
• Secret rooms, hidden bosses, and lore that rewards obsessive exploration.

Who Should Play This?

If you enjoy games that demand twitch reflexes, pattern recognition, and a dark sense of humor, this is for you. It's especially welcoming to players who loved *Nuclear Throne* or *The Binding of Isaac* but wished they had more gun puns. Casual players be warned: you'll die. A lot. But each death teaches you something new.

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Getting into the Gungeon: First Impressions

Imagine walking into a medieval dungeon where every enemy is exclusively armed with modern (and not-so-modern) firearms. That's the vibe from the opening screen. The tutorial quickly teaches you the basics: move with WASD, aim with the mouse, dodge-roll to avoid bullets, and shoot everything that moves. The pixel art is charming but sharp — bright projectiles against dark stone hallways make every fight readable, even when the screen turns into a fireworks display.

The learning curve? Steep but fair. You'll die within minutes your first few runs, but the game never feels unfair. Every death shows you what you could have done differently: maybe you mistimed that roll into a pit, or you forgot that certain enemies telegraph their attacks with a specific animation. The game respects your intelligence — it won't hold your hand, but it gives you plenty of clues.

Controls and Performance

On Windows, the game runs buttery smooth even on modest hardware (think integrated graphics laptops at 1080p). Keyboard and mouse feel natural; the dodge-roll maps neatly to Shift, and aiming with the mouse lets you feather shots while dodging. If you prefer a controller, it's fully supported too. Load times are snappy, and the UI stays out of your way — health bar, ammo count, and map are minimal but always visible.

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The Two Things That Make This Game a Standout

Every Gun Is a Personality, Not Just a Stat Stick

Most shooters treat guns as damage numbers with different sounds. Enter the Gungeon flips that — each of its 400+ weapons has a unique *behavior*. The "Mail Striker" fires letters that track enemies. The "Disintegrator" turns foes into pixels. The "Cactus" shoots spines that stick to walls and create area denial. My personal favorite is the "Daruma" — it fires a single, slow-moving bullet that one-shots most enemies but requires perfect timing because the gun's charge-up sounds like a dying frog. Every weapon feels handcrafted, almost like a character in a Smash Bros. roster. Discovering a new gun is genuinely exciting because you never know if it'll be a game-changer or a hilarious disappointment.

The Synergy System: When Luck Meets Strategy

This is where the game truly shines. Certain items and guns have hidden synergies that trigger only when you have the right combination. For example, equipping the "Heart Locket" alongside "Melting" turns your tears into homing projectiles that also heal you. The "Ancient Hero's Bandana" makes all guns infinite ammo, but if you also have "Scattershot," you get a shotgun spray with zero reloads. These synergies are rarely spelled out — you discover them through experimentation or word-of-mouth (or by accidentally stepping on a synergy shrine). This transforms the usual roguelike item management into a puzzle: do you take that seemingly useless item because it might combo with something later? It adds a layer of depth that keeps runs fresh even after 100 hours.

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How It Stands Apart from Other Shooters

Compared to *The Binding of Isaac*, which leans into weird body horror and biblical imagery, Enter the Gungeon is more grounded in — well, gun culture. The humor is drier, the references more niche (there's a gun shaped like a literal cannonball that shoots cannonballs). Against *Nuclear Throne*, Gungeon is slower and more methodical: you have time to plan between rooms, and the dodge-roll isn't a panic button but a precision tool. Its biggest differentiator is the **gun-as-character** design, which makes even common weapons feel like loot you'd want to show off. No other shooter makes you feel like a museum curator who also happens to be fighting bullet hell.

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Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Absolutely — if you have the patience for a challenging roguelike. The game respects your time by offering permanent unlocks (new guns, characters, shortcuts) so every run builds toward something. The learning curve is real, but the community is helpful and there's no FOMO (no battle passes, no microtransactions — just a solid, complete game). If you're after a casual, relaxing shooter, look elsewhere. But if you want a game that rewards practice, creativity, and a good sense of humor, Enter the Gungeon is a must-play. I'd recommend starting with the Hunter (she starts with a dog that digs up items) and not being ashamed to use the "Rainbow Mode" modifier (it lets you pick one item per floor, perfect for learning synergies).

Rating: 9/10 — loses a point only because the later floors can feel a bit samey in layout, but the weapon variety more than compensates.

Available on the Microsoft Store for Windows. No DRM beyond standard Xbox account verification.

FAQ

How do I start playing Enter the Gungeon and what are the basic controls?

After launching the game, select 'New Game' from the main menu. Use the left stick or WASD to move, the right stick or mouse to aim, and the triggers or mouse buttons to shoot. Press B or Space to dodge roll. Access controls in Settings > Controls.

What is the main objective in Enter the Gungeon and how do I progress?

Your goal is to reach the final floor, defeat the boss, and obtain the gun that can kill the past. Progress by clearing each chamber's enemies and bosses, collecting keys and currency to unlock new items and shortcuts. Explore thoroughly for hidden rooms.

How do I unlock new characters and items in the game?

Unlock characters by completing specific achievements, like rescuing the Marine or defeating certain bosses. Items and guns unlock by spending Hegemony Credits found in runs at the Breach shops. Visit the Breach between runs to purchase unlocks.

What are synergies and how do they work?

Synergies are special combinations of items and guns that grant bonus effects. When two compatible items are held, a yellow text appears and their effects stack. Experiment with different loadouts to discover powerful synergies. No manual settings required.

How do I use the Map and what does it show?

Press the Map button (default TAB on PC) to view the full floor layout. It reveals room connections, chest locations, shops, and secret rooms (if you have a map item). You can toggle it anytime in Settings > Controls to rebind.

What are the different currencies and how do I spend them?

There are three main currencies: Casings (found in runs) for shops, Hegemony Credits (earned after clears) for permanent unlocks at the Breach, and Keys for opening chests and locked doors. Spend Casings in-run; spend Credits between runs.