Gunhound EX

Terrible port. I loved this game on PSP and I remember playing it on PC. But for some reason I can't get past the title screen now. There's a RPG control scheme for some reason (z for confirmation and arrows for navigating the menu) despite my Xbox controller clearly being recognized (game showing me at the bottom of the window that buttons are mapped: A for confirmation and B for back).

Controller won't work, at least in the menu and fullscreen mode breaking the game. And the cherry on top is that Esc closing the whole game and I constantly forget that I need to press X for back instead of Esc

Thumbs down because it’s not playable on steam deck. Couldn’t get out of the startup menu. I used to own this on PSP so I thought it would be playable on a newer much more powerful handheld. Hopefully it gets verified for the deck

There doesn't seem to be any controller compatibility and the game menu has no options for changing button assignments to play the game.

You just have to keep button mashing until you find a key stroke that does something in the game. It's completely broken, which is a shame because it looks fun to play.

Not sure what to call this Genre, Cybernator-like? Anyway Gunhound EX is one of the best representatives of the Mech platformers I've played so far. Maybe not the best PC port, but the game itself is pure gold. Tight atmosphere, challenging missions, good mech customization and pretty nice controls when you accustom yourself to constant switching of the weapon sybsystems. Gentle advice: dont configure attack buttons and jumping behind the same finger, you really need to be able to press both simultaneously to excel at this game.NOTE: Win10/Nvidia does seem to have compatibility issues, but got it running no problem disabling steam overlay and fullscreen optimizations from exe properties.

I wouldn't recommend this game, it has not aged well.

Cut scenes aren't skippable, you get what feels like .25 of a second invincibility time when you get hit, meaning ANY continuous attacks can kill you in 2 seconds.

Not that it matter's, since this game's been listed somehow.

A fast paced run ‘n’ gun with a step learning curve but very rewarding if you’re patient. The controls might be tricky at first and you may need to experiment to find the right settings for you, but as you get used to them you’ll be making Michael Bay proud with all the mayhem you’ll be creating. It comes with a tutorial which is a must if you want to understand the basics, but I won’t deny it can be frustrating at first to get into, but is not impossible. Unfortunately a controller is a must have if you want to enjoy the game at is fullest; you can use your keyboard but it’ll be incredibly tricky to play like that considering the many inputs you must take into account. The game does a fantastic job at making you feel like you’re piloting a tanky mech but the game can be as fast paced as you want to and has a mechanic that allows you to eject your armor making you faster but more susceptible to damage which works with the game trying to be challenging.

The plot is just there to give the game a sense of direction, but something the game doesn’t tell you is that you can skip the dialogue by holding down the dash button which should come in handy because the game has moments where the dialogue can drag on. The game being Japanese in origin means that the written dialogue is translated but it has a fair share of typos and Engrish which don’t detract from the game but remain present and can be very amusing. I must admit the dialogue can really get in the way sometimes, but it can be ignored easily. If you are here for the plot you’ll be dissapointed because it is very plain and quite generic.

To add replay value the game comes with an unlock system which is attached to your score; every single point you earn (Even if you die) will be gradually added to a score meter and you’ll unlock new weapons after you reach certain milestones. The weapons you unlock work differently and may require different tactics in order to use them properly as well making the game more or less challenging depending of your loadout. Nevertheless the order at which some are unlocked makes them redundant but no less fun to experiment with or use. While it may be grindy (Especially if you want to unlock all achievements) it is an interesting way to add replayability and the game will reward you accordingly depending how well you play.

Great pick if you crave some mech action. If you’re patient to get used to the controls you won’t regret it.

Overall has some glitches and some objectives are not clear but a fun time to just blast through in about 4 hours or so depending on your skill level

UPDATE: Unfortunately as of October 16, 2018, Dracue Software is suffering some things and you cannot get this legally now... Kinda sad to know.

The game is an absolute blast, only configure your controller through the in-game options and there you go! I'm using a Wii Classic Controller Pro and is absolutely a fun game, I remember playing the game on my Vita (Since it's on the PSP) and is absolutely one of the best, I don't really know (by now) if the game is some sort of SpinOff to the "Assault Suit" series.

Anyway, sadly no one aside from the guys that buyed it will see it, but I will gladly receive it back and start supporting even more, the game truly deserves the best, very low PC needed and a lot of fun out of it!

It definetly looks like a fun game, but the PC optimization is pretty bad.

The controls are a mess and the main screen is even difficult to get past.

If you can figure out how to use a controller I would say go for it.

I really wanted to like it. I really did. But there were several things I could not forgive about this game.

1. If you have a multiple monitor setup like mine (4K main display and a FullHD side screen) the game starts in a stretched window spanning most monitors and that is mostly off screen.

2. I could not find ANY documentation for the keyboard controls. And the ones I could find were a jumbled up mess.

3. Enter brings up the "help" menu, which launches a website of very questionable usefulness that looks visually looks like it was either broken or made in early 90's on your browser.

4. Very low resolution graphics. The screenshots seem like they might actually be full in-game resolution, 480x272 pixels. This looks horrible on any display bigger than 10".

I think I came across this dookie through a Humble Bundle so I can't complain too much. But €15 for this game is WAY too much. But if you like games of this genre, by all means get it on a 90% off sale.

This game is very good, but TAKES TIME to learn and master the controls.

You won't just start the game and shoot everything in sight.
This is NOT Contra.
First you got to do the Simulator Missions, which is the Tutorial. That will teach you everything you need to know to control your mecha, and you'll need, as it has alot of functions.

Then you can start the game, and if you manage to finish the game once, you'll probably have enough points for one or two new weapons, and then the game start to become really fun.
Every boss has a patern, and you need to observe, and LEARN. Again, this is not Contra.

And by the way, it works with Xbox 360 controller just fine, you just need to go to Options and remap the buttons, because it does recognize the controller, just isn't mapped yet. I'm using Xbox 360 controller and it works just perfect. I found the solution browsing by a few topics on Discussions.

The game sure needs a little bit more of improvement, to make it runs perfectly, but I highly recommend it.
Great sidescroller with lots of action.

I love this game.

It has a lot of flaws. It's short as hell, the tutorial is long, the translation is bunk, it's not compatible with steam overlay (or alt-tab, much of the time) and you absolutely need a controller to enjoy it. The graphics are pretty so-so and the story isn't that compelling.

But once you get past all of that, you're left with an awesome arcade-style game with great-feeling controls, punchy music and good replayability. Unlockable weapons and one credit play are actually rewarding in a game that feels like this one. It's pretty fast but feels weighty and even if it could use some more levels it has a good spread of what the levels entail. The bosses are generally fun as hell.

The game plays like nothing else on steam- but again, consider how many hours of play you expect for your money and whether you have a controller, first.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of a better example of the Steam userbase downrating a game because they're complete garbage at it. I've yet to complete it from beginning to end using one continue, but I've beaten the final boss using keybard controls and the only thing I had a bit of trouble with was locking on to a direction and using secondary fire at the same time; even that, though, becomes easy once you've practiced enough.

Gunhound is a sidescroller with actual physics, and you're controlling a mech that's meant to feel heavy. That's it; that's what the "irredeemable horribleness" of the controls boils down to. As soon as you realize that you're not supposed to play this as if it were Mario or Megaman, it stops being an issue.

Presentation's not amazing, but totally fine. The music's fitting enough and the graphics get the job done. Most of the mechs are made of smaller sprites put together and spun around in a Mode 7-esque way, which can be an issue and feel unnaturally robotic in games featuring organic characters but is totally fine in a mecha-piloting game.

The silly anime story didn't amuse me as much as the one in Astebreed, but it's certainly easier to keep track of what's being said during gameplay given you can actually stop in your tracks in this game. Bonus points for a fairly likable female protagonist.

Decent side-scrolling action game where you play as a mech pilot against a horde of helicopters, tanks and enemy mechs. You can customize your mech with a variety of different close and long range weapons. The gameplay is very similar to the SNES classic "Metal Warriors".

As for the negatives, you are limited to the Gunhound mech, unlike other games where you can choose from different types. The controls are quite challenging to master (especially for the zero gravity areas). The game is also quite short, which can be irritating to some after they finally get used to the controls.

Overall, I recommend the game for those who are looking for a fun, retro-style mech game.

If you love games like Metal Slug or Contra, you need to buy this game.
Old school japanese action with an awesome soundtrack.

Armored Hunter Gunhound EX has been compared to Metal Slug a lot but if you ever played Metal Warriors or Front Mission: Gun Hazard it controls exactly like that. It took me a bit to the more realistic feel of the Gunhound but once you get the hang of it it's enjoyable. There is 5 missions and to unlock all the weapons you have to basically grind points on the 5 missions that are available. The problem with the controls inherently are the fact they are very deliberate, if you try to play it like Mega Man or Metal Slug you will get shot down easily. It doesn't help that the game is kind of trial and error as there are many cases in the game where your hound won't be able to react fast enough to what happens because of it's very deliberate movement. You can purge your armor to increase your speed but it makes you brittle, that's the pay off. There is an odd popping noise in the sound as well, however the game has some good Japanese Voice acting which I think explains the price. That said the songs in the game are very damn good. I got it for 3 dollars on a sale and I got my money's worth however I can't recommend it at its 15 dollar normal price on Steam.

Then there is all the little things. There is no graphic options for one, outside of 60FPS control really. Fullscreen is enabled by the old standby, Alt + Enter just in case you didn't know that. Then there is the fact that you have to mash through cutscenes that you can't skip. If you keep dying it gets really old.

The game is not horrible, or bad or broken (at least not for me, I see people are having launch and controller issues on the forums.), but there is a combination of things that kind of hinder it. Get on sale in my opinion, at about 7 USD or less. As a mech fan it really does bug me to say that I don't like the complete package but that's the way it played out.

I really really really wanted to like this game but I sadly can't... You have to maneuver to the gamepad setup by keyboard to set it up first otherwise the game will ignore the pad. Ingame the analog sticks do not have 360° control, it is locked to about 8 or 16 angles. Your mech is totally clumsy and heavyweight, rendering dodging bullets about impossible. You do not have the option of a shield like in gigantic army. In mission 2 you have to escort a ship for 10 minutes, if it takes too many hits you fail and have to restart at the beginning, tried 3 times and deinstalled. Graphics were mediocre at best, extremely blurry and low res. Too bad, this looked like so much fun...

GOTY
This is the most awesome shit to come out in ages. Mix Neo Geo, with SNES, with muh animu and Gundam, and you got this cock rocker of an experience. You feel like you're piloting a 16-32bit mech, with anime women yelling YOKAI and the like in your ear the entire time. Story is good too, Yuri is likable. The gameplay can be difficult to learn, and even then is challenging. You feel like a genius when you find out what removing armor does. It's great that it doesn't just show you that, as it feels like a good retro game, with high quality sprites and full Japanese voice acting.
10/10, best game on Steam.

If you like 90's mecha anime and difficult Japanese arcade sidescrolling action games, this might be the game for you. If you don't like BOTH of those things, you'll probably find pretty much nothing to enjoy in this game.

This game's weaknesses are easier to describe than its strengths. Its graphics are dated, having been made for the PSP years ago. It's a very transparently low-budget game (with remarkable ugly menus). It's an extremely barebones port with almost no PC-specific features or enhancements. It's singleplayer-only with limited replay value (achieve high scores to unlock extra weapons). It's also short, at about 3 hours from start to finish.

Lastly, the controls can be a pain, literally. The game's more difficult fights can require you to juggle between pressing, holding, and possibly double-tapping upwards of 6 different buttons on a controller as you dodge enemy projectiles, fire multiple weapons, jump, dash, and block. Sometimes you even have to do this in zero-gravity where you hold a button to toggle your directional controls between lateral motion (movement) and angular rotation (aiming). I typically couldn't play for more than about an hour at a time before stopping because my hands were aching so much from the finger acrobatics.

In spite of all of that, I found the game had old-fashioned charm and was quite satisfying to overcome as a challenge. Like any good Japanese action game, you can feel your mastery of the game steadily increase as you play it. Persistence, pattern recognition, and plenty of patience are required to succeed. I approached this obscure little game with no, or maybe even negative, expectations, so I am surprised and satisfied at having ultimately enjoyed it modestly.

Fantastic 2D action game, great update to the gameplay formula layed down by the Assult Suits games. It's no suprise that the developers behind this are working on a new Assult Suits Leynos game.

One interesting thing this game does that isn't really touted, is the smartphone link feature. You can get all the fully voiced in game story in real time on your phone, like a little coms device! Adds a lot to the feeling of a mech game, unfortunatly, this feature doesn't have an english text option.

The game is a little short, but is ment to be replayed for score. It took me a little over 3 hours to go though the game, but I'm looking forward to score attacking it. As short as the game is, it's packed with content, no filler here, just straight up action.

Reccomended to 2D Action game fans, and people who know the difference between a real robot and a super robot.

Very fun game, very similar to the old mech games from the SNES era such as Cybernator and Metal Warrior if you are fortunate to have played them. The ability to customize your mech with different weapons and even change the color scheme is also a nice feature to have even though I have not unlocked any new stuff they do give you a couple things to start with.

I will say that the only negative I can think of at the moment would be that the zero gravity missions have a very wonky feel to them as I have a hard time aiming and not spinning but this is most likely due to me not having enough practice with the controls.

So if you are a fan of old retro side scrolling mech games I think this game will fit the bill as I have not seen anything like this since the old SNES days.