NanDEMOnai: The Gunstringer (360/Kinect)

NanDEMOnai is a semi-regular attempt to profile demos for forthcoming games as unbiasedly as possible, based on their own merits and without any consideration of hype, publisher legacy, place within a franchise, or basis on any existing property. I'm just here to discuss how the demo feels, whether it makes the upcoming release stand out as interesting, and extrapolate how the full game may end up being. Basically, a preview with as little context as possible, like a blind date.

Being a bit of an accessory whore, it was only so long that I managed to hold off getting a Kinect for my Xbox 360, if entirely for Dance Central and Child Of Eden. I'm still having trouble coming to grips with that little impulse buy, however, as beyond those two games, some enjoyability in the packed-in Kinect Adventures (mostly Rallyball, because I enjoy balls bouncing off my face as much as the next guy), and a reasonable interest in Fruit Ninj-ing, there's not much the Kinect has to offer, especially on the retail title front.

While glancing through the new demo list, I noticed The Gunstringer, a Kinect title that apparently combines shooting, adventure, and puppeteering. Immediately impressed by the Dias De Los Muertos-esque design of the main character's face, I decided to take the plunge. The demo offers two sections to play: there's the introduction to the game and tutorial level in the first bit, and a more platformy stage offered once you've picked up the basics.



As if all of this weren't enough to sell me on The Gunstringer, they're also including a code for Fruit Ninja Kinect with a purchase of the full game, which is dropping for $40 on 9/13. And, for you lazier chumps out there, the game claims it was built to support play sitting down, as well as standing up. It definitely seems worth it, and a relatively free copy of Fruit Ninja feels a lot better than shelling out a full $10 for the XBLA title. I'm not afraid to say I'll probably be picking this up and recommending it to others, and it probably wouldn't hurt to grab the demo just to get a feel for what you're getting into so you can jump right in once the game's out.

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nekobun   

Kevin McClusky   1