I’ve never experienced anything quite like this core system of Gunpoint, but I have a feeling that plenty of games are going to draw inspiration from it in the coming years.Stealth is encouraged, but delightfully that’s done only by giving you a set of tools that makes it possible and tempting. Puzzles and possibilities only grow more intense as Gunpoint progresses, and the freedom you have in terms of navigating the various levels gives you a satisfying sense of authorship over your playthrough. It's supremely satisfying to see the dominos fall exactly as planned. With this in place, you can step in front of the camera to activate it, which causes the light to go off, which causes a guard in that darkened room try to turn them back on by flicking the light switch, which instead knocks him unconscious as the door flies open.

For example, you can link a security camera to a light, then reroute a nearby light switch so that flicking it causes a nearby door to swing open. But great mobility is only one half of Gunpoint’s puzzle – the other is its superb hacking mechanics.Įarly on in the 11-mission campaign, you gain the ability to flip to a silhouetted view and reroute the circuits of any building, which allows you to create environmental “if-then” equations that help you navigate various security systems.

Charting the trajectory of your arc, taking to the air like a bullfrog, clinging to walls like Spider-Man, and not having to worry about suffering any damage from a long fall (beyond a goofy bellyflop) make maneuvering through the small levels a complete joy. It’s tough to describe just how great the leaping mechanic feels. After acquiring a pair of futuristic trousers, your private eye protagonist gains the ability to hop across the world as he sees fit.

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