Frogun (PS5) – No rebound from PS1

In capturing the frustration and finickiness of those early 3D games, Frogun really does feel like a game ripped from the late 90s.

Playing as a young girl in search of her parents, you use the titular Frogun — a gun that’s also a frog — to traverse tricky little levels as you delve into an ancient temple. You can grab enemies and items by firing the tongue, or grapple to walls and other objects. While the idea works well enough, the execution is very simple, and the concept doesn’t really evolve beyond pulling a lever occasionally.

Frogun’s auto aim is quite generous; it takes aim at what you want to hit, and it works pretty well, but you can manually aim by holding down L2. Especially since the platforming can be a little fussy at times, this can be handy when trying to cross large gaps. Even with a 360 degree view of the level and your jump, it can be hard to line up jumps.

There’s lots of stuff to collect in each stage, but it’s mostly optional; collecting special artifacts is only for completionists, but it will take you to hidden areas off the main path. You do not need coins to progress, but you can use them to purchase items like hats and artwork, so you shouldn’t miss it.

Aside from the low-poly models and bright colors of the game, the music and effects are pretty old-school, but can get annoyingly repetitive at times. The game’s central idea is good, but levels do not really build on it, and some cutesy visuals aren’t enough.

Pros:

  • Stunning images.

  • Stylish and compact.

Cons:

  • Musical SFX repeating.

  • Platforming game.

  • Single-note.

Five over ten for this game.

Author: Maricel Cuico