PixlBit

It’s not every day in which you are brutally murdered by your best friend, but when it does happen, you better make damned sure to melt faces and bust the bones of your enemies, for that is the true punk rock thing to do in this certain situation! In an odd case of revenging the vengeance that was dealt against you and your band, Charlie Murder delivers the one-two punch combo with plenty of oomph and style based around neon hair and spikey leather outfits (no, not the kind in my basement involving whips and gags either).

The game basically starts you off in hell kicking demon ass after you’ve been savagely murdered by a rival band, only to be lifted by a soft white light and placed back into the world of existence. From here, it’s your job to seek and destroy those who killed you and your entire band. The story is simple as with any brawler, but the way it’s presented is actually pretty clever. Instead of dried out dialogue that bores you to tears, you can often find snippets and more intricate details surrounding Charlie Murder and their rival band through small events that cascade in the background or through dialogue via the radio.

The main playable cast consists of five different characters that all have a unique set of powers that are acquired through leveling up and buying tattoos. The five playable classes are supposedly unique (Berzerker, Tank, Mage, Cleric, and Mezmer), but with the exception of their unique powers, they all play the same. Even the armor and weapons are interchangeable so there’s feeling of being a unique snowflake in the frenzied storm of fists.

The gameplay is the same as any other brawler you’ve probably played before. There are dozens of enemies that constantly rush towards you, plenty of environmental hazards and dropped weapons that can be used to aid in dispatching your enemies, and an obligatory boss every so often. There are great transitional pieces within the game that break up the monotonous button mashing and pay homage to other franchises which essentially made this game what it is. There are sections that play like the Battletoads speed bike levels (although the Charlie Murder version is infinitely easier), some of the story line is played out through a Guitar Hero-esque simulation that lets you rock out as a member of Charlie Murder, and there are plenty of different side quests that can be used to distract you from your task of vengeance!

Where this game truly separates itself from the common brawler is its attitude and charm. While it makes you think that you’re on a quest of vengeance, it finds a way to squeeze in subtle humor that makes you giggle like a school girl while simultaneously shaking your head while slaughtering a man who is born as a cheeseburger. And although there are no true differences between the characters and their respective classes in terms of their stats, their unique tattoo powers and skill-sets learned through leveling up lends the blandness of the characters a nice mask to hide behind; or perhaps it’s awesome punk rock face paint! Overall; the game looks good, it plays well, and it always seems to find a way to leave you wanting more!