Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 Review

The Basics

Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 is the sequel to the 2015, 2D side-scrolling shooter from Crazy Monkey Studios. We enjoyed the first title (you can check out our review here) despite finding a few problems with it, and overall it was a lot of fun, in a Metal-Slug kind of way. You guide Vinnie through each level, double jumping and rolling to avoid damage, while picking up guns, ammo and health-restoring cannoli, attempting to solve the mystery of who is trying to have you whacked. You make your way through cities, sewers, all the way to war-torn Europe, fighting soldiers, monsters, zombies and giant sewer rats, shooting at everything that moves, jumps or lurches your way.

The Story & Flow

Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 finds Vinnie Cannoli in the 1940’s, a decade and a half after the events of the first game, which ended with everyone in Thugtown being killed. Now, Europe is being torn apart by the war, the USA is preparing for battle and the mob just keeps doing mob stuff. We first see Vinnie tied to a chair, ready for a beatdown, before the story flashes back to when Vinnie first realized he was being followed by a mysterious figure known as the "Dark Don". The further he delves into the mystery, the worse things look, and before you know it, friends become foes, and a dark secret crawls out of the past. A secret that must be riddled with bullets.

The story on the whole is fine, but once again, I was a bit disappointed by the lack of humor. Often, the funniest thing about a given level is Vinnie exclaiming "That's a good cannoli!" when he finds the life-giving pastries strewn about the streets, which isn't all that funny. Perhaps I am being too hard on the title, but for a game that mixes Nazis, zombies and the mob, I expected some more ridiculous, humorous dialog to go along with the outlandish premise.  

This time around, players can use the mouse or gamepad to aim their weapons a full 360 degrees, which is a welcome addition to the combat. Enemies are often crouched in a corner, or up on a stairwell, and the ability to aim with pinpoint accuracy goes a long way towards livening up the action and making you more effective in battle.  You can also double jump now (in addition to your roll/dodge), which makes traversing the environment a much smoother experience. The camera is zoomed out a bit more than the first game, but despite taking a little getting used to, it ends up being a plus. 

The levels themselves have definitely been given an upgrade in terms of scope, with larger locations, more hidden rooms, and some big set pieces, like a huge theater, or when you're storming the beaches of Normandy, running along the beach, dodging bullets and mortar fire as you jump from one fox hole to the next. Like the first game, there aren't a ton of secrets to find, but it's always fun to blast through a door and find some precious heavy weapon ammo concealed inside. The weapons (or lack thereof) are a little disappointing, although there are some nice heavy caliber additions, like the new belt-fed machine gun. For the most part, it's more of the same though; sure, you get a heavier "light" SMG, and a new (heavier) pistol, but overall, like the story, I would wish Crazy Monkey would have found something more over-the-top for this go-around. 

Enemies are quite similar to the first game as well, although there are a few great additions that make you rethink your run and gun mentality. Large, zoot suit wearing gangsters soak up bullets and charge you like Bald Bull from Punch Out, sending you flying if they connect, and one particular enemy, who looks like a cross between a prisoner and a mummy, is a lot of frustrating fun to fight, as he whips his ball and chain at you, then sails behind it, attacking you from strange angles and locations. There are some fun and creative boss encounters as well, but many of the enemies are the same as the first game, or seem like reskinned adversaries you have already shot your way through before. 

Graphics & Sound

The graphics hold up great here, with better animations all around, and the character design and levels are a joy to soak in. One problem I had, especially in chaotic, 4 player co-op, is that it can be hard to tell where you are at a given time and which character is which. Unless you and your allies are all dressed in ridiculous costumes, (like the Santa Claus outfit that I recommend for 4 player), it can be hard to tell which suit-wearing gangster is an ally, and which suit-wearing gangster is an enemy. A colored character arrow could have helped mitigate the confusion, although it may have taken away from the visual aesthetic. The sound on the whole is excellent, with great background music and weapon sound effects, especially when there is a ton going on in-game.