I first played the Bang Bang Barrage demo last October, and it was clear the game had promising ideas, even in its early stages. Now, the new Steam Next Fest demo is vastly improved and I was genuinely surprised by its progress. This is a fun, fast-paced shooter offering both multiplayer and singleplayer modes. It’s all about chasing high scores, surviving as long as you can, and tackling various challenges while fending off hordes of hands and blobs.
Though small in scope, Bang Bang Barrage isn’t meant for one long sitting, it’s best enjoyed in short, multiple play sessions where you discover something new each time you play. Whether it’s new enemies, unique events like night or poison-filled maps, and much more, the game keeps drawing you back. You start with simple hands that stand still, but they evolve, moving randomly across the map or even chasing you. Plus, there are blobs on ships that shoot at you, and even flowers evolve too, making their attacks stronger and bigger.
Simple but fun gameplay
The gameplay is straightforward: you shoot and reload. If you run out of bullets, you can still fire a burst of air that pushes enemies away or propels you. Be tactical with this air blast, as using it resets your reload timer. Enemies drop diamonds, which you can spend at a shop that appears periodically. Here, you can purchase various buffs like more HP, increased bullets, or the ability to destroy enemy projectiles, among many other upgrades.
My only major concern is the potential for repetition. Instead of consistently introducing new bosses, the game presents them only after you survive for certain periods. While this gives you time to prepare, the slow evolution of regular enemies can deter some of the fun. This is subjective, of course; the map is always packed with action, leaving you little time to think. It’s much like old arcade games, but with a modern look where a single mistake can lead to instant death.
As mentioned, Bang Bang Barrage offers both singleplayer and multiplayer modes, with the latter playable via split-screen or online. The singleplayer experience seems less difficult and more balanced in terms of acquiring buffs from the shop, a great approach if you prefer to play solo. While its cartoonish style and simple gameplay might not appeal to everyone, the graphics are genuinely cute. The clean visuals ensure no unnecessary details clutter your view, and the clear UI makes shooting everything easy.
Packed with great ideas, only time will reveal if it succeeds
You earn gold by completing challenges and surviving for as long as possible. This gold can be spent in the in-game shop to customize your blob’s color, unlock new weapons, acquire new skins, and even buy different boats. There are no microtransactions here; everything is earnable simply by playing. The more you play, the more items you’ll collect and use. The demo is quite limited in this regard, offering only one weapon, one skin, and one boat, which unfortunately doesn’t encourage much replayability. However, there are global leaderboards where you can see every player’s score.
You earn points by defeating enemies and maintaining your combo. The higher your combo, the larger your damage radius, allowing you to clear more foes. If you miss an enemy, your combo resets, but you can quickly build it back up. This simple yet effective system ensures levels don’t become overwhelmingly difficult, even when you’re swarmed by enemies.
Overall, Bang Bang Barrage has the potential to be a fun little game for the right audience. If you’re looking for something to play during the Steam Next Fest, I highly recommend it. It won’t take much of your time, and you’ll get to try something cute and unique.
Hrvatski 
English (UK)