Broforce Forever

Broforce is a love letter to Contra, but this sidescrolling cooperative shooter is also a tribute to practically every piece of masculine pop culture ephemera Evfrom the past few decades. Even if you only have a passing familiarity with video games, the fundamentals here will be pretty obvious. You - along with any bro you may have taken with you - go from the left side of the screen to the right, emptying hails of bullets at waves of enemies while avoiding enemy fire. It's a gameplay loop that's simple in concept but incredibly hectic in terms of moment-to-moment gameplay.

But what makes Broforce stand out from any other run-of-the-mill run-and-gun shooter is its sense of personality. Both the graphics and the tone match the bare-chested machismo of blockbuster games and movies from the 80s, and that sense of commitment to the genre has even seeped its way into the level design. Each follows a conventional path of mowing down seemingly endless hordes of enemies and then taking on a boss encounter, but the creativity on display here is very cool, and each plays out like an extended set-piece from a long-forgotten action flick.

If that was all that Broforce had to offer, it would still be an entertaining diversion, but the scale of content here goes well beyond what most games are content with. Broforce initially gave you ten characters to choose from. Each serves as a parody of a major action hero, and all of them awkwardly shoehorn "Bro" into their name. The distinct characters serve as more than just a way to play dress-up. All of the characters have secondary ammo, and all of them are smart homages to the characters on which they're based. They're also pretty creative in their design. While secondary ammo sometimes manifests as bullets, some characters have more unique skills like a whip or a rocket jump.

But the roster of Broforce has gone well below a simple ten characters. The developer has continued to release new free content steadily, and the roster has expanded to nearly over two dozen characters. The stage design is also virtually limitless. A stage designer has been included with the game, so you can easily create new and daunting gauntlets to challenge your friends or browse the library to find cool levels created by players from around the world.

The variety of characters means that most players will find some bros they love and some they hate. But no matter what your preferences are, you're going to have to learn to be flexible. You always start a new level with a random character, and the only way to swap them out is by rescuing a hostage. The trick is that you won't know who you'll transform into once you touch a hostage. The depth of characters available could be overwhelming, but Broforce smartly eases you into the different gameplay mechanics. You start with a single character and acquire more as you accumulate hostages. These new characters stay in the rotation as soon as they're unlocked, so you have plenty of time to get comfortable with characters instead of just being assaulted with a constant stream of new mechanics.

Broforce is fun in single-player, but it comes into its own when you bring other players to the table. Up to four different players can jump into the game together and mow down walls of enemies. The sheer scale of characters and bullets on the screen makes it a delightful way to catch up with friends. And while cooperative gameplay is at the heart of the experience, there are also a few competitive modes for players with something to prove.

Broforce is a great homage to both run-and-gun shooters and action movies of the 80s and 90s. And while much of it may seem familiar, the weight of content and the continued support from developers make Broforce well worth your time.