It’s always inspiring to see indie games succeed. It gives me hope that the demise of the AAA gaming industry might come sooner than anticipated.

On May 15, developer HAMMER95 released their high-speed single-player first person shooter “MULLET MADJACK,” the game takes inspiration from 80’s and 90’s anime and is available on PC via Steam for a regular price of $20 USD, with a 10% discount available until May 25, bringing the price down to $18.

At the time of writing, the game has received an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating, with 98% of 927 reviews being favorable. The game had already garnered significant attention prior to its release through trailers and a free to download playable demo, contributing to its early rating.

The game is relatively short, but its price reflects its size. It offers dazzling visuals with bright neon fluorescent coloring, set in a retro-futuristic, vintage anime world in the year 2090. The protagonist is a new kind of human fused with the internet, navigating a hellscape dominated by super-rich AI robots known as “ROBILLIONAIRES.”

You play as MULLET MAD JACK, constantly racing against a ten-second countdown as you battle through robotic moderators. Engaging in combat while live streaming, you defeat incoming enemies and advance through stages.

To earn “likes” from viewers and consume dopamine, you must kill an enemy every 10 seconds (or 15 seconds, depending on the difficulty level) to say alive.

If you fail to kill an enemy within the allotted time or neglect to consume dopamine-replenishing juice, which frequently appears in certain areas, you’ll meet your demise. This mechanism incentivizes rapid combat and sustains an appropriate level of tension for a unique experience.

Moreover, upon completing each level, players are presented with a choice of one weapon or skill from three options, adding a roguelike aspect to the gameplay.

In terms of weaponry, players have access to a diverse array, including handguns, shotguns, submachine guns, and even katanas, enabling them to adopt unique combat styles as they maim and slaughter

Drawing inspiration from 80s and 90s anime, the game boasts high-quality visuals replete with numerous homages. Comical effects are seamlessly woven into combat, enriching the fast-paced gameplay and evoking a reminiscent feel of titles like DOOM or 2020’s Post Void by YCJY Games.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111190/MULLET_MADJACK

If you’re into psychedelic boomer shooters, I recommend downloading the free demo and giving the game a try before deciding to buy. Those who have already played it seem to approve, and I’m inclined to give it a thumbs up too.

I yearn for the destruction of the modern gaming industry which is devoid of fun or creativity but rather focused entirely on propagating agendas and ideological bullshit. It’s about time gaming went back to its roots, simple blokes creating games just for the love of it, we need a lot more games like MULLET MADJACK in this day and age.