
#Nuclear throne unlock all characters full
The Nuclear Throne prototype was a result of a 72-hour game jam, and since Vlambeer streamed the development of the prototype, it was decided that the development of the full game would feature a similar format. Although Vlambeer wasn't quite as well-known as they are today, their previous work on Super Crate Box, Luftrausers, and the Serious Sam franchise was well-regarded by indie fans. Nuclear Throne is available now on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Mac, and PC.Nuclear Throne was originally part of Steam's Early Access program during its earliest stages in 2013. Nonetheless, it’s well worth a dive into, especially with its appearance on Xbox Game Pass. It has just enough to it to keep you going, though, by comparison to more robust roguelikes, it has the potential to dry up after a while if you’re not mastering it fast enough. While an older entry in the genre, Nuclear Throne is still creative and fun and feels totally fresh in the sea of bullet hells. But, the levels are short, so the repetitiveness doesn’t drag on either. Because there are only so many types of enemies and weapons per area, it can get repetitive after a while. This is just enough incentive to keep pushing me to get further even when things start to get dull in their simplicity. I also appreciate that it always feels like you’re progressing, not because you unlock new upgrades or anything, but because you unlock more playable characters the further you get into a run without dying. The post-apocalyptic vibe as a whole is well-serviced by its bizarre playable characters, their personalities, and the enemies you fight. The music and sound design are subtle but very atmospheric, fitting totally within each of the environments. The style lends itself perfectly to the simplicity of the gameplay and looks pretty good and smooth on current generation consoles.
#Nuclear throne unlock all characters series
Still, on Xbox Series X|S, it looks very refined. Essentially, they’re an optional aspect of the game that doesn’t make or break progress.Īrtistically, the pixel art style may be reminiscent of a time when that was basically the only way indie games were being designed in the previous generation. Sure some of them are helpful, but they’re also a natural part of progressing through any loop. They’re not stat boosts or weapon enhancements necessary for fighting your way through the game. The key aspect, though, is that they’re modifiers. They’re tied specifically to the character you completed the run with, giving players a whole host of additional goals to strive towards besides simply beating the game once or twice. There are secret areas to stumble upon and a Crown mechanic, essentially modifiers, that you can unlock permanently among other cosmetics for completing loops with them. There are myriad weapons and weapon types, from machine guns to energy guns to a wrench or a crossbow.


The gameplay’s simplicity doesn’t mean it’s without complexity, though. Between hordes of enemies with different types of attacks at different ranges, tight corridors, and environmental hazards, it’ll take a lot of practice to get to the Nuclear Throne. And you’ll need them because while this game isn’t a one-hit and you’re dead level of difficulty, it gets pretty hard pretty fast. Without all the bells and whistles of upgrades and unlockables, you’re left needing only to hone your dodging and aiming skills. Other than that, just run, gun, and don’t die.īut this simplicity is everything. You’ll pick up weapons, ammo, and health along the way, and between every few levels, you’ll be able to pick Mutations that give you certain buffs or abilities. Don’t get hit too many times, or you’re done for, and it’s back to the very beginning.

Aim with one stick, shoot with the trigger. In this nuclear wasteland-themed game, you must kill every enemy on screen to progress in your quest to claim the Nuclear Throne. You pick your character each has one stat difference like more HP or higher speed, and one ability like a dodge roll or shield.

Nuclear Throne is from a time before Enter the Gungeon or Dead Cells. Things were simpler. But it also helps make more clear how older games do and don’t hold up and why. And this is generally awesome because innovation is the best way to keep a genre fresh. Roguelikes have gotten massive over the years. Originally released on PC, PS3, PS4, and Vita six years ago, the simple yet satisfying game has just arrived on Xbox via Game Pass, and despite its age, it remains a very satisfying game. Nuclear Throne is a bullet hell roguelike by Vlambeer.
