Guts and Glory Review

From time to time, we all want to take a break from mainstream games. Sure, they are great (well, some of them are), but sometimes, we need something different...and fun. And good, yes.

Guts and Glory may look like just another ordinary game, but it's more than that, really. It's game that you can have a real blast with if you don't take it too seriously. It's morbid enough to grab your attention and it's hilarious enough to entertain anyone.

The basic premise is very simple. You take control of a character of your choice and the only thing you need to do is reach the end of the obstacle course without dying. It sounds easier than it really is, though, so be wary.

One interesting note is that Steam lists this game as a racing game but, in reality, it's everything but a racing game. I'm not sure what genre I would put it in, but as long as it's fun enough, nobody should care too much.

So, speaking of characters, I can say that the roster is as diverse as it can be. And each of these characters has their own unique stories that are (also) tightly connected to tracks themselves. For instance, Earl the Redneck is a very cool guy whose entire existence revolves around messing with rich assholes (pardon the language). Then again, you have Larry who is some kind of a mad scientist. He uses his rocket chair to smash through different obstacles like a true boss that he is. You'll even have a chance to play as a noble father who, along with his son, needs to prepare the city for an annual Guts and Glory race. Except, of course, nothing will be as chill as he believes. I should add that the only story you will ever see is shown in the loading screens. The rest is gameplay. But, honestly, this is not really a game that you would want to play for a story anyway.

And what's the gameplay like? Well, it's pretty fun. Some things are quite hilarious, but that's the nature of this game anyway. As I said before, this is an obstacle course game rather than a classic racing game. Every character is connected to a specific track and every character will bring a different and unique experience to the table. You won't just move from one point to the other, you will go through some checkpoints as well in order to try and get the best time. That's something like time trial in racing games, yes. Other than classic checkpoints, we have "save" checkpoints as well. Once you pass through these checkpoints, you will respawn right there if you die along the way (and you WILL die, trust me). While each track is quite brutal and unforgiving, at least you will have some kind of assistance.

The controls.....well, this is one of the weakest aspects of the game. They're slightly unresponsive and some of the buttons are not even mapped properly. Use a controller and save yourself from the misery if you want to stick around for a while.

The graphics are not overly impressive but they fit the purpose well. From time to time, you will see some rather amusing glitches, though, but none of them is game-breaking. The music is pretty good and, just like the graphics, it really fits the atmosphere well. I'm not sure I can pinpoint my favorite track, but I can say that I didn't dislike a single one, which is more than great.

If you like custom content, you should know that the game has its own level creator as well. So, if you want to create your own killer tracks, you can do it very easily with this tool. You can even see what the community created and play those tracks as well. It's always great to have a nice challenge!