Retro:Renegade Reviews

Showdown Bandit

By Nico Cognata

Showdown Bandit is an indie horror game by the Meatly and Kindly Beast. The Meatly is known for its hit game Bendy and the Ink Machine. Showdown Bandit is a new project for him and the debut title for Kindly Beast. You play in the world of the long forgotten puppet TV show “Showdown Bandit,” and you are the former star, the Showdown Bandit himself. The game follows Bendy’s chapter formula: currently just Chapter 1 is out. You explore the once cheery set of Showdown Valley that is now a slum like a nightmare. 

You meet other characters from the show such as the shy Banker to the somewhat menacing Doc Carver. Gameplay wise, it’s quite lacking, it’s a point and click game, but it can change perspective to a first person showdown only on certain areas called showdown spots. These squares are quite rare compared to the amount of enemies in the chapter, which can cause a lot of cheap deaths. 

This game nails feeling and atmosphere but completely flunks gameplay wise. The game contains random bosses, including a puppet named the Faceless Bandit that can randomly appear to try and kill you. With a unique story and great atmosphere but with flawed gameplay and bad design choices I give this game a 5 out of 10. I will do a Re-Review once more of this game releases. Thank you for reading.