In an era when AAA titles strive for photorealism and epic stories of a hundred hours, with complex mechanics and deep narratives, it's easy to burn out. Every game today has to be bigger, deeper, longer, more serious. It's as if the simple, primal fun that made us fall in love with video games as children has been lost.
Bullets & Brains comes as a welcome summer refreshment. Nintendo's legendary Satoru Iwata once said that video games must be just fun - nothing else. While I love complex and deep stories that emotionally devastate me later, this game has come to me at just the right time. Sometimes I don't want to think, I just want to blow up hundreds of zombies.
Zombie Apocalypse with Style
The very first hardcore riff in the main menu sets the tone: this will be loud, raw, and fun. It's clear what this twin-stick shooter wants to be – and it doesn't try to pretend to be anything else. It's time for chaos!
You take on the role of one of the survivors in a zombie apocalypse, in a world that has collapsed but hasn't lost its sense of humor. Everything has that light touch, as if you've jumped into a rock’n’roll comic. The game doesn't ask you to take it seriously, and that's a good thing.
Doctor, can I take sick leave?
The survivor camp where you start the game serves as your hub and narrative anchor – there are other survivors, traders, a doctor, the chief elder, and a simple story that unfolds through short conversations. The camp is not just a logistical hub; it has an atmosphere. Post-apocalyptic tents, campfires, improvised storage… everything reminds you of classic movie clichés, but through a caricature filter. From here, you embark on missions, upgrade your character, and gradually unlock new content.
As you explore the camp and get familiar with the game mechanics, everything is unusually calm, until suddenly, lo and behold - zombies are attacking again, stronger than ever, and you're already running towards the next mission. That sudden transition from calm to chaos works as a great introduction to the game – it gives you just enough time to get into the groove, then throws you into the fire.
Gameplay that Doesn't Complicate
The controls are intuitive, and the concept is simple: left analog for movement, right for aiming, shooting, dashing, special attack, and that's it. It's a bit unusual that you run by holding the dash button, so you'll often dash into empty space first. Missions are short and straightforward, lasting 5 to 10 minutes, making them perfect for quick runs after a long day. Each level boils down to simple objectives - destroy 3 zombie nests, survive a certain amount of time, kill enough mobs – all while trying to stay alive.
Evacuate me already, please!
What quickly becomes clear is that pace is crucial – you don’t stop, you don’t hide, you’re constantly on the move and something is always exploding. Zombies attack in hordes and it’s up to you to send them to zombie hell with your shotgun, machine gun, or even a disc launcher. The options are numerous.
Zombies drop brains that fill XP (wait, are we collecting brains? Are we the bad guys?), and each level brings a choice of one-time perks: shorter reload, additional weapons like metal discs that fly around you or a shooting drone, health regeneration, and more. Between missions in the camp, you unlock permanent skills, and by completing additional challenges, you gain access to new weapons.
The special attack is charged by breaking boxes and collecting energy, slowing down time and increasing damage – perfect for destroying zombie nests or dealing with hordes when you’re surrounded.
The camp offers a rich selection of weapons, cosmetics, and upgrades. I’m currently playing as a hillbilly with a panda mask and it looks ridiculous. As you progress, you unlock new characters belonging to one of the classes - the scout has the highest speed and stamina, the tank has the most health, and the soldier balances everything. Although later characters have slightly better traits, I still stuck with the initial Miles, a bald bearded guy in a checkered shirt. The game also supports local co-op for two players, which is a huge plus. Nothing brings people together like cleaning up zombies while the AC is buzzing and it’s scorching +40 outside.
In this city, there is quite a noticeable brain drain
Rock n roll strip
This is a world of caricature, exaggeration, and style. The game carries a timeless and recognizable cell-shaded look reminiscent of a mix of Borderlands and Plants vs Zombies. The colors are bright, the animations clear and legible, and the zombies… cute? Yes, seriously. Their big heads and facial expressions give a grotesquely charming vibe. Explosions are particularly emphasized with “BOOM” and “PEW” captions.
The campaign narrative is functional but forgettable. The dialogues are there to justify the transition to a new zone, but without much emotional engagement. Honestly, I don't even remember the names of the characters, and it's clear that the story was never meant to play a significant role here.
On the Switch, everything runs smoothly – the frame rate is stable, loading times are short, and the game fits perfectly for shorter handheld sessions. However, the characters look a bit grainy. I was told that the console version is currently not at the same graphical level as the PC version, but a forthcoming update will fix that. Fingers crossed.
In six hours of gameplay, I encountered a few bugs – text boxes during dialogues sometimes remain empty, I occasionally found myself dashing in place, and a couple of times I got stuck on some corner. It should be noted that the Switch port was handled by the publisher, No Gravity Games, not Ajvar Studio. I hope future updates will smooth out these little issues.
Reed here clearly wants to point out something important, but until a patch arrives, we won't learn this part of the story
The music deserves special mention – the hard rock soundtrack makes you tap your foot while reloading your shotgun and preparing for a new horde of zombies. The music here is more than just background; it elevates the game's rhythm and keeps you in the flow. On the other hand, the weapons sound somewhat monotonous. There's none of that satisfying shotgun click we're used to in Doom.
Conclusion
Bullets & Brains is a fast, stylized, and fun shooter with a simple yet addictive gameplay loop. It doesn't try to be wild but rather takes us back to simpler times when it was enough to grab a gamepad and start shooting.
This is not a game for marathon sessions. It’s ideal for moments when you need a quick dopamine hit, when you don’t have much time, or after a long day when you don’t want to think – just play, when you have 15 minutes to spare and want to spend them surrounded by explosions, brains, and good music. At a price of €15, and considering it comes from a local studio, it’s worth diving into the explosive zombie massacre. Ajvar Studio has done a good job, and I wish them all the best in their next endeavor.
A copy of the Switch version of the game for review purposes was provided by the development studio Ajvar Studio and the publisher No Gravity Games
