Gunpoint is a Delight for Stealth Game Fans

Gunpoint is a 2D stealth game in which you play as a spy stealing secrets and hacking networks like Ethan Hunt of Mission Impossible movie series.

Hi, Fellow Linux gamers. Let’s take a look at a fun stealth game. Let’s take a look at Gunpoint.

Gunpoint is neither free nor open source. It is an independent game you can purchase directly from the creator or from Steam.

The Interesting History of Gunpoint

The instant success of Gunpoint enabled its creator to become a full time game developer.

Gunpoint is a stealth game created by Tom Francis. Francis was inspired to create the game after he heard about Spelunky, which was created by one person. Francis played games as part of his day job, as an editor for PC Gamer UK magazine. He had no previous programming experience but used the easy-to-use Game Maker. He planned to create a demo with the hopes of getting a job as a developer.

He released his first prototype in May 2010 under the name Private Dick. Based on the response, Francis continued to work on the game. The final version was released in June of 2013 to high praise.

In a blog post weeks after Gunpoint’s launch, Francis revealed that he made back all the money he spent on development ($30 for Game Maker 8) in 64 seconds. Francis didn’t reveal Gunpoint’s sales figures, but he did quit his job and today creates games full time.

Experiencing the Gunpoint Gameplay

Gunpoint Gameplay

Like I said earlier, Gunpoint is a stealth game. You play a freelance spy named Richard Conway. As Conway, you will use a pair of Bullfrog hypertrousers to infiltrate buildings for clients. The hypertrousers allow you to jump very high, even through windows. You can also cling to walls or ceilings like a ninja.

Another tool you have is the Crosslink, which allows you to rewire circuits. Often you will need to use the Crosslink to reroute motion detections to unlock doors instead of setting off an alarm or rewire a light switch to turn off the light on another floor to distract a guard.

When you sneak into a building, your biggest concern is the on-site security guards. If they see Conway, they will shoot and in this game, it’s one shot one kill. You can jump off a three-story building no problem, but bullets will take you down. Thankfully, if Conway is killed you can just jump back a few seconds and try again.

Along the way, you will earn money to upgrade your tools and unlock new features. For example, I just unlocked the ability to rewire a guard’s gun. Don’t ask me how that works.

Minimum System Requirements

Here are the minimum system requirements for Gunpoint:

Linux

  • Processor: 2GHz
  • Memory: 1GB RAM
  • Video card: 512MB
  • Hard Drive: 700MB HD space

Windows

  • OS: Windows XP, Visa, 7 or 8
  • Processor: 2GHz
  • Memory: 1GB RAM
  • Video card: 512MB
  • DirectX®: 9.0
  • Hard Drive: 700MB HD space

macOS

  • OS: OS X 10.7 or later
  • Processor: 2GHz
  • Memory: 1GB RAM
  • Video card: 512MB
  • Hard Drive: 700MB HD space

Thoughts on Gunpoint

Gunpoint game on Linux
Image Courtesy: Steam Community

Gunpoint is a very fun game. The early levels are easy to get through, but the later levels make you put your thinking cap on. The hypertrousers and Crosslink are fun to play with. There is nothing like turning the lights off on a guard and bouncing over his head to hack a terminal.

Besides the fun mechanics, it also has an interesting noir murder mystery story. Several different (and conflicting) clients hire you to look into different aspects of the case. Some of them seem to have ulterior motives that are not in your best interest.

I always enjoy good mysteries and this one is no different. If you like noir or platforming games, be sure to check out Gunpoint.

Have you every played Gunpoint? What other games should we review for your entertainment? Let us know in the comments below.

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About the author
John Paul Wohlscheid

John Paul Wohlscheid

My name is John Paul Wohlscheid. I'm an aspiring mystery writer who loves to play with technology, especially Linux. You can catch up with me at: http://johnpaulwohlscheid.work/

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