Reagan Gorbachev Review

Firstly I’m not one for games that play on the side of factual history and nor am I the sort of gamer that looks for some historical relevance in the games I play. So the thought of playing through Reagan Gorbachev was a little underwhelming. That was until I was 10 minutes in and wondering how they kept this little gem under wraps!

So how do I best explain this game to you in a way that won’t have you thinking I’ve completely lost the plot. Yes it’s about two heads of state from their prime. Built in the era of cold war and diplomatic tensions these two adversaries from America ( Reagan) and Russia (Gorbachev) have been brought together to escape a facility after being held captive during one of their secret rendezvous to prevent world Armageddon. Yep it’s that bat shit crazy a story so the gameplay has got to be pants surely?

“Jesus this game will surprise you in so many ways.”

Well actually it’s pretty good and in fact plays homage to some other highly successful twin stick shooters out there. Throughout my time playing it I could see the impression games like Hotline Miami, Titan Souls and my personal favourite LA Cops had on the gameplay. It’s fast quick fire action all from a top down view. Picking your moments to run and gun or sneak past enemies is highly addictive and caters to an immersive form of gameplay I just didn’t expect from this title. Jesus this game will surprise you in so many ways.

As with other titles in this one’s genre there is a plethora of weapons to choose from which are introduced as you progress the various levels. These range from your fists to full on bazookas which can smash through walls helping you get to your end goal just that little bit faster. So what’s the point of each of these levels how Do I get my good pal Reagan and Gorbachev to safety?

This is the big differentiator as in Reagan Gorbachev you control both characters with the ability to switch between on the fly. Holding LB will have the character you’re not controlling you follow your movements. What is good here is that like LA Cops that used a similar mechanic the computer AI on the non controlled character will react to enemies and open fire. I can’t count the times a shotgun wielding Ronald Reagan had my back.

Navigating each level will offer up a variety of obstacles to keep the gameplay moving and challenging your approach. As each character has a unique ability whether it be hacking computers or being able to open certain colour coded doors this will lead you to thinking harder about how you are going to get to that little vent and escape that is located in each level. It’s not enough for just Reagan to jump down the vent to complete a level you need to get your good pal Gorbachev down also. No man left behind and all that jazz.

Now with this game being set in an all too unlikely age of Russian and American cooperation the game should probably make sure you learn a thing or two about the history of these two unlikely comrades. So upon completing each mission there’s a rather novel quiz to attempt. Each level completion offers one question and it’s either a straight shootout between Reagan or Gorbachev pick the individual you think did or was involved with the question above. It’s a nice touch to educate the gamer however I would question how many players would actively know the answers to some of the questions and would it engage them to make an effort. For me I was intrigued and the game did enough to have me google some of those answers. I wanted to find out more but I even more so I wanted the ridiculous amount of Gamerscore on offer for answering a series of them correctly.

“Unfortunately Reagan Gorbachev doesn’t have any notable in game audio.”

There is something that this game does sadly lack and that is in the area of the game’s audio. For me what made titles like Hotline Miami utterly addictive was the coupling of fast action gameplay with a truly outstanding soundtrack. Unfortunately Reagan Gorbachev doesn’t have any notable in game audio. There was so much opportunity here to mix in some 80’s American super hits to help you gun sling with when controlling Reagan. Then for Gorbachev mix it up with something like the clip below. All in all the audio is a real let down and it could have been so promising. Now to be fair music usage in games is a logistical and rights related nightmare so we can understand Team2Bit actively avoided this as it would have hugely added to the development costs.

The storyline as you can tell from all the previous paragraphs is completely off the wall and borders on the absolute absurd. What I did like was the fact the game never took itself too serious throughout and offering up some in game cut scenes to fill in the plot gaps was a nice touch all done in a pixelated style much like the gameplay. You can skip these so don’t feel like you’re going to miss some gripping plot twist the idea is simple and story won’t task you it’s a simple escape story with two unlikely allies.

If you want a game that’s gonna give you your money’s worth then Reagan Gorbachev may just tick the box. The levels you can complete in your own way be it fast and frenetic gunplay, strolling through like a stealth ninja step by step or by blasting holes in the wall. Whatever first playthrough you have the inclusion of online leaderboards will task you with completing missions a bit faster with every playthrough. master the patrol routes and picking your moments to strike become quite tough when you’re trying to beat a level in under 20 seconds. To that end Reagan Gorbachev can be picked up and played for small periods of time whether it be one level at a time or speed running through the campaign. A typical playthrough may take only up to 4 hours depending on your skill level.

There are some added in extras to keep you coming back leaderboards being one, hidden rooms and some action specific achievement to keep you engaged. However what I advise you definitely do attempt is the game in 2 player mode. You will have a blast and this is surely the best way to experience the game just make sure it’s not a mate you mind hurling abuse at when they forget to press LT to lock on to that approaching enemy as your hacking a terminal.

Reagan Gorbachev was reviewed on Xbox One with a supplied copy and is available now on the Xbox Store for £7.99.