Guns, Gore & Cannoli (PC) Review

Godfather + Metal Slug + Zombies = Gun, Gore, and Cannoli.

Zombie games seem to constantly keep popping up over time, pun intended. The genre is one that folks just seem to resonate with extremely well. Dead people re-animated and coming to get us, what else is more relatable then a once previously alive human, now coming for your brains? What can make the zombies genre boring at times is the urge to create realistic zombie games, or ones that never change the setting up. Have you ever imagined what it might be like if mobsters had to deal with zombies? Look no further because Guns, Gore, and Cannoli is here.

The gameplay mechanics here are going to be very familiar to anyone that grew up with arcade games or in the SNES/Genesis era. GGC is a side scrolling shooter. The player and up to 3 friends can blast guns across the town, fighting the undead horde. It’s a unique combination, and one that works surprisingly well. Weapons range from single shot pistols and magnums to shotguns, tommy guns, and more.

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MSRP: $9.99
Platforms: PC
Price I’d Pay: $9.99
Multiplayer: Local 1-4
How long to beat: Three hours

All these weapons bring about the destruction of not only the undead, but objects in the background as well. Windows, cars, exploding barrels. Luckily, players can do some massive damage because enemies can and will flood players. The game starts off fairly easy, but later on players really have to choose what weapons to use and when to use them properly. Thankfully, there are plenty of checkpoints littered throughout that make death a little bit easier to take.

Not only will players be taking on the undead, but mobsters as well. Some that hold trash cans as shields, others that take cover. The humans combined with the zombies really add a ton of variation to enemies and their patterns. Some zombies are huge and throw barrels at the player, other zombies spew green gas and when their head is shot off, bum rush the player. Some even use weapons themselves, a little farfetched admittedly, but it works.

While they could have just used rushing zombies, they add flavor to them, like an undead football zombie. My favorite is the undead leprechauns that float above players with their little balloons, dropping bombs.

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Visuals and audio also shine with fantastic animations and cartoon style. Vivid colors, detailed explosions, and lots of exploding and dismembered zombies litter the streets. Players will visit boat yards, back alleys, factories, bars, and more. Everything is appropriate for the time and era of the mobsters shows, along with the classic style of music, which is really fitting for the game. There is even a voice acted story featuring characters with the appropriate accents, and it’s interesting enough to keep players going, even though the gameplay is more than capable.

I happened to randomly stumble upon this game via a video one day, and it’s a shame, as I feel others are not aware of it either. Not only did Crazy Monkey studios do a hell of a job creating a fantastic side unique scrolling arcade shooter, they created a classic in my eyes. I grew up playing $60 dollar arcade games like Sunset Riders, Altered Beast, and more. Guns, Gore and Cannoli might only last a couple of hours, bit it can be picked up for a low price of $9.99, and I’d highly recommend any fan of the genre to check this game out immediately. Godfather + Metal Slug + Zombies = Guns, Gore, and Cannoli.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Fun combat
  • Lots of weapons
  • Enemy variation
  • Cartoon style
  • Four player co-op
  • Soundtrack
Bad
  • Short arcade length
  • Local co-op only
9
Excellent
Written by
Justin is a long time passionate fan of games, not gaming drama. He loves anything horror related, archaeology inspired adventures, RPG goodness, Dr Pepper, and of course his family. When it comes to crunch time, he is a beast, yet rabies free we promise.