Atomik: RunGunJumpGun

Genre: Auto-Runner / Action-Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Atomik: RunGunJumpGun, alternately referred to simply as RunGunJumpGun, is a challenging Auto-Runner with Action-Platformer elements released on PC and mobile devices in 2016, and ported to Nintendo Switch in 2018. Atomik’s unique take on the genre is that rather than jumping to avoid obstacles, they take the role of a “scavenger” who has chain gun they can either use to blast obstacles away, or to ride the recoil like a jetpack.

Atomik’s presentation is pretty good, featuring simple 2D visuals that are seemingly washed over with bright colors making for a slightly psychedelic effect. These visuals are backed by a synthesized soundtrack and a lot of gunfire noise. Between stages, players are contacted by various characters commenting on the post-apocalyptic alien setting and the scavenger’s persistent actions within it.

If you’re looking for a point of comparison for the gameplay, the closest thing I can think of is Jetpack Joyride (one of the better Auto-Runners), although even that isn’t quite right, as the focus here is less on enemies and mid-air obstacles, and more on dangerous environments. Players will play this game using only the L and R buttons – one to shoot forward and take out obstacles ahead, and one to shoot downward to lift themselves up into the air.

The game is fiendishly difficult at times, making players quickly cycle through taking out obstacles and keeping themselves from falling too far, or navigating through an onslaught of various projectiles. However, the game cleverly uses one of its objectives to help with this – the titular Atomiks, which are glowy energy particles, are suspended in mid-air for players to collect (and needed for progression), but often signal the safe path through a constantly-shifting screen of hazards. The game does thankfully evolve on its core concept too, bringing in new elements as players progress from one world to the next.

When it comes to complaints, I suppose I wish the game afforded players more freedom to act how they like. Also, the challenge level here is so tough that many players will likely be discouraged. Thankfully, restarting the level happens automatically and instantaneously, so the game’s fast pace is never interrupted, and failing to get through a tough level ten times just has you steeling yourself for the eleventh time rather than giving up outright.

Overall, if you’re looking for an Auto-Runner with more “gun” in it, Atomik is well worth looking into. There are still areas where it could be improved on to give players more utility to act, but for what it is, this is a fun take on the genre that makes good on the promise indicated in its name (except perhaps “jump”, which doesn’t really describe the way players use bullets to propel themselves into the air). If you’re a fan of the genre, this is well worth getting.

tl;dr – Atomik is an Auto-Runner with Action-Platformer elements where players use a chain gun to alternately blast away obstacles or propel themselves up into the air. It’s super-challenging, and I would’ve liked the player to have more agency, but overall this is a fast-paced, fun, adrenaline-fueled take on the genre that’s well worth playing.

Grade: B-

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