Thanks to Devolver Digital and Pigeons at Play, MKAU was lucky to get an early sneak peek at their latest announcement, Mycopunk. A first-person co-op shooter that has launched onto Steam Early Access. If you were a fan of Deep Rock Galactic, you would have a blast on Mycopunk, as you would quickly notice how similar it is overall.

Invite your friends and blast into the galaxy as the world’s most violent cleaners. A ragtag group of robot rejects hired by megacorp Saxon as the New Atlas Hazard Crew, tasked with unearthing the mysteries behind a planet-wide fungal catastrophe. You and your friends must work together as a team, setting off on various missions to push back the fungal enemy forces.

Standard movement controls paired with the odd “Q” or “F” for abilities make for easy learning to blast straight into the intense action. Long story short, Mycopunk is intense. Unlike other games that give you a two-second breather between enemy waves, Mycopunk keeps the action pumped to the max, with hordes of enemies relentlessly attacking you. At the same time, you try to complete the various objectives.

Choosing between robots, Wrangler, Bruiser, Scrapper and my favourite, Glider, was difficult as I tried to think about the team and what would be most beneficial. Each robot has its abilities, but Glider was the one I found most fun and satisfying. Long story short, Glider is a medic that allows you to fly around and shoot rockets. These rockets serve as a double ability since not only can you lock on to enemies and do damage, but you can also lock onto your allies and shoot them to heal them. The gliding ability was the most fun as it was super agile and allowed you to scoot out of a horde of enemies or a sticky situation.

There are also heaps of upgrades for your character, weapons, and grenades to create an overpowering build that drives back those fungal forces. As I said earlier, Mycopunk feels familiar to Deep Rock Galactic but with a quirky twist. There were only two missions in the early access, which consisted of either clearing fungi gunk or shooting a massive rail gun with varying difficulties to make the mission more challenging or action-packed.

Being a co-op shooter is more fun with friends; however, you can still launch the game solo to test your skills. Mycopunk is easy to grasp, and I was an enormous fan of it as I didn’t have to sit through lengthy and tedious tutorials, pick your character, select your weapons, and immediately launch a mission. It’s as easy as that.

Mycopunk was a pleasure to the eyes. Vivid splashes of colour splashed throughout the lobby and mission, reminiscent of a Borderlands feel. The environments are scattered with varying colours and contrasts, which aid in the fun-having experience of the game.

Throughout the game, whether you’re afk waiting for a mate or shooting your teammates, there is a witty roach announcer with funny sayings and outbursts that will crack a smile on your dial. Paired with an upbeat soundtrack that picks up in intensity during action-packed scenarios, it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire experience.

Overall, Mycopunk was a thrill to play, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this title. Thanks to the upbeat soundtrack, incredible scenery, many upgrades and quirky characters. Mycopunk will leave a lasting impression on players and have you blasting through the galaxy for hours. Thanks again to Devolver Digital and Pigeons at Play for the opportunity, and I’m sure to see you all on the battlefield!

Written by: Larry