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Super Crate Box and Luftrausers developer Vlambeer has always excelled at short, sweet bursts of action. When the Dutch developer revealed the release date for its mobile hit Ridiculous Fishing, it chose not to do so via a proper trailer, but rather a seven-second Vine. This flashy, bite-sized nugget of media summed up the tiny studio's works well: zippy, bombastic, and comical. Immediately attention-grabbing and over before you know it, Vlambeer's mobile and handheld titles were the perfect way to while away those wayward minutes when waiting in transit. Yet these were tailor-made for the on-the-go crowd. Would this ethos carry across into a larger game, Vlambeer's most ambitious to date: the action-roguelike Nuclear Throne?The answer is a resounding yes. With Nuclear Throne, Vlambeer has taken what it does best - petite pockets of panicky delight - and tethered it to the larger structure of Spelunky. It wouldn't be the first game to try that, of course. Derek Yu's platforming roguelike has seen a smorgasbord of imitators, even if the best brought their own unique spin to the formula. The Binding of Isaac opted for a top-down Zelda throwback, Galak-Z offered an anime space-combat twist, and Downwell narrowed the focus to a single vertical corridor. It's a crowded scene, yet Nuclear Throne manages to stand apart with its own frenetic flavour.
Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ruled by cutesy mutants vying for power, Nuclear Throne's colourful palette and mechanics owe a lot to Dennaton Games' cult classic, Hotline Miami. Played from a top-down perspective, players control their avatar with the left stick and move the direction of their targeting reticule with the right (or mouse if you're playing on PC). This isn't a chaotic twin-stick shooter, however, nor is it a traditional bullet-hell affair (though it can be just that at times). Instead, players have to be deliberate with their shots. Ammo isn't scarce, but it is limited, so you'll frequently find yourself having to switch weapons as you come to the horrifying realisation that you're firing blanks into an oncoming swarm of mutants. Being methodical is important, as certain armaments take a painfully long time to reload, and there's splash damage from your attacks. One poorly timed grenade clipping the corner of a corridor could result in your almighty warriors' instant demise.
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