So I recently watched John Wick and its sequel, and like many action fans I was impressed with its gunplay choreography. People have thrown around the term "Gun Fu" to describe the balletic mix of precision chest/head shots and tactical judo techniques depicted in the John Wick films, and I think that's an apt moniker. It's very satisfying to see John carve his way through hordes of goons using incredible adaptability and ruthless efficiency, and it made me think about games that allow the player to feel this way through their combat design.
So, what games come to mind for you?
For me, I think the closest analog in the realm of videogames would have to be the Hotline Miami series. While it doesn't exactly match the tone of the John Wick films (it more closely mimics the vibe of Drive), its moment-to-moment gameplay feels very much like Gun Fu. Whether you're playing as Jacket in the first game or one of a dozen playable characters in the sequel, you typically find yourself having to clear out buildings swarming with bad guys who all come after you with interminable tenacity. On sight an enemy will kill you in one shot or swipe of a melee weapon, and they will all rapidly close in your location if you make a loud noise via gunfire.
It's when you become proficient in Hotline's unique brand of action gameplay that things start to resemble the sequences in the John Wick films. The game encourages you to flow through the levels without pause, chaining together brutal and efficient kills while frequently swapping weapons on the fly as you run out of ammo.
Take a look at this video of high-level Hotline Miami play to see what I mean.
https://youtu.be/ynHMFzVIksA?t=6m
So, what games come to mind for you?
For me, I think the closest analog in the realm of videogames would have to be the Hotline Miami series. While it doesn't exactly match the tone of the John Wick films (it more closely mimics the vibe of Drive), its moment-to-moment gameplay feels very much like Gun Fu. Whether you're playing as Jacket in the first game or one of a dozen playable characters in the sequel, you typically find yourself having to clear out buildings swarming with bad guys who all come after you with interminable tenacity. On sight an enemy will kill you in one shot or swipe of a melee weapon, and they will all rapidly close in your location if you make a loud noise via gunfire.
It's when you become proficient in Hotline's unique brand of action gameplay that things start to resemble the sequences in the John Wick films. The game encourages you to flow through the levels without pause, chaining together brutal and efficient kills while frequently swapping weapons on the fly as you run out of ammo.
Take a look at this video of high-level Hotline Miami play to see what I mean.
https://youtu.be/ynHMFzVIksA?t=6m
