Broforce Explodes Onto Steam Early Access

Hey bro, wanna bro out with some video games? Like any real bro, I love my VGs and I love them even more when I can get my bro on with my bros! The lesson here is: even if you're doing something ironically, you are still doing it and should feel bad (I certainly do). So look, Broforce really is named Broforce and it does star 1980s and '90s action heroes with bro-ised names like MacBrover, B.A. Broracus, and Brobocop.

If references to popular culture from when you were younger sets you off into fits of giggles, you'll adore it. However, if you can get past the questionable bro spin, it is some pretty pleasant shooty platformer fun, and something you may wish to cast an eye over now it's on Steam Early Access.

Broforce, then, is a run-and-gun platformer about murdering a load of chaps in ski masks. Each bro has his own abilities, and dying or rescuing a hostage switches your bro, so you can end up with interesting problems like facing a helicopter miniboss as the sword-wielding Blade (sorry, 'Brade'). While the bro-tastic dressing and trailers may suggest it's a non-stop mega-explode-fest, it's a bit more reserved than that as one single hit kills your bro. You certainly can light a gas cannister then ride it into a group of enemies, but you'll probably just die then respawn at a checkpoint. And while your bro can spew bullets and missiles and dynamite and explosions, they may end up taking pot-shots from behind cover or chipping out the destructible terrain to get to an enemy. It's not unpleasant, but I half-fancy the murderfest I'd been lead to expect.

I did only play on my lonesome like a big Jonah, I should say, and one certainly imagines it'll be quite different in co-op with up to four bros broing out. If only I had a wingman!

Yesterday also brought the launch of Broforce's April update and its first female bro, Ripbro.

Dev builds have been going out to pre-orderers for a fair while now, but it's only just hit Steam Early Access. Before you cough up £11.99, you can have a crack at the early 'brototype.'