As a true fan of roguelikes and twin-stick shooters, it isn’t hard to get me going when you combine the two. Of course, there are already loads of great ones out there, so the competition has been getting tougher and tougher, and that has forced developers to continue to come up with new ideas to help differentiate their titles from the pack. There’s no question that Centipede Gun has taken a few such steps that absolutely do set it apart from the crowd, the question is whether or not these new ideas make for a great experience though.

In a nutshell, you’ll be playing the game as a modular centipede, starting out with just a bare number of body segments, but quickly building yourself out one purchased upgrade at a time. What this does well is build up a mix of strategy and some planning in one phase with careful shooting in the other. You can plunk on new pieces to jut out from anywhere on your existing body, with the choice of trying to stay a little more streamlined or perhaps outright boxy, with pros and cons to either approach. There are then different add-ons available that represent offensive weapons, defenses, or buffs that will provide enhancements, but they’ll typically only alter any units they touch, usually requiring some planning and then rearranging as you go to try to optimize your build.

While these concepts are at least novel, in terms of overall implementation there are some obstacles to enjoyment though. The first is the unusual control scheme you’ll need, with the left stick acting sort of as your throttle, and the right controlling rotation. This really isn’t explained well initially, creating some unnecessary confusion when you’re trying to get started, but even once you get the hang of it there’s no doubt that it’s awkward. In addition, the controls when trying to manage your build or choose upgrades are awkward and clumsy, again serving as an early stumbling block to having fun while fighting with the interface. The final challenge is simply that in terms of overall depth there just isn’t a whole lot here to chew on. Once you’ve enjoyed a few runs you’ll start to find there’s not much else to keep bringing you back for more, especially considering some of the well fleshed out competition in the space. It’s not a bad idea, but it could absolutely use some more work.