Squirrel With a Gun Might Be the Next GOTY Contender

One of the most important things about the medium of video games is how they continue advancing — not only in the graphical department, mind you, but also in the way that they weave an intricate story that can only be told through the medium. Alongside evolving story beats that keep us on the edges of our seats, near photorealism is becoming more obtainable, making these stories even more entrancing than ever. We’re not here to talk about heavy hitters like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth or Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, though — we’re here to talk about Squirrel With A Gun.

Wake Up, Gamers – It’s Time To Get Nuts

Squirrel With A Gun is exactly what it sounds like — you play as a Squirrel with a gun, much in the vein of games like Goat Simulator, where the world is your playground. It’s one of those games that I’ve been keeping my eye on for quite some time, but with a release date finally being teased for Fall 2024, I think it’s time to start clearing out my backlog so I can devote as much time and energy as I need to for what could end up being my Game of the Year.

I’m a big fan of these silly games, as well as Indie darlings that would never be released under the watchful eye of a big publisher. Pizza Tower, for example, has easily overtaken some of the greatest AAA games of all time in my eyes and has become one of my all-time favorites, much like Squirrel with a Gun has the potential to do. I’m all for games that are willing to take us down a branching path of storytelling and mystery, but sometimes I just want to blow stuff up as a rodent with a rifle — I mean, Squirrel with a Gun.

Multiple weapon types, finishing moves, and even customization are available, so no two squirrels will be alike. It looks like a meme post come to life, and I’m living for it by every fiber of my being. Part of me is worried that it may just be a shallow game overall, but I know deep down in my heart that I’ll love every second I spend in this world. What else could I hope for beyond what its title brings to the table, though?

Part of me is hoping that there is a dramatic overarching story that takes our Squirrel friend through the deepest trenches of time and space on a multi-universal adventure to explain how they garnered the skills to wield such a weapon. Another part of me hopes that the Squirrel just found a handgun somewhere and figured that it was time to deliver some Vengence like a straight-to-VHS action movie from the early 90s. Another part of me is completely fine with the idea of it just being a game where there is no explanation — you’re just John Wick of the rodent world, and it’s time to have some fun.

No matter what happens, you already know that I’m pre-ordering a copy of this as soon as it’s available on either the PlayStation or Xbox store. I’ve waited way too long for this one to finally get a release date, and I’m eager to see if it lives up to my frankly lofty expectations. I already know even if it’s trash that I’m going to play the everloving life out of it, but I’m hoping that it brings enough to the table to keep its claws in me for longer than expected.