Sometimes the simplest concepts work the best. Balatro’s expansion on familiar poker hands, for example, has quickly become a frontrunner for the 2024 game of the year. Videogames thrive on taking a concept you know, and twisting it into something else. Buckshot Roulette is no different. What presents as a dingy take on Russian roulette quickly morphs into a horror experience unlike any other. Best of all, it’s just $3 on Steam and we finally know when the multiplayer mode is coming.
Buckshot Roulette starts simple. You sit at a dimly lit table, across from a man (I’m using that term loosely). The two of you are playing Russian roulette, but instead of a six-shooter, you take turns firing a 12-gauge shotgun. Win three rounds and, well, you’re alive at least. But this isn’t where the game ends, as Buckshot Roulette deftly blends the best psychological horror games with immense atmosphere and tense decision-making.
You might think the odds are stacked in the dealer’s favor, but there are plenty of tools at your disposal. You can pick from a pool of items to help, like a cigarette, burner phone, adrenaline injector, and even a beer. Yes, most of these items aren’t exactly helpful in an everyday situation, but you’re not in a grimy underground nightclub every day, are you?
With a vibe eerily similar to Inscryption, Buckshot Roulette is one of those few games that understand how to make gameplay and atmosphere work as one. The gameplay is stripped back, but the stakes and tone create an experience that elevates it past the premise.
It’s not just multiplayer coming, either. The upcoming Buckshot Roulette update will also feature new items, round customization, more music, and extra faces. So if you’ve never tried the game’s mind-shattering blend of horror, Russian roulette, and 12-gauge shotguns, there’s even more coming to the game soon.
If you’re on the fence about Buckshot Roulette, let me help you out. Not only is it just $2.99 / £2.49, but it’s also a widely beloved Steam hit. The game already has over 30,000 reviews on Valve’s platform coming in at 94% positive. In fact, the recent reviews are now ‘overwhelmingly positive’ as well, as new players keep flocking in.
The Buckshot Roulette multiplayer update is dropping on Thursday October 31. You can find the game on Steam here.
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