REVIEW: ‘God’s Trigger’ (PS4)

The battle between heaven and hell is a tale that has been told and retold across various mediums and many works of fiction. For Techland Publishing and game studio One More Level, they have decided to twist the formula of Heaven versus Hell into Heaven and Hell in their new game, God’s Trigger.

God’s Trigger is a new, pulpy shooter that follows an excommunicated angel and disbanded demon as they meet and fight the most wicked of enemies to gain payback and stop the apocalypse in the process. This game puts players in the shoes of Harry and Judy.

Judy has been disavowed from Hell and finds herself on Earth, enjoying the sins and vices that humanity has to offer. Harry is a fallen angel who crashes to the Earth after his wings are clipped. Now the two have one thing in common, they don’t like humans and the destruction they have wrought upon their own planet. However, the apocalypse is imminent and they begrudgingly work together to stop the end of the world and fight their way into Heaven.

Harry, as an angel, is grizzled but stoic, choosing to fight with his noble sword and use his divine power. Judy is lawless, using her fiery Ghost Rider–inspired chain to disembowel enemies, as well as her infernal power. The two will be facing a literal army of supernatural monstrosities. Additionally, despite their powers emanating from a realm beyond our own, they are vulnerable on Earth and one hit will unmistakably kill them.

God’s Trigger features similar twin-stick shooting action to Hotline Miami, with frantic combat, challenging difficulty, and brutal, gory, fleshy violence that is akin to a Tarantino film. Whether using a sword, fire chain, or traditional weapons and explosives, enemies are slain in spectacular fashion. However, they are hell-bent to destroy you and will stop at nothing to see you dead.

From possessed humans to demonic monstrosities, enemies will shoot, clobber, and explode their way on-screen, drawing ever obstacle possible to the player. As the player can die within one hit, expect to die a lot, especially if players are quick to rush into a scene. To best navigate through the deadly levels of God’s Trigger, players will need to think fast and act quickly, using a combination of aggression and stealth.

Judy and Henry have their own powers and weapons. From being able to generate a tormenting whirlpool to dashing through enemy fire to decapitate foes, they make for unique gameplay. Judy and Harry can also wield the weapons dropped by enemies. An assortment of firearms and throwing weapons can be obtained from falling enemies from tomahawk aces to throwing cross-shaped shurikens to even massive clubs and revolvers.

God’s Trigger also encourages the use of surprise, stealth, and executions to gain the upper hands. With but a single touch of the button, and good timing, players can use stealth to dispatch their enemies quickly and discreetly. Additionally, players can blast their way through weak doors and walls, knocking down enemies and stunning them giving them an opportunity to be executed, which not only yields XP but a slow-down to evade enemies. The game also provides an assortment of variety and options for players, giving players the opportunity to choose which powers to use, how to navigate the environment, and how to properly slay their enemies.

Overall, the gameplay of God’s Trigger is a ferociously good time. Despite many options being presented to the player, the gameplay is incredibly fluid and smooth, making God’s Trigger a refreshingly different and engaging action experience. Slaying enemies in rapid succession and even using one bullet to eliminate four enemies at once are incredibly rewarding moments, charged by a solid thumping soundtrack and a colorful comic-book color style.

Players can switch between the two characters on the fly, giving plenty of tactical opportunities to the player. God’s Trigger also features a multitude of boss fights and environments, from demonic cathedrals to a wild-west town. Additionally, the game will throw unexpected moments, such as using a Civil War era Gatling gun to grind enemies into roadkill. It’s a sharp game that has been polished and molded into something new and different. God’s Trigger’s gameplay is tight, and the score ranking system will keep players coming back for more

Now, the game isn’t perfect, but fortunately, its faults are rather minor.  I noticed issues with some collision detection with doors and some stealth sections not working as intended. I would sometimes see an enemy alerted to my presence, even though they didn’t make a line of sight with me.

Additionally, barging through doors and stunning targets, an important mechanic to the game, would occasionally not work, leading to unexpected death. I recall barging through a door in an attempt stun an enemy several times, but it did not work and I was subsequently dispatched. However, I got around this but changing my tactics and experimenting with different weapons.

God’s Trigger is a great take on the twin-stick action formula, with its refreshing ideas of combat and its distinct take on the apocalyptic war between Heaven and Hell. Its gameplay is competitive, refined, and polished, and set against a solid presentation, God’s Trigger is a devilishly divine good time.