What you need to know
- Buckshot Roulette is an indie strategy horror game from Mike Klubnika that features a deadlier version of Russian roulette with a 12-gauge shotgun instead of a revolver.
- Though a simple game at a glance, it quickly becomes far more complex and engaging once it introduces consumable items that have a variety of effects on the shotgun.
- Until now, the game has only allowed you to play against an AI dealer. Thanks to a new update, though, there's now peer-to-peer multiplayer support for up to four players.
- Notably, Buckshot Roulette is just $3 on Steam normally, and right now, it's on sale for even less. Specifically, you can get it for just $2.54 until November 4.
Today is Halloween, which means there's a pretty good chance you'll be spending your evening passing out candy, out trick-or-treating in a spooky outfit yourself, or having a grand time at a costume party. If you're introverted like me, though, you might end up doing what I do every night: play video games. Luckily, there are plenty of horror games out there people like you and I can play to kindle our Halloween spirit, and today, one of my favorites just got updated with a multiplayer mode.
That game is Buckshot Roulette, an indie strategy horror title from solo developer Mike Klubnika that launched in the final days of 2023 and quickly became one of my favorite games to play when I need to kill time this year. As the name implies, it challenges you to play an even more brutal version of Russian roulette that replaces the revolver with a 12-gauge shotgun, with a random assortment of up to eight live (red) and blank (blue) shells loaded into the weapon at the start of each round (you're shown how many of each go in, but their order is scrambled). You and your opponent take turns firing the shotgun, with the goal being to shoot them with the real buckshot and do your best to make sure blanks are fired at you; you can skip their turn if you opt to shoot yourself and end up firing a dud, but if it's live, well...
The game is simple at the baseline level, but it quickly becomes very complex and even more tense once items are thrown into the mix. At the start of each round, participants are given a random collection of consumables that can do everything from double the damage of live rounds fired or rack the current shell to tell you what a future round is and even switch a blank shell in the chamber to a live one (or vice versa). These items add layers of addicting strategy and challenge you to do everything you can to tip the odds in your favor, though ultimately, it's still a game of chance at its core.
Until now, it's only been possible to play against the game's AI-controlled dealer. With the new update, though, there's now peer-to-peer multiplayer support for up to four players, and it's an absolute blast (and not just in the "bang" way). I've been playing the beta for the mode with friends recently, and having two or three real people with you changes the experience in some significant — and hilarious — ways.
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Keeping track of the number and type of shells in the weapon along with one opponent's assortment of items is already challenging. It's not surprising that it's easy to forget important details like how many rounds are left or which ones have been fired when you add two more players to the table, then, and in my play sessions, that's led to a ton of comical gaslighting and mind games over voice chat. My friends and I have also sometimes formed temporary alliances when it's beneficial, vowing to always fire live shells at someone with more health than us only to turn on each other once our common enemy has been sufficiently filled with lead.
Basically, it feels like the most intense match of UNO you'll ever play, and I can't recommend it enough — especially since Buckshot Roulette is less than three dollars on Steam. It's pretty much the most fun you can have for less than the price of a cup of coffee, and it's even cheaper until November 4 thanks to a 15% off sale that knocks the price down from $2.99 to $2.54.
You may experience a few bugs in the multiplayer mode, but Mike Klubnika and his partners at publisher CRITICAL REFLEX have said that they're "already working on patches and fixes for those." They're also looking for feedback on the CRITICAL REFLEX Discord about various topics, including "game balance and even content ideas," so make sure to join if you have thoughts to share.
Ultimately, whether you're hanging solo tonight or have friends you could invite, I strongly recommend checking out Buckshot Roulette if you're looking for something to do. The bang for your buck value here is unreal, and without a doubt, it's one of the best PC games to play right now.
