Vertical Shooter?! Japanese Soundtrack by Hanzo?! Satire at its finest?! For these reasons (and a few more) shooter fans could easily get excited to tuck into Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns like a boy scout in a sleeping bag. The title alone Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns, is captivating enough, but does Fantastico Studio manage to create a shooter that’s more rainbows and unicorns, or should you expect the toilet? Let’s break it down and get it moving in our Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns Review.
I am convinced that when Fantastico Studio came up with the name for Rainbows, Toilets, and Unicorns, it was because it otherwise could not be avoided. The Italian based studio has released their 5th game on multiple platforms such as the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC, and you have to hand it to Fantastico Studio SRL, this game is a visual amusement park. We settle in on the main character as he seeks to relieve himself of not only what is inside his body, but also his mind. By what one can only assume, as no indication is given in game play, this bad “trip” from rainbow-colored ice cream makes it so our protagonist has to fight a series of bosses (15 in total) in order to put his fears to rest and find relief.
What ensues when the game starts, is a volley of priests and monks with the intention of stopping our hero. Enemies shoot a barrage of energy spheres and charge your position as you attempt to make your way through the levels. Your defenses? Why none other than A FREAKING RAINBOW UNICORN OMNI-BOMB! As you defeat enemies you earn crystals that you can use to make you stronger. Enhancements are also awarded along the way that can increase the damage you do, enhance your shield or give you a crystal magnet to aid in your collection of precious purple gems.
I found myself giggling at the level of satire and absurdity as the game continued. Rainbows, Toilets, and Unicorns is fairly repetitive from a game play aspect, but it attempts to keep players engaged by bombarding you with an increasingly absurd cadre of characters in a wonder of rainbow colors. Yes, that is a Trump-esque hairdo for you to defeat. Is that a knock off Homer Simpson? You will probably laugh at what creative entities Fantastico has inserted into this game, but that doesn’t mean that the game is all roses. From the onset, the game is fairly difficult and generally punishing, even for a vertical shooter. If you move even slightly out of place when dodging projectiles, it could be your last dance. It is possible to obtain power-ups to keep you alive for longer, earning them as you go, but they won’t always be there when you need them. Most importantly, one slip of the thumb and you could find yourself starting all over from the beginning, at level 1, which exacerbates what would otherwise be an enjoyable experience.
Rainbows, Toilets and Unicorns does have something to offer. It gives vertical shooter gamers a challenge that includes ridiculous enemies that are just interesting enough that you may want to make your way through the entire game. The action is good, the repetitiveness of having to restart constantly takes away from the fun, but for the right gamer, this title will be worth the pittance that you’ll pay for several hours of gaming.
