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0 I’m checking out Gunsmith Simulator, one of three games due to come out from the developers at Gamehunters. If you’re a gun enthusiast or you just like guns. Then you can pick it up when it releases on Steam on July 19th this year.
Welcome to the gun show
I enjoy playing the simulation genre. If you’ve seen a few of my other reviews, Gunsmith Simulator looks just as interesting as the others. I’ve always been curious about dismantling a gun, and I understand that I could simply google it. But where’s the fun in that?
Gameplay
Though Gunsmith Simulator doesn’t focus on a real story, the player does receive occasional emails from their Grandpa. The first email says that your Grandpa wants you to take over a Gunsmith workshop and that it won’t be easy. He also sends a Colt M1911 that is in dire need of some tender care.
After picking up the parcel with the pistol, we head to the assembly table to begin dismantling the gun to see what’s wrong. In the top right will be a list of all the parts that belong in the pistol, such as the firing pin, trigger cover, right grip plate, and more. Once deconstructed, the game lets us know which parts are dirty and broken. We will discuss the ways to replace broken parts later.
Using the computer
You will use the computer to read the emails from Grandpa and go to one of the in-game websites in Gunsmith Simulator. Remember, you are a Gunsmith, so you need to take on jobs; this is where the site Gunsmith Services comes in. Here you can take on gun repair jobs or ask to install an attachment. When looking to replace broken gun parts, players will visit Stock & Barrel. Here they can find all the gun parts in the game.
Attachments and non-job guns are available to purchase on the Retrofit site. Not all guns are here because the game also has an auction site where they can sell previously owned guns and bid for exclusive ones like the Luger. A neat feature when using the computer, especially on Stock & Barrel, is that you can manually search the parts. I really enjoyed this, as there are a lot of gun parts to look through.
The different machines in the workshop
Players won’t have to rely on buying parts for guns, with some requiring a simple cleaning to make them brand new. Guns that have broken wooden handles, such as the Winchester 21 Shotgun, can have this part crafted at the wood shop table. After going through the process of carving and cutting the wood, players can then move to the wood finishing table to varnish it.
Some parts might have extra rust on them, so using the oil rag won’t do; placing them into the Blue Oxidation tank will fry the rust off in seconds. If you’re looking to add some flair to those guns, then luckily, Gunsmith Simulator has you covered, as you can apply custom decals or paints to any restored gun.
Upgrading and visiting the shooting range
After each gun is repaired and shipped back to its respected owner, the player will earn experience. The experience gained is allocated to different skill trees and will make jobs much easier in the future. Some will allow you to unscrew parts faster, while another provides a discount on websites. When dealing with the same gun, the player can earn a Mastery. The Mastery allows you to assemble and disassemble the specific gun faster.
When finishing maintenance on a gun, the player can visit the shooting range to test the gun or the CQB area. The shooting range has two locations. One is for players to shoot clay pigeons, and the other is the standard Shooting Range.
Graphics & Audio
The graphics in Gunsmith Simulator are clean and good-looking. The shine on the metal components of the guns has a shiny lustre and is incredibly detailed. I thoroughly enjoyed taking a gun apart one small piece at a time; it was very satisfying. The animations for reloading were also very smooth. One environment that shone to my surprise was the view behind the targets at the shooting range. The beautiful autumnal trees stretching across with a mountain peaking from behind were lovely to see whilst testing out guns.
Audibly, the gun cleaning, firing, disassembling, and other general sound effects were crisp and satisfying to hear. However, while the music in-game is not bad, it gets boring after a while. Alike most simulators with looping music and without spoken dialogue, I prefer to play my music in the background as I mindlessly enjoy what I am playing.
Longevity
It would be best to play this with your own music and maybe repair a gun to quickly pass the time while waiting for some food to cook. Gun enthusiasts might love this, but even though there are a good couple of guns in the game, you will usually be working on the same AKM, M4 or Uzi several times. After playing Gunsmith Simulator for seven hours, I feel like I’ve seen all it has. The game could be longer depending on how much you love guns and how quickly you get bored doing the same thing repeatedly.
Final Thoughts
Gunsmith Simulator is a fun little game, but I struggled to play for long periods of time. I had an issue where the AKM required a new wooden part which I could make with the woodwork table. The problem was it said I needed to furnish the wood and wouldn’t let me. Unfortunately, I had to buy the gun parts instead, as it wouldn’t let me varnish them at the wood finishing table.
The game runs very well with no framerate issues at all. A major gripe I had with the game was when I dismantled a gun to repair it. The camera always pulls back to the centre. When it does this every time, it starts to become tedious. I wish the upgrades were better, as they don’t seem worth it. It’s okay that the upgrade makes sanding quicker, but that’s only part of the process. What about the cutting or carving, as they are all part of the same task when playing?
Although the game is fun in short bursts, it quickly becomes boring, and since this is the gameplay loop, I can’t see any way to improve the core gameplay. That’s why I’m giving Gunsmith Simulator the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
If you enjoyed this review then check out Iain’s PS5 review for Inner Ashes.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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