They Always Run Review

They Always Run puts players in the virtual shoes of Aiden, a three-armed bounty hunter, who hunts (duh!) the most dangerous and elusive menaces throughout the galaxy. Quest givers will reward Aiden with either money or valuable nuggets of information that will put him on his path to his next target. All the while getting our hero mixed up in a galaxy-wide conspiracy.

They Always Run is a 2D action platformer with RPG lite mechanics where as Aiden, players will need to slice and dice their way through each level’s bounty. Our protagonist can use his sword, jump and slide around the various obstacles. You can also stealthily kill enemies when they don’t see you. As you kill enemies and complete levels/bounties, you’ll earn money that can be used to upgrade Aiden.

To avoid taking damage, which feels sometimes way too much, players can also parry and dodge enemy attacks. Our hero also has a third arm that can be used in combat to stun enemies and also break breakable surfaces that hinder your progress. While you start off with a sword, you’ll also be able to upgrade your sword but also purchase guns for those pesky sniper enemies.

The game looks great and surprisingly detailed. Each area has its own design and color patterns; although there isn’t much in term of difference, you can expect similar experience from planet to planet given it’s a 2D, platforming filled levels. Characters also have a reasonable level of detail given that they are overall pretty small. The soundtrack is, ironically, a soothing ambiance score providing an omnious atmosphere.

The biggest nuisance here is the “loosen” controls. For example, if you run towards enemies to engage them in combat, even releasing the joystick won’t stop you as the momentum will make you do extra steps; and sometimes directly into an enemy’s attack. Also, it’s reliance on parrying is quite annoying because it bogs down the overall speedy combat and if multiple characters attack you at once, given the small pixels, it’s easy to miss the attack and wrecked in a matter of a few hits. The controls also provide annoying when platforming, especially when being chased or chasing.

They Always Run had so much potential. While not a complete disaster, trying to imagine this game with tighter controls in terms of combat and movement/platforming could’ve made this a certified banger. Level design is satisfying; each area is fun run through, boss battles are tense and challenging and the limited usage of the third arm is a neat feature. If you have the patience to tolerate loose controls and looking for a challenge, They Always Run is for you. If you’re looking for a more solid and tight experience, you can pass.