The soundtrack is pretty pumping too, giving you some slick beats as you run the pretty simple but good looking 2D landscape. Duel wielding Uzis is clearly a lot of fun, but have you ever tried back-flipping with a sniper rifle and blowing some fools head off before kicking an exploding can at another dude? I’m probably sharing too many anecdotes, but this game provided so many moments where I jumped out of my seat shouting ‘YES!’ that it’s hard not to mention them. There’s a decent amount of weapons on offer as well, with new guns unlocking in most zones. I’m happy to report that this does a better job. I mean, where else can you shoot a frying pan into the air, only to ricochet bullets off it into the room above to kill five guys? The only other game that came close in style was Total Overdose in 2005. There’s enough scenery, obstacles and items strewn about to make each run different, and it’s this that makes this one of the most GIF-able games out there.
You’ll find yourself getting naturally inventive and that’s the beauty of My Friend Pedro.
It’s crazy and marvellous, but not as mind-bending as having to try to solve puzzles in later levels, while not dying and also trying to get a huge combo. Later, in Pedro’s World, you are given a new item that essentially turns you into a human helicopter. Old Town is the first and simplest of the bunch, getting you used to the game and finishing off with an excellent bike chase. Combo-ing your way from start to finish is great, but where would we be without cool things to do during levels? There are six zones in total, each one introducing different mechanics and puzzles to keep things fresh. Pedro, your floating banana friend, wants you to have fun while you murder.
#MY FRIEND PEDRO RELEASE TIME FULL#
When you kill an enemy, a timer on the bottom of the screen counts down until you get your next kill so if you are going for full level combos, learning to time and space out your kills is key. This ties very nicely into the combo system as at the end of each level, you are given a rating by Pedro, ranging from the not so great ‘C for Coconut’ to ‘S for Silky Smooth’ if you manage to get really big combos. Even better, whenever you kill an enemy, the slow time bar replenishes, enabling you to pull off even more crazy stunts. My Friend Pedro gives you a pretty good idea of what it’s like to be Mr Wick, with time slowing down to a crawl, giving you ample time to shoot everyone in the room. If you’ve seen John Wick before, you’ll see Keanu killing about ten villains in mere seconds without breaking a sweat and with insane precision. This is all well and good, but the real MVP is clicking the left stick to slow time. Shooting is a simple pull of the right trigger, while holding the left lets you lock onto one target while still aiming with the right stick. The left stick controls your movement on a 2D plane, while the right controls your aim. You can quite easily perform a string of death from start to finish, wracking up a giant score and feeling bloody good about it.
#MY FRIEND PEDRO RELEASE TIME PRO#
Imagine if you mixed the gun play of Max Payne and the score/combo system of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and then amped it up to eleven. We’re off to a good start, right? Pedro then guides you through various levels as you rain down bullets on enemies for reasons unknown, goading you into killing more and more people and giving you a few helpful tips. My Friend Pedro sees you wake up in an alley having lost your memory, only to be greeted by a floating banana calling himself Pedro.