Squirrel with a Gun
2024 video game
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Squirrel with a Gun is an indie action-adventure game developed by Dee Dee Creations[3] and published by Maximum Entertainment. It was released on August 29, 2024, on Windows, and on October 15, 2024, for the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.[4][5][6][7] The player controls a squirrel that wields a gun as it escapes a secret underground facility and pesters the residents of a neighborhood. The game takes inspiration from the Yakuza franchise and Shadow of the Colossus and has been compared to games such as Untitled Goose Game and Goat Simulator.[8][9]
- Kosmas Stocking
- Mélodie Maitreheu
| Squirrel with a Gun | |
|---|---|
| |
| Developer | Dee Dee Creations LLC |
| Publisher | Maximum Entertainment |
| Director | Daniel DeEntremont |
| Producers |
|
| Designer | Simon Jones |
| Composer | Scott DeEntremont |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5[1] |
| Platforms | |
| Release | Windows August 29, 2024 PS5, Xbox Series X/S October 15, 2024 Nintendo Switch 2 November 18, 2025[2] |
| Genre | Action-adventure |
| Mode | Single-player |
Gameplay
In Squirrel with a Gun, players take control of an ordinary squirrel that wields various firearms to navigate a suburban environment.[10] The game is primarily a sandbox experience, where players can explore the world, interact with objects, and engage in combat with NPCs, including local residents and agents attempting to capture the squirrel.[10] The squirrel's primary ability is using guns, of which it has a multitude of weapons that it can use ranging from pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, and a RPG.[11] These weapons can be used to kill the enemy "agents" that pursue the squirrel throughout the game or can be used to clear platforming puzzles that reward a collectable item, a golden acorn.[12][13]
In addition to fighting enemies, players can engage in non-violent activities such as stealing food from residents or helping NPCs complete tasks.[14] While the game's tone is humorous and chaotic, it also includes stealth elements, allowing the squirrel to sneak past enemies or set up ambushes. The squirrel also has a range of costumes it can wear.[14][15][16]
Plot
A gray squirrel breaks into a top-secret lab and mistakenly eats a special hard drive that is shaped like an acorn, enhancing its intelligence. This triggers a lockdown, prompting agents to pursue it. Upon seeing a handgun dropped nearby it, the squirrel takes it and uses it to escape the secret underground facility and cause havoc in a residential neighborhood.[9]
As the squirrel wreaks destructive chaos, it battles against the endless agents attempting to capture it, including their leaders, Father and Mother.
Reception
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (PC) 63/100[17] (Xbox) 70/100[18] (PS5) 64/100[19] |
| OpenCritic | 33% recommend[20] |
The PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5 version of Squirrel with a Gun all received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[17][18][19] Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received weak approval, being recommended by only 33% of critics.[20]
Travis Northup for IGN rated the game 6/10, praising the gameplay as a squirrel, but condemns a few technical issues faced when played. He also stated that the squirrel is "like a furry John Wick."[22]