Boomerang X

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 31

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Boomerang X provides a fresh take on the arena shooter. The game is rather short, and it skimps on a lot of elements that would give it depth and replayability, but the boomerang abilities are unique, the art style is full of personality, and the challenge makes it well worth experiencing.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 31

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 31

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Critic Reviews for Boomerang X

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

31

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Average Score

100

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9/10

Jordan Devore (Destructoid)

Above all, I like the way that Boomerang X sprinkles in combat abilities and just-fussy-enough enemy types. It’s all layered on without needlessly complicating the whole thing. This game starts fun, and it ends fun. There’s no time for your mind to wander, or get twisted up trying to remember the controls, or feel too stressed out. It’s a great flow.

July 8, 2021 |

Full Review

Boomerang X is the 2AM food truck run of arena shooters. You’re in and out before you know it, but holy shit is it amazing. The boomerang abilities that form the core of the gameplay are unique and insanely addicting, but there’s always new foes and features constantly revealing themselves as the game progresses. It’s a brief experience, maybe too brief, but it’s still an unforgettable one.

July 13, 2021 |

Full Review

8/10

Miguel Moran (TheSixthAxis)

7/10

Andrew Farrell (PC Invasion)

Fantastic gameplay paired with a game structure that resembles a tech demo makes Boomerang X worthwhile, even if it doesn’t live up to its potential.

July 8, 2021 |

Full Review

Jordan Devore (Destructoid)

9/10 - (Read Review)

Miguel Moran (TheSixthAxis)

8/10 - (Read Review)

Andrew Farrell (PC Invasion)

7/10 - (Read Review)

Fantastic gameplay paired with a game structure that resembles a tech demo makes Boomerang X worthwhile, even if it doesn’t live up to its potential.

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Read the Reviews (31 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
3DNews	Михаил Пономарев	7 / 10	07-17-2021	Dashing and energetic but still a bit ludicrous action that can offer a fine fun-filled acrobatic spree.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Sam Harkin	7 / 10	07-11-2021	Boomerang X is truly a spiral of interlocking gameplay loops stacked on top of each other. After a slow start, Boomerang X whips up an absolute whirlwind of bullet-time style combat that can be an absolute sight to behold. So much love and care have clearly permeated the gameplay of this title. The problem is that beyond the loop, there isn’t a lot going on. Some frustrating design elements and a feeling of repetition is present, although it doesn’t fully dampen what is undoubtedly some fantastic moment-to-moment gameplay.	Read review
COGconnected	Mark Steighner	72 / 100	07-08-2021	To dismiss Boomerang X as little more than a tech demo would be unfair, but it is also hard to ignore that the game skimps on a lot of elements that would give it depth and replayability or really make the player engage with something more than throwing a weapon to kill waves of enemies, no matter how initially satisfying that can be. Not everyone is going to love the attention-getting and specific art style and level of abstraction, or the bare minimum story or lack of interesting characters. That said, a game that knows how to balance its strengths with just enough story, gameplay, and challenge is worth playing, and Boomerang X definitely knows its strength.	Read review
DarkZero	Ian Howarth	8 / 10	07-30-2021	This review is already one of my longer ones but I can’t help rambling about this game and how annoying it is to see such a wasted opportunity.	Read review
Destructoid	Jordan Devore	9 / 10	07-08-2021	Above all, I like the way that Boomerang X sprinkles in combat abilities and just-fussy-enough enemy types. It’s all layered on without needlessly complicating the whole thing. This game starts fun, and it ends fun. There’s no time for your mind to wander, or get twisted up trying to remember the controls, or feel too stressed out. It’s a great flow.	Read review
Digital Chumps	Ben Sheene	9 / 10	03-01-2017	Boomerang X offers a specific, thrilling power fantasy of speed as players use a magical boomerang to zip around increasingly complex combat puzzles that offer little to no excess in a colorful, stylized world.	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Harvard L.	4.5 / 5 stars	07-09-2021	Overall, I had a great time with Boomerang X. The action is tight and it always feels like an expression of skill whenever a level is successfully beaten. The surreal fantasy setting also matches the game’s tone perfectly, providing moments of surprise and wonder with each new level. The simplicity in DANG!’s design really works in their favour – it provides an excellent degree of challenge with unique, memorable mechanics and no wasted time. It’s a masterclass in fast-paced, precision-based 3D action.	Read review
Echo Boomer	João Canelo	Recommended	07-13-2021	Sometimes, a simple and great concept it’s what makes a game, even if it’s not the most original one. Focusing on the throw of a boomerang, Boomerang X delivers an experience full of personality, challenges and fu.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Marco Mottura	7.3 / 10	07-13-2021	Although with a different and less fiercely hardcore disposition, Boomerang X reminded me with ill-concealed enthusiasm of that independent gem that responds to the name of Devil Daggers.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Jordan Helm	4 / 5 stars	07-20-2021	Boomerang X isn’t the lengthiest venture and for a game whose attraction lies solely in its gameplay, so one’s enjoyment will naturally come down to how embedded in its mechanics you end up becoming.	Read review
IGN	Seth G. Macy	8 / 10	08-03-2021	Exciting combat, fantastic art direction, and interesting environments only make me wish Boomerang X were twice as long.	Read review
JVL	L_sK	6 / 10	07-08-2021	Boomerang X, like Disc Room for example	Read review
KeenGamer	Ciprian Ghibirdic	9 / 10	07-29-2021	Wondering what if, instead of a boomerang returning to the thrower, the user returns to the weapon? That’s the question Boomerang X answers. Sprinkling some very useful abilities into the mix, developers DANG! created one of the best superhero experiences out there.	Read review
Luis Alamilla	Luis Alamilla	9 / 10	07-08-2021	Boomerang X is one stellar indie that pushes the envelope for fun speed-running games. While it’s on the shorter side and can be beaten in a single sitting, its pick-up and play nature along with an entertaining gameplay loop made it a joy to play. Combat introduces some simple scenarios but they quickly evolved into more elaborate and amazing set pieces. If you’re playing with a controller, the stick controls aren’t the best but if you’re playing on PC you should feel right at home. Motion controls are a great substitution on controller but do require time and patience in order to get adjusted. Ultimately, whether you play on PC or Switch, I think you’re going to have a great time with this one.	Read review
MonsterVine	Sean Halliday	4 / 5 stars	10-18-2021	Even with a short campaign, the solid soundtrack, screen popping visuals and buttery smooth gameplay result in a fantastic experience. Like your first-ever Monster energy drink, Boomerang X will leave your heart pounding, your digits twitching and a longing for more.	Read review
Niche Gamer	Welfare Walrus	7 / 10	07-08-2021	In the end, Boomerang X is another unique success Devolver Digital should feel happy to gloat about. Their publishing strategy of funding creative and polished lower budget games has resulted in yet another fun and creative experience. Sadly, the game’s short length keeps it from true greatness.	Read review
Nintendo Enthusiast	Arthur Damian	8.5 / 10	07-08-2021	But these are minor inconveniences. Boomerang X is a short but sweet indie gem. Its frantic nature has you holding your breath as a deadly laser misses you by inches while you throw your boomerang at an arena’s last combatant. Expect to have a lot of moments like that if you decide to purchase Devolver’s latest unique title.	Read review
Nintendo Life	Oliver Reynolds	8 / 10	07-09-2021	Boomerang X features instantly gratifying gameplay that will get its hooks into you immediately. Its arena-based combat encourages you to keep moving and flying through the air in order to avoid death, with your boomerang acting as a kind of portable teleport or hook shot. The overall difficulty is a bit tame for the most part, which incidentally means the game is a bit on the short side, but there’s plenty of potential for repeat playthroughs and speed runs thanks to the fun, addictive gameplay. If you’re a fan of frantic, fast-paced first-person action, then this one will be right up your alley.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Joel DeWitte	9 / 10	07-19-2021	Boomerang X is a textbook example of short and sweet. It’s a bite-sized experience that rewards persistence with a vague, mysterious narrative, dynamic combat, challenging enemies, and so much satisfaction when you squeeze out a victory in the last wave. I had to test my mettle and tolerate a bit of slowdown, but Boomerang X is one of the best indies I’ve played this year.	Read review
Noisy Pixel	Nathan Meji	6.5 / 10	07-08-2021	Boomerang X is a speedrunner’s delight, but it seems to forget casual action fans. After the first playthrough, you’re free to refine your skills, but there’s not much to do thereafter. The beautiful environments beg to be explored but offer no reward or discovery, which is a missed opportunity. There’s little denying how fun this game is, but I couldn’t help but want more.	Read review
PC Invasion	Andrew Farrell	7 / 10	07-08-2021	Fantastic gameplay paired with a game structure that resembles a tech demo makes Boomerang X worthwhile, even if it doesn’t live up to its potential.	Read review
Rapid Reviews UK	Joseph Barrood	4 / 5 stars	07-11-2021	Boomerang X is the latest release from Devolver Digital. In this first-person shooter, the player wields a boomerang and fights hordes of dark beings. This title focuses on movement and encourages the player to gracefully soar through the air while bombarding their foes with attacks. Is Boomerang X worth a shot? Find out in this Rapid Review.	Read review
Saving Content	Scott Ellison II	4 / 5 stars	07-08-2021	Boomerang X is wonderfully executed and offers a great ramp up with each successive level, it’s a shame then that it’s over all too soon. New Game + acts like a totally optional but rewarding victory lap, adding another layer of difficulty which helps satisfy the desire to play more of it. The combat offers a very specific toolset to dispatch your foes with, and the movement demands you to always be on the move, in the air or on the ground in order avoid early deaths. This is a game about split-second decisions involving tactics just as much as skill. Boomerang X is a ballet of bustle as you slay the ancient beasts, sending them into oblivion.	Read review
Screen Rant	Alex Santa Maria	4.5 / 5 stars	07-08-2021	From the moment that Boomerang X’s demo hit Steam, it was possible that DANG! and Devlover had a hit brewing, and the full experience delivers on that promise. No occasional difficulty spikes can get in the way of this exciting mixture of retro FPS movement and stylish action, and Boomerang X will likely remain a contender for one of 2021’s best indie titles throughout the rest of the calendar year.	Read review
Shacknews	Donovan Erskine	8 / 10	07-08-2021	Boomerang X is a fresh take on the arena shooter. Focusing on one weapon, the range in abilities and the ceiling for skill make frenetic combat exciting in just about every instance. The game is rather short, but that works perfectly for the pace of both the story and combat. Only feeling dull in the moments between the action, DANG! and Devolver Digital have an impressive indie on their hands with Boomerang X.	Read review
Softpedia	Cosmin Vasile	8.5 / 10	07-09-2021	The biggest potential issue with the game is that it offers too much freedom and too little structure. It might drive players away if they feel that their progress is too gated. But I love the feeling of freedom that Boomerang X offers when it is at its best and the huge adrenaline spike that a good fight against seven waves can deliver, regardless of the result.	Read review
TechRaptor	Unknown	7 / 10	07-08-2021	Boomerang X is a polished and exciting action platformer with throwing stars and excitement, but not much else.	Read review
The Game Crater	Tom Wilson	8 / 10	07-13-2021	Boomerang X is a stylish, fun and arcadey arena shooter that oozes originality and charm.	Read review
The Games Machine	Daniele Dolce	8 / 10	08-04-2021	Boomerang X is a frantic and challenging arena shooter made to satisfy the needs of those interested in speedrunning the game or unlocking every single one of its achievements.	Read review
TheSixthAxis	Miguel Moran	8 / 10	07-13-2021	Boomerang X is the 2AM food truck run of arena shooters. You’re in and out before you know it, but holy shit is it amazing. The boomerang abilities that form the core of the gameplay are unique and insanely addicting, but there’s always new foes and features constantly revealing themselves as the game progresses. It’s a brief experience, maybe too brief, but it’s still an unforgettable one.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Leonardo Faria	8 / 10	07-08-2021	The reduced framerate on the Switch version of Boomerang X might be a bit of a downer, since the game feels perfect on a handheld, but I still had a great time with it. It’s fast-paced, arcadey, stylish as all hell and allows you to experiment a lot with its combat mechanics. Regardless of its technical shortcomings, it’s yet another banger from Devolver, a fun little title from the single best indie curator in the market.	Read review

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About Boomerang X

Game Description / Storyline:

Whispers bubble from fresh cracks in the ground, echoing through the abandoned depths and primordial woods. A black flow cuts through stone and threatens to spill once more across the world. The ancient tetraform calls, and with it come unearthly powers. Catapult yourself through the air, use the power drawn from fallen creatures to slow time, and cut through the swarms of dark beings with a razor-edge boomerang. Travel through once bustling locales, sacrificed to hide a myth, and descend the Godpath into the lost realms below. Cleanse these halls and ensure that whatever lies beneath doesn’t come back.

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Boomerang X

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Critics Consensus

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Critic Reviews for Boomerang X

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

31

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