The official release date trailer for the viral indie game, Squirrel with a Gun, has taken social media by storm. Developed by solo developer Dan DeEntremont, this quirky sandbox game puts players in the shoes (or rather, the paws) of a mischievous gun-toting squirrel wreaking havoc in a neighborhood.
The trailer, which was posted only today, has already received thousands of views and spawned a slew of jokes and fan art across several platforms. The game’s ridiculous premise, paired with its hilarious animations and promise of open-world mayhem, has struck a chord with gamers looking for a fresh and lighthearted experience!
More Than Just Gun-Based Puzzles
While the game’s title and marketing have heavily focused on the squirrel’s armed antics, developer Dan DeEntremont reveals that the most unique aspect of Squirrel with a Gun goes beyond its gun-based puzzles.
In an interview with GameRant, DeEntremont stated:
I think that I implemented just a few platforming challenges, but in a new way. You know, with the shooting and everything everyone’s done that a thousand times before, so it’s got a little bit of a unique quality to it. I think the most unique part is probably going to be how the squirrel navigates platforming challenges.
This essentially hints at a deeper level of interaction with the game’s mechanics, implying that players will be able to engage with the environment in more than one creative way—potentially leading to unexpected and, most importantly, humorous outcomes!
A Solo Developer’s Labor of Love
One of the most impressive aspects of Squirrel with a Gun is that it is the work of a single developer. Dan DeEntremont, who works as a 3D visual effects artist for film and TV by day, has been developing the game as a passion project. DeEntremont’s background in 3D effects, while not directly related to game development, has undoubtedly influenced the game’s simplistic-yet-destructive style.
If DeEntremont’s journey from the game going viral to making Squirrel with a Gun his new part-time job doesn’t highlight the power of social media and the indie gaming community, I don’t know what does!
The developer’s dedication and enthusiasm for the project are evident in the game’s fluid, polished animations and attention to detail—as showcased in the latest trailer.
Unreal Engine 5: Empowering Indie Devs
Squirrel with a Gun is being developed using the powerful Unreal Engine 5, a game engine that has been embraced by both AAA studios and indie developers alike. In the interview, DeEntremont also spoke about the benefits of using Unreal Engine 5 as a solo developer (with no previous professional game development experience, mind you!):
I did a lot of Unity hobbyist stuff in the past and Unity is really great, but so open-ended that it kind of–how do I put this–Unreal has a framework in it that’s designed for most games, not necessarily a third-person shooter, but most games kind of centered around a character in a world.
DeEntremont gives most of his credit to Unreal Engine 5 (and Epic Games) for his success in creating a game with smooth animations and rich surroundings, in spite of working alone.
The number one reason I moved to Unreal was a thing called blueprints, which is sort of a system where you’re plugging nodes into the system and nodes into other nodes in lieu of scripting. I haven’t really typed a word into Unreal at all.
With its cheeky animal protagonist and open-world sandbox gameplay, Squirrel with a Gun has, unsurprisingly, attracted comparisons to other breakout indie hits like Goat Simulator and the more recent Untitled Goose Game.
And while Squirrel with a Gun may share some DNA with its animal-centric predecessors, DeEntremont’s unique vision and the game’s gun-based mechanics promise to set it apart.
Squirrel with a Gun is set to release on Steam and Epic Games Store on August 29th, 2024, with a fall release planned for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
