If there’s one thing gamers love, it’s the ability to play as a cute animal. “Untitled Goose Game” illustrated how much chaotic fun could come from inhabiting a mischievous farm animal, while this year’s critically acclaimed “Stray” instilled players with a sense of wonder and allowed them to explore a cyberpunk city from a cat’s perspective. But what if that cute furry creature was packing some heat?
Thanks to indie game developer Dan DeEntremont, players of all ages can soon experience the thrill of being a tiny squirrel with a regular-sized gun. In the grand tradition of the “Goat Simulator” franchise, the fittingly-titled “Squirrel with a Gun” allows gamers to wander around an open-world sandbox as a cute little squirrel and use their handy weaponry to relieve humans of their wares. As seen in one recent clip that has been shared thousands of times, squirrels can draw comically oversized firearms and force human NPCs to drop their phones and other precious items before sending them running for the hills.
Needless to say, folks on the internet cannot get enough.
In a more full trailer for the game, the titular squirrel can be seen doing battle with a number of special agents sent to track it down. These enemies have some sweet martial arts skills on their side, seemingly favoring leg sweeps that send the squirrel rag-dolling across the screen. However, the squirrel has a few tricks of their own, as they can parry these agents’ attacks and knock them right out. Also, although using an automatic weapon causes the squirrel to pitch backwards, the weapon’s constant kickback can also be used to make the squirrel rise into the air triumphantly. Think of “Devil May Cry” juggling — but in reverse. And with a squirrel.
Also glimpsed in the trailer are some even more bizarre set-pieces, including what appears to be a pit of lava. Players will also be able to customize their squirrel with adorable accessories, in case you were worried the game didn’t have a sense of style.
The response to this trailer has been nothing short of emphatic. The trailer for the game has been shared over 60,000 times on Twitter, with numerous reposts also making the rounds. Players are already trying to find out a way to get their hands on the game early, with some people offering to test the game for Dan DeEntremont. Meanwhile, others are hoping for mods that will allow them to play as squirrels from their neighborhoods.
“Squirrel with a Gun” can currently be wishlisted on Steam, although its tentative release date is currently (and hilariously) listed as “Good question!”