Is Boomerang X Worth Buying?

I don’t know when we started getting frenetic movement shooters that make your hands fly across your desktop so often, but I hope it never stops. With DOOM Eternal probably the biggest single-player FPS release of the last year or so that prioritises staying on your toes and target management, we’ve also had the likes of Ghostrunner, Ultrakill, and Hired Gun. Boomerang X is the only boomerang-based one out of the lot, though, which instantly makes it worth looking into.

Developed by DANG!, Boomerang X sees you playing as a mummy (I think) who washes ashore on a strange island where giant talking millipedes chuck you wedges of lore on occasion and you drink from strange bowls of red liquid. Boomerang X is plenty abstract in its setting and characters, barely lingering on the strange insect corpses slumped in corners or talk of war, so much so that you can very easily ignore it and just chuck your spinner winner at everything instead. It’s certainly what I did, though I’m sure the narrative is just as weird and engaging as the game’s aesthetic for those who want to try and dive into it.

Boomerang X is an odd looking game, which is meant as a compliment. While it’s nowhere near the levels of ocular insanity as something like Cruelty Squad, there’s a distinct mid-2000s vibe to the environments and general vibe that catches the eye, helped by what seems to be some light cel-shading. There’s lots going on, so much so that I’m surprised there’s not giant letters spelling out “KAPOW” when your hit lands. The action is just as wild as what you’d find in any comic book, too.

You start off very simply, you able to chuck your boomerang and recall it with a right click. Need to chuck it longer distances? Hold down left click. When Boomerang X consists of just the basics and bunny hopping around, it feels fun enough, but then the skills start rolling in and it becomes as addictive as anything.

Slingshot basically makes your boomerang a teleportation device, as you’re able to go from one corner of the battle arena to the next in the blink of an eye while also seemingly having small windows of invulnerability. You’re going to want to constantly be on the move in Boomerang X as you’re constantly outnumbered and your health can very quickly disappear if you aren’t clever. In a smart/cruel bit of game design, you can regain health by stepping on special “health pads” once per arena, but it’s very hard to find a spare second to stand still. It’s risk/reward at its most basic, though I ended up with even less health more often than not — you need to pick your moments throughout Boomerang X.

Bullet time also makes a triumphant return in Boomerang X, a mechanic that I’m very sad is no longer in every action game by default. By holding shift while charging your boomerang, you’re able to slow down time with Flux and select targets. What makes this interesting in Boomerang X is that instead of having to clear whole rooms, you just have to eliminate enemies with yellow icons above them, subtly making you prioritise new enemies and different mobs instead of just focusing on what’s in front of you.

Boomerang X does a great job of giving you new skills to play with, them also increasing in terms of usefulness as the story goes on. Scattershot lets you clear swathes of enemies like you have a double-barrel shotgun, while Needle is a piercing energy beam that hit enemies pretty much instantly from far away. Meanwhile, Blaze activates after you kill three enemies while in midair, causing a giant fiery explosion when you touch the ground again, though it does also seem to give you a sort of shield when you Catapult into enemies. The “ultimate” skill, Oblivion Comet, is a sort of get out of jail free card that auto-aims a string of attacks — perfect for when you need to beat up a giant giraffe or frog.

As well as demanding you stay on your toes, Boomerang X also asks you to be precise as a lot of enemies can only be killed by hitting jewel-shaped targets on their body. Some have one, while others — like the aforementioned giraffe — have multiple. The frog is an interesting enemy in that its back and stomach both house jewels, though both aren’t visible at any time. It can became a little overwhelming at times, especially when critters give the bigger enemies shields on their weak spots, though it’s often just a case of learning the waves through repetition, knowing when you can take a hit and when you have to play it very safe.

I managed to zip my way through Boomerang X in about three hours or so after a few frustrations, particularly in the game’s latter stages when you simply cannot not move and it feels like you’re getting whiplash from just how much you’re going to and fro — but I loved it. From the weird, anxiety-inducing music to the unique stages and constant drip of new enemies and mechanics, Boomerang X really marks the spot.

New Game+ unlocks once you dust off the story and it’s here where the real boomerang-ers (boomers?) will separate themselves from everyone else. New Game+ gives you all the skills from the get-go, but resets your health and remixes the arenas to be considerably harder, like final level hard but right from the start. Late-game enemies pop up immediately in unexpected scenarios and usually in great numbers with those shield critters guarding them to boot, not to mention boss-like enemies appearing almost as fodder. I had to tap out after making it halfway through New Game+ because there was simply too much going on for my little brain to comprehend without spending hours and hours and hours retrying levels, but I am excited to see how better players get on with it.

Those players will also no doubt love the speedrunning side of Boomerang X with a simple toggle available that shows your times throughout. It’s a lean game without any padding or distractions to speak of, so there will no doubt be some ridiculous times posted. On the other side of the coin, cheats (including invincibility) are also just a toggle away, allowing players of all skills to get something out of the game. If you want pure power fantasy, Boomerang X has many different flavours of just that.

Boomerang X is a game that’s worth buying for those who live and breathe FPS games but want something a little more “out there”, boomerangs and millipedes and all. Its relatively short length and linearity means that it might not be to everyone’s taste, though its low price, replayability, and sense of challenge makes it one that many will keep returning to.

A PC key was provided by PR for the purposes of this coverage.

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