Buckshot Roulette — a first-person psychological horror that adopts the overall concept of Russian roulette, where the revolver is replaced with a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun. In this guide, we will explain how to win in the game, describe all the available items and strategies both in the classic mode and in the endless Double or Nothing mode.
In Buckshot Roulette, players find themselves in a strange nightclub where they are to play Russian roulette with the dealer using a pump-action shotgun. The weapon is loaded with a certain number of cartridges in an unknown order.
Depending on the mode, gamers have access to individual items that can help restore health points, find out the next cartridge, remove a cartridge from the chamber, or double the damage. In classic mode, the type of items is limited to a few, so winning in it depends more on chance than on special skills of the player. The Double or Nothing mode offers a bit more unique items, each of which we will talk about below.
To win in classic mode, you need to defeat the dealer in three rounds. In the last round, when the player or the opponent has 2 health points left, additional life support is cut off — in this case, the next combat shot will lead to death.
In any case, winning in Buckshot Roulette is not as easy as it seems at first glance. The first playthrough in classic mode may take you about 20 minutes, unless, of course, you shoot yourself. Below, we will describe all the available items, as well as provide useful tips for the game.
In this section, we will describe the items that you can get during the game in classic mode. Use them thoughtfully and to your maximum benefit.
One of the most common and useful items in the game. The saw allows you to turn the shotgun into a sawed-off, thereby increasing the damage by one unit. A shot from the sawed-off will take away two health points at once. Naturally, for this to work, you must be sure that the next cartridge is live. Otherwise, you will waste a valuable item. After the shot, the barrel will return to its normal form.
Probably an obvious tip, but we do not recommend using the saw before shooting yourself.
Players are still debating the usefulness of beer in Buckshot Roulette. After using it, the character removes a cartridge from the chamber. Of course, this can be applied in some situations, but there will be so few of them that more often than not, the beer will just collect dust on the table until the end of the round. If you are sure that the cartridge in the chamber is a blank, it's easier to shoot yourself so the dealer skips a turn, and the next shot remains with you.
One of the few instances when beer is actually useful is if there are many bullets left in the shotgun and the player has a small health reserve. This situation is advantageous to your opponent, but using beer can help reduce the chances of death in this round.
This item only appears in the Steam version of Buckshot Roulette. You can use the pill bottle at the beginning of the game in the restroom to initiate the endless Double or Nothing mode. More about the mode and the items available in it are discussed in the following sections.
A pack of cigarettes has a quite simple effect: when used, the player restores one health point. It should be noted that in each round, the player and the dealer may have a certain number of charges. If you use cigarettes when at maximum health, nothing will happen, and you will simply waste the item.
It's important to note that in the Double or Nothing mode, there is a special item — «Adrenaline». With its help, you and your opponent can steal items from each other. In this case, if you are at maximum health and have cigarettes, and the dealer has adrenaline, it's best to use the pack in vain to prevent the opponent from recovering a charge at your expense.
Important to know: In the third round of the classic mode, after the wires have been cut, using cigarettes will lead to nothing.
Advice: Each use of cigarettes will cost $220. If you aim to achieve the maximum score, you will have to refrain from using them.
A magnifying glass allows you to know the type of bullet in the chamber: red for live and grey for blank. Even with just a magnifying glass, this information becomes invaluable as it allows anticipating shooting blanks at yourself and live bullets at the dealer, making it an extremely useful item.
The effectiveness of the magnifying glass increases manifold if used in combination with other items. For example, use the saw to deal double damage or if there's a blank in the chamber, apply the inverter, available in the Double or Nothing mode, then shoot at the dealer.
At the same time, if there's one live and one blank bullet in the shotgun, applying handcuffs before the magnifying glass can prevent the dealer from gaining an advantage.
In the game, handcuffs are used for both attack and defense. When applied, your hands will be cuffed, and you will skip the next turn. It's important to know that after using handcuffs, you won't be able to immediately use others. If your opponent applies handcuffs and makes a blank shot, your turn will be skipped again. This works the other way around as well.
Using handcuffs is especially useful when you have few charges. It gives an advantage by reducing the number of turns the dealer can make. If there's one blank and one live bullet left in the shotgun, handcuff the opponent, then make a blank shot. If after that you use the saw, your next shot will remove two health points from the opponent.
Double or Nothing is a special mode in the game Buckshot Roulette, which consists of an endless series divided into cycles. Each cycle includes three rounds. Winning all three rounds in a cycle gives the player a choice: to continue playing or to end the game and save their achievements.
This mode introduces unique items that make the gameplay even more diverse and exciting. They increase the difficulty, making victory more significant, and add new strategies and possibilities, allowing players to test their skills under new conditions.
Adrenaline is a unique element in the game that opens up tactical possibilities for players. It allows you to instantly steal and use an opponent's item, requiring careful analysis of their inventory before application. This provides a chance not only to neutralize the threat of dangerous items in the opponent's hands but also to effectively use them against the opponent themselves. Strategic use of adrenaline can significantly change the course of the game, giving you an advantage through the right choice of actions.
The Disposable Phone is a special item in the Double or Nothing mode that provides valuable information about the next move in the game. Upon activation, you will learn the type of one random cartridge in the shotgun's magazine, allowing you to strategically plan your actions.
Unlike the magnifying glass, the mysterious voice on the phone tells you about a random cartridge, besides the one already loaded. Moreover, it may not necessarily inform you about the next cartridge in the magazine, but about any. For example, on one use, the voice will tell you that the second cartridge is live, and the next time it might tell you about the fourth cartridge. Therefore, when you use the phone, be sure to pay attention to the numbering of the cartridge.
Expired Medicine is a unique item in the Double or Nothing mode. Using this item can lead to a risky outcome: with a 50% chance, you will either gain two charges or lose one. If you only have one charge left in reserve, using the medicine becomes particularly dangerous. To minimize risks, it is recommended to use a pack of cigarettes before applying the medicine, providing you with optimal protection against the possible loss of the last health point. Medicine is best used in critical situations when other options will not save.
The Inverter is a special item in the Double or Nothing mode that changes the type of cartridge in the shotgun to its opposite. If a blank cartridge is installed, it becomes live, and vice versa. When using this item, it's important to consider the current state of the magazine: if there are more blank cartridges, the chances of getting a live cartridge are high, which significantly increases your survivability.
However, if there are more live cartridges in the magazine, using the Inverter can also turn the situation to your advantage, allowing you to manipulate the opponent's actions. The Inverter can be especially useful in combination with other items, for example, with a magnifying glass to view the current state of the cartridges, after which you can strategically use it to gain an advantage before shooting.
This section collects useful tips for playing Buckshot Roulette.
The first thing to pay attention to and always keep in mind is the number and type of cartridges. After all, it's better than relying on luck. At the beginning of the game, the number of cartridges in the magazine is small, and the dealer will announce them. However, by the third round, there may be up to eight charges in the shotgun, so it's important to precisely remember how many and what type of cartridges are loaded.
Although the casings remain on the table after the shot, they quickly and unnoticeably disappear, which can confuse gamers. Remember that casings from the previous cycle can also remain, adding confusion to the memorization process.
It may seem convenient to store items on the table, but it can also create additional problems. The thing is, players are allowed to lay aside only eight items at a time. If you fill the table with unnecessary things, you won't be able to add new important items from the box at the beginning of the round, leading to the loss of potential opportunities. For example, if the table is full, you'll miss the chance to get useful items such as magnifying glass or pack of cigarettes. Especially in the third round, when the number of items increases to four, it's important to leave space for new ones to avoid being surrounded by unnecessary things.
We often get cans of beer. As we've already noted, this is a very controversial item, but it can be used to completely skip a round. If there are four cartridges loaded in the shotgun and you have three cans of beer, drink them, then shoot at the dealer. The round will end, you'll free up space on the table, and possibly even inflict damage on the opponent with the last shot.
Although beer can sometimes help in reloading the shotgun, it's not always the best choice. If there are still cartridges left in the shotgun, beer can temporarily save the situation. However, the next move of your opponent could be deadly for you.
It's best to use beer when you have a few charges, and the majority of cartridges in the shotgun are live. This gives you a chance to delay the dealer's move and finish the round, and when new items appear, you can adjust your actions for survival.
For example, if there is one live and one blank cartridge left in the shotgun, using beer can ensure a safe shot with the blank cartridge, giving you time to act. However, in the worst case, if the live cartridge is fired first, the next blank shot might be useless, and you'll have to start over.
Again, the strategy can greatly depend on the game mode and the items available on the table. For instance, a blank cartridge can quickly turn into a live one when using the inverter. This is an important point for strategy — using the inverter can dramatically change the situation in your favor or otherwise. Always consider this when planning your move.
Note: Each use of beer costs $495. If you aim for a perfect run with the maximum amount of points, it's wise to limit its use to avoid wasting money unnecessarily.
Using the magnifying glass before the saw is a key strategy in the game and probably the most obvious piece of advice. If you have access to a magnifying glass and a saw, first check what cartridge is currently in the shotgun. If it's a blank cartridge, you can confidently shoot yourself to skip the dealer's turn and then attack him. You won't know what the second cartridge will be, but this approach allows you to use two cartridges in one turn and bring the round closer to an end.
Use the disposable phone at the start of the round to get information about the cartridges in your shotgun. This unique item in the Double or Nothing mode, available only in the Steam version, can significantly increase your chances of success by revealing one of the loaded cartridges in the shotgun.
When using the disposable phone, you'll receive valuable information about the position and condition of the bullet, allowing you to better plan your actions and avoid risky situations. It's especially useful to use this item when there are few cartridges left in the shotgun, as it gives more confidence in making decisions.
It's worth noting that if there is only one cartridge left in the magazine, the phone will be useless. After use, you'll only hear short beeps and not receive any information. That's why it's wise to use the item at the beginning of the round.
If you're playing in Double or Nothing mode and receive adrenaline at the start of the round, it's crucial to act quickly. Using adrenaline gives you the chance to select and immediately use an item from your opponent, but hesitating could cost you this opportunity. Decide which item you want to take and apply the adrenaline as quickly as possible. If you delay, the effect of the adrenaline will wear off, and you will miss the chance to use any item on your opponent's table.
Also, pay attention to whether the dealer has adrenaline. If they do, we recommend smoking all the cigarettes on the table, even if you have a full health bar. Yes, this means you'll lose the opportunity to replenish your charges later, but it also prevents the dealer from replenishing their charges at your expense.
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We hope our guide to Buckshot Roulette will help you win more often. By the way, don't try to sign the disclaimer at the very start of the game with the nickname GOD.