[Killer Bean Play Log] Bean With Guns — Driving and Suplexing Are Way More Fun Than Expected

First Play Session — A Seriously Good TPS Hidden Inside a Bean

First time with Killer Bean, and it's way more serious than the name suggests.

I laughed at the name when I first saw it — "a bean action game?" — but once I was actually playing, it was several times more substantial than I expected. Third-person stylish shooter / 3D gun action is my best description of what this is. I'd loosely expected something like Devil May Cry or VANQUISH — explosive, over-the-top action — and honestly, it's not far off.

This entry covers my first session through the opening campaign: feel of the controls, how combat plays, and the things that caught my attention.

---

What Is Killer Bean?

Killer Bean is an open-world action game developed almost entirely solo by Jeff Lew — a VFX animator who worked on X-Men, The Matrix Reloaded, and other Hollywood productions. The premise: a former assassin coffee bean takes revenge on the corrupt organisation that betrayed him. Think GTA-style open world meets third-person shooter meets roguelite, in a world where every character is a bean. It launched on Steam Early Access on June 8, 2026.

For the full breakdown of genre, mechanics, and context, the review has everything.

[Steam] Killer Bean — A Solo Hollywood Animator's Chaotic Bean-Shooter That Hits Hard for VANQUISH Fans

• Genre Third-Person Action / Roguelite Shooter / Open World
• Language English only
• Status Steam Early Access (since June 8, 2026)

Read the review →

---

What's in This Log

• Opening and first impressions: Over-the-top intro, great graphics, a bean delivering serious lines
• Controls: Double jump, dodge, car driving, slow-mo shooting — all confirmed
• Possible bug: Stuck on top of a car after a collision
• Early campaign: Find the computer and hack it for mission data
• Combat feel: Full-on brawl, not stealth — even Easy hits hard
• Melee finishers: Powerbomb and German suplex are weirdly satisfying
• Weapons and items: What showed up in the opening stretch
• Things to note: Minimap stutter, thin city feel, motion sickness risk

---

Opening and First Impressions: Gorgeous Graphics, But the Bean Is Talking

The opening is huge. Airplane, missiles, crash landing — it doesn't hold back. The graphics look really good and the animations are smooth. "For Early Access, this is seriously well-made" was my honest first reaction.

The car designs are cool too. The whole world has a stylish, cinematic look that holds up on screen.

Then a bean speaks. In a completely serious voice. About a mission.

The gap between the dramatic presentation and the fact that your protagonist is unmistakably a bean is genuinely surreal. But the game's commitment to its own bit is oddly charming — that deadpan absurdity might actually be half the appeal.

---

Controls: Double Jump, Dodge, Car Jump — All There

I worked through the controls while exploring, and the basics feel solid.

There's a car right at the starting area and you can drive it immediately. The feel is good straight away — weight, turning, braking all have a satisfying physicality. Just moving around is enjoyable on its own, which is a good sign.

What I confirmed this session:

• Standard shooting
• Jump / double jump
• Rolling dodge
• L1 for slow-motion shooting (stylish action mode)
• Car driving
• Car jumping off ledges and ramps

The car jump in particular surprised me. It works naturally and it confirmed that real design thought has gone into the moment-to-moment feel — this isn't just surface polish.

---

Possible Bug? Got Stuck on Top of a Car

Early in the session, something odd happened.

After two cars collided, I somehow ended up wedged on top of the other car. Tried to get out — couldn't. Completely stuck, couldn't move at all.

I can't confirm whether this is a reproducible bug or just a weird edge case. It looked like a vehicle collision detection issue, but I can't say for certain. The game is in Early Access, so this kind of rough edge isn't surprising — hopefully something that gets sorted out over time.

For now: if cars are about to collide, going on foot is probably the safer call.

---

Early Campaign: Find the Computer and Hack It

The campaign structure early on is readable: get instructions over comms → move to objective → do the thing → new objective appears.

The first mission sends you to find a device and retrieve data. Follow the red markers and PC icons on the map, locate the computer inside a building, and interact with it to hack it. Data downloaded, next objective shows up on the map.

Later I caught a glimpse of something that looked like a defence mission — "protect the computer." Even in the opening stretch there seems to be some variety in objective types, which is promising.

---

Combat Is a Full-On Brawl. Even Easy Mode Hits Hard

I went in expecting something stealth-adjacent, but the combat is loud and chaotic.

Enemies come at you with handguns and shotguns and they do not hold back. Even on Easy I was getting hit constantly — this difficulty setting is not relaxing. Normal and Hard must be genuinely punishing. The core loop is more "keep moving, shoot, dodge" than "line up a careful shot."

The overall vibe reminds me of GTA — open sandbox chaos, action-forward, not methodical. Go in ready to brawl, not to sneak.

---

Melee Finishers Are a Blast. Powerbombs and Suplexes Feel Great

The combat highlight for me: the melee finishers.

Square to hit, stagger the enemy, then B to trigger the finisher:

• Powerbomb (pick them up, slam them down)
• German suplex (throw them backwards over your head)

This is a gun game. Why does it have pro wrestling moves? I have no idea. But they feel really good.

I think there might be invincibility frames during finishers — but that's unconfirmed, going on feel alone. There's also a possibility that finishers drop healing items more reliably, but that needs more testing too. What I can say is that in the middle of a packed brawl, "when in doubt, hit and throw" is a solid-seeming plan.

---

Weapons and Items: Shotgun, Rocket Launcher, Elite Weapon Spotted

Here's what I came across in the first session:

Weapons confirmed

• Handgun (starting equipment)
• Shotgun (enemy-carried)
• Something that looks like a rocket launcher
• What seemed like a sniper-scope aiming mode
• A green "Elite Weapon" icon of some kind

Items (estimated)

• Red items → probably HP recovery
• Yellow / orange items → possibly tied to slow-mo gauge or a special ability

The "Elite Weapon" display caught my eye but I couldn't pin down the official name or what it does. The sniper mode mechanics also need more time to understand. More on both in a future session.

---

Things to Note: Minimap Stutter, Thin City, Motion Sickness

A few rough spots worth flagging:

Minimap isn't smooth

The minimap update rate looked choppy — not a dealbreaker but noticeable, especially mid-fight.

City feels a bit thin

The buildings and environments look great visually, but there's not much life in the streets yet. Early Access, so hopefully more to come.

Motion sickness is a real risk

The camera moves fast and combat is hectic. I started feeling mildly queasy partway through and cut the session short. If you're sensitive to motion sickness in 3D games, start with short sessions and give yourself time to adjust.

---

Wrap-Up: Rough Around the Edges, but the Action Feels Great

Quick summary of the first session:

• Early Access roughness is there, but the driving and melee have excellent feel
• Finishers (suplex, powerbomb) are satisfying — a genuine highlight of the combat
• Combat is fast, loud, and action-forward — stylish gun action with real promise
• Minimap stutter and motion sickness risk are worth knowing about ahead of time
• Expect more polish as the Early Access continues

Next session I want to dig into the defence mission, get a better read on the weapons system, and find out if boss fights are in yet. Taking it slow — the camera and I need to reach an understanding first.

---

Tips From This Session

---