Party Animals burst onto the gaming scene as a new, intense multiplayer brawler, one where you take control of an adorable animal with the ability to send opponents flying.
Developed by Recreate Games, Party Animals utilises vibrant visuals, along with cuddly creatures to promise a hilarious and engaging experience. During matches, you’ll have the opportunity to knock out other players through various attacks. When a blow connects, time slows down, allowing you to feel the power behind the cute little creatures, before they’re propelled into the distance.
Party Animals has even gone as far as including weapons within certain maps, such as crossbows and bombs. Whilst it’s difficult to learn how to control these weapons, you’ll quickly find yourself landing a shot and sending opponents flying.
In terms of mechanics, the controls were fairly daunting; it was a difficult process learning how to move the character. Many abilities felt out of place, such as using ‘Y’ to jump, or ‘A’ to kick, which is rarely seen within this genre. Naturally, you get used to the controls after a while, and there is an option to change around the keybindings, allowing you to match the abilities to your preferences.
One thing that stands out about it is the strong connection between servers. Compared to Gang Beasts, I had virtually no lag during my time playing — something that is important in competitive multiplayer.
When first opening the game, you’ll notice that the user interface is very inviting, with a vibrant gradient of orange and yellow, combined with an easy-to-navigate menu. This matches the chill ‘vibe’ that Party Animals gives off.
It features a variety of game modes, including classic brawls, team-based competitions and obstacle courses. The large range of maps adds depth as you find yourself fighting on floating planes, competing on a football field and navigating across slippery icebergs. When combined with the ability to invite and play with friends, it’s easy to find yourself playing for hours on end.
Whilst it’s exciting to learn to play on each map, it can be annoying if you get KO’d early, as this will mean you’ll have to spectate for the remainder of the match. However, the developers have introduced a feature where you can fling certain objects, such as bananas and bombs onto the map to interfere with the remaining players. This keeps the game interesting even when you’re ‘out’.
Another cool thing here is the inclusion of weekly challenges. These are a great source of motivation to play. Each week, new challenges are released that players can complete. When completed, players are rewarded with XP points and ‘cookies’ which are used to unlock new characters and cosmetics which, in turn, keeps things fresh. In addition, this ensures that players don’t have to spend a ton of money on the game to receive entertainment, unlike many other games which are seen as ‘pay to win’.
All in all, Party Animals is a thoroughly enjoyable multiplayer brawler, even when playing without friends. It seems like the developers have thought of everything to keep the game enjoyable and fresh.
Party Animals is available now for PC and Xbox.