The best kind of games to play in a group are the ones where you are laughing the entire time without needlessly walking away upset on whether or not you won the last round. That is exactly how I felt after playing two straight hours of Party Animals, the latest big party game on the horizon. Playing as one of many cute bipedal animals trying to punch, headbutt, and straight up kill one another, there was an endless amount of yelling and cheering regardless of whether we were working as a team or if it was every player for themselves. Even though it is still a work in progress, this is shaping up to be a chaotic playground – like all good party games should be.
It’s hard not to mention that Party Animals seems to be directly inspired by the hit indie Gang Beasts, what with the similar wonky ragdoll physics and gameplay structure. However, the team at Recreate has not only brought new layers to make whichever mode you decide to play more engaging and fun than ever before, but better execution on controlling your character – whether it be throwing or even climbing back up to a stage that doesn’t automatically kill you.
Most notably, Party Animals has introduced a solid pool of weapons. I was able to equip myself with several melee weapons, including a frying pan and mace, to name a few, to help knock people’s lights out. But there are also a variety of ranged weapons as well. It was always a fun time picking up a crossbow to shoot around aimlessly or wielding a taser to literally shock my opponents. It may be an inherently violent game, but with the cute coat of paint and silly use of weapons it really does feel like a game that even kids could play with little to no worry from parents.
Party Animals consists of two primary mode types alongside a varied compilation of maps and games. Last Stand is arguably the primary game mode, where the goal is simply to be the last one standing. Each map has different environmental factors that go into play, too, which forced me to stay on my toes while the chaos ensued. For instance, in the wind tunnel there were levers to pull to bring up walls that would stop myself and other players from being blown off the map. After using the levers for so long they eventually broke, causing me to have to shift strategies to win. Another stage involved an airship that would fly higher throughout the match, causing the floor to freeze over making me slip and slide around.
The second mode known as Team Score includes games with a more objective-based focus. Buzz Ball, which is a rough mixture of football and soccer, involves carrying a ball and throwing it into the opposite team’s goal circle. The major trial to overcome is that when multiple people are trying to carry or steal the ball for too long, it will electrocute them. It is relatively straightforward and the least team-focused, but it’s still a good time. Fluffy Redemption, on the other hand, was a highlight. Each team began on a train with the goal of getting to the end first. I had to carry coal from the end of the train to the front and throw it into the coal boiler to make the train go faster. But not only could I make the train go faster, I could make the other team’s train go slower. By jumping across to the other train I could pull the brake lever to slow the train down if we were falling behind. This simple idea created a great collaborative effort with my teammates as we delegated roles to obtain our victory. The creativity and design of each map is what truly makes Party Animals feel like an improvement from the similar party games before it.
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There were 14 different animals that I could choose from, like a cute little bunny or my personal favorite, a Welsh Corgi. And yes, you can dress them like British royalty. While I didn’t get to experience what the progression system was like, the developers said that you will always be able to choose which costumes you want to unlock as long as you have the currency to afford it. But still, there are so many different outfits that you will eventually be able to choose from depending on which animal you’re playing as. Some of the highlights included a cat wearing an orange for a helmet, a gorilla dressed like a private security guard, and one that will surely be a fan favorite, a duck dressed like Darth Vader. But what truly makes the outfits so fun is the winning ceremony after every game. All the players are posed ready to take a group photo but instead some will run around and beat each other up while others will try to get to the front of the camera. It is pure madness at its finest, and the best part is you can download the photo afterwards and share it with all your friends.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect heading into Party Animals, but my main thought ended up being that I simply wish I didn’t have to stop. There is a great variety in maps and game types to keep the simplistic gameplay refreshing to the point where, if there are ongoing updates and additions made, I think there is real potential of it becoming a party game staple. Speaking for myself, I can’t wait to play more.