Don’t Stop Me Now…Am I having a good time?
Gang Beasts is a silly local multiplayer party game with doughy ragdoll physics and horrific environmental hazards. In the game players can grab, push, pull, punch, and throw their friends from wrestling rings, speeding trucks, and suspended platforms.
It’s perhaps one of the craziest games I have played and it doesn’t really tell you much, it just sort of throws you into it and hopes you to make sense of the madness as you fight your friends in bizarre locations like speeding trucks or if that’s not your thing, you can always play a quick game of football (soccer to the Americans). The ragdoll physics make Gang Beasts interesting as you can never truly predict how you or your rivals’ characters will react to each move made. It’s unpredictable, but in a good way.
The game first released as an Early Access title and despite it now being fully launched, you can see the end result still isn’t quite as polished as you would hope. It is fun, although the controls will take some considerable getting used to. I think Gang Beasts is best played in short bursts as long plays will likely frustrate and put you off from picking it up again, which would be a shame because it can be a blast under the right circumstances.
Visually, Gang Beasts is simplistic but charming and runs smoothly for the most part. I did notice a bit of lag in framerate here and there, but nothing too big. The sound effects are basic but do the job, as does the game’s soundtrack.
The Verdict
Gang Beasts has some great ideas and there’s fun to be had here, but in small bursts as the controls can become frustrating, even if that may be the point. It won’t be for everyone, but if you can find someone to play with then you’ll have a good time here.