Party Animals

Pros

• Highly textured and well animated characters
• Solo and team-based competitive modes
• Four maps to choose from

Cons

• Doesn't break much new ground
• Limited choice of game modes

There have been countless games that pit you in one-on-one battles as monsters, demigods, and warriors, but Party Animals flips the script by having you battle as adorable puppies and kittens. The titular party animals are bright, expressive, and varied. With their simple textures, plump physiques, and vivid color schemes, you'll feel more amusement than distress when the competitors fall over. And the animals to choose from encompass a menagerie that extends from puppies and kittens to sharks and dinosaurs.

At a brief glance, the graphics may look like run-of-the-mill free content from an indie developer, but they really show off their charm in motion. The water physics are a particular standout, and the developer has done an exceptional job of lending credibility to their absurd creations. Lovingly rendered textures and charming animations really anchor the characters in their meticulously crafted environments. There's a great sense of variety to these environments too. Instead of feeling like simple texture swaps, they all have their own unique flow, hazards, and gameplay objectives. This isn't a game that's particularly rich with strategy, but different levels will force you to change how you tackle your goals.

Players of Fall Guys or Gang Beasts should find the format familiar here. It takes the general last man standing approach of the battle royale formula and transforms them into a platforming experience stripped of the familiar military approach to the genre. The real hook of the game is the physics engine. It isn't realistic, but it isn't meant to be. Characters flop and stumble across the environments and react wildly when they come into contact with an obstacle or another player. The unwieldy controls are a large part of the charm, and it keeps the competitive stakes low whether you're playing with family, friends, or total strangers.

Unlike Fall Guys, Gang Beasts plays out more as a traditional brawler in the vein of Power Stone or Super Smash Bros. The combat here is basic but satisfying. Simple punches and kicks can be transformed into more powerful - and far reaching attacks - when employed while running. Attacks with long reach come with their own perils. It's easy to knock yourself off the edge of the stage or into a dangerous obstacle in the heat of battle. Often the player is their own enemy in a match of Party Animals. Additionally, players have an assortment of weapons to pick up from around the stage. Suiting the irreverent theme of these games, these weapons tend towards the bizarre. Candy and household items are sprinkled among more menacing weapons like crossbows.

Local and online co-op is available for up to eight players, and the initial release of Party Animals comes with two gameplay modes. Both will be familiar to seasoned multiplayer gamers. Last Stand sticks to the tried-and-true last man standing mode. Characters engage in a wild melee to be the last animal remaining, but the environments are as much a danger as the players. From jets with changing elevation to a trap-laden temple, experienced players can definitely get an upper hand from learning the maps. Snatch Squad mixes the formula up to create a competitive team-based mode. Players fight to gather candies from around the map and drop them into their candy machine. Mixing up the traditional co-op formula is the fact that points won't be counted until the machine is activated. That creates fierce tug-of-wars at team bases and forces players to evaluate the risk and the reward of stockpiling candy.

The saccharine premise of Party Animals is more than overcome by the playfully anachronistic character work, the highly polished textures, and the personable animations. And while it may not be breaking ground in terms of mechanics, Party Animals' chaotic arena battles are a delight with friends. As is often the case, Party Animals' long term appeal will really depend on the updates and expansions it receives after release. As it stands, it's a delightful change of pace from the traditional battle royale and a great way to waste an hour or two with friends.

Pros

• Highly textured and well animated characters
• Solo and team-based competitive modes
• Four maps to choose from

Cons

• Doesn't break much new ground
• Limited choice of game modes