The best games to play as a group are the ones that make you laugh the whole time without getting unnecessarily upset about whether you won the last round or not. That’s exactly how I felt after he played Party Animals, the latest massive party game coming out soon, for two straight hours. Playing as one of many cute bipedal animals that punch, headbutt, and try to kill each other head-on, you’re either working as a team or each player is on their own. There were endless shouts and cheers regardless. Still in development, but like all good party games, this is becoming a chaotic playground.
Not to mention that Party Animals seems to be directly inspired by the hit indie game Gang Beasts, with similar erratic ragdoll physics and gameplay mechanics. But the team at Recreate not only introduced new layers to make the modes you play more engaging and fun than ever before, but also gave you more control over your characters, such as throwing them and climbing the stages they fell on. I made it work properly. It doesn’t automatically kill you.
Most notably, Party Animals introduced an abundance of weaponry. I was able to equip some melee weapons, like frying pans and maces, to name a few, to turn off people’s lights. But there are also different types of ranged weapons. It was always a good time to pick up a crossbow and shoot aimlessly, or brandish a Taser to literally shock an enemy. It may be a violent game in nature, but the cute paint and silly use of weapons make it feel like a game that even kids can play with little parental concern.
Party Animals consists of various compilations of maps and games, plus two main mode types. Last Stand is probably the main game mode, where the goal is simply to survive to the end. Each map also involved different environmental factors, so we had to keep an eye on them during the chaos. For example, in the wind tunnel there was a lever to pull to bring up a wall that kept me and other players from being blown off the map. After using the lever for a long time, it eventually broke and I had to change my strategy to win. Another stage involved an airship that flew high throughout the match, causing the floor to freeze and I slipped and slid around.
The second mode, known as Team Score, involves a more objective-based and focused game. Buzzball is a loose mix of football and soccer where you carry the ball and throw it into the opposing team’s goal circle. The big challenge to overcome is getting electrocuted if multiple people try to carry or steal the ball for a long time. Relatively simple and least focused on the team, but still a good time. Fluffy Redemption, on the other hand, was the highlight. Each team started riding the train with the goal of reaching the end point first. In order to make the train run faster, the coal had to be carried from the end of the train to the front and put into the coal boiler. However, not only could the train be sped up, but the other team’s train could also be slowed down. If we were running late, we could pull the brake lever and slow the train down by jumping to another train. This simple idea created a great collaborative effort with teammates as they delegated roles to win. The creativity and design of each map is what makes Party Animals feel like an improvement from similar Party He games before it.
“
There were 14 animals to choose from, including a cute rabbit and my personal favorite, the Welsh Corgi. And yes, you can dress up like the British royal family. I didn’t get to experience what the progression system was like, but the devs say you can always choose which costume you want to unlock as long as you have the currency. Still, there are so many different outfits that you’ll eventually get to choose from depending on which animal you play as. Highlights include a cat with an orange helmet, a gorilla dressed like a private security guard, and a duck dressed like fan favorite Darth Vader. was But the real fun in this outfit is at the championship ceremonies after every game. All the players pose ready for a group photo, but instead some run around and punch each other, while others try to get close in front of the camera. It’s pure madness at its best and the best part is that you can download the photos later and share them with all your friends.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect for Party Animals, but in the end my main thought was that I simply wished I hadn’t. To keep the simple gameplay fresh, the maps and game types are very diverse, and with constant updates and additions, I think it could very well become a party game staple. Speaking for myself, I can’t wait to play more.
