You have to be hiding in a secluded cave to not have heard of Fall Guys, the recently released battle royale platformer from Mediatonic for PC and PlayStation 4. Through a series of games involving platforming, memorization, and physics, players attempt to be the last one standing in order to receive the coveted Crown. It’s chaotic, it’s frustrating, and it’s a whole lot of fun.
Despite all the positives so many are saying about the game, I find myself not enjoying it as much as some of my friends. Don’t get me wrong, the game plays well and does a great job at what it sets out to do. For me, though, I just have some gripes that kind of hold me back from enjoying it more.
First and foremost, the games themselves. There are a good variety of game names, but they all seem to focus on the same thing: jumping and falling. Yeah, I know, it’s the name of the game, but hear me out!
Gate Crash, Dizzy Heights, and Hit Parade, for example, are all races to the finish while avoiding physics based obstacles (jumps, falls, false doors, etc.). These are run games, but playing them consecutively makes the game feel immediately repetitive. While still fun, it would be nice to see Fall Guys implement a sort of category system, so if you make it from round to round you don’t see the same type of game again and again.
Speaking of the same type of games, there are a few games that are not that different from one another. Block Party is largely similar to Roll Out (jump through low walls and don’t fall off). Jinxed and Royal Fumble both involve chasing after people in what appears to be the same setting. Tail Tag and Team Tail Tag are literally the same games. Egg Scramble and Hoarders are largely the same too. Call it personal preference, but I really just didn’t enjoy these that much, and they take up a large portion of the games pool.
To give credit to the game, there are what I would consider standouts for each category of game. Slime Climb is the best style of race, for example. Hex-a-gone is a fantastic jumping mess. Rock ‘n Roll is a great team based game. Fall Mountain is a super fun upward physics climb. Everyone will have their favorites, but I look to these as the best because they do what they set out to do best. Compared to other games (I’m looking at you, Fall Ball!) they are just better.
Without any real story to progress, the only reason you’d keep playing the game sans fun factor would be the cosmetics. And there are a ton of fun, wacky costumes and designs to get your hands on! Some of the cooler ones are locked behind paid DLC, but others can be earned by earning in-game currencies by leveling up through experience or by winning games! It’s a great system to keep you playing again and again, and I found myself wanting to play just to get the next unlock! Here’s hoping some of the fan-made costumes and crossover events could become reality!
A huge ray of hope came a week back when it was announced Fall Guys would be getting a “Season 2” update. The new update would bring new games and new cosmetics. This seems like the most logical step forward for this type of massive multiplayer-centric experience, and one that I hope really brings some worthwhile updates to the game. Let’s see game pools and new cosmetics. How about some leaderboards among players and friends? The allure of new games is already enticing me for more content down the road, so here’s hoping the physics-based puzzles get more wacky and creative.
There really is so much potential for Fall Guys to become a staple game in the rotation of many gamers, myself included. However, the subpar enjoyment of some of the games, mixed with the repetitiveness of some of the others, makes the overall experience dry out rather quickly. With some content updates, added games, possible new game modes, and hey, while we’re at it, let’s throw in some better party support, Fall Guys really could be the surprise hit of the year!
What do you all think? I know a ton of people love the game so far, so I’d like to hear your comments too!
Laters,
Jsick
