We analyze the funniest game of the summer, a battle royale with a party game soul that has a lot of room for improvement, but also a bright future.
There are times when it gets out of hand. Let’s take off the mask and admit it. Here in confidence. It is something that happens to all of us and it is understandable. After all, video games come from where they come from. A few years ago we were looked down upon for the mere fact of playing. We were used to terms like “the machines” and “the nintendos”. Our day-to-day life went through enduring questions like “but isn’t that for kids?” And of course, of those muds, these muds. Now we love to put on our plastic glasses and push our breasts. It seems that we have to vindicate the sector with each launch and demonstrate daily that there are also “video games for adults”. We love to write paragraphs that we call “reflections” demonstrating their depth and complexity. As if we had to settle accounts or compete with it cinema and television. As if we had forgotten that many of us did not fall in love with this because of the messages and allegories of their stories, nor because of the graphics and resolution they reach. There is so much desire for the video game to transcend that sometimes, simply, And deep down, what have always mattered here have been two very simple things: entertainment and fun. Just the two keys to the game that concerns us today, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout. One of the most surprises of this hot and chaotic summer 2020.
The summer party game
He may not receive many prizes and you may never remember him when asked about your favorite games, but Fall Guys is one of those sure bets when friends come over to the house. A title that guarantees laughs, jokes and piques. Like Rocket League, Overcooked or Mario Kart. It is one of those party games that seem above good and evil. A battle royale in which to stay and live. It is capable of making us smile even in these times of pandemic. Able to encourage even those who have never tried to take up a command. A tremendously fun title to play, yes, but also to watch and comment on. Perfect for a quick game … and for wasting an entire afternoon. Fall Guys is, as the legendary Coca-Cola ad said, for everyone. For those who have time and those who don’t. For those who do not know what to play and for those who want something that combines with more … “intense” proposals. For the lone wolves and those who don’t move without their gang. For the old school, for the casuals. Mediatonic and Devolver Digital have found the formula for happiness and that they do not work at Pepsi.
Describing Fall Guys is very simple. Suffice it to say that it could be the official video game of Humor Amarillo, that famous program on Cuatro and Telecinco in which a handful of people were banging each other and making a fool of themselves, all of this in tests each more crazy. Only the Chino Cudeiro, Takeshi and the interviews with the participants are missing. But whoever says Yellow Humor says Ninja Warrior or even the Grand Prix (“the program of the grandfather and the child …”). Fall Guys is an online game in which games of 60 people are played that compete with each other to be the only one standing and to win “the crown”, the final prize. Like in The Hunger Games, wow. As in any other battle royale. The games are divided into several rounds (usually five) in which little by little people are eliminated. Rounds can be obstacle courses, survival challenges, or even team minigames. They barely last a couple of minutes and are increasingly difficult, although all of them can be completed with just three buttons: the left stick to move, the X button to jump and the R2 trigger to grab objects (or other contestants). Starting from such simplicity, we will discover game variants such as the pilla pilla, find the pairs, the swallower crocodile or the zamburgers. It will be necessary to climb slippery slopes through which fruit does not stop falling; play soccer games with giant beach balls; or endure without falling on platforms that do not stop turning and in which more and more obstacles appear. All this seasoned with a friendly and colorful cartoon style, which focuses on creatures halfway between minions and a Dr. Mario pill. A humble and simple audiovisual section that, nevertheless, fulfills its function: to provoke even more laughter. It’s like going back to recess, to the games of our childhood. It is immediate, direct, unpretentious and uncomplicated fun.
With much room for improvement
But as fun and entertaining as it is, Fall Guys is far from perfect. We’d be doing him a disservice by giving him a notable (or higher) today. Because he doesn’t deserve it, but he has everything to deserve it in the future. Seeing their immense user base (which does not stop breaking records) and looking to imagine the money they are going to make thanks to them, Fall Guys must be demanded. First of all, you have to demand servers to match. We’ve run into entire days where you can’t play. They are down too often and give so many problems that they even have their own Twitter account, in which they report the continuous errors and maintenance. Secondly, you have to demand more modes and customization objects, more challenges, tests and challenges. With just one hour of play we will have seen everything. It only has 26 mini-games, when if you look at the number of Yellow Humor tests, for example, you find a list of more than a hundred. And perhaps it is not a fair comparison, nor can you ask for so many, true, but twenty are still very few and more when they are predetermined (there are only six types of initial test and three types of final). Also, some don’t work very well. They are not challenging enough and they do not eliminate almost anyone (like Perfect Couples or Block party). They are harmless and therefore boring. But we not only have to demand more evidence from him, but also a little more … of everything.
Currently, to play with friends or family locally we have to pass the controller after each attempt. Fall Guys has no split-screen option, although the game screams for it. There is also no cross-play between PC and PS4, nor the option to play a specific test (creating our own playlist of minigames, for example, or in private games). A good example of the lack of options is the biggest complaint of many today: having to necessarily go through team tests, which can put an end to a perfect game because of others. Not to mention the obvious shortage of costumes and customization items. The store is pretty poor and the rewards for leveling up are slim. If you skip the checkout and buy a costume or kudos pack (Fall Guys currency), the truth is that there is little to choose from. We will end up fed up with the dolls in the shape of a wolf, a dove and a hot dog. The only difference ends up being the color that we give each one. Similarly, the gameplay could be more polished. Jumps and grabs, among other things, will make us scowl from time to time. At first it’s so much fun that it doesn’t matter, but it becomes important as problems begin to repeat themselves and as we put hours into the game. When we focus on winning a game we will discover that unfortunately it is not only a matter of luck and skill, but also of crossing our fingers because the gameplay is not a problem. By proxy, Fall Guys could even aspire to games with more players, daily and weekly challenges … and so on. In content and possibilities it pales next to other battle royales.
You’re probably all wondering …
What’s next for Fall Guys?
Well, we’re going to be releasing new levels, new costumes, and new features
I would like to quote a greater being than myself:
“You fool, this isn’t even my final form”
– Frieza, Dragonball Z pic.twitter.com/ymiVuzudlC– Fall Guys 👑 (@FallGuysGame) August 4, 2020
It might seem that we are catching up on the cat and trying to see the glass as half empty, but it is something that its developers also admit. They have already confirmed that many more tests, costumes and options will arrive in the future with totally free updates. That is why no one should be alarmed by the note. As we said, right now the game is far from perfect and has important shortcomings, but this is only the beginning. Fall Guys will only reach a ceiling when the ambition and effort of its creators wane. And luckily to this day that ceiling is not visible. You’ve already accomplished the hardest thing: getting the attention of millions of users and, even more importantly, making everyone smile.
CONCLUSION
As we said before, Fall Guys is immediate, direct, unpretentious and uncomplicated fun. The summer party game; a guarantee of jokes, piques and laughter. The perfect game for when friends come home. A mix of Yellow Humor, Ninja Warrior and the Grand Prix. A little reminder that video games are, first and foremost, entertainment. And to entertain you don’t always need graphics, or great stories. Sometimes a good idea, a handful of minions and three buttons is enough.
But be careful because none of this prevents that, as fun as it is, Fall Guys has a wide room for improvement. Its servers dance on pins and at the content level it pales next to many other battle royales. The game is missing tests, modes, options, and customization items. Even its gameplay could benefit from some tweaking. Its creators are aware of everything and have announced a good number of free updates for the next few months. Until they arrive, take this as a mere starting point. A very promising and fun one, yes. Hopefully you’re ambitious, keep growing, and don’t settle for being a summer sweetheart. But even if it were, that they take away what we danced
THE BEST
- Hilarious. Laughter assured.
- Simple, immediate, friendly and addictive.
- It has promised multiple free updates.
WORST
- Servers continually crashing.
- Very few tests, modes, and customization elements.
- Micropayments.
- Playable bugs. Problems with jumps, grips …
Right
It is not the latest or the most original, it does not have the best execution either, but it can be fun if you like the genre. Good, but could be improved.
