Each time it launches an indie game during the sleepy summer days and it becomes a surprising hit. It happened with “Rocket League” in 2015, and it happens again with “Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout.”
The title has come close to becoming one of the most streamed games on Twitch, and it has Twitter abuzz as more and more players discover it. “Fall Guys” will remind players of game programs such as “MXC” or “Wipeout,” programs that bring participants to comic effects through gruesome obstacles.
Although it seems right on the surface, the real antecedent of the game lies in “Mario Party” and the battle generous games like “Fortnite.” The developers ran Mediatonic on a perfect report of the two, and in the process, they created a party game adapted to the age of coronavirus.
One of the beauty things about “Fall Guys” is that it is not complicated, making it accessible to almost anyone. Players move around their characters and they have buttons to let them jump, dive and grip. From there, players are thrown into a series of games and obstacle courses, in which a certain number of participants can win. Each round wins the collective mass of up to 60 competitors until one remains standing.
The fun in “Fall Guys” comes from the unadulterated chaos. As you throw 60 people into an obstacle course and add unforgettable physics, players will toss their jellybean-like avatars forward at choke points, creating an accumulation of bodies. Elsewhere, they will be hit by propellers and their characters will fly helplessly across the screen. In tense situations, competitors will shake each other and push from the edge of a platform to survive.
Losing can be humiliating and it is sometimes, but “Fall Guys” ride so hard through laps that angry thoughts disappear when players are thrown into another game. The fast turnover keeps them busy as they tackle three types of leagues. Obstacle courses are almost always the first, and it shakes the audience up to about 40 or so. From there, players encounter survival games where they have to stay alive for a certain period of time while jumping over rotating arms or trying to cut a tail before the time limit runs into a game that looks like tag.
Sometimes players will encounter team matches, in which the audience is divided into groups and they have to work together. They may confront in a version of football called Fall Ball, or in Rock ‘N’ Roll, they will have to work together and try to hit a ball towards the end of a course. The teams are mostly ad hoc, though players are thrown into personal parties together. Like the rest of “Fall Guys”, the teams feel impromptu and follow the theme of controlled chaos.
The games for the final round have the smallest crowds – usually less than 10 participants. This is when the competition becomes the most intense, and because there is only one winner, it becomes cold. In Hex-A-Gone, players will attempt to knock down a rival or eliminate the tiles from them. It’s a prize contest where platforms disappear as characters run on them and the last person not to fall in love is the winner. Royal Fumble is essentially like Tail Tag, except that only one person can achieve victory.
For beginners, the games can be confusing but entertaining. As they play more, they will discover the quirks, tricks and tactics that work for each level. They will discover that Gate Crash is all about trying to predict when a door will open and their sprint timing to hit it at that moment. Perfect Match is about memorization and observation, because players keep an eye on the products on the floor so they can jump on the right platform when a specific fruit is called out. The platforms without that fruit disappear and competitors fall into the slime.
Despite its simple premise, “Fall Guys” has some depth to it and the multitude of human interactions means players will always see something different during a game. The game’s progression system also gives players an incentive to stay with “Fall Guys.” Each round players earn kudos, the currency in the game that allows them to buy new costumes. When they grab the removable crown, they earn the harder to get faluta with the same name and that is used for fuller cosmetic items.
Finally, there’s also the seasonal episode of “Fall Guys.” If it’s something like “Fortnite” or “Player Unknown’s Battleground”, players should expect new content every season. I doubt players will play this professionally, but it fits a place like “Mario Kart” in racing.
“Fall Guys” is magic because it distills a festive atmosphere, in which the more players who participate, the fiercer the gameplay will be. In that chaos anything can happen. Expert players can have a little bad luck and fall to the last place without making the cut. Coaches were able to accidentally slap a Level 20 veteran in the grind and eliminate the participant from controversy. Part of the fun in “Fall Guys” and in most party games is the idea that anyone can win.
With the fact that real-life parties are reduced due to COVID-19, games like “Fall Guys” are one of the few ways that players can find that tumultuous atmosphere. It’s a way to feel the energy of a crowd while also staying safe at home. It’s a game that’s perfect for the summer of 2020 and for what lies ahead for the rest of the year.
‘Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout’
4 stars out of 4
Platform: PlayStation 4, PC
Rating: All of them
.
