Team2Bit's Kickstarter project Fistpuncher comes to Steam and provides some nostalgia for old school beat-em-up fans
The addition of four-player local co-op is a major bonus as well and harkens back to the days of old school arcade beat-em-ups like X-Men and Turtles in Time. Each character has an array of special moves at their disposal that are signature to them, like Dr. Karate’s ability to heal or the Beekeeper shooting bees at enemies. One of the few flaws the game has however is that single-player boss fights essentially boil down to attacking once or twice, running away to heal, and repeat which is tedious.
Also jump kicking enemies is almost entirely unblockable and you will never get hit by spamming it. It does only do very little damage however, which means you won’t be using it as much as you think. Another aspect of combat is the RAGE mode which puts your character into a frenzy of stronger attacks and defense that only lasts for a limited time. The problem with this however is you need to collect the letters that spell out RAGE, and the letters can come at random causing you to collect duplicates which do nothing and make it take forever to actually go in to RAGE mode. But these flaws are minor and do little to affect the overall fun of the game. With some light RPG elements as well that allow you to upgrade stats and learn new moves, Fistpuncher offers some new variety with a modern twist to a retro genre.
Currently out on the Steam store for $9.99, there’s no reason why if you’re looking for some good old school fun with some friends you shouldn’t have already picked up a copy of Fistpuncher. With over 15 fighters to unlock, a plethora of secrets and collectibles, and more, Fistpuncher is a game with lots to offer and is sure to keep you entertained as you leave a mountain of pixelated bodies in your wake.
Score: 8 / 10
