After swearing off Battle Royale games from several toxic hours with Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds, I didn’t think I’d return to the volatile genre ever again. That was until I was so generously gifted Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout to play with my girlfriend and her brother. What I thought would be another throwaway game has turned out to be anything but, as this game is surging in popularity with no signs of slowing down.

So, in the hyper-popular genre of Battle Royale, what makes Fall Guys stand out? In short: its goofiness. All the gritty shooters take themselves pretty seriously (save for the occasional unicorn costume) and remove the casual nature of other multiplayer genres. However, Fall Guys is low-risk and if you lose, you’re back into another match in a matter of a minute. The frenetic pace is unmatched and makes the game leaps and bounds more accessible than any other Battle Royale.

While there is a learning curve and a skill ceiling that rewards time and effort, anyone that understands basic platforming can pick up Fall Guys and have a blast. Working out the kinks and finding the optimal strategies takes a backseat to the fun factor, which is never hindered thanks to quick loads, round diversity, and a juxtaposition of wackiness with 60 players to the tense final rounds with less than a dozen.

The presentation within Fall Guys is positively divine. Bombastic colors, a wild set of easy-to-acquire costumes/skins, and one of the most eclectic gaming soundtracks ever make this a joy to boot up every time. The game runs smooth as silk too, with its only limitation being the online connectivity, something that is still burdening Mediatonic a month after the explosive release and has already been significantly ironed-out.

Fall Guys hits a few speedbumps on the road of fun, though. The game can get aggravating within its team-game rounds, as you can put in all the effort in the world and still come up short thanks to your companions. Thankfully, Mediatonic already took note of this and implemented a patch where team games are no longer consecutive rounds. Some rounds, like Jinxed and Fall Ball, will make you sigh but the vast majority are still a hoot.

A widely-revered feature in most games, Fall Guys actually has a fantastic progression system. If you lose, you still accumulate the in-game currency Kudos, at a fair rate to purchase items within the game’s shop. Epic/Legendary items require Crowns, which are only unlocked with wins and tons of playtime, but the mass of cosmetics are easily achieved with ample playtime and not too much of a grind.

I’ve been playing Fall Guys on a daily basis and it’s almost always the highlight of my day. It’s undoubtedly the hottest thing in gaming at the moment and it’s a challenge not to have fun when Fall Guys is running. At a measly $19.99, it’s a steal for the fun factor and the number of hours you can sink into it with friends. I foresee this game staying at the top of my library for several months to come.

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Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

$19.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Nonstop Enjoyment
• Easy to Learn, Hard to Master
• Still as Fun Solo as With Friends
• A Visual Treat

Cons

• Server Issues
• Team Games Aren't as Fun