Foul Play

With great wit and humour, Foul Play is a thoroughly enjoyable brawler that will keep you entertained for a good while.

70%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

gameplay, grinding

75% User Score Based on 366 reviews

Critic Score 65%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $12.80

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About

In "Foul Play," become the daemon-hunter Baron Dashforth in a side-scrolling co-op brawler set on a theater stage. Perform impressive takedowns and attacks, and use stage-tricks to keep your audience enthralled. Play single-player or with a friend in local or online co-op, and discover the truth about the mysterious Foul Play. Explore 22 acts, fight over 50 enemies, and learn 12 electrifying stage-tricks. The game features beautifully animated scene changes and a "Daemon Diary" that charts your daemonology discoveries.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 377 reviews

story29 positive mentions

gameplay19 negative mentions

Unique theater setting and charming art style enhance the gameplay experience.
Engaging co-op mode that makes the game more enjoyable with friends.
Humorous writing and entertaining story keep players invested.

Repetitive combat mechanics lead to a lack of depth and variety.
Limited resolution options and poor controller support can hinder gameplay.
Short game length and lack of significant replay value may disappoint some players.

gameplay
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
66%
18%
The gameplay of this side-scrolling brawler is characterized by simple mechanics and a focus on combo-building, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth, leading to a button-mashing experience that can become tiresome. While the unique performance-based health system and charming presentation are praised, many players find the overall combat shallow and the gameplay lacking in variety, making it less engaging over time. Despite its entertaining co-op potential and artistic style, the gameplay is often described as boring and not worth multiple playthroughs.
- “This game has a great premise, solid gameplay, and genuinely a good game.”
- “The gameplay highly resembles Castle Crashers while at the same time adding a movie-like atmosphere as you follow the protagonist throughout the stories of his life.”
- “The theatrics of this game were perfect; it plays like Castle Crashers, with a simple combat mechanic that takes some work to master, and once you have figured it out, the challenge of a perfect scene becomes something to be pursued and enjoyed.”
- “Extremely boring and repetitive gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very repetitive and shallow; there is no progressive system unless you want to count some new useless combos as progressive. I couldn’t feel rewarded at all.”
- “The story and art are neat and original, but unfortunately the most important part - the gameplay - is boring.”
story
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
58%
7%
The game's story is a blend of humor and adventure, set against a unique theatrical backdrop that enhances the co-op experience. While some players find the narrative engaging and filled with quirky elements, others criticize it for being generic and overly simplistic, often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its creativity and charm, making it a fun, albeit short, experience that encourages players to explore its quirky world together.
- “The story is great, the art design is beautiful, and the overall game is fun, especially in co-op!”
- “The story, in which you search for your long-lost father, takes you to exotic places and confronts you with all kinds of supernatural beings.”
- “The narrative ties it all together, with a nice build-up throughout the story that is ended by a finale that is both awesome and funny.”
- “The game flow, hardly breathtaking by itself, is constantly interrupted by a million cutscenes (storytelling, you know), which is kinda annoying.”
- “The story is serviceable but the lack of emotion due to the voiceless characters just kills it.”
- “To top it off the story is only 4 hours long without much extra to do unless you are one of those 100% completion type people.”
graphics
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
42%
4%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, charming art style reminiscent of a theatrical performance, blending cartoonish visuals with a whimsical atmosphere. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and humor, others note a lack of resolution options and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's appeal despite some criticisms regarding simplicity and technical issues.
- “It has a unique graphics style that will pull you in and a story that actually gets fascinating the longer you play.”
- “The art style is lovely; it's so smooth and nice to the eye.”
- “The graphics are great and the co-op is really a lot of fun.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “At first glance, it may seem like a poorly made game with terrible graphics from the developers 'Mediatonic, the Irregular Corporation'.”
- “The cutesy cartoon graphics of Foul Play didn't do anything for me, but I'm sure it really appeals to children.”
humor
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, featuring quirky British wit, entertaining background gags, and a funny storyline that enhances the overall experience. While many players find the comedic elements to be a highlight, some note that the humor can wear thin amidst gameplay issues, and the enjoyment may vary depending on whether it's played solo or with friends. Overall, the game is characterized as a fun and humorous beat-em-up with engaging visuals and dialogue, though it may lack depth in gameplay.
- “Hilarious through and through, great gameplay and visuals.”
- “Fantastically charming and witty game with more character and humor than you can shake your cane at.”
- “A fun story, some cheeky humor in the background with 'dead' actors crawling off the stage and wrong backdrops will be enough for any fan of the beat ‘em up genre to enjoy.”
optimization
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
70%
10%
The game's optimization is tailored for a performance-based experience, emphasizing combos and audience engagement over traditional combat mechanics. While the controls are highly optimized for controllers, some players find the gameplay repetitive despite the clever integration of performance elements and combo mechanics. Overall, it offers a unique and entertaining take on the beat 'em up genre, though it may not be revolutionary.
- “The game itself is a chaotic beat'em up, set as a charming stage performance for your adoring fans.”
- “A quick, fun, beat-em-up game that focuses on combos and performance over KOs.”
- “All you have to worry about is the quality of your performance, trying to fill the always present meter and amaze the crowd, allowing you to do even more impressive stunts as a reward.”
- “Unfortunately for me, it is highly optimized for controllers.”
- “It's a clever take on the genre that makes for a somewhat interesting experience, but in spite of the description's 'rewards performance over pummeling,' the gameplay does get fairly repetitive and it's easy to lose interest after a few levels.”
- “The point of each performance is to get the highest score by getting big combos, doing the above-mentioned special requests, and of course by not getting hit.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
33%
13%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players noting that it complements the action and storytelling effectively, creating an enjoyable atmosphere. While some find the soundtrack to be repetitive or forgettable, others appreciate its fitting nature and lively style, enhancing the overall experience. Overall, the music is described as good, with standout moments that contribute positively to the game's charm.
- “I loved the game when I first played it back before the issue and I still think the writing, music, comedy, and style in this game are superb.”
- “The music fits well, and perfectly suits the seriousness of some situations.”
- “The art style is cool, the music compliments the experience, and the idea that you're in a play/theatre is actually really interesting and unique.”
- “The music also didn't impress, because I can't remember if there even was music in it in the first place, and if so, if it was any good.”
- “The soundtrack fits the theme very well and I do like the menu music, though it's nothing spectacular, it's just good and fits the game well.”
- “Sound and music works okay in the game; the music fits for action or storytelling parts, but sounds can be repetitive.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, blending quirky humor, thematic backgrounds, and a light-hearted tone that enhances the overall experience. While some players note issues with controls and repetitive combat, the immersive graphics and engaging story contribute to a captivating environment reminiscent of Victorian times and theatrical settings. Despite occasional technical glitches, the unique art style and comedic elements create an enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The atmospheric backgrounds, extras, costumes, and the gags all come together thematically to bring you enjoyment.”
- “The gameplay highly resembles Castle Crashers while at the same time adding a movie-like atmosphere as you follow the protagonist throughout the stories of his life.”
- “The set pieces are wonderful, and you'll find yourself chuckling at the background gags or soaking in the atmospheric cutouts of spooky castles and ancient pyramids.”
- “Or maybe this is another beat'em up with a quirky atmosphere that has bad controls, clunky combat, and bland button-mashing gameplay.”
- “Despite the combat being boring and repetitive, the story and atmosphere definitely manage to let the game be amazing.”
- “Throughout the game, a lot of textures were glitching and it kind of spoiled the atmosphere of the scenes when it happened.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging challenge. While it offers some rewarding mechanics, such as high combo stacks, the frequent interruptions and simplistic gameplay can detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of frustration rather than satisfaction. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as more tedious than fun, with limited payoff for the effort invested.
- “I tried to force myself through this tedious chore but eventually concluded that I've already lost the money; there's no point in losing the time as well.”
- “Moreover, it does sometimes get a little repetitive and tedious as you progress, with sporadic pay off.”
- “However, the game is both tedious and shallow.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the unlockable items, leveling system, and the ability to revisit levels for better scores, others find the main campaign too short and lacking in content. Despite its engaging storyline and characters, the replay value may not be sufficient for everyone, leading some to recommend waiting for a sale.
- “Fresh and innovative sidescrolling beat 'em up with a well-wrought storyline, witty dialogues, lovely characters, simple game mechanics, and high replayability.”
- “It's got unlockable power-up items you can equip, a leveling system, achievements, online/multiplayer, and lots of room for replayability.”
- “Too short though and little replayability, so I would recommend getting it on sale.”
- “The main campaign is short but fair for what you pay, and you always have the replay value of revisiting earlier levels to improve your scores and target missed objectives.”
- “I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of this genre; however, I enjoyed Castle Crashers. I respected its humor, and it has much more content and replayability, with up to 4 people.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The game's stability is inconsistent, with users reporting frequent glitches and freezing issues, particularly when using an Xbox 360 controller. While it can run smoothly at 60fps on capable hardware, many players experience significant bugs that hinder gameplay.
- “The game runs great at 60fps with a GTX 780 and an i7 4770K.”
- “This game is buggy as shit.”
- “Using an Xbox 360 controller as suggested, it works for a few seconds in the menu and then it pretty much freezes, but the music continues.”
- “Whenever I attempt to play the game, it freezes and says something has gone wrong. I redownloaded it and the same thing happened.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development in the game is praised for its vibrant and humorous art style, which enhances the overall experience and aligns well with the game's tone. Players appreciate the colorful designs that contribute to a lively and engaging atmosphere.
- “The character development is truly exceptional, with each character feeling unique and well-crafted.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “The depth of the characters and their backstories adds so much richness to the overall experience.”

65%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

Buy Foul Play

7h Median play time

7h Average play time

7-7h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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