Punch Club

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,286 reviews
  • story
  • grinding
  • gameplay
Punch Club Game Cover
If you are looking for an excellent 16-bit fighter game then look no further than Punch Club as it’s a hell of a lot of fun to play and sink some hours into.
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In "Punch Club," you train a fledgling fighter, balancing stats, equipment, and story choices, to uncover the mystery of your father's murder. Manage time and resources to build your fighter's skills and progress through a challenging career in the ring, engaging in both legal and illegal fights. Discover branching storylines, multiple endings, and mini-games for additional replayability.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Nintendo 3ds
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,286 reviews
story270 positive mentions
grinding607 negative mentions
  • story836 mentions

    The story of *Punch Club* is a mix of 80s and 90s action movie tropes, centering on a protagonist seeking revenge for his father's murder while navigating the world of boxing. While some players appreciate the humor and nostalgic references, many criticize the narrative for being shallow, repetitive, and poorly executed, with an abrupt ending that leaves much to be desired. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, which is heavily focused on grinding and character management rather than deep storytelling.

    • “The story is engaging and fun, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked until the final bell rings.”
    • “Punch Club has an interesting story about a person who seeks revenge for his father's murder while training to become the greatest boxer.”
    • “The story is a humorous spin on the martial arts films of the 80s and 90s, filled with pop culture references that add to the overall charm.”
    • “The story really does not even make any sense; you never grow an emotional connection to any characters, and everybody is very two-dimensional.”
    • “The ending is absolute garbage, and the story makes no sense; the game just ends with a meme punchline.”
    • “The story is a patchwork of different fighting movies, and the ending isn't even satisfactory; it leaves you with a cliffhanger and a storyline that confuses the hell out of people.”
  • grinding614 mentions

    The grinding aspect of "Punch Club" is a major point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and repetitive. While some appreciate the challenge of managing stats and resources, the overwhelming consensus is that the game's reliance on grinding—especially due to stat decay—can lead to frustration and a sense of unfulfilling progress. Overall, players recommend the game primarily to those who enjoy grind-heavy experiences, while cautioning others about its potential to become monotonous.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Seven hours to beat the game (and have some great laughs in the process) is not too grindy, now is it?”
    • “For me, it wasn't grindy at all; you have to know that you can't satisfy all the needs, something has to go down.”
    • “The ridiculous amount of mindless grinding the game requires you to do in repetitive training (with no interesting decisions to be made) is completely inexcusable.”
    • “The stat decay is a super annoying mechanic that makes the game feel 100x more grindy, so if you're trying to just sit and click the same 5 buttons over and over for hours on end to progress slightly, then maybe this is your game.”
    • “The game relies far too much on setting you back to enforce grinding.”
  • gameplay508 mentions

    The gameplay of "Punch Club" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet overly grindy and repetitive. While the time management and character development mechanics are praised for their depth and humor, the stat decay system and RNG elements frustrate many, leading to a sense of tedium and lack of control during fights. Overall, the game offers a nostalgic experience with charming visuals, but its mechanics can detract from the enjoyment, especially in the later stages.

    • “The gameplay is challenging, yet rewarding.”
    • “Punch Club is an addicting retro-like game with a satisfying gameplay loop.”
    • “The gameplay is simple yet very entertaining.”
    • “But the gameplay is terrible and there is no sense of skill required.”
    • “The stat decay mechanic makes this game way too grindy; otherwise, the game is pretty fun.”
    • “The gameplay is annoying at the start if you don't have a plan for leveling.”
  • graphics282 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their charming retro pixel art style, which evokes nostalgia for the 80s and 90s gaming era. Many reviewers appreciate the detailed animations and vibrant colors, noting that the visuals effectively complement the game's humorous and engaging gameplay. While some find the graphics simplistic, they generally agree that the aesthetic is well-executed and enhances the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are done in this pixel art style that’s very nostalgic, and any retro gamer will appreciate it; I certainly did.”
    • “The retro graphics ooze charm, bringing to life an era of big hair, neon lights, and VHS tapes.”
    • “The pixelated graphics are a real eye candy, the animations are smooth, and the myriad 80s/90s action movie references give the game a lot of nostalgia for all those who grew up in those days.”
    • “The game isn't perfect and I cannot recommend it to just anybody; I got used to the pixel art graphics, although I don't like games like Stardew Valley because I'm not a huge fan of pixel art and don't want to see too much of it.”
    • “Although the graphics are fine, the overall experience is a miserably grindy hellfest and you're better off playing almost anything else.”
    • “This game is nice in graphic way but gameplay just sucks.”
  • music235 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, upbeat, and nostalgic 16-bit style, effectively complementing the retro graphics and overall vibe. However, many players note that the limited variety of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, especially during extended play sessions, causing some to eventually mute the soundtrack. Overall, while the music enhances the game's charm, its lack of diversity is a common point of criticism.

    • “The soundtrack is upbeat and fits the game’s vibe perfectly.”
    • “From intense fight sequences to quiet moments of contemplation, the music hits all the right nostalgic notes.”
    • “The music is great!”
    • “The song playing in the background is a monotonous note and ear-splitting.”
    • “The soundtrack is okay, but it gets old easily, especially when one has to listen to the same damn music all the time while doing something as 'special' as grinding over and over again.”
    • “After a couple of hours, I had to just mute the music and play my own so I didn't blow my brains out.”
  • humor193 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its abundance of pop culture references, particularly from the 70s to 90s, and its light-hearted, goofy storytelling that often parodies classic action movies. Players appreciate the clever dialogue and humorous character interactions, which contribute to an engaging and entertaining experience, despite some criticism regarding the reliance on familiar tropes. Overall, the game successfully blends nostalgia with comedic elements, making it enjoyable for fans of retro culture.

    • “The story is hilarious, like being the protagonist of multiple 80s/90s action movies, at the same time.”
    • “Punch Club is a knockout love letter to the 80s, filled with hilarious moments, retro visuals, and addictive gameplay.”
    • “The humor is great, and is done well.”
    • “Totally biased, not funny, and all impersonations of famous fighters just can't get any worse.”
    • “The ending to this game is so anticlimactic it's not funny.”
    • “Not funny at all.”
  • replayability78 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the variety of builds and branching storylines that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, some reviewers noted that the experience can become repetitive, especially due to the lack of quality-of-life features and the grindy nature of the gameplay. Overall, while there is potential for replayability through different paths and skill trees, it may not sustain long-term interest for all players.

    • “The replayability of this game through a different path (fight style) on new game is enjoyable.”
    • “Punch Club has so many storylines that you can replay through, and the gameplay loop is very replayable. The achievement challenges in the game are very fun.”
    • “The skill trees are well developed, and in my opinion, they provide an enjoyable amount of customization and replayability!”
    • “The fact that you can focus on different stats, and there are multiple paths to take in the story (though they all converge eventually, making choices mostly meaningless) seems to point to a focus in replay value, but there are many quality of life features missing from the game, like a way to skip the tutorial, cutscenes, or dialogue, which are barely interesting the first time over, much less the fourth.”
    • “The game itself is extremely grindy, and even though there are two endings, the replay value on this game is very, very limited.”
    • “Downside - once you discover the secret, the story is pretty much wrapped up and the replay value plummets.”
  • stability50 mentions

    The game is plagued by numerous stability issues, including game-breaking glitches, frequent freezes, and inconsistent performance, particularly in the mid to late game. While some players find enjoyment despite these bugs, many express frustration over the lack of quality assurance and the impact of glitches on gameplay experience. Overall, the game's stability is a significant drawback, detracting from its otherwise appealing features.

    • “There are some bugs in the story path that I noticed, but for the most part, the game is bug-free.”
    • “Even though the game is over 8 years old, it still contains game-breaking glitches.”
    • “I really wish I could love this game; it is gorgeous looking, it has some interesting mechanics, a huge collection of references, and a good soundtrack. However, it is a buggy mess. You can count them if you wish, some even game-breaking, cutscenes out of place, hard-locks, etc.”
    • “Despite the game starting out strong, numerous glitches, pacing problems, and balance issues make this a bad buy.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is largely criticized, with many players finding the story and characters to be shallow and forgettable, resulting in a lack of emotional connection. While some moments evoke laughter or frustration, the overall experience is described as an exhausting grind that fails to deliver a meaningful emotional payoff.

    • “Emotional character development.”
    • “I laughed, I cried, I punched people in the face.”
    • “First 66 minutes made me feel as if I was Rocky.”
  • atmosphere9 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique charm, enhanced by retro graphics and a nostalgic 16-bit soundtrack that evoke the feel of the 1990s. Many players appreciate the immersive ambiance and the engaging interactions within the game world, which contribute significantly to the overall experience, despite some criticisms of repetitive gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as one of the game's strongest elements, capturing the essence of amateur fighting culture from the 80s and 90s.

    • “The retro graphics and 16-bit soundtrack are great and they give off a really nice atmosphere.”
    • “The game is extremely atmospheric.”
    • “The best aspect about this game, in my opinion, is the atmosphere (aside from the slaughter of pop culture references) which captures that of an amateur fighter in the 80s-90s.”
    • “If you really dislike grinding and repetitive gameplay, then this is a no-go, but if you can forgive those flaws, this game's atmosphere and ambiance make up for all the bad.”
    • “Personally, I liked it, and I didn't even discuss the atmosphere, which is a total homage to the 1990s.”
  • character development8 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the skill trees and emotional depth, though some feel that customization options are lacking. The balance between character development and gameplay mechanics, such as combat and strategy, enhances the overall experience for those who enjoy these elements. However, some players criticize the absence of character build-up, which detracts from their emotional engagement with the story.

    • “There is nice character development and skill trees.”
    • “What I like about this title is its retro graphics, character development, balance of the game elements (eating, working, fighting, etc.), and the great entertainment I had.”
    • “If you like strategy, planning, and character development, you're probably going to like this very much.”
    • “Also, the balancing of character development and story elements with fighting mechanics can be challenging for some players.”
    • “I get it, this game is meant to be kind of funny, but when we have absolutely no build-up and no character development, how am I supposed to react to this?”
    • “Emotional character development”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The game is a paid title with no microtransactions, allowing players full access to content upon purchase. However, some users feel that the gameplay is excessively grindy, suggesting that it may have originally been designed for a free-to-play model with microtransactions, leading to frustration over the lack of options to expedite progress.

    • “No microtransactions - the game is a paid title, and once purchased, you have access to the full content without any additional in-game purchases.”
    • “This game desperately needs to be on Facebook with microtransactions, because the only way to make this bearable is if one can just finally give in and pay 10 dollars to move forward in the game.”
    • “Maybe this game started out as a free-to-play game with microtransactions, because the grind is ridiculous.”
    • “It almost felt like the game was built for microtransactions to speed things up, even though no such system exists in this game.”
    • “This game desperately needs to be on Facebook with microtransactions, because the only way to make this bearable is if one can just finally give in and pay 10 dollars to move forward in the damned game.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it boasts impressive visuals and a strong emphasis on time management, players find that high stats often do not translate to improved performance in combat. The grind to maintain skills can feel tedious, leading to a shift from engaging gameplay to repetitive grinding, which detracts from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include adding interactive elements during fights to enhance player engagement.

    • “Other than these negative points, the game is very well made, visually and stylistically appealing. The time management is very important, and understanding how certain skills can affect and improve your in-game performance by a light-year.”
    • “And even when you do get your stats high, it's almost as though it sometimes has no effect on your performance in a fight.”
    • “The ongoing grinding to keep your skills at peak performance feels true to life, but combined with the tedium of having to unlock abilities, the game goes from running at a sprint to tiptoeing in around 1 hour of game time - everything after which is grinding and going for just 'one more ability'.”
    • “Nothing to do during fights; add a minigame that boosts fighters' performance or restores stamina during fights. Maybe the more you click, the higher the attack chance you have or the more it restores stamina.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

Buy Punch Club

Play time

11hMedian play time
18hAverage play time
10hMain story
23hCompletionist
4-22hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 39 analyzed playthroughs

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