Them's Fightin' Herds

Them's Fightin' Herds is an exceptional fighting game by any measure, only held back by its tiny roster of six characters.

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"Them's Fightin' Herds" is a 2D fighting game featuring adorable animal characters in intense battles. It offers cross-over content with Blazblue, Skullgirls, and Revelator, unlocking exclusive cosplay items. The game boasts fast-paced action, impressive animations, and a unique blend of cuteness and combat, ensuring a distinctive fighting experience for players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,190 reviews

story142 positive mentions

stability22 negative mentions

The game features a well-designed tutorial that effectively teaches both basic and advanced fighting game mechanics.
The character designs are unique and charming, with each character offering a distinct playstyle.
The game has excellent netcode, providing smooth online play even with high ping.

The game has been abandoned by its publisher, with no further development on the story mode or additional characters planned.
The current roster is small, with only six characters available, which may limit replayability.
The story mode is incomplete, with only one chapter released, leaving many players disappointed.

story
692 mentions
21 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story mode of "Them's Fightin' Herds" has garnered significant attention, praised for its engaging narrative and unique RPG elements, but it remains incomplete, with only the first chapter released. Many players express disappointment over the cancellation of further story development due to the publisher's decisions, leaving a promising narrative unfinished and the community feeling let down. Despite its initial charm and potential, the game's future in terms of story content appears bleak, leading to frustration among fans who were eager for more chapters.
- “The story mode is surprisingly thorough and rather fun to play through.”
- “The story mode is hand-down the most fun I've had playing a fighting game in single-player.”
- “The story mode is great! You can move freely around the map, the characters are fun and have good dialogue, the music is amazing, and the pixel art is beautiful.”
- “With this all being said, I can't recommend it due to the publisher, Modus Games, not only halting further development of this game (including the story mode which is now only up to chapter 1), but also firing the majority of the Mane6 development team (aside from 3 people) right around Christmas time of last year.”
- “The promised story mode featured heavily in the store page and promotional work has been cancelled outright, with only a fraction of the promised product ever present.”
- “I cannot in good faith recommend buying Them's Fightin' Herds despite it being a favorite of mine due to the fact that its dev team, Mane6, was basically killed by Maximum Entertainment, leaving behind an unfinished game with many issues that have yet to be addressed as well as a story mode that showed so much promise gameplay and story-wise, but will never progress beyond chapter 1.”
gameplay
362 mentions
36 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Them's Fightin' Herds" is praised for its accessibility and depth, making it suitable for both newcomers and seasoned players. The mechanics are intuitive, with a simple four-button control scheme that allows for engaging combos and character diversity, while the extensive tutorials effectively teach players the game's systems. However, some users express concerns about balance issues and the game's current state, citing bugs and incomplete features that detract from the overall experience.
- “It's a great game with fun mechanics that should be given a chance.”
- “The fighting mechanics are really deep but still accessible, and the way they are taught to the player is simply brilliant.”
- “The gameplay is smooth and the combos are amazing.”
- “But now, because of Modus/Maximum Entertainment, the game is literally in shambles, with things in the base game being a bit broken and two new DLC characters that have been shadow dropped, with even more broken, unfinished mechanics that often result in the game crashing, freezing, or just soft locking as a whole.”
- “I wanted so badly to love this game but the mechanics don't work properly.”
- “The sheer amount of palette choices was staggeringly awesome and the sound and graphics blew me away, but sadly the gameplay is lacking on so many levels.”
music
258 mentions
55 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Them's Fightin' Herds" is widely praised for its dynamic system, which adapts to the characters and match conditions, creating a unique auditory experience for each fight. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as exceptional, with many tracks described as "bangers" that enhance the game's charm and atmosphere. Overall, the combination of engaging music, character-specific themes, and high-quality production contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The dynamic music and character-specific versions of every song in the game are lovely, but the songs stand up on their own regardless and will bore their way into your brain if you play for any length of time.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely wonderful especially with its dynamic style.”
- “The music is fantastic, the tutorials go over everything from special cancels to frame data, the combat is deep, combos are satisfying, the characters have an interesting killer instinct-esque uniqueness to them in the form of a magic meter that drains and fills based on specific character actions, the campaign is well written and funny (and being continually updated), and it has rollback netcode.”
- “I am not a fan of computer-written music (and it is obviously made on a computer) and the style they chose for the songs.”
- “As a result, because of this, the Stronghoof update came out very raw, especially it was very sad to hear that what this game was much praised for (dynamic music) just went down the drain, because my favorite composer (idol) rainbowcrash88 decided to leave Mane6 and take up his project.”
- “Back to talking about the game, however, it boasts dynamic music although honestly I did not notice it, but what I did notice was that the music would frequently cut out, unless dead silence is a part of the music, so there is that.”
graphics
211 mentions
47 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Them's Fightin' Herds" are widely praised for their charming, cartoonish art style and vibrant visuals, which many find captivating and well-executed. While some players may initially be put off by the game's My Little Pony-inspired aesthetic, most reviews highlight the beautiful animations and character designs as standout features that enhance the overall experience. The game's visuals, combined with a dynamic soundtrack, contribute to its appeal, making it a visually stunning entry in the fighting game genre.
- “The graphics look beautiful, and the music is astonishing.”
- “The art style is rich, the characters are lovable, and the plot to the story has me hooked thus far.”
- “The animations, the general art style, everything about this game captivated me, so much I even bought it on Switch at launch.”
- “Some of the visuals are a little messed up, too.”
- “Fun game, actually very solid fighter, just please please ignore the aesthetic.”
- “The game's aesthetic might turn you off and I wouldn't blame anyone for that.”
humor
66 mentions
95 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its quirky, lighthearted dialogue and charming characters, which contribute to a fun and engaging experience. However, some users feel that the humor can be hit-or-miss, with certain references and jokes falling flat or detracting from the game's overall dignity. Overall, while the game features a lot of funny elements and enjoyable interactions, opinions vary on its effectiveness and consistency in delivering humor.
- “Hilarious take on the fighting genre, what a fun little title!”
- “The story is full of witty, funny writing and memorable characters; I can't wait for future chapters to be released!”
- “The game is littered with witty remarks, silly exchanges, and funny encounters, and fills the environments with a lot of charm.”
- “Uninstalled; not cool and not funny. I will be blacklisting this IP.”
- “Edit: unfunny animal game.”
character development
51 mentions
63 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly praised for its unique and visually appealing character designs, which draw inspiration from animals and mythological creatures. Players appreciate the distinct personalities and movesets of each character, contributing to a colorful and diverse roster. However, some critiques mention issues with game balance and mechanics, overshadowing the otherwise strong character design and animation quality.
- “The character designs, both aesthetically and functionally, are extremely unique but straightforward and comfortable feeling.”
- “Absolutely love the animation and character designs, especially considering they are hand-drawn by Lauren Faust herself!”
- “The world is unique and compelling, and I'm a huge fan of the character design and art style.”
- “What an absolute waste of Lauren Faust's character designs.”
- “It is imbalanced (when you get knocked down you can immediately get punched down afterwards. there is also no tutorial and the menus are just atrocious. it took them three years to make this, two and a half of which were spent eating pizza and waiting for Lauren Faust, the character designer for this game and My Little Pony, to make the animations. also early access. if you want a good game made by bronies, play Horsegame (yes it exists and yes it's good).”
- “Even so, I really appreciated the adaptive music, and I dig the character designs, even if the hitboxes sometimes come off a little weird (Paprika's neck's seeming way longer than her hitbox).”
stability
23 mentions
13 % positive mentions
-9 % neutral mentions
96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is severely compromised, with numerous bugs, glitches, and game-breaking issues reported, particularly with the last two DLC characters, Baihe and Nidra. Players have experienced infinite combos, softlocks, and crashes across all platforms, leading to a perception of the game as unfinished and unplayable. Despite some ongoing fixes, the overall state remains problematic, with many feeling that the rushed release of content has detracted from the game's quality.
- “The game looks great and runs smoothly on just about any rig.”
- “The stability of the game is impressive, providing a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how well the game performs without any major issues.”
- “I've seen infinite air-stalls and combos with Baihe and a Nidra glitch that straight up freezes your opponent for the remainder of a match.”
- “The long and short of it is that the publisher laid off 95% of the dev staff and released the final season pass characters as broken and buggy messes.”
- “Don't buy this, Maximum Entertainment fired everyone at Mane6 before the DLC could be finished, causing them to be released in buggy states, which include bugs that can cause infinites, softlock the game, or crash the damn thing entirely.”
optimization
11 mentions
27 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While it runs smoothly on lower-end systems and offers solid online performance, some players have reported high GPU stress and specific stages, like Velvet's, being poorly optimized. Additionally, the game’s input sensitivity has been criticized, particularly for standard controllers, making certain moves difficult to execute effectively.
- “Fantastic visuals along with solid online performance.”
- “I live in Japan and played this game with friends from Brazil with very good performance, despite the 330ms ping.”
- “Great game, runs smoothly on my low-end laptop, but make sure that you have a strong & stable connection if you want to engage in an online battle.”
- “It responds in a far too robotic fashion, virtually never making mistakes and giving the most optimized reaction all the time.”
- “If I had one gripe with the game, it's that it could probably do with some better optimization; it's very stressful on my GPU (RTX 2070) for some reason.”
- “Velvet's stage in particular is the worst optimized just because of the snow falling.”
replayability
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered lacking due to limited customization options, a lack of diverse game modes, and minimal single-player content. While some players find potential in future updates or additional characters to enhance replay value, current offerings do not provide enough incentive for repeated play. The salt mines 2.0 mode is noted as a positive exception, offering more engaging replayability.
- “I also played the salt mines 2.0, it's super good, and it holds quite the replay value from my impressions with TFH.”
- “Game is very complete, actually maybe more playable without the extras.”
- “If the problems listed above were fixed then I would find this game so much more playable and enjoyable.”
- “You cannot customize matches (unless you count 'training's' customization); there are no extra game modes nor much replayability besides what I just listed.”
- “We have only casual rank... replayability is really bad for this game.”
- “Unfortunately, for all the time that I have been playing, a lot of problems have been identified in the game in terms of replayability.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a sense of heartbreak over its announcement and the community's wholesome nature, which contrasts with the typical fighting game environment. Players appreciate the game's coherent and emotionally engaging story mode, making it a standout in the genre despite their personal struggles with gameplay. Overall, the emotional resonance is felt both in the game's narrative and the supportive community surrounding it.
- “To see it end the way it has is heartbreaking.”
- “I suck at it, but the story is wholesome and cute.”
- “+ possibly the most coherent and emotionally engaging story mode ever seen in a fighting game.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming and whimsical qualities, enhanced by engaging characters and witty dialogue that adds a lighthearted touch. While the dungeons may not be as impressive, they still contribute to a moody ambiance that complements the overall experience. The community surrounding the game further enriches this atmosphere, creating a unique blend of silliness and charm.
- “Love the game, love the atmosphere and characters, and enjoy the story and online player base.”
- “Voice acting and dialogue—the dialogue is cute, expected, but in a funny, cheesy way, and it complements the game's atmosphere and vibes, adding charm to it.”
- “The dungeons are a bit less impressive overall, but still hold up well with their often moody atmosphere.”
- “I only found it worth mentioning as the community TFH birthed from (as well as the cute atmosphere of the game) would lead you to expect differently.”
- “Voice acting and dialogue - the dialogue is cute, expected, but in a funny cheesy way and it compliments the game's atmosphere and vibes, and in my opinion, adds charm to it.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding in the game to be a mixed experience; while it offers a way for less skilled players to progress, the presence of frustrating community dynamics can detract from the enjoyment. Many engage in grinding for collectibles, but the overall process can feel tedious and lacks meaningful engagement.
- “Yet, there are also insufferable members of the staff and community who may make discussing and grinding the game as a competitive player more frustrating.”
- “The salt mines are lots of fun to mess around in, but if you're like me, you'll mostly be farming salt for collectibles alone.”
- “The determination to get stronger through grinding allows players of lesser skill to still experience nearly the full breadth of most games, but there isn't really anything like that in play in this game.”
monetization
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with a focus on DLC rather than delivering a polished product, leading to disappointment among players. While the game features solid mechanics and smooth online play, the lack of microtransactions does little to offset concerns about its overall direction and value.
- “A technically competent fighter with rollback netcode ensures a smoother online experience, and there are no microtransactions.”
- “The vision for this game is unclear and now feels like an unbalanced cash grab focused on pushing out DLC instead of making a fun fighting game.”
- “This would be fine if the game advertised was an early access version, but it seemed as though it were advertising the finished product.”
- “That vision was thrown out the window with the entire dev team that was originally responsible, and now the game is nothing more than yet another cash grab fighting game.”