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Tonight We Riot is a single player and multiplayer arcade hack and slash game. It was developed by Means Interactive and was released on May 6, 2020. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Tonight We Riot" is a classic arcade-style game with a political twist. You lead a crowd of protesters in a quest to overthrow an oppressive government through strategic teamwork and destruction of enemy property. The game features pixel art graphics and a synth-punk soundtrack, with multiple endings based on your choices during gameplay.

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96%
Audience ScoreBased on 892 reviews
gameplay70 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions

  • The game features a unique crowd control mechanic that allows players to lead a mob of workers, making for a fun and engaging gameplay experience.
  • The pixel art style and soundtrack are praised for their quality, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • The game delivers a strong anti-capitalist message with humor and clever references, resonating well with players who appreciate its political themes.
  • Many players find the controls to be clunky and unresponsive, which can detract from the overall gameplay experience.
  • The game is relatively short, with some players completing it in under three hours, leading to concerns about its value for the price.
  • Some reviews mention that the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with a need for more varied mechanics and challenges.
  • gameplay
    188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Tonight We Riot" has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its unique crowd mechanics and engaging beat 'em up style, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking polish. Many appreciate the political themes and art style, but some find the controls janky and the overall experience somewhat hollow or short, with a completion time of around two hours. Overall, while the game offers fun and innovative mechanics, it may not satisfy those seeking a more refined gameplay experience.

    • “Not only is the gameplay very interesting and enjoyable, but the unapologetic leftist view it has towards direct action and revolution is refreshing in a sea of games that criticize capitalism but fail to promote alternatives.”
    • “The gameplay is fun, the writing is clever and direct in its targets.”
    • “The gameplay is simple, straightforward, and fun; the 8-bit style graphics are wonderfully nostalgic, and how can I not love a game about a socialist revolution?”
    • “I really wanted to like this game and I love the idea, but the gameplay is just lacking.”
    • “Janky controls, repetitive (literally spam your mouse button and beat the baddies) and frustrating gameplay, and mediocre graphics and music really don't save this game.”
    • “Gameplay is rather repetitive: hold right, use your right stick to aim, hold RT to throw bricks, and LT to move your workers around clunkily.”
  • music
    118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its catchy, high-energy soundtrack that complements the gameplay and art style. While some found the sound effects to clash with the music, the overall consensus highlights the soundtrack as a standout feature, enhancing the game's fun and engaging atmosphere. Many players noted the music's ability to evoke a strong emotional response, making it a memorable aspect of the gaming experience.

    • “The soundtrack is arguably the best part of the game.”
    • “The music is raw, brutalist and atmospheric, there's a variety of environments and level designs and the crowd control dynamic makes the game more interesting than your standard retro beat-em-up.”
    • “It's got gorgeous pixel art visuals that's not too cluttered in gameplay and striking in cutscenes, the music is nothing but bangers, and the gameplay while somewhat simplistic is compelling.”
    • “Janky controls, repetitive (literally spam your mouse button and beat the baddies) and frustrating gameplay, and mediocre graphics and music really don't save this game.”
    • “Music is nothing worth writing home about, the dialogue flows between leftbook meme-ry and outdated cringe (with some diamonds in the rough in-between), characterization is barely a thing.”
    • “The soundtrack is obviously aiming to be something like Hotline Miami's, but it just sounds like a mess.”
  • graphics
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming 8-bit art style that many players find nostalgic and appealing, with a distinct dystopian and retro aesthetic. While some reviews praise the visuals as cute and well-integrated with the game's themes, others criticize them as simplistic or lacking depth, suggesting that the graphics may not meet the expectations set by the gameplay. Overall, the art style and soundtrack are frequently highlighted as strong points, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “I love the ethos and art style of this game.”
    • “The art style is explicitly dystopian, rugged, and retro, and the soundtrack makes me wish there was an extended version available.”
    • “I'm not generally especially into brawlers, but Tonight We Riot is just aesthetically on point, from the music to the graphics to the gameplay it all fits.”
    • “Janky controls, repetitive (literally spam your mouse button and beat the baddies) and frustrating gameplay and mediocre graphics and music really don't save this game.”
    • “It's a shorter game with worse graphics made by people who were paid more to work less and I'm not complaining.”
    • “The pixel graphics are beyond lazy, and you can tell the 8-bit style is a real crutch here, and it's being leaned on hard.”
  • humor
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized as light-hearted and often tongue-in-cheek, with a strong leftist slant that may resonate more with players who share similar political views. Many reviewers appreciated the clever quips, item descriptions, and Easter eggs, finding them both funny and engaging, though some noted that the humor can be hit-or-miss depending on personal taste. Overall, the game is praised for its unique comedic approach, blending serious themes with a playful narrative style.

    • “The various quips, jokes, and item descriptions were pretty funny to me, but maybe that's just my sense of humor.”
    • “The humor is solid, though you may need to be more left-leaning for some of the jokes to land.”
    • “The writing is funny and on-the-nose; it pulls no punches, it's leftist and it's proud of it.”
  • story
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging themes and humor, particularly in addressing serious social issues like inequality and police state dynamics. While some players found the narrative compelling and well-integrated with gameplay, others felt it lacked depth or a clear main character. Overall, the story resonates strongly with certain audiences, though it may not appeal to everyone.

    • “Fantastic setting and storytelling with addicting gameplay.”
    • “Ppu512 and Means TV (both of which are worker cooperatives, by the way) did an astounding job, especially incorporating humor and easter eggs into the gameplay and story while keeping the story's very real and serious undertones and themes.”
    • “As for its story, 'Tonight We Riot' also presented a simplistic view.”
    • “The story is indicative of not only America's police state, but the global inequality of capital.”
    • “So it's like the assets are there, but used for memes, and it's like an unfinished beta, or all the filler missions of a game to pad things out, rather than the actual game.”
  • replayability
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers a decent level of replayability, particularly through its multiplayer mode, endless mode, and unlockable items that encourage players to revisit levels for better performance and achievements. While some players feel the game could benefit from additional content to enhance replay value, the unique design of each level and the challenge of completing them with minimal worker casualties provide enough incentive for repeated play. Overall, it is considered fun and engaging, especially in couch co-op settings, though opinions vary on the extent of its replayability.

    • “The multiplayer adds more replayability along with endless mode.”
    • “The unlocks themselves add a fair bit of replay value and optional challenge to the game; it's actually pretty difficult to get through most of the levels with enough workers left for them, and all of them change up the gameplay in some way, giving you new weapons and buffs.”
    • “Endless mode adds some extra length and it seems pretty replayable to unlock all of the riot gear/items.”
    • “While the game was long enough to be enjoyable and worthwhile, I would've liked a little bit more content. The game has 4 areas, each with 4 levels and a boss. It took me only an hour and a half to get to the boss of area 3, roughly 4 hours total to finish the game because I was going for 100% (all achievements, which means a few secrets and getting the top ranking on every level). Maybe 1 or 2 more areas would’ve helped, but each level is unique enough to carry some replay value.”
    • “There's no replayability here.”
    • “I think setting a higher bar to get 3/3 on a lot of the levels would give the game a lot more replayability.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be time-consuming and tedious, particularly those who are not accustomed to combat-heavy gameplay. Some users suggest that significant time investment is required to effectively progress, indicating that grinding can feel overwhelming for those more familiar with life simulation and farming genres.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Weapon switching was kind of tedious for me.”
    • “I beat the game in 6 hours, but I'm certainly unfamiliar with scroll/combat heavy games, as I'm more of a life sim and farming gamer.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Tonight We Riot" is centered around the desire for catharsis, as players engage with themes of inequity and injustice, ultimately advocating for democratic and nonviolent solutions. The game is described as providing a sense of wholesome fun while addressing serious societal issues.

    • “Commentary at the end suggests they made 'Tonight We Riot' for emotional catharsis and would prefer democratic and nonviolent solutions to the world's problems of inequity and injustice.”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by raw, brutalist music that enhances the experience, complemented by diverse environments and level designs. The crowd control dynamic adds an engaging layer, setting it apart from typical retro beat-em-ups.

    • “The music is raw, brutalist, and atmospheric. There's a variety of environments and level designs, and the crowd control dynamic makes the game more interesting than your standard retro beat-em-up.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is criticized for its lack of nuance and depth, resulting in unrealistic interactions between key factions, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “It lacks nuance, character development, or semi-realistic interactions between revolutionaries and police, which kind of kills it for me.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is focused on a unique scoring system that prioritizes saving allies over traditional metrics like enemy defeats or completion time, aligning with its overall philosophy and approach to gameplay.

    • “The game also scores your performance solely on the number of your allies you save, rather than enemies beaten or time taken, which seems in keeping with the philosophy of the game over the typical language of game difficulty.”
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8h Median play time
6h Average play time
2-10h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Tonight We Riot is a arcade hack and slash game.

Tonight We Riot is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 6 hours playing Tonight We Riot.

Tonight We Riot was released on May 6, 2020.

Tonight We Riot was developed by Means Interactive.

Tonight We Riot has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its replayability.

Tonight We Riot is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Anarcute, Hammerwatch, The Messenger, Risk of Rain, Nobody Saves the World and others.