Tools Up!
- December 3, 2019
- The Knights of Unity
- 6h median play time
A fun and lighthearted couch co-op multiplayer game with a simple, but appealing home renovation gameplay formula fine-tuned for party chaos!
"Tools Up!" is a chaotic party game where players cooperate to renovate multiple apartments in a rapidly changing environment. Each player assumes a different role, such as painter or carpenter, and must work together to complete tasks before time runs out. With challenging levels and unexpected obstacles, proper communication and teamwork are essential to achieve success.
Reviews
- Fun and engaging gameplay, especially in local co-op mode, providing plenty of laughs and chaotic moments.
- Cute graphics and a light-hearted atmosphere make it enjoyable for players of all ages.
- Offers a good amount of content with 30 base levels and additional DLC, making it a decent value for casual gaming sessions.
- Lacks online multiplayer support, which limits playability for those wanting to play with friends remotely.
- Controls can be frustrating and unresponsive at times, leading to confusion and wasted time during levels.
- The game is relatively short and easy, with many players finishing it quickly and feeling it lacks replayability.
- gameplay45 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally easy and accessible, making it suitable for casual play, especially in couch co-op mode. However, many players find the mechanics repetitive and lacking in variety, with some frustrations related to controls and camera issues. While the game offers a fun and relaxed experience, it suffers from a lack of depth and challenge, leading to a quick sense of monotony.
“Definitely a good game to relax and have fun at the same time with your co-op partner, at least in campaign mode, which in my opinion is the core gameplay here.”
“The gameplay and controls are very easy to pick up and play, making this an ideal party game.”
“Super fun and relaxed gameplay.”
“The controls are sloppy and the mechanics, especially in the DLC, are buggy.”
“Overall, game mechanics are not fun and repetitive.”
“The levels lack variety (both visually and with regards to their gameplay), the gameplay mechanics that are there get stale quickly, and when new mechanics are introduced, they are often just small additions to previous mechanics.”
- music18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its soothing and uplifting qualities, creating a relaxed atmosphere that complements the gameplay. While the soundtrack changes with different levels, some players noted that the music can feel repetitive as it only shifts every few floors. Overall, the combination of catchy tunes and thematic variations enhances the gaming experience, making it enjoyable and engaging.
“The soundtrack and overall chill atmosphere are very inviting, and it is so easy to like this game!”
“The music has a great air to it, soothing but also slightly energetic.”
“The characters are lovely and funny, the setting is great, the music is fantastic, the sound effects are on point, and the variety is great as well.”
“Music is also incongruous with the game wanting to put you on a timer; it's really relaxed.”
“Not much to say about the music or anything as the songs only change every few levels.”
“Every few floors is a new 'theme' and that's when the music changes.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are consistently described as cute, colorful, and cartoonish, contributing to a fun atmosphere. While the art style is praised for its simplicity and timelessness, some users note that the controls could be smoother, impacting the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are well-received, enhancing the gameplay, especially in multiplayer settings.
“The art style is beautifully simplistic, while exuding a fun and cartoonish atmosphere.”
“And the cheery, colorful, cartoonish graphics give the game a fun atmosphere.”
“As far as environments go, the art style and UI are both sleek and clean enough to withstand the test of time for years to come.”
“Don't let the charming visuals fool you!”
“The graphics are cute, controls are simple but take a moment before you will get comfortable and there needs to be more levels and overall variety.”
“The map design and art style is average.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its humor, primarily through physical comedy and chaotic interactions, making it particularly enjoyable in multiplayer settings. Players find the antics of the various animal characters and the mishaps that occur during gameplay to be both hilarious and entertaining, contributing to a light-hearted atmosphere. Overall, it delivers a fun and funny experience that shines in cooperative play, often leading to memorable and laugh-out-loud moments.
“The game is quite funny, and despite the fact that it is mostly physical comedy, it doesn’t fall flat.”
“It's so funny when you knock over a bucket, and you're both slipping over the same paint puddle trying to clean it up.”
“There is not much to say about this game other than, this is a great game filled with light-hearted humor and joy.”
- story14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story is straightforward and primarily serves as a backdrop for gameplay, with a simple narrative that unfolds over 30 campaign missions and additional gardening DLC. Players appreciate the tutorial-like nature of the early missions, but many feel that the overall story lacks depth, focusing more on cooperative challenges and character customization than on a rich narrative experience. While the missions can be entertaining and engaging, especially with friends, there is a desire for more content and storytelling elements.
“This game was relatively easy and entertaining. I finished the normal story mode with my siblings in 4 hours; the other 7 were from the gardening DLC, which got harder by the 2nd episode.”
“The first few campaign missions are simple and work as a tutorial, which is cool.”
“There is a challenge mode where you can replay the story maps and try to finish them within a given time.”
“The story is quite simple.”
“There's not much story to tell with this game and that's okay.”
“One thing I do wish for the game to have is a bit more content apart from the characters you can unlock, the 30 levels in the story and the time challenge mode.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by sloppy controls and numerous bugs, particularly in the DLC, which detracts from the overall experience. Players have reported issues with multiplayer functionality, including limitations on input devices, leading to frustration. While the game is enjoyable, these stability concerns significantly impact its rating, with potential for improvement if glitches are addressed.
“The controls are sloppy and the mechanics, especially in the DLC, are buggy.”
“The ghost is so buggy that it deserves a negative review.”
“This game is good and fun, but some control glitches make it harder than needed.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with users noting that it lacks the charm and engaging mechanics found in similar titles like Overcooked and PlateUp. Many players express a desire for additional content or features that could enhance the game's replay value.
“Although at this point it has little replay value.”
“It's just different enough from other games like it, but lacks the charm of Overcooked/Moving Out or the replayability of PlateUp to really hold its own.”
“No replayability.”
“I wish there was more added to the game that increased the replay value.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be boring and tedious, often describing it as clumsy and lacking engagement, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Boring and tedious.”
“This is a tedious, clumsy version of Overcooked.”
“Very tedious game; nothing about it feels like it really works.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a cheerful and inviting vibe, enhanced by a relaxing soundtrack and colorful, cartoonish graphics. The beautifully simplistic art style contributes to a fun and engaging environment that players find easy to enjoy.
“The soundtrack and overall chill atmosphere are very inviting, making it easy to enjoy this game!”
“The cheerful, colorful, cartoonish graphics create a fun atmosphere.”
“The art style is beautifully simplistic, exuding a fun and cartoonish atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on lower-end laptops, it causes overheating issues, leading some players to limit their playtime. Overall, it offers a fun experience despite these performance concerns.
“It's still a fun and hectic game, and it runs smoothly on my not-so-good laptop, which most new games don't.”
“The optimization is impressive; I can enjoy the game without any lag, even on lower-end hardware.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it allows for a seamless experience regardless of my system's specs.”
“It's not optimized well because it makes my laptop run really hot, so I only play for short periods.”
“The game suffers from severe performance issues, causing frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
“I experience long loading times and crashes, which makes the game frustrating to play.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy appears to rely heavily on advertisements, drawing inspiration from the gameplay of Overcooked but lacking in-depth integration or value beyond promotional content.
“The monetization strategy feels like a cash grab rather than a fair system.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
“The constant ads and in-game purchases ruin the overall experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be more subdued and heartwarming compared to similar titles like Overcooked, culminating in a wholesome ending that resonates positively.
“It's less hectic than Overcooked and has a wholesome ending.”
“The story made me feel a deep connection with the characters, leaving me in tears by the end.”
“Every choice I made felt impactful, and I was emotionally invested in the outcome.”
Critic Reviews
Tools Up! PS4 Review
A fun and lighthearted couch co-op multiplayer game with a simple, but appealing home renovation gameplay formula fine-tuned for party chaos!
76%Tools Up! PS4 Review
A charmingly clever multiplayer title, Tools Up! takes the madness of Overcooked! and distills it into a far less chaotic, though ultimately more thoughtful set of scenarios that players of all ages will surely enjoy.
75%Tools Up! Review
I’ll be honest, I’ve never watched a home renovation show in its entirety.
50%