Fall Guys Review (Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 & PC)

Fall Guys upholds its reputation as one of the most successful multiplayer PvP games of all time, with its rolling conveyor belt of wildcard mini-games and stupidly vibrant candy-popping obstacle courses fortifying its status as a true contender in the field even years after its formal debut on consoles and PC. Even now, I’m still here, mindlessly glazing over a honeycomb doohickey and relying on pure luck to annihilate just about anyone who dares to tug at my pudgy yellow shoulders and swing me into the abyss. That, to me, is a testament to the durability of what is, in all fairness, a rather textbook PvP experience.

Suffice it to say that Fall Guys, being one of several pioneering invitationals to shake up the formula since its surge in popularity, is one of those kinds of games—the kind that stick with you, if not for the vibrancy of its portly avatars, then for its trove of weird and wacky activities and maize maze exhibits. It says a lot about a PvP game, really, when it breathes through the same straw as countless others, yet still finds fresh ways to inject oxygen into the format via a conduit of tantalizingly simple mini-games and out-of-the-box post-game perks. The fact that I’m still as engrossed as I was before speaks volumes. More to the point, the fact that I’m still running the same courses as gleeful as can be says it all. Maybe I’m just that easy to impress, or maybe, just maybe, Fall Guys brings something to the table that no other PvP chapter has been able to replicate.

At the heart of Fall Guys’ incredibly flamboyant aesthetic is a rather straightforward blueprint—an ideology that favors simple obstacle courses and familiar mini-games over stupidly complex puzzles and brash tactics. To some extent, you could argue that it’s Wipeout-meets-Ninja Warrior, but with pudgy contestants with floppy arms and a simpler, almost numskull-like progression system. And it is exactly that. Or at least, it’s Wipeout with a little extra turbulence and fewer cuts and bruises. The prize, however, remains the same: eternal bragging rights over your adversaries and a few nifty cosmetics to help you advance to the next league.

Of course, if you are wondering whether or not Fall Guys still has the gift of the gab, then I can honestly say that it is, despite being designed for a slightly younger audience, just as much of a blast as it was back in its heyday. Don’t believe me? Read on.

To Fall Is to Climb

If you’re unfamiliar with how Fall Guys works, then here’s all you need to know: it’s a wide-scale PvP game in which dozens of players duke it out over a wildcard series of random mini-games—obstacle courses, races, brawls, mazes, and a whole bunch of other quick-fire activities. The idea, really, is that each game sees the top percentage of players advance to the next round, and then continue to compete until all but one person takes home the crown. Think Squid Game, but with fewer fatalities, and you’ll have a rough idea of what we’re getting at here. That, in short, is Fall Guys.

Mechanic-wise, there isn’t too much to learn here. In fact, the only thing that you need to do is run, jump, and occasionally grapple bombs, items, and other players, usually to eject them from a bridge or some form of obstacle that stands between you and the final hurdle. But that’s bad sportsmanship; we don’t talk about that, and frankly, nobody tends to like the idea of putting other players in a headlock to achieve their goals. Still, no judgements here, right? Eh, right.

As far as Fall Guys’ seasonal events go, there’s a good selection to unlock here, with each session being easy to slip into without needing any real experience to truly enjoy. To say that they’re “simple” games might be a bit of a stretch, as frankly, most courses require a mixture of dumb luck and precise timing to complete. What’s more, as you have the rather daunting job of having to share the track with dozens of combatants, it can also be a challenge to find a foothold on the ladder, so to speak. You’ll climb, squabble, and above all, fall. But that’s all part of the fun, right? Eh — yes and no.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

As it turns out, even those who are born to fail here still have something to gain from their efforts. Heck, even if you’re the first to fall and flee the match, you still have a chance to earn XP, skins, monikers, and icons for your avatar—items that naturally refresh over the course of the seasons, true to the nature of live-service progression. Granted, it is a tiny perk, but at least it gives you a push you in the right direction and a pat on the back for your commitment. Small victories, you know how it is.

To add to Fall Guys’ rolling series of events, you also have seasonal updates and a custom sandbox mode, with the latter allowing players to create their own courses before uploading them to a community-driven list for fledgling combatants to tackle and rate. And then there are the other notable features that sneak into the framework—the ridiculously colorful design; the bashful soundtrack; and the springy mechanics that make each lunge, slide, and flop feel immensely satisfying. Combined, these elements make Fall Guys a wondrously comical PvP experience that just feels good to jump headfirst into. It’s a simple pleasure, but one that, to be honest, has a great deal of appeal.

Verdict

Fall Guys’ free-to-play schematic minced with a trove of stupidly entertaining activities and easy-to-learn mechanics make for a stupendously enjoyable PvP experience that will keep you butting heads and bagging medals for weeks, months, and perhaps even years. With a generous bouquet of mini-games and collectibles, leaderboard perks and cosmetics to chase and adopt, it immediately stands out as an alluring invitational with all of the trimmings of a long-lasting multiplayer affair. It’s a simple concept, true, but it isn’t without heart and vigor.

Anyway, if you’ve yet to take to the candy-popping boroughs of Fall Guys’ world of weird theatrics and high-octane springboard shenanigans, then take it from me: you have every reason to drop your name into its hat and give it a whirl the next time you’re feeling the urge to scratch that PvP itch.