Party Madness Review (PC)

There’s something awfully satisfying about hurling a friend into oncoming traffic, isn’t there? In any other situation, it would be frowned upon and eligible for a prison sentence. But in Party Madness, it’s rewarded—recommended, even. And not just that, but doing bad things, in general, is a step in the right direction in Party Madness.

A traditional PvP game at heart, Party Madness relishes the sight of mischievous antics and unlawful behavior, and, similar to its kin, it lovingly bathes in the chaos that you and your soon-to-be ex-friends create. I suppose it’s a lot like Party Animals, Rubber Bandits, or just about any other PvP battler, in ways. By that I mean, it pulls on a lot of the same tropes—the highs and lows of the battlefield; the sweat, blood and tears that formulate a good fight; and the peculiar quips that come from a good old-fashioned knuckle fest. From that, Party Madness produces a new elixir of self-contained shenanigans—a bottomless banquet of fast-paced mini-games, challenges, and cosmetics to unload and harbor.

Let it be said that party games, in general, are a dime a dozen. But, truth be told, there are only a handful that I would recommend (see above) in this day and age. The question is, how does Party Madness fit into the tapestry, and how well does it do compared to the alternate platforms that share the podium? Let’s talk about it.

Every Day is a Party, Apparently

Take a leaf out of the standard book of mini-game-obsessed PvP games, and you’ll have a solid starting point for Party Madness’ self-contained iteration. In an almost identical format as a lot of its adversaries—Party Animals, Gang Beasts, Fall Guys, etc.—the game operates on a conveyor belt-like system, with each ripple on said belt bearing its own unique and vibrant theme, challenges, and win criteria. There are heads to knock, environments to dismantle, and, true to the spirit of good old-fashioned competition, points to accrue. With that, you have the foundation for an instantly recognizable bog-standard trove of activities, all of which frequent the DIY antics of a great game.

Party Madness brings a lot of bang for your buck. It brings so much, in fact, that you needn’t fret about seeing all there is to see or experiencing all there is to do in the first five minutes. It isn’t a one-trick pony, is what I’m getting at here; it’s a game that comes gut-loaded with plenty of things to do. From the traffic-dodging free-for-alls to the tentacle-toppling minefield, the frog-fumbling platforming to the drift-dribbling racing — true to its word, Party Madness brings a plethora of activities for you to sink your teeth into, with each course offering its own set pieces, environmental hazards, and cascading curveballs.

…And the Party Never Ends

For the surprisingly low asking price, there’s actually a huge amount of content stuffed into Party Madness. Aside from the boat-sized array of game modes and competitive battles—a series that includes activities like dodging lasers, robbing banks, racing adorable cars, or engaging in a good old-fashioned round of fisticuffs—there are also numerous cosmetics and outfits to unlock, including themed skins that span the golden age of piracy to the heyday of Ancient Rome, the underworld of the samurai to the intergalactic realm of astronauts.

In an effort to add a ribbon to all of the material that Party Madness brings to the table, the game installs an easy-to-use set of mechanics, which primarily consists of dodging, tackling, and jumping, amongst other familiar elements — like smashing buttons in the hopes of hitting something, for example. To that end I’d say, if you have slugged through a party game in the past, then you ought to have a good idea of how Party Madness plays its hand. It isn’t mechanically complex, nor is it exactly rife with innovative ideas or pioneering button combinations, but it is, thankfully, simple enough to learn right off the cuff. That on its own counts for a lot.

Party Madness is definitely an easy one to unwind to. In layman’s terms, it’s a fun, well-rounded, and oddly addictive combination of humorous shenanigans and competitive play—two things that ought to resonate with those who just want to have fun and cause a bit of mayhem on the way. With friends, it’s even better, despite the fact that the odds of losing a few friends along the way become worryingly higher once the gloves come off, so to speak. But that’s all part of the charm, and frankly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Verdict

Party Madness’ bottomless pit of chaotic battles and relentlessly competitive open-ended warfare makes for a stupidly entertaining game that brings out the best and the worst in its fledgling combatants. As a whole, it is a fantastic game, and it definitely makes the low asking price of a few dollars seem reasonable—no, suspiciously generous, all things considered. The fact that you could quite easily lose a dozen or more hours to simply duking it out over an enormous collection of mini-games is more than enough. The fact that it also has enough room to harbor additional content in the future is but the frosting on the cake.

When all’s said and done, the chances of finding a party game that bodes well with the whole collective are often higher than most genres. That said, it takes a great deal to conjure a party game that not only brings heaps of material to the table, but also manages to make each thread in that ball incredibly satisfying to unweave. And frankly, that’s exactly what Party Madness brings to the table: a two-for-one bouquet of multiple moving pieces that’s designed to make even the most close-minded PvP aficionados desperate for another round.

If you are looking for a cheap alternative for the likes of Party Animals and the other big-budget poster children of PvP battlers, then you ought to consider throwing a few bucks at Party Madness’ carousel of chaotic mini-games the next time you’re feeling the urge to wage war with your friends. It’s lofty, silly, and oh-so-moreish.