Slap Fighter Review (PC VR)

If there is an imbecilic sport that needs—no, deserves a VR adaptation, it’s slapping. Well, to tell you the truth, a VR adaptation is the only thing that could truly capture the “sport” in its rawest form. If, say, such a concept were to be emulated in a flat game with simple slapping mechanics and the occasional button prompt, then it probably wouldn’t be quite as entertaining. But in VR, every slap can be made to feel immersive. And as luck would have it, Slap Fighter more or less swoops in to bring that sensation to life in its elementally charged competitive world of stings, slaps, and fisticuff thrills.

Slap Fighter isn’t just about slapping an opponent; it’s about calculating your attacks and, through the power or certain elemental abilities, utilizing your arsenal to create back-handed combos and face-altering effects that can, and should deal immense amounts of harm to your foes. And it isn’t even just about slapping, either; it’s also about navigating a comical underbelly of fighting and going toe to toe (or palm to palm) with a chain of prolific brawlers and reigning champions. Add the fact that it also features a dystopian world, eccentric characters, and a webbing of slap-fueled mini-games à la Whack-a-Mole, and you’ve got yourself quite the handful — literally.

I will put my hand up and say this: Slap Fighter was quick to take me by surprise. It wasn’t that I was taken aback by the elemental gameplay; it was that I was shocked by just how much detail it poured into its plot, its characters, and its slap culture. Oh, Slap Fighter wasn’t just a brawling game with QTEs; it was an enigma in itself—a carnivorous world with more ties than I could dare shake a stick at.

Happy Slapping

Slap Fighter puts you in the shoes of John, an awoken fighter who, in an effort to dismantle the tyrannical Slap Syndicate—a firm that monopolizes the city with its brutal slap-based manifesto—takes it upon himself to train under the so-called Master to learn the tools of the trade and, ultimately, the elemental powers that bear the monumental power to pulverize the opposition. Much like your zero-to-hero campaign, the story sees you gradually ascending through the criminal underworld of the Slap Syndicate, where you naturally devote your time to whittling down eccentric foes, unlocking elemental powers—fire, earth, water, lightning, and wind—and combining pivotal synergies to create devastating combos and sweat-addled counterattacks.

Suffice it to say that, if you are looking for a great storyline, then you might be disappointed with the lack of twists and turns that flesh out Slap Fighter. True enough, it isn’t a story-driven game, though, to give credit where credit is due, it does make an admirable attempt to bulk out its campaign with plenty of great side activities and mini-games, like the ever-famous Whack-a-Mole, for example. Moreover, it takes a stab at filling its casket with several secondary components, including city-wide syndicate secrets, side missions, and just a spot of dark yet humorous undertones that fuel its dystopian roots. So, a fair amount for a VR game, all things considered.

The World That Slaps

The gameplay and combat mechanics are thankfully extremely well balanced and fundamentally sound here, with not just the elemental attacks and slapping system, but also with the dodging, gliding, and QTE prompts, too. All in all, it’s a fluid experience that feels great, despite looking a little chaotic even during the best of times. The controls and prompts are simple, as are the steps required to construct well-orchestrated combos and whatnot. Granted, it all comes with a bit of a learning curve, though, given that it isn’t the most difficult game of its caliber, it’s unlikely that even the average newcomer will struggle to make short work of the initial teething problems that it fosters.

Luckily, there’s a great amount of depth to this world. Aside from the chunky story mode and side quests, Slap Fighter also features some neat touches that make extended periods of play feel both inviting and rewarding. What’s more, it doesn’t bring about any major motion sickness issues, either — and that is always a major plus in my books, truly.

Of course, while you could argue that Slap Fighter falls into a rather niche category, it doesn’t necessarily falter in its composition or ability to spin a compelling yarn. The story is, well, it’s about as pulpy as they come, I’ll admit. Yet, I find that the game itself brings a good amount of content to the table, with its unique twist on elemental combat and QTE-based combos providing a solid foundation for a genuinely enjoyable VR battler. It’s still a relatively short game that leaves a fair amount to be desired, though, for what it’s worth, it’s definitely a lot better than your bog-standard Paint the Town Red lookalike. And, to be fair, it looks a lot better than one, too, thanks to its comic book aesthetic and vibrant infusions.

Verdict

Slap Fighter single-handedly crafts a surprisingly in-depth beat ‘em up experience with dystopian touches and an intuitive elemental combat system that just feels awfully satisfying to master. With thanks to its inclusion of various city-wide mini-games, plot points, and syndicate battles, it somehow emerges as a force to be reckoned with—a powerhouse that hits like a freight train and stings like a bee. And yes, that was an awful pun. I’ll see myself out.

To say that I’m glad to see more content in Slap Fighter is an understatement. Frankly, if it lacked the narrative elements and mini-games, the elemental infusions and the oddball roster, then I probably wouldn’t have much to say about it. And yet, it harbors a lot more than I thought it would, which is precisely why I’m willing to give it a standing ovation or, for the sake of keeping with the theme, a slap on the back.

All in all, I’d say that Slap Fighter feels like an easy one to recommend. While it is conceptually simple, its vast inclusions of elemental synergies and annoyingly addictive side activities make it so that even the most basic chores are laughably entertaining. If that’s the sort of job that you can see yourself getting behind, then you should definitely consider palming yourself into smacking the living daylights out of this dystopian universe the next time you’re feeling the need to unwind.