Emma Withington reviews Oh My Godheads…
Last time we saw Oh My Godheads, we were amidst the bustling crowds and positively charged atmosphere of EGX. It was time to take the Godheads home and see how they fared in the relative calm of the couch realm.
SEE ALSO: EGX 2017: Multiplayer fun with Oh My Godheads
Reunited with my aristocratic penguin, Sir Fishelsworth, it was time to don the monocle and start whacking my companions with a cane…in the game, obviously. The first thing that strikes you, before my cane, is the vibrant lowpoly 3D design and the toe-tapping music; each stage is based upon the same riff, but the subtle nuances tailored to the various locales keep it fresh and prevents irritation or a feel of repetition – something that can often become brain-burning in multiplayer brawlers. So, the eyes and ears are satisfied – what of the game itself? While Capture the Head is the primary mode it isn’t the only one available to you, so here are your options: Capture the Head (get your Godhead to first base), King of the Head (keep hold of your Godhead for the longest time), Headhunters (not a recruitment drive, but an all out brawl between you and your ‘friends’ to get a specified number of kills – no Godheads here), Last Man Standing (the lazy Godheads remain on leave and whoever survives this deathmatch will triumph), and Trials (test your mettle in a series of challenges and become a Godhead connoisseur).
In the early access build there are currently seven characters, arenas, and Godheads – with more to come on its full release, which is dubbed to be even more ‘Godlike’! The character choice ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous – from an Indiana Jones-alike to a Ninja, or Dave the Skeleton – and paves the way for what’s to come. I teamed up with my local guinea pig against an AI team. One thing is for certain, the AI doesn’t give you an easy ride and makes you work for your victories. The maps vary in scope and difficulty, providing their own unique challenges and pitfalls – Sir Fishelsworth seemed too keen to take a lava bath in Italy’s ‘Vulcano’, while avoiding Zeus’ giant foot set on him by another player. Of course the titular Godheads don’t mind you beating each other to pulp, but when you pick up one of those bad boys? Either you or those around you could be in for a world of pain. Cat God Bastet will reverse your controls and likely get you crushed by a boulder or your enemies, but Zeus will strike nearby foes with lightning after a short period of time. Alternatively, Skadi doesn’t discriminate and will freeze you and anyone within spitting distance. A particularly entertaining head was Tezcatlipoca – let’s call him Tez – who produces a dark cloud around you as you carry him, allowing for some Looney Tunes-esque hilarity. The battles are fast-paced and a barrel of laughs, allowing you to get through rounds, arenas, and modes relatively quickly – while picking up the controls and Godhead traits intuitively as you play.
Oh My Godheads makes a commendable choice to focus on localised multiplayer, something that has been severely lacking over the years with a few exceptions such as Gang Beasts and LEGO Dimensions. While this is a brilliant move and will certainly draw in the console players, a PC isn’t necessarily the hub of the home and if you can’t get your friends over very often – or maybe they are in a different country altogether – not having an online mode could bring the replay value down. The developers at Titutitech have clearly thought of this and you can play all game modes as a solo player if you wish, giving you an AI partner and AI opponents to play against. This is a great feature and many multiplayer games in the same vein tend to restrict solo play to the challenges/trials section, which are more about teaching you the game and unlocking in-game boons – Duck Game, which I play a little too often, is an example of this. Conversely, playing solo can feel a little hollow – It is a multiplayer game after all and is naturally always better when you’re swearing, teasing, and laughing at each other – but at least the option is there. The Trials are almost like a solo campaign, but the AI weren’t quite as sure-footed as they were in the main modes and were either highly aggressive, or pretty docile as you incessantly threw pies in their faces. They are meant to be idle in some of the challenges, so this was only noticeable in the all-out battle Trials. I also ended up surpassing the ten Trials you can select in the menu and couldn’t access number twenty, for example – this could be due to early access, so should be rectified on release. I did end up unlocking an extra ‘head’ though, a flag which you can use in place of the Godheads, enabling you to play some rounds without the wrath of the gods. A neat feature to help teach new players via the classic ‘Capture the Flag’!
Experience:
Oh My Godheads is a whirlwind of fun with fast-paced, varied battles and doesn’t fail at making you grin from ear to ear at the absurdity before you and your friends.
Release Date: 5th December 2017, currently accessible in Steam Early Access
Replayability factor: Medium
Game Mastery level (Trophies): Medium
Pros:
+ Brings people together with localised multiplayer.
+ Visual/aural design.
+ Fun varied environments and challenges. with plenty of ways to play.
Cons:
– Lack of online could stifle the game’s reach with the PC market.
– Disappearing Trials.
– Solo play could use refinement/Trials AI.
Rating: 7.5/10
Emma Withington – @EWithingtons
Follow the gaming team @FMyth_Gaming
