New game announcements came one after another at the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase as part of E3 2021. And while it may not be as big asStarfieldor Avalanche Studios' new gameContraband, the party gameParty Animalsis no less exciting.Party Animalsis a physics-enabled fighting game featuring anthropomorphic cutesy/violent animals.Party Animalsis also confirmed to be a timed Xbox console exclusive andGame Passlaunch game when it arrives in 2022.
Party Animals' two-minuteXbox E3announcement trailer is a great introduction to what the party game is all about. Unicorns, punk pigs, corgis, and kitty cats are shown pushing each other off cliffs, shooting each other with tasers, and otherwise being completely ridiculous. These adorable animals are dangerous even without weapons, however, as they can grasp onto other players and the environment, push, and pull as they see fit.
Even the levels inParty Animalsare over-the-top, with stages including a flying bomber jet, a fish market with wiggling tentacles, a train with a firey coal engine, and more. Interactivity is a big focus, clearly. For example, a nuclear submarine level is shown launching a rocket that players can grab onto. Another level has a lever that will open a door in the floor leading to a fiery doom. Mostly, though, the levels provide anopen 3D spacefor the animals to fight their hearts out.
Party Animals is clearly not intended to be inherently a highly competitive experience. It’s fun, clumsy, and humorous by nature. Unexpected gameplay interactions are by design, so it won’t have the tight action of aStreet Fighter-type fighting game. That’s okay, though, because learning the clumsy physics-based action creates a different type of competitive environment on its own.
One massive question left unanswered inParty Animals' announcement is who it’s being developed by. That question’s been answered by one of the game’s developers.Party Animalsmay look a lot like anotherfighting game namedGang Beasts, but it’s made by someone else.Gang Beastswas made by Boneloaf, whileParty Animalsis being made by Recreate Games.
It’s somewhat of a shame, butParty Animals' announcement was accidentally confirmeda day prior to its reveal during Xbox’s E3 showcase. That doesn’t pull away from how exciting the reveal was, but it does take away from some of the surprise. Luckily, the Xbox exclusivity and Game Pass deal helped bring back some of the shock value.
Party Animalsreleases on PC and Xbox in 2022.
MORE:E3 2021 - Schedule, Where To Watch, Everything Announced, & More
