Inspired by Multiplayer games such as Micro Machines and Worms, developer Titutitech have drawn from what made these games so much fun to play with friends and created their very own game, hoping to recreate and recapture the addictive gameplay that made the aforementioned titles so playable and fun. It’s a big ask, truth be told, as these games have stood the test of time and can Titutitech pull off such a feat? Only one way to find out, and that’s for me to play it and share my experience with you.
Oh My Godheads is a Multiplayer game focusing on couch play only, with no online component available. One thing I’ve noticed in this day and age, is a fairly even split when talking to gamers regarding Multiplayer. Some want online, while others want to play local, on their couch with friends. Personally, I prefer local play, as I grew up playing this game mode before anyone had even thought about online gaming. However, these days I live a good distance away from all my real world friends, and getting someone to join me in these game modes requires asking my fiancée or my young children, who haven’t quite grasped gaming yet. Making for a very easy win on my behalf. A lack of an online component may not appeal to some, although I’d have to argue that you’d be missing out on a rather good game.
Now that gripe is out of the way, and it’s not a big issue when all is said and done, it’s time to delve deeper, and we start with the visuals. OMGH has a vibrant, and colourful palette with lowpoly textures which have recently seen praise in an Indie title, Aer. I’ve always stood by the statement that “graphics is more important than gameplay”, and I do so here too. Not saying that it looks bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the visuals suit the cute cartoon style, and lack of a serious nature, and the game doesn’t take itself serious either.
With a selection of game modes available to you; Capture the Head, Headhunter, King of the Head, Last Man Standing and finally, Trials. These modes are twists on popular game modes found in many online games, and even if you don’t have many friends locally, then you’ll be pleased to know that the developer has given you the option to insert AI bots in to make up the numbers. Vicious, unrelenting AI bots that is. They won’t take any prisoners, and offer quite the challenge, even when set to easy. So don’t assume for one second that this will be an easy ride.
After setting up a 4 player game, albeit with 2 AI bots, the game really begins to shine. Fast and frantic action has never been so much fun, and I’d loved to have been able to get 2 more people in my front room for some crazy fun and a few beers. That’s what games like this are made for, and where friendships can be decided. The maps available are varied in design, and there’s enough on offer to prevent the game becoming stale, which in turn kept me coming back for more. There is only a small selection of characters available to play as, but these are cosmetic and offer no stats to cause you to pick one over another which thankfully offers a level playing field.
Match settings allow you to choose how long a game will last, how many kills are required, and depending on match variant, rounds and points needed. Nothing to in depth here, as it’s all about playing the game. You can even set the items that spawn in during said matches, allowing you to create as much mayhem as physically possible, and generally annoy anyone playing with you. Test your friendships to the absolute limits.
The music does end up being a bit on the repetitive side of things after a while, which may have you reaching for the mute button or setting your favourite playlist to blast out our favourite songs. The audio itself isn’t of a poor quality, and very much suits the game.
One of the stand out points of the game that brought a smile to my face was the weapon; explosive pies. Yes, you read that correctly. You get to throw explosive pastries at your friends without any of the real life mess it would cause, and this can only be a good thing.
With a Multiplayer focused game, you are going to need the mechanics to work properly, and a smooth frame rate to go with it. Fortunately, both of these elements raise no concerns or issues when playing the game. Movement is responsive, as is using weapons to attack, while the balance in game modes between users and even AI bots is as good as it could get. Despite the AI being as unrelenting as it is when it hunts you down, it doesn’t feel unfair. Trading kills back and forth is fast and painless, thanks to an almost immediate respawn for all involved, keeping the gameplay flowing. Except Last Man Standing of course. Die and you’re done for.
To say I had a blast with Oh My Godheads is an understatement, and it just loses out on some points to the final score as there is a lack of online component, which given how fun it is as a party based game, would have been a popular choice for a game night with your online friends. For what it is though, Oh My Godheads provides a fast-paced gameplay mechanic that keeps moving along with steady, addictive gameplay, giving local Multiplayer fans the opportunity to spend many rounds throwing pies and other assorted objects at each other. Or if you’re without any real friends, AI bots and Trials to keep you occupied.
For the achievement hunters out there, 15 Achievements await you, with many of them relatively easy to unlock. There is a small grind and some skill needed for a couple of them, and overall, it will boost your score quickly.
Overall, Oh My Godheads is a fantastic title from the developer, that gives you the chance to invite friends around for some great Multiplayer action. Sure it has no online component, but for what you get with a respectable price, you can’t honestly complain. Just be sure to take in that it’s purely focused on getting friends together, and offers no Story or Campaign modes to dive into.
Overall Score 9/10
Developer: Titutitech
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: 1st December 2017
Price: £11.99
File Size: 3.03GB
Available on Xbox One & Steam
Xbox One copy provided for review