Duck Game Review
The biggest charm of Duck Game is not the cheap mallard puns, the assortment of hats, or even the fact that there is a button dedicated to quacking.
The greatest charm of Duck Game lies in its huge arsenal of weapons.
Netgun? Got it. Sledgehammer? Oh course. Minigun? Yep. The “Quad Laser” the Mooninites shoot in Aqua Teen Hunger Force Season 1? I kid you not, it’s in there.
Video Review
Movement
As you blast your way through each of the levels you’ll notice that the game moves very fast, but your mobility and precision is not as high as a game like Towerfall. Instead you’re fairly restricted to aiming left or right with your weapon and lack the ability to wall climb or double jump. You can slide on your back, as well as slow down a descent with your wings, but the motion of the game is definitely more constricting than you may hope.
Guns, Rocks, and Chaos
However once the action starts (which is almost always immediately) I realized that the game wasn’t about precise traversal of the level, but instead it was focused on the weapons at your disposal.
You can clash swords, set off chain reactions, burn to death, and play the saxophone.
The chaos and destruction in each level results in a lot of mutually assured destruction between friends and hilarious suicides. Even the least skilled player in the game will pick up wins if they can simply avoid the shrapnel.
Everything is a one hit kill and most weapons come with very limited amounts of ammo. Once your gun is spent simply throw it on the ground and find your next tool of destruction. I say tool because almost everything can be used as a weapon. Rocks, fireworks, darts, you name it, it’s in there and it can be someone’s demise.
The sheer number of items in the game, along with the care given to make them each feel unique, is what separates Duck Game from the swath of arena-based multiplayer games on the OUYA.
Scoring
Another place Duck Game diverts from the norm is in scoring. It doesn’t tell you the current score after each round. Instead, there are a couple intermissions where each player’s score is revealed in a cutscene. These intermissions are strange and unexpected, but work. They’re a great time to rest after the frantic rounds and the suspense and drama of the reveals add to the excitement of the game.
The same can be said for the post-game ceremony where a feathery sports announcer wraps up the games events with a little commentary then shows a highlight reel of some in-game moments.
These unexpected additions, while slightly odd, add to the game’s unique identity and general feel.
Level Editor
The game is local multiplayer only, but the inclusion of a level editor means you’ll have a reason to start up the game when friends aren’t around. Add your own custom maps into the already large cycle of 50 pre-made levels and your friends are greeted with more variety, and more crazy situations.
It’s the kind of editor that you can just pick up and start creating. The 2D game engine makes it easy for anyone to learn in no time, but the workflow is clunky and inefficient. It works, but you’ll have to deal with finicky controls and occasional bugs.
However the sheer inclusion of the editor gives Duck Game a leg up over most of its competition.
Conclusion
Duck Game has a distinct methodology of mayhem. Leaky barrels, massive recoil, and musket smoke. Every object and level in the game contributes to the destruction in its own unique way. Duck Game isn’t afraid to have fun and because of this it should earn a permanent stay in your game library.
