Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition instantly caught my eye. I love a crazy couch multiplayer game and hoped this would entertain me for hours. The idea of battling friends and family in safe arena-based combat made me smile. Additionally, the varied game modes and colourful imagery were a great choice.
This fast-paced couch competitive title was developed and published by Three Flip Studios. Moreover, it can be enjoyed alone or with up to 3 friends on one console. Consequently, it is bound to start fights and bring out the worst in everyone participating. However, this banter and tongue-in-cheek response makes this genre so enjoyable.
Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition is shallow but amusing.
As Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition focuses on short, sharp arena combat, I didn’t expect there to be much of a story. Yet, it was surprising that there was no depth at all. Accordingly, I am at a loss as to why the blobs are fighting and if there will ever be an end to the conflict.
The lack of an overarching story matters not. Instead, you focus on the laughter-inducing gameplay. Furthermore, the desire to top the leaderboards while smashing your friends to smithereens overcomes every sensation. As such, things get heated as you compete to become the best blob the universe has ever seen.
Simple mechanics.
No matter what game mode you try, Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition utilises the same mechanics. Effectively, each player must float across a fixed-screen arena. As you move you must avoid your foes, block their advances, or go for the kill. Each blob uses its mass to destroy its enemy or grab an array of guns and melee weapons to complete the job.
As the round wears on, your character will grow if you consume food. This is ideal if you wish to bully your opponents. However, the bigger you are, the easier you are to hit. Accordingly, you must balance attack and defence to be crowned the victor.
Alongside the basic mechanics, you must consider each game mode objective. Whether it is football, American football, dodgeball, Deathmatch, last blob standing, or combo king, you must alter your approach. This varied gameplay and the layers of tactical nuance help to reduce tedium.
Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition is colourful but refined.
The fixed-screen perspective was a great choice. With so much going on, it would have been uncomfortable and hectic if the action was too expansive. However, the refined approach doesn’t mean that the level design was boring. Each stage is vibrant and colourful. Furthermore, the backdrops are easy to the eye. Yet, the insane pace of each round ensures you rarely take in your surroundings. Instead, you concentrate on your foes and where the next weapon or power-up is coming from.
The relentless pace could have made this a messy experience. Luckily, Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition performs extremely well. I didn’t experience any bugs and there were no glitches or frame rate issues. Furthermore, though debris and power-ups were floating around, it was easy to identify each protagonist. Subsequently, you could remain on task even when things get out of hand.
The upbeat audio complements the madness that unfolds. As projectiles fly and melee weapons are swung, you’ll enjoy the bass-heavy soundtrack. Alongside this, the OTT sound effects create a high-energy affair that will make your eardrums ring.
Excellent controls.
The action revolves around a dashing blob. Consequently, this creates a simple control layout that is easy to master. However, when you have to avoid dashing foes and floating projectiles, things get messy. Luckily, the responsive inputs allow you to react as long as you are paying attention.
Though there were plenty of game modes, I couldn’t see this entertaining you for hours. Furthermore, the action is limited to offline couch multiplayer only. Had online servers been added to the mix, this would have been more versatile and interesting. As it is, replay value and longevity are limited and this is detrimental to the overall appeal.
Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition is fun in short bursts.
I had fun playing this with my friends and family. However, it lacked oomph whenever I played against the computer. Subsequently, the lack of online servers is a big issue as it undermines the potential. Yet if you play regularly with a group of friends on 1 screen, you’ll have a blast. Unfortunately, this won’t be the case for me, and it prevents it from excelling. Accordingly, I cannot recommend it, but more information can be found here! Will you become a blob champion? Master the dash, grab a weapon, and annihilate your foes.
