Curse of the Sea Rats

Fighting games have went through some serious changes down the years. We have seen 2D brawlers become refined 3D show stoppers. We have seen a handful of combo options become a catalogue of variations and movesets and we have seen a small roster of characters grow into a plethora of fighting talent. However, one thing has never changed. Players still want to sit down with their pals and beat the snot out of them in a digital setting. Arguably the four way brawler format has led the way in couch co-op settings and the upcoming title, Curse of the Sea Rats aims to continue adding to the library of titles which utilize this format.

This game is sure to play like titles such as Super Smash Bros: Ultimate, Gang Beasts, Nidhogg 2, Brawlhalla and Brawlout to name a few. This title seeks to share the Smash Bros market and attract some of the loyal player base to their new title. However, is this game the next brawling masterclass, or was it cursed from the start? This is our preview of Curse of the Sea Rats.

A Bustling Ratovania

While we have bigged this one up as a four way brawler, it’s perhaps not as you might think. This game actually sets you out on a campaign akin to a split screen co-op adventure. The player will go from level to level, encountering enemies and bosses on their path and the goal is to work together to beat these guys to a pulp. So in a lot of ways, the game is like the old Streets of Rage titles or Cuphead for example. However it still has comparable aspects to both Metroidvania titles and indeed, Smash.

However, we have to say that upon seeing the limited gameplay that is available, we aren’t all that impressed. The game has a lot of inspirations and ideas, so much so that it seems like it doesn’t know what its meant to be. Yes, the combat looks competent enough and yes, the in-game visuals while rather simplistic to fit the setting. But overall, it just seems like this title wanted to offer a little bit of everything and due to this lack of commitment, it really offers very little.

One aspect that did surprise us was the storyline and the incredible animated cutscenes within this title. The world presented here is fully realised, the plot seems to over more than enough intrigue to help justify the slog that the gameplay promises to be and in terms of the artistic direction, we really can’t fault it here. Sure, its style over substance but that doesn’t mean you can’t admire the style.

The Verdict

Overall, we just can’t see Curse of the Sea Rats being anything more than a budget co-op title. The gameplay looks all over the place, almost like it’s trying to hard to appeal to multiple demographics. Plus, we have to say that the UI and design are rather simplistic that makes this game feel like a bargain bin title too.

Pros:

• Co-op functionality
• Art style and animated cut scenes that are very impressive
• A fully realised game world

Cons:

• Gameplay seems to lack cohesion with too many ideas fighting for your attention.