Developed and published by Cellar Door Games (creators of Rogue Legacy), Full Metal Furies is a beautifully crafted 2D action RPG indie game with tons of content, puzzles, and a fantastic cooperative oriented campaign.
Story
The story and overall presentation of Full Metal Furies is a modern take over the classic four-player party adventures, this time across vast lands under the iron fist of the Titans, who control and wish nothing but absolute dominance. Our group of courageous and peculiar heroes will traverse Heaven and Hell to bring peace to the land, once and for all.
In a game where the gameplay is the major point, I wouldn't put too much focus on the storyline. However, in Full Metal Furies I have to mention it, because the dialogues are pure gold. With each Furie having a very unique personality, it’s only a matter of time until their charismatic opinions and ideas start to create top-notch comedy moments and humorous situations. Interaction between Furies are not only highly entertaining but also extremely well written with genuine and original ideas put into it. Definitely a fine act of writing that shows passion and genuine amusement.
Gameplay
Full Metal Furies can be completed in single-player, but within the game’s core, the 4-player co-op mode is the perfect way one can experience this adventure in its fullest potential. With each player taking one class, the whole campaign opens in a far more interesting way. The full power of the Furies is only unleashed when everyone’s on the same note, but there are also specific challenges for one player alone. These missions aren’t anything special or unique, per-say, but when in a party, while one friend alone tries to complete his ordeal, it’s just fun and rough at the same time.
The game plays out with a lot of different mechanics, making the party completely involved and not only by just mashing buttons. I had the pleasure to play this hidden gem in a party with three other players, and I don’t think I would have enjoyed Full Metal Furies alone. First, we have to mention the puzzles, as our gals adventure themselves across the desert and pits of Hell and find clues to open new paths and valuable treasures. But the clues my dear friends, are some of the most ingeniously bizarre and obscure puzzles I have ever seen.
Forget Dark Souls or any other game you’ve met, the clues given and the answers to the riddles are well implanted and well hidden, sometimes even in front of us. The developers made a great job implanting tips and hints with multiple interpretations, that within a party of 3 or 4 players, can easily be a true adventure. Questing for answers as you debate opinions become part of your fun, and eventually four minds are better than just one. Which works surprisingly well.
Another important gameplay mechanic is the combat, with each class having unique weapons, special attacks, and exclusive skills. From ranged attacks, to tank builds and even straight up brutal hammering, each Furie has a specific attack that can even be countered with other attacks from your party, leading to a great combo chain. When well applied, the Furies will spread chaos and savage, however… think carefully where you’re heading, because "challenge" is the middle name of the this game.
Visuals
With a fantastic presentation, the game doesn’t particularly shine through its visual design, instead, I felt it was well designed structurally and mechanically. That said, I feel developers applied all their interest in the characters pixelated art, including enemies. Overall all levels look pleasant and very simple, which perhaps was the right approach considering the chaotic state that some battles turn into. Having a smooth color palette helps out a lot in such moments. The washed out colors and simple handmade art for most backgrounds serve the game perfectly fine.
Sound
The Soundtrack is another strong point of Full Metal Furies, definitely worth being purchased, especially during a sale. From classic to adrenaline packed themes, the composition made by A Shell in the Pit (Wandersong, Brigador, and others) demonstrates how imaginative and melodic, yet diversely surprisingly the artist can be. Great music for a great game, with a total of 41 music tracks, including some renditions not found in the game. Music does play an important role in the game, far more than just on its soundtrack. Sound effects and even a mini-game will surprise you by the creativity of the team behind this indie-masterpiece.
Final Thoughts
With a vast deck of equipment that can be leveled up, and interesting weaponry to purchase and dominate on the battlefield, Full Metal Furies will most likely please everyone. Just remember there’s a lot of brainstorming for the team, as puzzles will put your patience to the test. Avoid Googling for your answers and you will truly feel like a titan has fallen upon your tiny little feet. Engaging gameplay, featuring decent controls and quite the large campaign, the Furies will leave a mark on everyone, even after roughly two years since its original launch.