The following review contains details which might be considered by some to be spoilers.
Furi is a fast-paced action/fighting game developed by French indie developers The Game Bakers for the PlayStation 4 and Windows PC.
The player controls Rider, a prisoner released by a mysterious stranger in a purple rabbit mask called The Voice. But Rider isn’t in the clear just yet, he has to fight for his freedom, battling the guardians who defend each floor of the intricate, neon-lit prison he’s been held in. More details of the plot are revealed by The Voice, who acts as a sort of a narrator, as the game progresses; although the story was never a big focus for me. I didn’t get drawn in by the unfolding narrative, but that’s fine—Furi is a game that relies on its gameplay.
At its core, Furi is a pure boss rush experience; that’s the whole game (minus walking sections between fights). There are no minions to slash through, no puzzles to solve, no minigames, just a barrage of gruelling battles (10 in total, most of which have their own gimmick). That might sound like a lack of content to some, but the content Furi delivers is frankly superb.
The battles are very fun, very challenging, and very satisfying to complete. Furi’s controls are incredibly responsive, meaning the game rarely feels unfair; if you mess up, it’s on you. The soundtrack and visuals also add a lot to the experience, especially the former.
There was really only one phase of one fight that got under my skin, and after playing it a few times now I can honestly say it isn’t unfair, just difficult. In my personal opinion, Furi is not a hard game for the most part. It isn’t a game that the casual gamer will be able to simply pick up, but after a few attempts the fights become second nature providing your reactions are up to scratch. This even goes for the Furier difficulty, which is unlocked after beating the game once on the default difficulty setting. The game also offers an easier difficulty, by the way, which might be useful for getting accustomed to the gameplay for new players.
In addition to unlocking the Furier difficulty, beating the story also unlocks a speedrun mode. This mode lets the player blast through the game without the walking sections, and submit a time to the in-game leaderboards, which also track the amount of hits taken throughout the run.
I really like this game—it’s probably my favourite game this year so far—but it does have a couple of shortcomings. My biggest gripe personally is the price. The game sells for £18.99 or $24.99, which for 10 boss fights (no matter how good they might be) and nothing else is a bit steep to me. The only other problem I really have is the way the dash works (and I’ve heard this criticism a lot): the dash does not have a delay, but it feels like it does since you dash upon releasing the button rather than on the input. The reason for this is because the dash can be charged by holding the button to move a greater distance. I personally would rather have one button to hold for a charge dash and a separate button to do a quick dash, but honestly it’s not too bad to get used to.
All things considered, Furi is a fantastic game in my book. Solid combat design, interesting environments, a heart-pumping soundtrack, and a tough yet fair difficulty make this my favourite indie game since Hotline Miami. I really hope to see more from The Game Bakers in the future.
TL;DR: 8/10 (9/10 if you buy it on offer)
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