Foamstars Review

thesixthaxis.com:

With Foamstars, Square Enix is taking yet another swing at creating a popular live service title, heavily inspired by the ongoing hero shooter boom as well as Nintendo’s ultra-fun Splatoon series.

What’s immediately clear is that Foamstars is far from another Babylon’s Fall type scenario for the Final Fantasy publisher. While it may not be a total wash out, does this PlayStation exclusive make for a must-play on PS Plus, or can we expect it to sink into obscurity?

The setup here is delightfully playful and simple. The titular Foamstars have flocked to the bubbly, bustling city of Bath Vegas to compete in Foamsmash, a series of gladiator-style games that pit teams against one another across various modes and arenas. Here’s the twist: instead of splintering skulls with a well-placed headshot you’ll eliminate opponents on the enemy team by first lathering them up and then, when they are incapacitated, careen into them with your nifty slideboard.

Each Foamstar has their own unique loadout consisting of a primary weapon and three abilities, one of these being an ultimate-style Superstar Skill. Whether deploying a Tonix’s turret, tossing Soa’s grenades, or firing Agito’s shotgun, every attack will douse the arena in foam – these suds can even pile up to break an enemy’s line of sight, providing cover and fast lanes for rapid slideboard travel. Needless to say, covering the battlefield with your team’s coloured froth is vital regardless of which game mode you play.

It’s a nifty premise on paper and one that offers a more family friendly, hygienic alternative to those grittier multiplayer shooters out there. However, in action, Foamstars can feel simultaneously frenzied and sedate: there are zen phases spent covering every inch of the arena in soap, spliced with sudden, scrappy teamfights. The shot trajectory of foam guns and skills can feel sluggish, which contrasts with the game’s rapid match times. Even during launch week, with an inflated number of online players thanks to