Way of the Passive Fist Reviews

  • Johnny SinisterJohnny Sinister1,994,747
    11 Aug 2019
    1 0 0
    'Way of the Passive Fist' is a bizarro beat 'em up that ditches punches and kicks and replaces them with parries and dodges.

    The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic, Mad Max-esque, industrial punk world in which you fight evil with a passive fist. Not only does the titular 'passive fist' explain the gameplay of a passive fighting style, it is also a pun in itself ("Way of the Passive Fist" = "Way of the Pacifist").

    Although the style of the game resembles classic side scrolling beat 'em ups, the gameplay is more of the strategic, arcade action variety in which you must learn enemy patterns and press the appropriate button response to successfully avoid enemy attacks until they tire out so you can overpower them.

    There are dozens of different enemies, each with their own attack types and patterns that you must memorize in order to defeat them. The game starts off slow and easy, testing a mix of your cognitive and reflexive abilities. Once you think you got a hang of the game it throws in new enemies, environmental hazards, large mobs of baddies and epic boss fights. You will need to remain calm and collected to read the enemy attacks and make the perfect response, lest you become quickly overwhelmed and beaten to a pulp.

    The game offers an assortment of adjustable gameplay features to give a more unique way of customizing the difficulty. For example, you can limit the damage done by enemies but increase the number of enemies that appear at once; or, you can increase the damage enemies deal, but increase the amount of checkpoints and pickups that appear. If you plan on playing for the achievements, you will be trying out multiple setups depending on your goal.

    There is also a level up feature that allows you to unlock an upgraded health bar and learn an assortment of special attacks that you can perform after reaching a certain number of successful blocks and dodges.

    In addition to the main game mode, you will unlock two additional modes that add flavor and great deal of difficulty. These modes will require you to take everything you have learned and try to string them together as perfectly as possible to traverse new stages, encounter new enemies, and rush the bosses for very elusive achievements.

    I personally found the unique take on beat 'em ups to be quite refreshing, madly addicting and, at times, very frustrating. However, to see everything there is to be seen, you can expect to play upwards to 20 hours. The fun and original play style will begin to stale after a while as you face wave after wave of enemies.

    I highly recommend this game, as it offers a fresh take on a classic genre. Be warned that the difficulty is very overwhelming at times and makes for an extremely tough Gamerscore completion. If you are up for the challenge and can withstand the repetition of gameplay, it makes for a very unique and entertaining adventure.

    3.5/5 stars.
    3.5
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