When a game is described by the developers as containing “surly gelatinous characters, brutal mêlée fight sequences, and absurdly hazardous environments” with the action taking place in a fictional place known as Beef City, you know it’s going to be fun. This is Gang Beasts, and I’ve got some quick hit thoughts after playing a bit of the online beta.

• I’ve seen Gang Beasts being demo’d at the past couple of EGX shows, usually on the stage where group of random members of the games industry sit around and make fools of themselves trying to one up each other. To get my hands on the game myself, it’s been fun!
• I’m so glad developers Boneloaf are working on an online component, I don’t have enough room around my PC to make the most of local co-op.
• The physics are as mad as I remember from EGX, these gelatinous creatures are insanely bizarre to try and control and some of the environmental objects will do wicked things to you.
• The servers were all pretty busy while playing on a Saturday afternoon, and this is an online beta that has been running for a few weeks. That bodes well for when the game is released.
• The characters you can play with at the moment are great caricatures of Beef City citizens. I can’t wait for customisation options in the final game.
• The netcode seems pretty stable, even when playing on a US East Coast server (no EU ones had any free slots!), and I’m pleased that you can kick people who get stuck on the scenery and refuse to leave by themselves.
• There is a certain joy to playing a game against entirely random foes. There’s no harassment, no pressure to feel like you have to do well. My kind of multiplayer action.
• There is a singleplayer and co-op story mode (complete with bosses), along with other game modes and mini-games planned for the final release. While deathmatch is great fun, I’m glad there will be more depth to keep me busy after release.
• The game is as fun to play as I thought it would be after seeing it played elsewhere.
• That’s enough from me, just check out some of my action from the game. I’m the wrestler dude!

If that’s got you interested, head over to the official page and find out more. Enjoy!