Funko Fusionis a fascinating, yet odd, mix of vastly different franchises and putting them into one game. The strangest thing, however, is how violent the game can be, especially in the Hot Fuzz-inspired world. Here are our early impressions ofFunko Fusionfrom a preview build by 10:10 Games.
The Worlds Are Brimming With Detail
This three to four-hour demo included ten levels based on Hot Fuzz and the Jurassic World franchises. The format of the game seems to have us explore different hubs based on several properties and then featuring five levels each. Hot Fuzz was first, and to be honest, the weaker of the two. You’re set in an open space based on the fictional village of Sandford, England. All the locales are represented well, with the final boss taking place in the miniature town space, where the film’s conclusion also lies. It truly looks like a typical English village and there’s an attention to detail. They’ve even got the church bells ringing in the background, which is a nice touch.
TheJurassic Worldlevels feel epic with flying dinosaurs escaping and landing in front of you, a ruckus crowd trying to escape, and a great attention to detail to the set pieces of the original movies. The way flames appear in a toy-like movement also looks stellar within a few of the levels within the Jurassic World segment. Additionally, it’s satisfying to find secret areas and get rewarded for spotting them.
Who is Funko Fusion Trying to Appeal to?
Funko Fusion is a confusing game, overall, though. It doesn’t particularly know who its target audience is. You would think the game would appeal to families, but in thisHot Fuzzlevel, you’ll see a crime scene with decapitated figures and blood. It was quite a shock as you see characters getting stabbed in this world. When your character is hit with flames, it’s horrifying when the skin burns off, and you see a skull instead of a face. After healing, the character returns to normal. It’s done in a cartoon fashion, but it’s a strange thing to see in what you would assume to be a family title.
The level design is mixed, to say the least. It’s often confusing as to what to do next and there are bizarre decisions involved. For example, after defeating a few waves of enemies, you’ll find a gargoyle statue that you can place on the above platform. It didn’t seem obvious what to do with it. Then, randomly, hitting it solved the problem as the debris hit the ground below, revealing a tunnel. There are a few situations like that which will scratch your head. What doesn’t help is the lack of a mini-map. It’s often confusing to find where you are supposed to go.
Despite a few issues like that, there are well-designed aspects ofFunko Fusion. There’s a gameplay element that has you hacking into the cameras of the village and interacting with objects in the nearby area. It’s similar to howWatch Dogs 2interacts with its environments. You’re channeling energy from one element to another, opening gates, for most of this interaction. One puzzle impressed towards the end of the Hot Fuzz section of the game. Without spoiling too much, you’re given a fan and a constantly moving vacuum within an office space. There’s a code on the wall you have to enter to open a gate in front of you. By pushing the vacuum into the fan, you’ll get your code as papers bluster off a workspace. Now that’s an awesome puzzle design.
Most of the level design for the Hot Fuzz level is confusing, but you see more effective puzzles and a better gameplay flow from the Jurassic World levels. Finding batteries from around the Jurassic World levels and reinstalling them into more convenient spaces is a design that works well withinFunko Fusionand in a recent remaster ofBeyond Good & Evil. It is annoying, however, that there isn’t an auto-save feature within these levels; you have to restart them all over again if you need to pop out.
These puzzles are matched with a chaotic energy, though. In this third-person shooter action hybrid, you’re taking down hordes of enemies, be it cult-like villagers or flying dinosaurs. They come at you thick and fast, and it can often be overwhelming. The third-person shooting feels solid, but the camera feels too close to the character you’re playing as. A wider view would certainly help you manage the chaos more. What helps with this mild annoyance is that you can pick between different characters, who have different weapons and abilities at their disposal.
Some of the AI Needs Improving but the Boss Battles are Great
Unfortunately, the AI doesn’t seem to be that smart, at least at this point of development. Enemies you need to eliminate to proceed might get stuck in bushes, making them hard to see. The lack of a mini-map also makes some hard to spot, leading to repetitive running around the level until you finally manage to find them.
Boss battles feel epic. Fighting a huge T-Rex or a massive cop turned evil as the final boss of the Hot Fuzz levels makes these moments stand out. You’re shooting weak points, trying to counter its moves by jumping or dodging out of the way, and these bosses are electrifying. There are moments you’re collecting dark energy and turning it into something positive, a helper that turns the tide of battle. In the Hot Fuzz level, a massive duck came to save the day and fight alongside us.
Funko Shows Off Halo Infinite Pop!s
These absurd moments make the game shine, and the cutscenes within are high quality. They take on that classic Lego humor you see in the PS2 era. They don’t speak and instead focus on slapstick humor or body language to carry the story forward. It’s charming. The storyline revolving around Funko’s mascot Freddy Funko (who gets terrifyingly decomposed at the beginning of the game, by the way) and his evil twin is also intriguing. It reminds one a little of Kingdom Hearts, in which secondary evil forces alter the course of the original story in each world. It will be interesting to see how this evil twin changes each narrative featured in the game.
So far,Funko Fusionis a little rough around the edges, but has a ton of potential. While the game gets overly violent for its possible audience, it lands with frenetic action, blockbuster bosses and clever puzzle design. The level design just needs to steer the player better in some cases to make it more understandable for wider audiences. A mini-map and better third-person camera would help with that.
