The Adventure Pals

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. IGN Spain
    Apr 2, 2018
    78
    Hilarious, colorful and full of challenges, The Adventure Pals is a game full of challenges and lovely characters with several RPG mechanics for all players. A good platforming experience.
  2. God is a Geek
    Apr 2, 2018
    75
    Running and jumping from left to right is difficult to judge, but while wearing the colours of another The Adventure Pals delivers on its central concept in a way it’s inspiration never could.
  3. COGconnected
    Apr 2, 2018
    75
    Overall, there’s plenty to like about The Adventure Pals. It’s clearly got a lot of polish, and at no points did I have issues with the gameplay. Levels are surprisingly well crafted, and collectibles are well hidden. The bosses are creative, showing some serious visual appeal. There’s nothing but positive things with so many aspects of this game, but the lack of a true co-operative experience left something to be desired.
  5. Video Chums
    Apr 4, 2018
    71
    The Adventure Pals is a huge 2D platformer with a fantastic sense of humour. However, the lack of challenge will make genre veterans wish that they could put their skills to the test instead of just going through the motions.
  6. Worth Playing
    Sep 18, 2018
    70
    Adventure Pals seeks to be the weird alternative game that your kids will love, and it looks attractive because it's reminiscent of a mix of different games and familiar shows. Unfortunately, its unashamed emulation of other works is both glaring and disappointing. What isn't disappointing, though, are the game mechanics, which may be similar to others, but can be framed as a teaching mechanism for game experiences to come. Combined with punchy controls, this makes for a wonderful skeleton of a game, although it's regrettably tightly draped in the likes of superstar media from yesteryear.
  7. PlayStation LifeStyle
    Apr 22, 2018
    70
    Had it packed more of a challenge – even if it was optional – The Adventure Pals would be running close to the front of the indie platforming pack. Though the final product doesn’t quite get there, it’s still plenty enjoyable, especially in co-op.
  8. Wccftech
    Apr 16, 2018
    70
    If you have a brain that can’t help but dissect the world in front of you, this game might trouble you. The Adventure Pals is nearly a success but ultimately lacks the organic comedy it needed to truly feel magical.
  9. Digitally Downloaded
    Apr 15, 2018
    70
    The Adventure Pals is a welcome addition to the platforming genre, holding its own due to its quirky story, colourful graphics and accessible gameplay. I fell in love with the game and didn’t want to put it down. It's not the most essential, original, or unique that's ever been made, and it has some technical issues, but these are minor complaints in the grand scheme of things.
  10. TheSixthAxis
    Apr 13, 2018
    70
    There are several issues marring The Adventure Pals that prevent it receiving my whole-hearted recommendation. Yet, despite these problems, I very much enjoyed my time in its zany embrace. Its quirky characters, breezy story and colourful game world proved to be enchanting, while its solid platforming and combat mechanics, in conjunction with local co-op play, kept me on my couch till the end of the story.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 6 out of 19
  1. GBG_Jason
    Apr 6, 2018
    8
    When it comes to cartoons, kids that grew up in the 80s and 90s seem to think the past decade has only yielded trash. If that’s how you feel,When it comes to cartoons, kids that grew up in the 80s and 90s seem to think the past decade has only yielded trash. If that’s how you feel, it’s entirely possible you have not seen the likes of Gravity Falls, The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and other things that have been created by those that grew up loving the culture during the same time period. Of course, that love goes both ways, as the same people are also enjoying those new cartoons and making games inspired by them.

    My wife hasn’t seen much of the aforementioned cartoons, if at all. In fact, I believe she’s only seen an episode or two of Adventure Time, and that was years ago when we were dating. However, she picked up on the influences in The Adventure Pals immediately. The aesthetic of the game, the humor, and the characters themselves are certainly reminiscent. Is that a bad thing? By no means, as it creates an experience that feels like an interactive cartoon. And the humor is very much like cartoons these days – able to be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.

    The game starts off with your dad being kidnapped by a Mr. B (he rides on a bee) who is turning older folks into hotdogs. Not hotdogs that you’ll eat, mind you – sentient, human-sized frankfurters. The price for their return? A few rubies. To obtain these rubies you’ll be completing levels within a world map that you traverse on your giraffe that you’re gifted by your dad on your birthday. To unlock certain levels, you’ll need to be given tasks from the local townsfolk, all with their own issues. This adds a bit of levity to the experiences, as the dialogue does not shy away from being overtly silly. The writing uses a fair amount of references while also being original.

    First and foremost, this is a platformer. While you’ll be talking with a variety of NPCs and getting quests from them like in an RPG, but the majority of the game involves jumping off walls, killing enemies with your sword, and utilizing your giraffe and pet rock to explore the environments utilizing their different abilities. On top of that, in your quests you’ll be earning experience that will allow you to choose new abilities to help with your exploration. Some of these help with your combat abilities, others allow you to avoid death in certain circumstances, while others help with the collection of things like coins and experience.

    The game starts off at a difficulty level that may seem a bit too easy, but it ramps up a bit as the game progresses. At the end of collecting the land’s five rubies you’ll be faced with a boss; these are expectedly the hardest part of the game if you let them be. While they are the most difficult, that doesn’t mean they are the best or most fun parts. The first boss you encounter has several moves that he repeats in the same routine, and despite knowing what was coming, I continually took damage despite not seeing any connection between the obstacles and myself. Luckily, the game provides you with items like bombs, health potions, and invulnerability potions. These are easily acquired which makes the boss battles easy should you choose to use them. Knowing exactly when to hit the boss, simply putting on the invincibility and waiting for the vulnerable timeframe takes the boss battles from somewhat difficult to a bit of a joke.

    In addition to simply completing the levels you’ll have the opportunity to collect things like cupcakes and stickers within the levels. The cupcakes allow for you to buy new costumes which don’t have any effect other than changing your appearance, but they are amusing and a nice reward for the collection process. On top of the normal experience, you can jump into this adventure with your own pals. That’s right, the game has co-op for those that wish to battle old people turned wieners with friends in the hopes of saving your father and mother from the same fate.

    Most of the game’s mechanics work well and the levels are fun to play through; the main complaint here is that they seem a bit simple. The collection of cupcakes and stickers don’t take much effort in comparison to things like Super Meat Boy or Celeste. Indeed, this means it’s more accessible for those that dislike games that are overly difficult, but it leaves me wanting a bit more, especially with level scores being A+ without any trouble. Additionally, some of the platforming can be a bit dodgy when it comes to smaller platforms because unlike Mega Man, your jump is a bit unpredictable. Luckily your giraffe allows you to slow your fall and more accurately land your jumps.

    In a world of video game inspired cartoons and cartoon inspired video games, it’s no wonder that The Adventure Pals exists. Mixing the love for things like Adventure Time, older platformers, and humor with a modern touch makes for an enjoyable experience. While not a perfect game, it does a lot right and is great for some parent/child bonding.    … Full Review »
  2. Heliotay
    Nov 4, 2021
    7
    A very decent platformer with secrets. Fun leveling system. Interesting story. Cool and fun bosses. All around a fun platformer.
  3. Skydog
    Jul 6, 2021
    0
    Game was fun until the last two bosses. Talk about a luck based approach. One of the worst last bosses in a game I’ve ever witnessed.
    Cannot    Game was fun until the last two bosses. Talk about a luck based approach. One of the worst last bosses in a game I’ve ever witnessed.
    Cannot believe this passed testing. Going to never buy another game from this company. Great work idiots…    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »