Unless you stick only to either first or third-person perspectives, the market for PvP shooters really has something that will cater to any preferred play style. This genre saturation yields plenty of options for any solo player or squad needing a change of scenery, but it can also make it tough for new games to survive the growing pains that often accompany new releases. If a release seems to miss the mark, the appeal of its concept will determine whether or not anyone waits around for the kinks to be worked out. What does this mean for new games like Square Enix’s Foamstars? It means that either the premise or the execution must be good enough to make up for any shortcomings of the other. So, does Foamstars hit that mark? Keep reading and I’ll tell you!One of the first things you learn in Foamstars is that the game is very minimalistic and reserved compared to other shooter games. There aren’t a ton of customizations, and the game almost entirely removes violence, even in terminology. Kills do not exist- there are only “chills.” Weapons shoot foam and bubbles at either fellow players or Beasties, the neon villains who resemble stuffed animals. In fact, one of the bosses is a huge lamb who took a nap and then decided to wreak havoc on the city of Bath Vegas. There are very few controls to learn, and navigating the various modes is as simple as it can get. The Mission Mode provides several character-based campaigns, but each one is comprised of nearly identical fights in different locations, making them repetitive after the first few waves. Even though Missions teach you about each character’s weapon, Special Skill, and backstory, the fights are so easy that seasoned gamers of any age will blow right through them. To make matters worse, the cutscenes in this mode are painfully uneventful, and you never learn anything important that can’t be figured out in a multiplayer trial by fire. Conversations between characters are done in graphic novel form, and the cutscenes are entirely made up of still images with exaggerated voice-acting. Exacerbated by the fact that the scenes are way too long for how uninteresting they are, Mission Mode leaves little to be desired. Unfortunately, the only real saving grace for the Missions Mode is the XP to be earned. Playing Mission Mode in the multiplayer co-op can make the missions more fun, but fights are still just too repetitive to hold your interest for so many rounds.It would be easy enough to look at the campaign in Foamstars and write the whole game off as a kiddie game, but there is so much more that leans really far in the opposite direction. With both versus and co-op multiplayer modes, there are several ways Foamstars quickly turns chaotic. Each mode is a little different, but for the most part, they all pretty much entail shooting and slide-tackling opponents. One thing that remains constant- movement can get difficult when gameplay becomes frenzied, even for gaming pros. Foamy fights can easily get away from you, and any attempt at tactical gameplay is rendered useless until you can “chill” your enemies and refocus. This definitely makes for some exciting matches, but if you end up being the only person on your team of 4 who intentionally plays the objective, matches can be lost before you even have time to find your footing. This is especially problematic if you sit through several failed match attempts. In stark contrast to Mission Mode, the multiplayer modes take some time to learn and get used to, but once you earn XP and start using stat points for upgrades, the game almost starts to feel decently exhilarating. If Foamstars’ biggest problems were the annoying voice acting or the cheesy storyline, the competitiveness of its multiplayer modes would probably make up for it. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. On multiple occasions, I hit the 5-minute wait limit without being matched, forcing me to back out and try again. Once in a match, you quickly learn that there can only be one of each character per squad of 4. I might be able to look the other way, but each character has a set weapon and Special Skill that cannot be changed. This means any character customizations will only work if you manage to lock in your desired character before somebody else does. This is probably meant to keep everyone from running around with the same weapon, but for players coming from other shooters, this feels like a massive hindrance given that most of the bundles cost more than the actual game. Several character bundles cost over $40, but considering that’s for customizations you may never even get to use, it feels unjustifiable, even for someone who has no problem dropping $20 on a bundle that makes my guns pretty. I don’t know many adults who would spend so much on accessories they might never get to use, and I definitely don’t know any children who would be allowed to make such a purchase. Something I always take into account with my reviews is a game’s target demographic, which helps me analyze it more subjectively than if I just compared it to my established favorites. One of the main problems with Foamstars is that it can’t make up its mind about who its target audience is. Third-person shooters like Fortnite or Realm Royale appeal to both older and younger gamers because of factors like gameplay mechanics mixed with overall experience. Foamstars just seems confused. At times, it plays like a gateway game for households where shooters, online multiplayer, or even just gaming in general are new concepts. At other times, it feels like only sweaty gamers with speedy reflexes and disposable incomes can truly play to this game’s full potential. If these issues don’t sound like enough to deter you, then Foamstars might be the game for you.

Score: 4 out of 10

Reviewed on PlayStation 5