Developer: Titutitech
Publisher: Square Enix
Format(s): Playstation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox One, PC
Whilst online multiplayer titles are at the forefront these days, there’s still no denying that having a few friends over, squeezing up on a couch, and having a controller each whilst using one screen is the best way to experience a multiplayer game. It’s great to see the resurgence of ‘couch multiplayer’ titles that has happened over the last few years, with each new release giving me a reason to get everyone over again as we face off in competitive showdowns. Ah, nostalgia.
Oh My Godheads is the most recent release to grab my attention, with it pitting four players against each other in team-based action as you battle it out to take control of… well… Godheads. It’s quirky, fun, and takes a traditional gameplay format but adds something fresh to it with its colourful cast of characters.
Oh My Godheads features four different game modes that you can compete in: ‘Capture the Head’, ‘King of the Head’, ‘Head Hunters’, and ‘Last Man Standing’ (I feel like it should’ve been called ‘Last Head Standing’, but hey, who am I to judge).
It’s probably obvious from the names, but each of these game modes is based upon an existing multiplayer mode that most players would’ve probably spent hours in already but in other video games. For example, ‘Capture the Head’ plays just like Capture the Flag but rather than taking a flag back to your base, you’re taking back one of the aforementioned Godheads. On the other hand, ‘King of the Head’ is like King of the Hill where you accumulate points for holding each Godhead for as long as possible. The other two modes take the Godheads out of the equation, but just play out with a traditional Deathmatch formula, so should also feel familiar to most too.
I’m not saying that this familiarity is a bad thing though; Oh My Godheads is a heck of a lot of fun to play and manages to offer something unique of its own in each game mode. This is down to the game’s biggest features: the Godheads.
As mentioned, rather than capturing flags you’ll be carrying huge Godheads back to your base to earn points in Oh My Godheads. Each of these Godheads are unique though, both with their personality and how they react to players in-game. It might be a case of them attacking you as you’re carrying them, slowing you down, freezing your character completely, working as ticking time bombs, or even messing with your controls – they certainly aren’t fans of being carried or thrown around and they’re not afraid to show it.
Thankfully, most of these powers that the Godheads inflict upon you are based upon a timer, so if you’re clever you can use them to your advantage to attack other players. You can always throw the Godheads around too, so if you know one is about to explode why don’t you throw it at one of your rivals?
Besides attacking other players, each of these abilities adds a strategic twist to Oh My Godheads that means you have to be wary of more than just your rival players. Your actual objective is literally working against you, so you’ve got to be wary of what Godhead you’re carrying, when it’s going to attack, and how far you are from your base. It makes for an experience that is incredibly frantic, but also a whole lot of unpredictable fun.
There are multiple different environments you get to battle across, each of which has their own unique layout that adds something new to the mix. It might mean that you’ve got hazards to watch out for, different obstacles to climb, or even daring jumps to make across perilous pits – there really is a lot to look out for. Whilst each level is different in design though, they share a consistency in their charming, colourful visuals. Oh My Godheads has a vibrant visual style that certainly stands out and it really adds a lot of personality to each of the different levels.
All of the different modes, Godheads, and levels come together to make some fantastic multiplayer scenarios. There’s a surprising amount of depth to each match’s set up, yet the simplicity of the gameplay means it’s always easy to jump into and play with no fuss. I’ve invested a good few hours into the game with friends and I found that no-one ever dominated it too; it’s unpredictable but accessible, meaning just about anyone can find their way to victory in the game.
Of course, that’s in multiplayer – those who play Oh My Godheads alone won’t have as much of a good time. You can still play the traditional multiplayer modes, but with bots in place instead. These bots aren’t particularly clever, and despite having three different difficulty levels on offer I never found myself feeling challenged by them. There are single player-focused Trials available that each offer a unique challenge though, but these are hardly invigorating and act more like a tutorial to the game rather than something you can really sink your teeth into.
I’m already a sucker for a good local multiplayer video game, but Oh My Godheads really won me over. I loved the way it took some conventional multiplayer game modes and added its own unique twist to them, whilst the colourful visual style and variety of levels ensured it never grew boring. I can’t say the same for the single player modes though, so if you’re planning on playing alone you might want to steer clear.
With friends though, Oh My Godheads is an absolute blast and I can see us coming back to the game time and time again in the future. If you’ve got some family or friends coming over this holiday season, it’s definitely worth checking out.
