Anger Foot [PC] | REVIEW

Taking place in the wonderfully named Shit City, Anger Foot puts players in the role a pissed-off footwear fanatic who goes on a killing spree when their beloved shoe collection is stolen. And how do they do this? By giving everyone who crosses their path a boot with their big ol’ green foot, of course.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It’s a loopy premise, but it’s one that makes for a tantalising gameplay experience that reminded me a lot of one of Devolver Digital’s other releases, Hotline Miami – albeit from a first-person perspective. The core gameplay loop revolves around kicking your way through levels, smashing any enemies in your path, and making your way to the exit, with each level typically made up of a series of inter-connected rooms that have their own groups of foes that you’ve got to deal with. You’ll mostly do this by kicking them (kicking anything in the game ALWAYS feels satisfying and is mostly a one-hit kill), though you’ll also use a variety of firearms along the way to ensure you’re no one-trick pony. You’ll find yourself satisfyingly blending together combos of long-range kills and up-close booting with ease, with the frantic nature of your violence complementing the quick pace of each level.

It makes for a really fun experience, whilst the limited ammo resources means that you’ve got to be strategic in deciding which enemies you pick off from afar and which you deal with through a big kick to the skull. New enemies are constantly introduced that force you to spice up your approach too, with some exploding when you get too close to them, some shielded from front attacks, and others armed with weaponry that makes them particularly formidable to take down. Again, this is where players need to take a strategic approach, whether that’s by prioritizing which enemies they take out first, by kicking certain enemies into others to try and catch them off-guard, or by using some of the environmental hazards to your advantage. You might initially be deceived by Anger Foot’s zany action and outrageous visuals (and the fact that your main weapon is your foot), but it’s surprising just how much it leans into typical hallmarks of the first-person shooting genre across its design… albeit with more kicking.

“Players will unlock special footwear as they progress through the game, complete levels, and clear optional objectives, with each granting unique abilities that can completely change up their approach.”

However, you do have one really cool thing you can use to your advantage: your choice of footwear. Players will unlock special footwear as they progress through the game, complete levels, and clear optional objectives, with each granting unique abilities that can completely change up their approach. One pair will see you replenish ammo when kicking foes, one pair sees door explode when you kick them, one pair allows you to double jump, one pair allows you to slide, one pair allows you to slow time when kicking doors, one pair turns all weapons into shotguns… there’s a LOT of options to unlock as you progress, with each pair of shoes granting buffs that really spice up the gameplay.

I’m making the reference again, but they’re a lot like the masks from Hotline Miami, with the different footwear suiting different players’ playstyles. Take those door-exploding shoes for example – they didn’t really suit me because I’m the sort of player that likes to rush enemies at a fast-pace and I kept getting myself caught up in the explosions, but a more methodical player will find they can be used to deal with multiple threats at a time if used wisely. And the footwear that allows you to replenish ammo? If you blend together your kicking and shooting kills effectively, you can find yourself going through an entire level without worrying about your gun running out of bullets. The selection of footwear really does add an additional layer of complexity and strategy to Anger Foot’s otherwise simple gameplay loop, and, more importantly, their use makes the game more enjoyable to play.

Check out some screenshots down below:

It should only take players a few hours to get through all of Anger Foot’s levels, though there’ll be some extra replayability if you decide you want to complete all of the optional objectives too (which was something I found myself naturally drawn to as I played). The only downside to this was that some levels could get a little repetitive, especially since they all mostly followed the same structure. Whilst a change in environment or some nastier foes do spice things up, you’ll still find yourself following the same process through levels, whilst the reliance on trial-and-error as you figure out where threats are going to come from might get a little tiring over longer play sessions.

Despite this, I still had a blast with the game, with Anger Foot’s anarchic action doing more than enough to keep me hooked in until the very end. And the art style? I loved it, with the over-the-top and attitude-fuelled visuals making for a world that feels incredibly brutal… you know… in that colourful and almost cartoon-like kinda way. It certainly feels distinct, but hey, what else would you expect from a game that takes place in Shit City?

Developer: Free Lives
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed)
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1978590/Anger_Foot/