Gang Beasts is a simple idea dressed in a ridiculous costume. Players gather in a small arena, flail like floppy dolls, and try to throw each other off a cliff. It is a party game built for six people, and it knows exactly what it wants to be. That clarity is both its strength and its limit.
Boneloaf developed the game, and Double Fine Productions published it until May 2020, after which it became self-published. It arrived on Windows, macOS, Linux, and PlayStation 4 on 12 December 2017, following an early access period for PC platforms that began in August 2014. Xbox One and Nintendo Switch releases followed later. The game runs across a bird’s-eye view and supports virtual reality through PlayStation VR.
Trailer, via GameSpot Trailers.
The Floppy Dolls of Beef City
The characters in Gang Beasts are soft, wiggly creatures that bend and stretch like jelly. They punch, kick, and wrestle with cartoonish force, and they always land wrong. The physics engine is the star of the show, bending limbs and sending bodies flying in ways that feel both cruel and hilarious.
Each match takes place in a hazard-laden arena in the fictional city of Beef City. The arenas are packed with pitfalls, moving platforms, and sudden drops, and the goal is simple: knock your opponent off the edge. Anyone who falls gets thrown back onto the platform, often in a position ready to fight again. This creates a constant push-and-pull dynamic, since a fallen player is still dangerous even when they seem beaten.
Modes Beyond the Free-for-All
The main mode pits teams or individuals against each other in a chaotic free-for-all. But Gang Beasts offers more than that. There is a Waves mode, where waves of enemies attack the arena, and a Gang mode, where teams of allies work together against a common enemy. There is also a Soccer mode, where players use their opponents as a ball to score goals. These modes give the game a surprising amount of variety for what is essentially a simple premise.
At launch, the game included eight multiplayer stages and costume customization. The total count of playable stages grew to 22 over time. Each stage adds new hazards and new ways to lose your footing. Some arenas are tight and claustrophobic, while others are wide and sprawling, forcing players to find the best path around obstacles.
The Party Problem
Gang Beasts is at its best when everyone is in the room together. The chaos of six people throwing themselves at each other is genuinely funny, and the game’s humor leans into the absurdity of the situation. The commentary tracks are filled with insults and jokes, and they add a layer of trash talk that feels natural to the game’s tone.
But the game struggles when there are fewer players. With two or three people, the matches feel thin, and the game’s momentum loses steam. The core loop is built around a large group, and it shows. Playing alone or with a small group is still fun, but it is not the same experience.
Technical Rough Edges
The game is not without its flaws. The camera can be difficult to manage during chaotic matches, and it sometimes fails to keep up with fast movement. The controls are simple, but they require precision that the game’s physics occasionally undermines. A misjudged jump can send a player flying into a hazard they were trying to avoid.
The presentation is bright and colorful, but it can feel dated next to newer games in the genre. The music is energetic and fits the tone, but it does not distinguish itself. The game’s visual identity is strong, but it is also easy to forget once the screen fills with squirming bodies.
How the Modes Compare
| Mode | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free-for-All | Team deathmatch | Large groups |
| Waves | Defend against waves | Small groups |
| Gang | Team battle | Small groups |
| Soccer | Throw enemies as a ball | Any size |
The numbered list below ranks the game’s modes by how well they hold up with smaller player counts:
- Free-for-All — holds up best with a full group
- Waves — works with fewer players
- Gang — better with a small team
- Soccer — least effective with only two players
Final Word
Gang Beasts is a game about throwing people off cliffs, and it rarely pretends otherwise. That honesty is refreshing. The game is a pure distillation of a particular kind of fun, and it delivers that fun consistently, even if it does not offer much beyond it.
The game is a solid, if limited, entry in the party genre. It is best enjoyed in a crowded room, where the chaos is shared and the laughter is genuine. It is not a game that demands deep attention, and it is not a game that rewards patience. It is a game that rewards six friends and a weekend afternoon.
Gang Beasts earns a score of 6.5 out of 10.
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