BOSS FIGHTERS

With games like Marvel Rivals, Hell Divers 2, and Fortnite topping the charts, multiplayer games continue to thrive, especially when played with friends. Boss Fighters takes inspiration from games like Dead by Daylight and Friday the 13th but adds a much-needed fast-paced action twist. With up to 5 players in a match, 4 Fighters team up to defeat a Boss, who is controlled by another player on PC or VR. The Boss wields unique weapons and abilities, while Fighters must work together to take them down before time runs out. Customization options, upgradeable gear, and engaging gameplay make this a fun experience, though it struggles to hold appeal for solo players.

Gameplay

The game’s vibrant art style immerses players, with cartoonish graphics that create a fun atmosphere. However, the limited number of maps feels repetitive, even with some interesting environmental features like acid pools and destroyable bridges. More variety is needed to keep the game fresh. In VR, the Boss gameplay is marred by bugs, like visual glitches when climbing buildings or equipping weapons. Using an older headset like the Oculus Quest 1 likely amplified these issues, but even on PC, occasional collision problems persist.

As a Boss alone you are allowed a plethora of weapons to choose from to help aid you in destroying all the Fighters, my personal favorites being the Laser and the Toxic Gas gun. The laser weapon allows you to shoot out a deadly Laser to catch enemies at any distance, while the toxic gas allows you to leave certain areas having to be avoided by Fighters or else they’ll suffer too much damage. While these are two ranged styles of weapons you are still able to use 2 melee weapons if you would like or even substituting one of the ranged weapons for a melee to make sure no one can get past you.

With a massive hammer that causes ripples in the ground, to a spiked maul capable of flinging opponents around the map, or maybe a gravity style weapon to use the environment to toss objects at your enemies is more your style. Along with the weapons you will also be able to have 2 different gadgets to help you out in your battles, 1 gadget mainly used to heal, and another that emits a toxic gas. The gadgets add a bit more of customization but to me were overshadowed by the different weapons in the game. These weapons can not only be shaping how you play the game, but the addition of the Forge allows you as the player to be able to upgrade these weapons to allow you to do the best damage possible!

The forge allows you to take any repeated weapon items that you may have and combine them together to create one of a higher rarity and one that might have some different perks attached to it as well. If you are like me and had a couple different lasers and were wondering why at first you were doing inconsiderate damage, heading over to the Forge might be beneficial! With a massive amount of customization for both the Boss and Fighters, this allows you to keep the games a bit different each time to make sure you aren't worn out.

Playing Boss Fighters in VR with friends was fun, though managing my space to avoid wrecking my room added an extra challenge. Learning the controls as a Boss took time, with actions like turning or jumping requiring deliberate effort. Even after several matches, the controls felt clunky and less intuitive compared to smoother VR games like Pistol Whip. This detracted from immersion, as I spent more time figuring out movement than enjoying the gameplay.

The Boss role also felt underwhelming at times, as certain areas of your character take extra damage, making it hard to maintain the "Boss" feeling. While staying still helps with defense, the Fighters' damage output quickly undermines this advantage. Overall, the VR experience for the Boss feels incomplete, with the controls and design needing refinement to fully deliver the game's potential.

The sound design in Boss Fighters is another area that could benefit from improvement. While the game features fantastic audio effects for weapons and environmental destruction, bugs often disrupt the experience. Sounds may play a few seconds late or fail to sync properly with the actions on screen, such as a weapon firing or a structure collapsing. This lack of synchronization detracts from the immersion, particularly in VR, where precise audio cues are essential for a fully engaging experience.

Although these sound issues are minor and don’t significantly impact the overall gameplay, they can pull players out of the moment, especially in a game that relies on fast-paced action and environmental interactions. Addressing these bugs to ensure all sounds occur exactly as the corresponding action happens would greatly enhance the audio experience and contribute to the game’s overall polish.

Review

Playing Boss Fighters with friends was an overall great experience, but the enjoyment significantly dropped in matches where I played as the Boss alone. The lack of communication features makes these solo sessions feel disconnected, with little interaction between Bosses and Fighters. Adding in-game voice or chat options would greatly enhance the social and competitive elements, allowing players to strategize or engage in playful banter, which fits the game’s fast-paced, arcade-style atmosphere.

Unlike games such as Dead by Daylight or Friday the 13th, which rely on suspense and silence to build tension, Boss Fighters thrives on high-energy action and quick matches. This arcade dynamic works best with friends, where the chaos and fun are shared. However, the game’s lone mode—4 Fighters versus 1 Boss—lacks enough variety to sustain long-term interest. While the extensive character and weapon customization add replay value, the absence of additional modes or objectives can make gameplay feel repetitive after a few rounds, especially when most weapon combinations have been explored.

Expanding the game with new modes, larger maps, or dynamic objectives would add much-needed depth and keep players engaged for longer periods. As it stands, Boss Fighters offers a fun, group-oriented experience but struggles to deliver the same excitement in solo play.

Boss Fighters does an excellent job of standing out in its genre, offering fast-paced action in a space typically filled with horror and suspense. The game provides players with extensive control over their experience, from diverse playstyles to unlockable content, which can be earned through gameplay—a refreshing change. Paired with its vibrant cartoon graphics, Boss Fighters creates a dynamic and enjoyable environment.

However, the game struggles with limited modes and level diversity, making it difficult to sustain player interest over time. Audio and visual bugs, especially in VR, further hinder the experience, keeping it from reaching its full potential. Despite these issues, Boss Fighters presents a fresh and exciting concept. With updates to address these shortcomings—such as adding new modes, features, and fixes—it has the potential to attract a broader player base and maintain their engagement for longer. I'm eager to see how the game evolves and builds on its strong foundation.