LadiesGamers Move or Die Unleashed

Move or Die Unleashed Review 

Game: Move or Die Unleashed
Genre: Puzzle, Platformer, Adventure
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows) PS4 and mobile)
Developer|Publisher: Those Awesome Guys
Age Rating: EU 3+ | US Everyone
Price: US $14.99 | UK £13.49 | EU € 14,99
Release Date: March 10th, 2022

Review code provided with many thanks to Those Awesome Guys.

Quick Game Night

Move or Die Unleashed is a fast paced party game for up to 4 players where the rules and mechanics quickly change between rounds. Definitely suited to those looking for a quick and to the point gaming experience. If you’re looking for the next game night title to play with friends or loved ones you may want to consider looking into this.

LadiesGamers Move or Die
Get ready for game night

Move For Your Life

Move or Die has you compete in several mini games for the top spot. There is one main rule ‘move or die’ which the game makes very clear in its introductory tutorial. Basically, if you stand still your health will drain very fast and you’ll explode, being eliminated until the next round. Even jumping does not stop this meter from draining, you need to actually move across the platforms to keep your health up. You also have to deal with the games’ constantly changing rules per round. And boy, there are so many little mini games to discover in this game.

One round might have you avoiding these damaging platforms, one might have you avoiding these big spiky balls and one round might even have you use welding chainsaws to take each other out with. Rounds last less than a minute so you quickly jump into something else. Before you begin each game you can choose the total time you spend in the game, for example five minutes, making this very appealing for short gaming sessions.

Once you select the time, you pick a few mini games which are randomized in rotation and choose an optional mutator to add a little extra spice to the experience if you wish. Such as blurred characters, the slow movement for the leading player and several distracting NPCs on screen.

LadiesGamers Move or Die
Better get moving

It’s a game that instantly strikes a chord as a lot of fun, very easy to pick up and play and it’s something that is suitable for absolutely most playstyles whether you are a casual or experienced gamer. This game is certainly designed for those that are looking for a fun game night with friends or family.

Pick up and Play

Controls are very simple. Mostly you’ll just need to move or jump and occasionally use an interact button. When a new round starts the game will present you with a very brief tutorial of the rules of the game. This does pop up a little bit too quickly so you really need to pay attention. Allowing the player to pause this screen would help those that need just a few more seconds to digest the rules. It certainly easily fills the criteria of pick up and play.

LadiesGamers Move or Die
Rules flash up quickly before each game

2D Humour

Graphically the game reminded me a lot of those old flash games I used to play on PC years ago. The 2D simple art style feels well suited to the fast and frantic nature of the game. There is a ridiculous amount of characters to play as well as plenty of humour such as characters exploding in a paint-like explosion that stains the environment. One of the standout features was the level announcer who adds a silly voice to introduce and conclude the game.

I later discovered the game actually offers multiple different announcers in the options menu many of whom appear to be YouTube personalities but since I’m not hip with the kids these days I don’t know who they are but it was still fun to listen to. The game also offers alternate soundtracks to play, both of which seem well suited to the upbeat party game design. 

LadiesGamers Move or Die
There is a huge amount of mini games to discover

Local and Online

When reviewing Move or Die we were only unable to explore the local multiplayer features. If you go solo you can play with AI bots which only have one set difficulty. It’s okay but lacks the enjoyment factor of playing with other humans. This is a game that does offer lots of multiplayer options. You can play this locally, you can hook systems up and then of course you can play online. Online is probably the main way you’re supposed to play this since the players’ levelling experience and unlockables are solely tied to this mode. For some reason, the game does not let you unlock anything if you just play locally with friends which is just a shame.

Don’t get me wrong, there is still a ton of fun to be had playing this game just locally with friends, which may be enough. Only by playing locally are you going to have those moments of players shouting with joy and raging at losing a round. This is something online still can’t really replicate, although I should mention you can play this game with your friends online too and not just rely on matchmaking. It’s hard to say if the online community is going to support this game on Nintendo Switch as well as it appears on PC. Time will tell I guess. At the time of reviewing the game, there wasn’t really anybody playing the Nintendo Switch version online as it wasn’t available to the public so I don’t have a lot to say about this. So with that in mind, I’ll update this review later to cover it

LadiesGamers Move or Die
Shoot some hoops

Conclusion – Bite-Sized Fun

Move or Die Unleashed is a fun bite-size party game that will offer many laughs, many frustrations and possibly the odd naughty words now and then between friends and loved ones. A simple design that is easy to play for gamers of all skill levels. A package that’s easy to recommend if you’re looking for a title to enjoy a good game night in with. Time will tell if the online will keep the game going for those playing online. Provided there is the player base to back it up this could be a title worth considering for solo players. Something few party games can achieve. But as it stands, this is bite sized gaming fun at its best. 

Final Verdict: I Like it 

I like it

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