Pool Party Review: They See Me Rolling!

The definition of a good party game can be summarized, as a game that will allow you to focus and immerse yourself in the chaos instead of worrying about the game. And Pool Party excels in doing exactly that! 

Developed by Lakeview Games and Published by Mindscape, this really simple yet chaotic indie game is a surprisingly well-polished and great pick for a couch-coop multiplayer experience. Pool Party is now available for PC, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and soon for Xbox.

The Mechanics!

The game offers multiple game modes, and yes we already have our favorites too! The Football and Sumo modes are our favorite. You also get to play in the Freeplay, Tennis, Idol, Pool, and Jinxed Modes. You can also select the party mode to get all the modes in random successions. 

There are mainly two mechanics to go around with, but in addition to this, your player can also move around. And if you’ve already guessed it, this might be one of the only few ‘pool’ games that is not turn-based. In real-time you can either roll or kick the other player into the corner. 

Apart from that, there isn’t much else in the game to offer. There is no availability of online servers, hence you are not going to play this without people around. The solo mode is an available option but will fail to keep you hooked on the game since it gets repetitive very quickly.

As for the game design and OST, it does not stand out either. The game characters have certain customization options but the expression is just one big smile all the time for all characters. 

But as for the game performance and input design, it is a banger. I tried running it on the most basic laptop and it still gave a really good performance without being plugged in. This allows party games of this format to be played by a larger group of people instead of spending a big chunk of money to play games these days. 

The game experience is fantastic Playing on PC, it supports third-party controllers because of Steam, as well as using Steam remote play touch controls as an additional controller. Tech-wise, the game has been done well. 

The Experience!

As for the game itself, certain game modes are absolutely interesting and thrilling. Idol game mode has always been a thriller, as for most of the game you’ll be encircling the bounce pads at the corner of the maps. Sumo mode on the other hand feels more like a Wild West-style attempt. In sumo mode due to the restriction of basic kick, you can only attempt one rollout which ends up in a do-or-die situation. 

The game modes overall will always keep the competition neck-to-neck no matter your experience with a controller, making it a great go-to party game when playing with newer audiences. 

As for what could have been done better, there is a list of pointers. The lack of support for a mouse and keyboard is a drawback. While controllers are becoming a common utility for PC gamers, it still does not mean that all players are going to have it. As far as the complexity of the game goes, there is no excuse for it to not have been included. This makes it easier for people who just have one controller and want to play with their friends. 

Most of the map design is static and plain. Complexity and platforming during game modes could have been more interesting, keeping sets fresh as you spend more time in the game. The Main Menu OST also gives the feeling of a discord add-on type game while the quality and polish are much higher. 

At last, the game price feels slightly higher for the amount of experience the game offers. 

Verdict

Pool Party is chaotic, well-polished, and easy to get into a party game. Making this game a good entry point for people who have not picked up a controller their entire lives. The mixture of game modes will keep you hooked through a session, but plain design will soon start boring you. Overall, the game does well for itself but is slightly higher priced for the bang it offers.