Indie Review: Beast Boxing Turbo

Beast Boxing Turbo is an indie one-on-one fighting game created by Goodhustle Studios Inc, that focuses on fast-paced boxing with a unique twist. Is it worth the time, or just forgettable?

• Name: Beast Boxing Turbo
• Genre: Fighting
• Players: 1
• Multiplayer: N/A
• Platforms: PC, Mac
• Developer: Goodhustle Studios, Inc
• Publisher: Goodhustle Studios, Inc
• Price: R44.45 (currently on special for R26.64)
• Reviewed On: PC

You can buy the game on Desura.

Beast Boxing Turbo is an indie one-on-one fighting game created by Goodhustle Studios Inc, that focuses on fast-paced boxing with a unique twist. Instead of doing the rounds with normal boxers, you’ll go fist-to-fist with all kinds of monsters and beasts. It’s a simple twist that, together with the more arcade fighting system, makes for an extremely addictive and entertaining game that you won’t want to put down. In the game you’ll play as a determined girl who, through a disguise, hides the fact that she’s human so that she can participate in the monster boxing tournaments. Outmuscled, undersized and in over her head, it’s your job to hone your skills and make it to the top of the legendary boxing leagues of Beasthalla. It’s a simple premise that gives the game all it needs to have by means of story.

The gameplay surprisingly nails the concept of being simple to play and difficult to master. You can freely set the controls to whatever you feel comfortable with, which is great. But for a basic idea, you’ll move from side to side with directional keys, and hold down to block. There are two punch buttons, of course for left and right jabs, and you can hold down them in combination with the directional keys to perform power punches and uppercuts. The game uses three mechanics to make its fighting intense and skill-focused. The first is a power meter, which drains as you attack or get attacked. The lower the bar, the less damage you do. If it depletes, you’ll become significantly slower for a short while until it recharges, so you’ll need to avoid incoming hits. Next is a Guard Meter, which shows a little portrait that tells you whether you, or your opponent, are open to attack. Finally, there’s a special bar, which builds up each time you land a hit, but drops to zero if you take a hit or run out of energy. When it maxes out, your fists will ignite and you’ll become extremely fast and deal maximum damage for a short duration or until you’re hit. It’s an elegant system, and these three mechanics really make the fights intense.

If that isn’t already great, the game manages to make each fight feel very different to the last, which is really admirable. Usually you’d expect to fight the same fights but against different-looking enemies, but here your tactics and approach will need to vary. Enemy styles and special moves really mix things up well, and bring a pleasant sense of challenge to the experience. For example, there is one fighter who specialises in fitness, and when you take him down in the final round, he’ll return for one last, small bout. Then there’s a fighter that is all about aggression and power, and you’ll need to be on your guard and jab when there are openings. You’ll have a trainer along the way who will give you tips on how to beat your opposition, and whenever you are successful, a new tutorial will be unlocked to teach you more about the game mechanics. They’re helpful, as things can get really brutal in its later stages.

Furthermore, you’ll also earn money from each fight which is used to improve your skills and buy gear for permanent enhancements. Your skills range from damage you deal, to endurance to faster movement and increase block ability, while gear comes in the form of armour and totems. You can only equip one of each type of course, so you’ll need to be wary of trade-offs and what you need in any given fight. It’s great to see so much of content in the game, and whether you win or lose a fight, you’ll always be progressing as the money you earn will help you improve. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that losing is part of the game against the stronger opponents, who you may not always take down on your first try. But the consolation prize you get is always helpful in making you better equipped to fight. That, and of course the fact that you can have a rematch with anyone you’ve previously beaten. While the pay will be lower, it’s still a good way to earn money and save up for whatever it is that you want to get.

Outside of the main campaign, there is also an Endless mode, where you start with your base character stats and there is only one round per match with no recovery in between. The idea is to make it into the All Time Hall of Fame, and do the best that you can. The game has a lot of content and it will surely keep you busy for quite some time. The only unfortunate thing is that you do find yourself wishing for a versus mode, because it would be seriously amazing to take on a friend split-screen or randoms online, but of course you can still have a blast in single-player, and for this price it’s absolutely worth it.

The visuals and sound effects in Beast Boxing Turbo are just fantastic, and the art style is really well done. Monster designs are great and packed with detail, and they’re each unique not just in their appearances but in their voices and animations as well. Speaking of, the animation is top notch in this game, and fights really feel intense and fast-paced, making them highly enjoyable. The soundtrack is also pretty kick-ass, really getting you into the zone for these fights. The elements come together best when you land that knock out punch and feel an extreme degree of sadistic satisfaction, and really it’s worth going through all struggle for that moment. I just love the art style of this game, and it really is excellent with plenty of variety in stages and characters. The soundtrack is just the cherry on top.

Beast Boxing Turbo doesn’t require you to be a boxing fan to love it, and it’s just awesome fun to play and gives you a great challenge. You’ll keep coming back to it, and it’s worth it at every turn. It really is a steal for this price, and a purchase is highly recommended. This is a gem from Goodhustle Studios.