Game Review: Anger Foot (PC)

Anger Foot has publisher Devolver Digital’s fingerprints all over it. I bet it didn’t take developer Free Lives much persuading for the left-field PC game publisher to pick the game up. 

From the same twisted minds that gave us Broforce, Gorn and…Genital Jousting, Anger Foot is a simple enough idea. It’s a title that sticks to its core gameplay like Croteam’s Serious Sam games. Anger Foot is a first-person shooter that mainly involves kicking down doors, and booting enemies, as well as, of course, shooting stuff up.

The stylised, cartoonish visuals bring the crime-ridden S**t City (yep) to life. It’s a place ruled by factions, each a specialist in a certain type of crime. 

Our green-skinned protagonist is on a mission after a backstreet sneaker/kicks/trainer purchase goes south. After resecuring the rare sneakers for his collection, bad guys rob him of his prized possessions leading him on a kicking and shooting frenzy to find out who took his shoes.

The game features a thumping soundtrack that should be annoying, but strangely, it isn’t. It also serves as a cue for when enemies are still about in the area and as a beat for the bad guys as they twerk over your dead body should you get taken out.

Each area introduces new enemies armed with everything from bats to shotguns. Some throw grenades, which you can (satisfyingly) kick right back at them. It’s not mindless, though, you’ll need to sometimes carefully choreograph your actions to traverse some of the busier areas. 

The difficulty level is a bit all over the place. The game tends to get a bit more fiendish as you progress through each stage. Occasionally, though, I came across wicked areas that required Matrix-style precision to succeed. 

To mix things up, if you die, you are straight back to the beginning of the level. However, this old-school, no save point game mechanic isn’t a problem, as the game is so tantalisingly moreish. Each time I died, I got straight back up and tried again. One area had me beat for over an hour, but never once did I feel like putting the game down. It’s a testament to a great game.

Completing levels and special challenges rewards players with stars that can be traded for new sneakers. Each pair of sneakers grants a special ability, such as kicking enemies upward, big-headed bad guys or an extra life. The challenges aren’t too demanding, encouraging replaying levels as speed runs, taking no damage, or kicking enemies only.

For a game so tongue-in-check with such a weird cartoonish look, it doesn’t hold back with the violence. There’s a fair amount of blood and gore as you kick, shoot and explode your way through the levels. The game’s bizarre premise, over-the-top violence and simple but enjoyable gameplay put a smile on my face.    

Overall, Anger Foot is enormous fun. It’s a game you can pick up and have a quick blast with, but you’ll probably find it very hard to put down.

Verdict: 8.5/10