Knuckle Sandwich‘s ridiculous sense of humor and its involved, minigame-based RPG combat made for a wonderful time at PAX East 2020.
It’s been a while since we last got to head to the world of strange employment, cults, and Warioware-inspired throwdowns, but after a short time with a demo version of the game, it’s definitely good to be back. In this demo, I found myself in some sort of underground warehouse, talking silly business with my fellow party member and scrapping with a variety of troublemaking rats and skeletons.
Combat can often get tiresome in turn-based RPGs. Once you know the strategies, it can feel like you’re just on autopilot. This game throws you into silly games, like having to guide a starship into battle against a flying coffin that’s flinging bones at you, in order to avoid taking damage. Your own attacks also cause other simple games to play out, making combat feel deeply involved and filled with humorous moments. This may be the first time I’ve ever looked forward to being attacked by enemies in an RPG.
It’s not all complicated minigames, as it also draws from the timing-based combat of Super Mario RPG and Shadow Hearts. You need to tap with the proper timing to dole out extra hits, or weave around basic enemy hits, which all kept my mind on each fight. That these all accompanied funny battle situations, funny attacks, and outlandish plot events gave Knuckle Sandwich this ability to constantly surprise and delight. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with an RPG since Undertale, and am looking forward to seeing the entire game (hopefully soon).
Knuckle Sandwich is currently in development, but in the meantime, you can add it to your Steam Wishlist.
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