Game Information
Game Title: Foamstars
Platforms:
- PlayStation 5 (Feb 7, 2024)
- PlayStation 4 (Feb 7, 2024)
Trailers:
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX CO. LTD.
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 65 average - 60% recommended - 5 reviews
Critic Reviews
CGMagazine - Jordan Biordi - 6 / 10
Foamstars isn’t terrible, but its uninspired gameplay, deficit of content, and obscene monetization make it a forgettable experience.
Eurogamer - Kaan Serin - 3 / 5
Foamstars is a serviceable paintballer in the vein of Splatoon, lathered with some wild lore and underwhelming hero shooter elements.
Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 7 / 10
Foamstars is a colourful, unique, and entertaining shooter. The modes and characters on offer at launch are fun twists on genre staples, and the central foam mechanic is a playful addition with some potential for strategy. It’s lighthearted, fast-paced fun with plenty of style. While the steep microtransactions and the so-so co-op missions keep it from being squeaky clean, there’s a lot to like about this bubbly multiplayer title.
Screen Rant - Carrie Lambertsen - 3.5 / 5
There is so much good to say about Foamstars, with its quirky characters and cheerfully energizing feel. While at launch the matches do not feel entirely balanced, that will even out with time, yet the microtransactions look as though they could only get worse. Currently, Foamstars is free on PS Plus for anyone to try it out, but after March 5th anyone who does not already have the game downloaded will have to purchase it for $29.99. That price, combined with the costs of Premium Seasonal Passes and in-game store purchases can quickly add up and is overwhelming. Cosmetic items don’t have to be purchased, of course, but to be faced with that many instances of trying to get players to spend money simply feels much dirtier than a soap-filled game ever should.
The Game Crater - Chris Melnyk - 5 / 10
Foamstars tries to bring something new to the table but has almost immediately been drowned out thanks to its repetitiveness.
When I tried it, the worst part is actually trying to see what’s going on. When you shoot the foam, it builds up little hills of foam over time, which changes the landscape. You can run up on it and whatnot until the other team tears it down.
But what it also means is that you now have these new obstacles you can’t see over or around, so the combat is just hard to keep up with. At least for me.
And I actually thought it’d be more like Splatoon, but in the end here the main game mode is still killing the other team members a certain number of times.
It’s all not terrible, honestly. But it makes me want to play Splatoon instead of more Foamstars.
Looks like Splatoon at home doesn’t have the same appeal as Pokemon at home (note: just using “at home” to note similarity, not to downplay quality).
I haven’t tried this, so can’t really compare it myself, but if we are comparing this to Splatoon (which seems reasonable in terms of appeal if not completely in terms of gameplay), I can already see a difference, and in my opinion a huge problem.
Microtransactions. Very bad case of them according to lots of reviews.
Well, bye then.
Surprising nobody, this game looks dead on arrival. Better luck next time, square enix.
We must return to EXTREME PAINTBRAWL! One of the funniest reviews I had read in PCGamer magazine.
