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Four Player Tangerine Fight review

Dirge Studio’s new title “Four Player Tangerine Fight” sees the return of Herman, the overworked and under appreciated hero for this generation’s white collar workers. Herman apparently hadn’t vented enough in the first game, so he’s back again armed with cool shades, a batch of tangerines, and a handful of powerups that keep the fun (and fruit) flying in this amusing take on arena combat. Priced at 80 :MSPoints:, Four Player Tangerine Fight is a quality multiplayer title easily accessible to anyone who wants some simple player versus player action that pays homage to the early days of gaming.

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Hermans navigate each fixed stage littered with cabinets, ladders, and powerups in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Local players can face off by choosing one of an assortment of palette-swapped Hermans with which to do battle against…up to three other palette-swapped Hermans. It would have been nice to have some of Herman’s foes from the previous game as selectable player characters, but setting Herman against Herman (against Herman against Herman?) has profoundly deep symbolism, wouldn’t you agree? If not, insert your own excuse here.

Consulting the Controls page reveals FPTF’s keymapping structure. Instead of words, however, a narrative illustration either confuses or amuses the player. Those unfamiliar with Herman’s antics might not understand at first what the images are attempting to convey, but the game’s elementary foundation gives plenty of time to learn on your own.

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Ladders and Herman’s digging allow for level climbing as characters chase or evade others, cabinets block horizontal progress, and powerups in the form of speed and damage increases define FPTF’s gameplay. The sometimes confusing powerups are only available periodically, so players tend to haul off in a mad dash when certain key boosts (such as damage) appear. Ammo Refills, Health Upgrades, Surprise Packages, Ammo Upgrades, Upgrade Frequency, Ladders, and Cabinets are all variables that can be manipulated at the host’s whim.

Hand-drawn Hermans do battle against attractive backdrops that rotate out as the rounds change. Voice-acting helps to clarify which powerups you’ve picked up, and it’s always a nice bonus to hear someone announce that you rule. The soundtrack features surprisingly entertaining music that even includes a rendition of the Hokey Pokey. All in all, this simple-yet-whimsical packaging is a good fit for FPTF; isn’t that what it’s all about? Go to the game’s settings and try to adjust the Awesome factor. Do it.

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Four Player Tangerine Fight isn’t a campaign-heavy title. In fact, it really has no story arc at all. Players who tried the predecessor title Herman may feel a little more appreciation than others at seeing the titular protagonist return for this family-friendly, fruity free-for-all, but even the name of the game ensures that FPTF never pretends to be more than it is. You get what you pay for with FPTF, and that is a fun waste of time for two to four local players at a bargain price.

Four Player Tangerine Fight costs 80 :MSPoints: and more information can be found on the Marketplace as well as the trial and full version of the game.

Review by Iggypu

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