You know the feeling. It’s 3am, you have to work in the morning, and ear plugs aren’t working. Your neighbors decided that it was a good time for a party and your bed is shaking from the horrible music. Party Hard might provide a little stress release in that department.
By tinyBuild, Party Hard is a stealth strategy game where your only mission is to stop the party by any means necessary. Let’s see how this quirky game stacks up.
Story
Party Hard tells the story of the Party Hard Killer. You. A poor soul who just wants to get some sleep at 3am. Your answer is to murder every last living soul at the party and then dance over your masterpiece. That’s it. That’s the premise of the game.
There are cut scenes in between each level, but by no means is it supposed to be taken seriously. The dialogue and voice acting are way over the top. The two characters, an interviewer and a cop taken off the case, discuss the murders and how they can’t find the person responsible.
There are other characters to unlock through completing levels and achievements, but your starting character is really just a guy who wants some sleep.
Graphics
With pixel graphics, Party Hard definitely gets the job done. They’re, of course, basic, but that’s all you need. It’s obvious what’s going on at any point: explosions, blood, fires, etc. There were a few issues though since some objects were smaller than others: in one level, I had trouble finding the phone. It was only after a party-goer discovered one of my victims and called the cops that I found it. For the most part though, useable objects have notifications when you approach and are relatively easy to find.
The game doesn’t need a lot, so even low end computers should have no issues.
Audio
Did I mention the godawful voice acting? It’s very obvious it was on purpose and it’s definitely funny, but I found myself wanting to skip it after a while. The music that plays during the party too is another thing I just wanted to end, but, again, that’s the point. You want the party to stop just so the music stops. I had it stuck in my head when I went to bed last night, this morning when I woke up, and… right now as a matter of fact.
As frustrating as the audio can be, that really is the entire point.
Gameplay
Party Hard takes seconds to learn how to play. Aside from moving, all you really need to do is murder, dance, use objects, and move bodies around. I played using a keyboard, but it has full controller support.
You can kill your victims a variety of ways. Good old stabbing will get the trick done most of the time, if no one is watching anyway. You also have your choice of using vehicles, bombs, horses, poison, fires, and more. Perform certain actions and the unrelenting SWAT team will show up, knocking everyone out. Don’t want someone to come across a murder scene and call the cops? Throw them off the roof or hide them in the dumpster.
Unsure of your next plan? Use the phone to call your “friends.” I had shady salesmen, exterminators, bodyguards, bombers, and more show up to assist in my murders. Run from cops long enough and they’ll give up with an “I’m too old for this.” The list of actions you can take can go on and on. Each level depends on the items you’re given, items you find, and your strategy.
Party Hard is an exercise in patience. Running headfirst into the fray will not get you anywhere. You need to strategize and plan each kill. A murder in the wrong spot could have others running for the phone. For example, one level, after poisoning the food, I dragged all the drunk, unconscious people I could into one room….and lit it on fire. After the fire was out, I stayed near that room, murdering anyone who wandered in and hiding their bodies in a trunk. The waiting game takes a while, but definitely gets the job done.
I did have a few issues with the gameplay. The game froze several times and forced me to close and restart. It didn’t seem to have a reason. Also, there is no Steam Cloud support for Party Hard. It’s easy enough to catch up, but you can’t move between computers on this one.
Verdict
Party Hard is definitely an enjoyable game. It’s a great choice for nights where you want to play something, but aren’t quite sure what to choose. I found myself often starting it while looking to kill some time. The replayability is limited however. After all, there are only so many ways you can kill a person before it gets old and outstays its welcome. The game is the perfect length to avoid that but it can be a good stress relief from time to time.
Recently, the developers also released an update that allows your Twitch viewers to influence your game, by helping or hampering. I will definitely be trying that out in the near future.
So would I recommend Party Hard? Absolutely. While it does have some very minor issues, there is no denying it’s fun and will provide plenty of laughs. It’s a perfect addition to your Steam library.
Check out Party Hard on Steam.
