Developer: Fika Productions
Publisher: Team17
Release Date: November 22nd, 2022
Platforms: Xbox, PlayStation, Switch & PC
Reviewed on: Xbox Series S
▫️ Code provided by the publisher ▫️
Ship of Fools came out of nowhere for me. When I was approached to review the game I hadn’t even heard the name, and so I quickly pulled up a trailer on YouTube to try and get an idea of what I was letting myself in for. What I saw was a beautiful art style, reminiscent of Hades and frantic gameplay. It’s safe to say I was drawn in from there.
The game starts with you washing up on a beach with amnesia. That old chestnut. You quickly find out that the archipelago has been covered in darkness and it is up to you to sail the seas and restore light to the Great Lighthouse. The story may be a little thin on the ground, but it does a serviceable job of setting the scene for the gameplay that follows. Plus you will meet some fun side characters along the way that will return to your base of operations.
Essentially, Ship of Fools is a roguelite. As tends to be the case in these types of games, you can expect to get your ass kicked early doors. The key is to just keep in mind that this is all part of the process. Not only are you gaining knowledge of the game’s rules, the combat and the various enemy types, but you are also earning upgrade points which can be used to increase your health, strengthen your ship, upgrade your canons and more.
The game can be played both solo or in co-op. I started my journey solo, which is a totally viable way to play. However, there was a feeling almost like playing Overcooked by yourself (which is interestingly another Team17 game). The game does its best to help you when you do try to go it alone, but there is just a sense that a piece of the puzzle is missing.
Thankfully the ship sails itself, leaving you to focus fully on the combat – which is just as well because you’ll be kept busy. Your ship has two canons and one will auto-fire when playing single-player, leaving you to focus on the other. When playing with another player, you’ll be in full control of both canons along with the rest of the melee and fetching tasks.
There is no sense that the AI isn’t pulling its weight when you do go solo, but canons aren’t the only method of warding over the various sea creatures you find yourself up against. Melee combat when enemies get close to your ship is vital, as is fetching ammo. For this reason, the best way to play Ship of Fools is with a friend, whether that be remotely or via couch co-op. The two most effective methods my shipmate and I found were taking a side of the ship each, or one mans the canons while the other handles melee and reloading.
Progression takes the form of a hexagonal map that changes from run to run. You choose which tile you want to go to next, with handy markings on each one giving you an indication as to what you’ll find on each stop as you plot your way across the seas. This is where the game turns quite tactical, as you’ll need to choose locations that will reward you with items you are running low on. You may need boards to fix your ship or want to take a chance on earning a big reward. There is always a risk and reward factor at play though, with the enemies in each area posing a significant challenge.
With each passing turn, your map is also taken over by the Everlasting Storm. Entering this will trigger the area’s boss fight, so you should be very careful when you decide to proceed. Going in when not properly stocked up and with low defences will not end well. You can expect to be sunk and have to restart fairly often, but once you get your head around the aforementioned “no wasted run” battle cry, death just becomes a process. This leads to a real sense of accomplishment when you get further than ever before or take down a challenging boss. This is definitely where Ship of Fools succeeds most, in drip-feeding you that sense that you are improving each time.
Most of the achievements/trophies will unlock naturally during your voyage. These include finding characters in the world, defeating bosses and a few miscellaneous combat objectives. However, if you want the full 1000G or the platinum expect a really tough challenge trying to complete a run without taking damage and a grind in buying all upgrades and defeating 10,000 sea monsters.
VALUE: £11.99 is excellent value. If this one sinks its tentacles into you, you’ll spend hours at sea.
Overall I really enjoyed my time with Ship of Fools. It plays well solo but really comes into its own in co-op. For maximum effectiveness, I definitely suggest teaming up with someone you have a good rapport with. Quick thinking and fluid teamwork will be key to your success at sea.
-Mark