Anger Foot Review

Keep your screen-wiping Tetris plays, your no-damage runs, and your Trophy pops– the single most satisfying action in gaming is giving a grunt a solid foot punch. Whether it’s the Spartan, double drop, or classic variety, the humble kick is always good for a dopamine hit, but they’re not all built the same. Effectiveness plays a role, so does the travel distance of the target, and you can’t downplay the meatiness of the connecting thwack either. But the best of the best kicks have an intangible quality that just feels right. I’m not sure what the recipe is for the perfect punt, but developer Free Lives certainly does, because Anger Foot has the best boot in the business.

As batshit wild as the game’s grungy punk-rock aesthetic, our hero’s call to action is the theft of his fabled sneaker collection, lifted by the no nonsense Violence Gang. Swearing to enact revenge and reclaim your prized pumps, you lace up and hit the streets of Shit City. From the minds behind GORN, some tongue-in-cheek humour was almost guaranteed, but the team have outdone themselves here. From the offbeat dialogue that lambasts corporate life to the simple fact that the title for Shit City’s appointed government official is Crime Minister, the satirical hits fire off at a mile a minute.

The basic objective of each level is as simple as it gets: find the exit and walk through it. But, the various gangs of Shit City aren’t keen on returning your goods, so you’ll need to deal with all manner of goons looking to put you down. Thankfully, every day is leg day for Anger Foot (yes, that’s his name), so enemies, doors, furniture…nothing within these levels is safe.

Public transport, am I right? 

Most enemies can be dealt with in a single blow, but you’re a bit squishy yourself and your muscular legs only reach so far, so you’ll need to pair your pair with some firepower. Pistols, shotguns, and SMGs will keep you busy in the opening area, with rifles, plungers, and miniguns rounding out your arsenal as you progress.

Playing like an old-schooler boomer shooter, you’re firing from the hip only, with a generous aim assist keeping you semi-accurate, something which becomes damn-near necessary in the later levels. There’s no reloading to be found here either, so, once you’ve run your gun dry, just launch it at an enemy’s head to stun them. In Shit City this actually qualifies as recycling.

Each well-made level is blisteringly short, with the lengthiest clocking in at around three minutes, and once you find your groove, gameplay is unbelievably frenetic. Kicking, shooting, and throwing your way through room after room of hapless goons will get your heart rate up, and the game’s aggressive soundtrack will keep it there, building as you approach a door and blaring into action as you kick it down.

Damn, I’m about 3cm off

Each level has optional objectives, from only using your feet to clearing it in a certain timeframe. Meeting these will grant you stars that are used to unlock new shoes, and they’re more than just a fashion statement. Acting as powerups or gameplay modifiers, changing your dog kennels can do anything from grant you an extra life to bestow you with an insane charged kick. More than just a novelty, these can drastically alter how you approach a level, and unlocking a new shoe always feels important as a result.

Each district is comprised of roughly 15 levels, culminating in a boss fight with the relevant gang’s leader. Each boss has their own gimmick and weakness but being chucked into an open arena and set upon by a single, big baddy feels a bit antithetical to Anger Foot’s otherwise bombastically fast action. I’d say I enjoyed two out of the four, which isn’t a dreadful batting average, but I did see them as a roadblock to clear before getting back to the action.

The variety on offer across the seven-eight-hour campaign is impressive, not just in the weapons available, but the mission types and enemy variants as well. Bat-wielding crocs, machete-waving rats, and riot police pigeons are eventually joined by a bunch of snakes in a coat, gimp-suited spiders, and all sorts of other whacky crap. Add in an occasional mission that has you driving a car (with your feet) or running from a deluge of pythons, and you’ve got a concoction that will keep you guessing until the credits roll.

Keeping both feet on the wheel like a road-safe warrior 

While I love the over-the-topness of it all, some levels take the more is more approach, with some hitting, and others feeling a little messy. Blasting objects around the environment is hilarious, but it can get in the way; I had more than a few moments where objects blocked my exit or trapped me in a corner. Sometimes I could manoeuvre my way out of the pickle, but in a game designed for people to attempt speedruns, this could cause huge frustrations. Thankfully, if you die or otherwise restart, you’re instantly back at the opening of the level, so it’s largely no harm done.

Final Thoughts

I spoke in my preview about Anger Foot having that special something that makes games like Hotline Miami so addictive and multiple hours and many, many doors later, I stand by my early claim. The simple, tight gameplay moves at a frankly ridiculous pace, and the constant barrage of new elements keeps you experimenting to move just that little bit faster. The bosses are a bit hit-and-miss, and the insanity could’ve been reigned in a tad here and there, but that hardly gets in the way of this blisteringly good time. And hey, even if it did, it’s nothing that a bit of sole food won’t fix.

Reviewed on PC // Review code supplied by publisher

Click here for more information on WellPlayed’s review policy and ethics