Terrifier’s Art the Clown is one of the few horror characters to properly break into the slasher canon in recent years, and now he’s back in video game form. In Terrifier: The ARTcade Game, players get to play as the deadly clown and his friends as they wreck an attempt at making a horror movie about the events of the previous films. It’s a goofy meta take on the franchise that is surprisingly charming for what is otherwise a pretty basic beat ’em up that will appeal to the horror movie’s older fanbase.
Gameplay is definitely on the simple side, as it is meant to replicate the arcade brawlers of yesteryear. You’ve got basic and strong melee attacks, many disposable weapons to pick up from enemies, plus a special attack that you get from delivering brutal finishing moves to dying foes. The best strategy is typically to just keep staggering enemies with a basic attack rather than knocking them down with a combo, so combat doesn’t feel as fleshed out as TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, Streets of Rage 4, or other recent standouts in the genre.
Sadly, enemy designs get reused a ton throughout the levels, so combat can get a bit repetitive despite the game only having seven levels and lasting a few hours. However, the game’s meta conceit of an in-universe film being made does lead to some pretty fun boss fights. Exaggerated versions of horror legend Tom Savini and Terrifier director Damien Leone appear as boss fights, which is a real treat for horror fans. Not only are these fights the coolest from a plot perspective, they’re also the most interesting from a mechanical standpoint, as they’ll force you to avoid powerful attacks as you learn to recognize patterns. Some additional regular enemies would’ve been great but the boss fights and meta element make this a story mode worth playing.
The game also supports local co-op play with up to four players. Besides Art the Clown, you can also play as the Little Pale Girl from Terrifier 2, the evil version of Vicky, and, inexplicably, Chris Jericho’s nurse character named Adam Burke (a wacky inclusion I fully support because it’s Chris F’n Jericho). If possible, I recommend playing with a friend since the number of on-screen enemies later in the game can overwhelm solo players, which leads to some of the few frustrating moments as you are getting attacked as soon as you get up from a previous attack.
In addition to the main game, there are several different modes to keep the fun going. The boss rush wound up being my favorite, as I found fighting the bosses a lot more rewarding than the more repetitive basic enemies. There’s also a standard time attack mode, plus a wave-based mode that has you going through 100 rooms full of enemies and occasional bosses. If you wind up digging the gameplay, there are plenty of ways to keep playing.
Terrifier: The ARTcade Game Review: Final Verdict
Terrifier: The ARTcade Game is a throwback to the type of licensed titles I miss. Is it lacking some polish and depth compared to the genre’s best? Sure, but there’s a real love for the franchise, and it’s a fun time that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Fans of the films will get a real kick out of the meta story mode, and it’s a solid way to spend a couple of hours with a buddy or two who want to see Art cause some mayhem.
SCORE: 7.5/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 7.5 equates to “Good.” A successful piece of entertainment that is worth checking out, but it may not appeal to everyone.
Disclosure: The publisher provided a digital PS5 copy for our Terrifier: The ARTcade Game review. Reviewed on version 1.000.003.
