Duck Game

If you're looking for a decent single-screen multiplayer game in the same vein as TowerFall and Smash Bros., then {Duck Game} should most definitely be your next quack of call. This is a fantastic pixelated multiplayer game where players, up to four at a time, take control of ass-kicking ducks, put on hats, and fight to the death in hugely entertaining battles, all the while running around, sliding and quacking. That sounds silly - it is - but it's also glorious fun in both local and online multiplayer.

It comes with a selection of different levels to play on, but is being constantly expanded upon by users through the Steam Workshop with new levels and hats. More importantly the rounds are quick and unrelenting. In-between matches we're whisked off to an athletics track where the ducks throw a marker down to show their current overall score; it's a nice touch that we're taken there at various points in a match, not just at the end for a final reckoning: we can see the competition evolve over time.

What we like best about {Duck Game} is the potential for finesse and elegance; it doesn't take much practice before your sliding through the levels and taking out your opponents with any and all of the huge variety of imaginative weapons dropped on each level. Even though there is an exuberant amount of chaos on screen at any given moment in time this is still a game with a lot of depth that rewards expert play through stylish moves, and there's often pulsating encounters with enemies that unfold in satisfying ways.

There's a decent selection of customisation options, with each duck able to equip a hat to differentiate them on the battlefield, and this headgear can mean an already absurd game becomes even more ridiculous, but in a good way. Matches can be customised with map selections, round length and modifiers, although a slight annoyance is that the modifiers need to be unlocked through the single-player trials.

Trials are on offer for players wanting to hone their skills outside of the arena, and it's not long before the challenge ramps considerably and advancing becomes difficult. They're worth tackling though, as completion will leave you better equipped to quack down your enemies in battle.

Overall {Duck Game} is a near perfect multiplayer game, and it comes with plenty of wacky charm and rock solid mechanics that ensure a fast and fair experience. The online side of the game is decent, only dragged down by the lack of host migration and slow lobby times, thus it's at its most brilliant when played locally in the company of friends. If you're after a new party game, put this at the top of your list.