Is this more than just another beat-em-up clone?

Defeat a group of Animatronics that come to life in Willy’s Wonderland! Willy’s Wonderland – The Game is a 2.5D beat ‘em up game based on the cult film of the same name, in which a group of Animatronics come to life and slaughter people who dare visit Willy’s Wonderland. Players take control of either The Janitor or Liv as they face the hordes of evil commanded by the nefarious Animatronics – Tito Turtle, Siren Sara, Arty Alligator, Cammy Chameleon, Willy Weasel and more!

I have to admit, I hadn’t heard of Willy’s Wonderland before this. But obviously, I’m familiar with creepy animatronics in the form of FNAF, so I had an idea of what to expect in terms of the premise. What I wasn’t expecting was that the game wouldn’t rely on it’s horror aspect, but instead turn it into a 2.5D beat-em-up like Streets of Rage. It sounds like it could be a good idea, but what’s the reality?

The truth is that it’s just not that fun to play. I found it to be dull with bad hit detection and even though the game is relatively cheap at around £4-5, it just doesn’t feel worth it. Combat itself feels slow and clunky, the enemies lack any real challenge or variety and once you’ve finished the game, there’s literally no reason to come back.

It’s a shame because I can see the potential in there for a decent beat-em-up, but it almost instantly feels like a chore, which is the polar opposite to what a game like this is meant to feel like. The visuals are average but have a nice art style, while the framerate holds up and the soundtrack isn’t too bad overall. There are no differences in performace between the PS5 and Series X versions.

The Verdict

Willy’s Wonderland – The Game feels like it should have been a decent beat-em-up, but instead it’s incredibly dull, repetitive and clunky to boot. One to avoid.

Score: 4.0

Disclosure: I received a free review copy of this product from https://www.keymailer.co