Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands

From the outset, the band's dynamic is reminiscent of a dysfunctional Metallica, perhaps most notably recalling the events in the documentary *Some Kind of Monster*. Ian, the gruff and arrogant skeletal character sporting what looks like a military helmet, constantly harps about "the show must go on" (classic Lars). Briff (Kirk), the group's quiet negotiator and diplomat, attempts to remind the singer, Faye (James), where she put her guitar before the upcoming concert, as they are already behind the curtain. The audience is growing impatient, and the boos are intensifying… so perhaps it's for the best that all of this was just a dream? After the opening sequence, it's clear that the band will reunite, pull themselves together, and storm the stage at the musical contest of the century, orchestrated by demons in… *Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands*.

Rock'n'roll, you bunch of bastards!

*Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands* had me in stitches within just 10 minutes. It's a perfectly balanced slapstick comedy, imbued with the same spirit that characterized the "insult sword fighting" of Ron Gilbert's renowned point-and-click adventure series, *The Secret of Monkey Island*. The fact is, I haven't laughed this much at a game in years, which alone is well worth the price of admission. Originally released on PC in 2023, it's now making its debut on all consoles. This wasn't a title that had ever caught my eye – I didn't even know it existed – but boy, is it a treat from start to finish. You can't even interact with the environment without giggling; it's brilliantly written from beginning to end, and you'll want to explore every nook and cranny, especially to soak in the richness of detail. Not a single millimeter of the game has been overlooked when it comes to peppering it with humor, and it hits the mark with every hand-drawn frame.

The game's dialogues are absolutely brilliant.

The game has been praised for its humor, and I completely understand why. For example, when I kick down a neighbor's door (that's how you open doors and chests in the game), the door ends up nailed to the wall inside, with varying results. There, I stumble upon an old bearded man slumped on his couch, who craves cheese, thus triggering a "side quest." The task is to retrieve cheese from the fridge located three meters away, on the middle shelf… a shelf that doesn't exist. I'm therefore forced to choose one of the many overpriced cheeses on the top or bottom shelf, which, of course, doesn't quite satisfy the old man's cheese craving. The guy adds a complication to the mission by specifying that the cheese is in blue packaging, and I return to the same fridge, where I can choose between red or gold packaging… The quest then culminates with the possibility that the cheese might actually be in the neighbor's fridge. And it continues like this until the end, with varying degrees of absurdity. There's no room for frustration when everything is so wildly unpredictable, as the goal is primarily to make the player smile.

The jokes, winks, and antics know no bounds.

I swear no one can play it without laughing, and that's enough to make it more than easy to recommend. Added to this are turn-based battles inspired by old-school JRPGs, but with, of course, a unique twist. Balancing your characters with attacks, abilities, and equipment is a feature most players of the genre are familiar with. New "riffs" (attacks), class mods, and "patches" that act as passive modifications. It takes a little time to get acquainted with the game's terminology (which, of course, is entirely self-aware). Forget "mana"; here, everything revolves around "hype."

Side quests include, among other things, expelling homeowners with the help of dogs wearing paperclips.

The battles themselves are also unique despite the basic formula, where it's your turn once your gauge is full. This same gauge is also divided into four sections ("measures") that can be affected by various status changes, both positive and negative. Being subjected to "pain," for example, means that as long as the needle moves along the gauge and crosses the affected section, the player takes damage. Similarly, "Speed" (for obvious reasons) moves the needle faster towards the next section, eventually allowing you to take your turn. All of this is fairly easy to understand, and the game explains all the mechanics very well.

I hope you understand that I had trouble choosing screenshots for this review.

Similarly, the game uses a somewhat peculiar system to manage your "Merch" (items). An energy drink restores your health once found, and a horn can inflict damage on the enemy, which, so far, isn't particularly remarkable. But the items themselves are not used based on the number you carry, as was traditionally the case, for example, in *Final Fantasy*. Instead, they are registered as fixed entries in what could be compared to an item database. It's then up to you to use what you want as many times as your "Stock" level allows, this global resource being shared by all your items and covering them all. Each time an item is used, your "Stock" decreases, with some items costing more to use than others. You can both increase this stock to have more uses and replenish it for free along the way by talking to the postmen you've defeated.

The combat is classic, turn-based, but the game puts its own spin on the formula.

So, you don't need to buy 30 revives and 60 potions in a shop, but rather buy and add a better version of the same item. Similarly, you can restore your health and Hype thanks to what Link would undoubtedly have called a "Fairy Fountain," recreated here in the form of ponds populated by singing fish, a recurring theme in the game. So, singing fish… it's so outlandish, yet incredibly funny at the same time.

*Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands* is an unknown gem that you're sure to enjoy if you like rock themes, good laughs, and turn-based combat with a touch of originality. In addition to its quirky design, where you never know what to expect around the corner, you're equally pleasantly surprised each time you discover a fantastic soundtrack with enchanting rhythms across all genres, as well as a boss theme that borrows notes from the classic *Master of Puppets*. The fact that I had never heard of this game before is a bit of a shame, because not only is it very good and well-thought-out, but it's also just as fun to play even before you launch it. Honestly, have you seen the game's title and the name of the trio's band?