Headsnatchers is currently an early access indie title only available on Steam, with other platforms getting added in the future. It’s a party game that is centered around stealing heads from other players, hence the title ‘Headsnatchers’.
Before you start a match in Headsnatchers, you have to pick a character to play with. They all have the same body, but their heads are all uniquely designed using colorful visuals and a charming art style that makes the avatars look like candy. If the many pre-designed heads are not to your liking, you can also design your own. Once you and your opponents have picked an avatar, you then get to choose the level(s) you want to play in. There are many levels to choose from and what makes them so great is that they each have their own unique criteria to win a match.
The gameplay of Headsnatchers consists out of two parts, with the first being the stealing of the other players’ heads. To steal someone’s head, you have to tackle a player’s avatar to make them fall over and unable to move for a few seconds. Then, you have to run over to them and rip off its head. If you are successful in doing so, you then have to carry the head over to a predetermined location in the level and fulfill a certain task to win the match, which is the second part of the gameplay. As I‘ve said earlier, these criteria differ in every level. For example: in one level you have to simple toss a head over a goal post to win, while in another you have to first use the head to conjure a spell and then toss it into a portal to appease a Lovecraftian god. Doing so is not an easy job, though. While your opponent’s head might be in your possession, he can still move his body and tackle you in an attempt to get his head back. It especially is challenging when you’re playing with three other players. The gameplay sounds simple, but having to compete against three other people makes it a chaotic, yet fun part experience that is guaranteed to create some hilarious moments.
While Headsnatchers is advertised as a party game, I was pleasantly surprised that the developers included a game mode that is specifically designed for solo players. I say game mode but it is almost a separate game. Instead of playing the party game against bots, you get to play a lite platformer game that’s called ‘Zombie Castle’. In this mode, you infiltrate a castle after a buddy gets kidnapped by one of its inhabitants. You then have to traverse the interior by jumping on platforms, avoiding hazards and punching zombies that are in your way. It’s not as deeply developed as platformers like Super Mario Odyssey, but it is a nice addition to the game and it managed to keep my attention for a while.
One thing I have to mention is the overall presentation of the game. If I didn’t check the developer’s website beforehand and you told me the team behind the game consists out of a mere 10 people, I wouldn’t believe you. The art style and visual quality is nothing short of amazing and shows how much care the developers have put into the game. Like I said earlier, the art style seems to go after a candy-like look and is mixed with bright colors and great lighting effects. It also has taken inspiration from Japanese TV-shows (it even displays Japanese translations of menu titles, even though the developers are from Chile). The only minor issue I have with it is that the background of some levels is a simple wallpaper with the level itself being 3D objects floating in the air. This is not the case in all of the levels but it is a little jarring to see, especially when all the rest of the visuals are fantastic.
Conclusion
Honestly, Headsnatchers has a big chance to be one of my favorite party games of all time. The party gameplay is simple, fun and varied, especially when you’re playing with the maximum amount of players. The visuals and inclusion of the Zombie Castle mode that is made specifically for solo players show how much care has been put into this game. I highly recommend this to fans of party games.
