Fluster Cluck Review (PS4)

Only a few weeks ago was I writing about how not to make a local multiplayer game after my disappointing experience with In Space We Brawl. At that point I didn’t think it could get any worse than that. Fluster Cluck has completely proven that wrong – it can. The game’s humorous, and slightly ironic, title of Fluster Cluck is probably the best thing the game has going for it.

In Fluster Cluck you play as an employee of a massive poultry corporation, with your assignment being to turn animals into chickens or ‘chikkens’ to supply to the galaxy. It’s a strange concept to say the least and one that isn’t expanded enough during the game.

During the campaign levels you have to turn as many camels, cows or zombies into chickens as possible by picking them up with your flying saucer and dropping them on the chicken converter. You’ll be up against the clock and three other players (which can be human opposition), meaning you will need to finish top to progress to the next levels. The flying saucer is equipped with turrets too so there is a combat element to the game. This is really all there is to the game.

The level design is uninspiring. Aside from a few changes in scenery the levels feel completely bare and poorly laid out. To make matters worse the clunky handling of the flying saucers makes manoeuvring the levels a frustrating task. It will probably take you more than a few attempts to even turn into a narrow path.

The gameplay doesn’t improve when it comes to the combat either. The cannons of your little spaceship don’t pose much of a threat at all. After continuous fire on an opposition’s spaceship you’ll be left wondering if you’re actually firing blanks. You can either fire using the R2 button or the right analogue stick. However, using buttons gives you no accuracy whatsoever and the analogue stick is tied to the spaceships movement so you’re left with a hugely inaccurate weapon. There are also special pick-ups, such as shields, that add to the combat but these also feel weak and a little pointless.

Picking up cows or camels and transferring them to the converter isn’t easy either. The game manages to make this so much harder than it should be that in the end it becomes laughable. You will be lucky if you manage to drop the cow on the convertor first time even whilst hovering right above it. It’s incredibly hit and miss.

Its only redeeming feature could have been the split screen multiplayer, but this also misses the mark. Sadly it just isn’t fun at all. The clunky controls, boring level design and silly concept results in an unenjoyable experience. After a dozen or so rounds of multiplayer my friends that were helping me test out the split screen actually refused to play the game anymore. This really sums up the experience you will have from Fluster Cluck.

I don’t think I could ever find myself recommending Fluster Cluck to anyone; it’s probably the worst game I’ve ever played. It’s fails in so many departments, and like In Space We Brawl, pales in comparison to other local multiplayer games currently out on the PlayStation 4.

Score: 1/10