Funko Fusion: Gorpo, He-Man and More Memories

Let's talk about Funko Fusiona game that seemed to be a real gift for pop culture fans, with a universe full of iconic characters and incredible worlds. Now, if you expected this game to deliver an experience as fun as the games LEGOhold on tight, because what came was a little different. Despite the fun vibe and full of characters that you will love to recognize, Funko Fusion It seems to be that game that tries to please everyone, but ends up delivering more frustration than fun.

A Pop Crossover with High Expectations

Funko Fusion follows the same basic scheme as the games in the franchise LEGO established: third-person action with puzzles and shootouts here and there. Only here, instead of the cute LEGO blocks, you control vinyl heads that look like they were released straight from the shelf of a geek store. The idea is good and certainly pleases collectors, but the gameplay doesn't do justice to the proposal. Although it has a lot of cool franchises — like Jurassic World, Battlestar Galactica, Umbrella Academy, Scott Pilgrim and even The Thing — the game fails to give that taste of innovation.

Different from LEGOwhere everything seems more “hands-on” and with a more playful touch, Funko Fusion tries to bring a more adult feel. However, this change in tone is not accompanied by gameplay as solid as it should be.

Stories? Don't Expect Too Much

If you were expecting a breathless narrative, you might want to take a step back. The main plot involves Freddy, the famous mascot of Funkowho has been corrupted by a purple goo — a concept that seems to have come straight out of a B-movie horror movie from the 80s. The mission? Collect gold and silver crowns to unlock new worlds and regain Freddy's power. But, just like that rare figurine you never find in the package, the story is just a lame excuse to make you run around. The cutscenes are silent and the characters communicate with speech bubbles. You know that emotional moment in a game when you connect with the characters? Well, yeah, Funko Fusion doesn't have that.

Puzzles? We have them. But beware of bugs

The puzzles are fun, but with bugs breaking the flow and restarting entire levels, the fun fades faster than a character dying in Dark Souls. Even when you think you're in control, a technical error can make you want to throw the controller out the window.

Battles: Fight or Flight!

Now, if there's one thing that Funko Fusion loves to do, is throw hordes of enemies at you. And by hordes, I mean legions. Out of nowhere, you're there trying to solve a puzzle and, boom, a thousand enemies appear to attack you from all sides. The combat is basic and, at times, annoying. Don't expect anything sophisticated like the games of Marvel's Spider-Man or Batman: Arkham. Here, you hit, shoot, roll to get out of the way, repeat. But it doesn't have that fluidity. It feels more like a mobile game than a release for next-gen consoles.

Now imagine a phase of Jurassic World where instead of feeling like you're in the movie, you spend half the time trying to deal with dinosaurs flying around the game's bugs. Not exactly what I'd call immersive.

Moments of Brilliance and Much Frustration

Despite the many problems, Funko Fusion It's not completely awful. There are genuinely fun moments, especially for movie buffs. The scenarios are well-made, full of references and with a dose of humor that reminds us of the best moments of video games. LEGO. Walk through the worlds of Hot Fuzz and The Umbrella Academy It's like walking through an exhibition of Easter eggs from movies and series.

But these shining moments are few and far between and are fraught with frustration. The lack of online or even local co-op (one of the games' strongest points) LEGO) is a missed opportunity. Whoever thought it would be a good idea to release a game Funko no multiplayer at launch?

If you have a part in Funko Fusion that hits the nail on the head with nostalgia, is when you play with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The game brings the classic Fat (yes, that bumbling wizard) in all his glory, and you feel like you've been transported back to the 80s. From the presence of He-Manwith its iconic sword and the phrase “I have the strength”, to the colorful and exaggeratedly cartoonish scenarios, it is as if the cartoon were being played in real time.

The highlight here is the songswhich faithfully recreate the classic themes of the animated series, ensuring an extra touch of nostalgia. As you explore the world of Eternityit's hard not to find yourself smiling when you recognize the familiar chords, whether in the background score or during combat moments. The feeling of being in an episode of the Masters of the Universe is palpable, which makes this part of the game shine among the many other franchises present.

Collectibles, But Why So Many?

Remember how in the games of LEGO Do you destroy almost everything in the scenario to collect coins? It's no different here, but instead of coins, we have crowns and jewels. And honestly, after a while it gets tiring. Yes, it's satisfying at first, but since each level is designed to be repeated several times, you end up asking yourself: “is it worth collecting all this?” And the answer, my friend, is probably no. Unless you're a hardcore completionist who can't sleep without unlocking 100% of everything.

In the end, Funko Fusion It seems like a game that works better on the shelf than on the console. It's a nostalgia festival with characters and scenarios that will make you smile for a few minutes. But the joy quickly fades when you start facing the serious gameplay issues.

Pros:

• Beautiful and colorful look.
• Incredible variety of characters and worlds.
• Lots of pop culture references.

Cons:

• Bugs that force you to restart entire stages.
• Stiff and repetitive combat.
• Lack of co-op mode at launch.
• Escort missions (nobody can take it anymore).

Final Grade: 6/10

The insistence on throwing endless waves of enemies, the bugs that ruin the flow of the game, and the lack of cooperation — something that should be essential for a game of this type — end up taking away a lot of the potential that Funko Fusion could have. So if you're looking for something that brings the same level of carefree fun as games LEGOit might be best to wait for some hotfix patches or the release of multiplayer mode before committing to this head-scratching vinyl adventure.