Steam is absolutely packed with entertaining games full of silly character models, wacky physics, and emergent co-op gameplay, also sometimes known endearingly as friendslop games. Outside of truly viral friendslop games like Peak, releases in this genre rarely stay at the top of the mountain for long. One month, a spooky extraction shooter could be the latest fad, and the next, a game where players quickscope fish alongside their buddies may be the talk of the town. The latest viral hit of many friendslop gems might just be Steam’s Broke Wizards, though, as its development team is known for its creativity.
Broke Wizards is developed by 5th Cell, the studio that created the Scribblenauts franchise. While a 6-player, chaos-filled co-op game may seem like a big step for 5th Cell, it actually makes sense when considering Scribblenauts Unlimited’s offline co-op mode and the 4-player party game Scribblenauts Showdown. Plus, the creativity seen with the puzzles in that series is clearly translating to the clever chaos of Broke Wizards. With character models that look straight out of Gang Beasts, gameplay similar to the unhinged antics of Goat Simulator, and some instantly recognizable pop culture references, this title looks like a must-play for any fun-loving co-op group when it releases on October 29.
Broke Wizards’ Gameplay Loop is as Simple as It Is Fun
Broke Wizards’ premise is delightfully simple: players control some magical wizards rooming together in the same building, and they’re indebted to a dangerous imp that will eat them if they don’t consistently pay him. To keep this imp off their backs, players will have to venture out into a fully destructible town and do various jobs. They’ll skate across the city on magical boards, battling monsters with their powers while avoiding property damage so that their profits aren’t deducted from. Keeping the city safe is just the tip of the iceberg, however.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Throughout the world that the struggling magicians occupy, players will be able to take on a wide range of jobs, many of which offer distinct mini-games to keep gameplay as varied as possible. Players will race each other on their magic boards, they’ll play a round of Snake on their in-game phones, and they’ll seemingly engage in a session of tag to entertain a demon. Some activities serve as nods to other media, whether it be exploring The Backrooms, building with blocks like in Minecraft, or putting on a concert as the “Wiz-Pop Monster Hunters.” Even the classic video game mode Prop Hunt is featured within Broke Wizards, ensuring plenty of variety in each session.
Broke Wizards Features at a Glance
- WORK solo or with up to 5 friends to pay off an angry imp landlord.
- FIGHT monsters throughout the neighborhood, avoiding environmental damage so that money isn’t deducted from your earnings.
- RELAX with your pals between jobs by watching videos together in-game, playing music, setting off fireworks, engaging in tag, or duking it out in a PvP arena.
- CUSTOMIZE your wizards with new hats, wings, hoodies, and magic boards.
- COLLECT pocketdragon eggs to get different colored pets.
A 1-6 player co-op game where you and your Wizard roommates slay monsters, go racing, play prop hunt, or do other crazy jobs to pay rent to your giant Imp Landlord before he eats you.
As co-op gamers turn in their odd jobs, complete puzzles, stack themselves on top of one another to reach higher areas, and pay their rent, they’ll earn themselves some magic keys. If a group manages to get all the keys available within the game, they’ll be able to secure the deed to their house and banish the imp for good. This gives players a proper goal to chase and a way to say they “beat” the co-op friendslop game, but for those who just want to have some wacky fun with their group instead of being completionists, it should be very easy to ignore the group’s money issues and goof off.
A Steam demo for Broke Wizards is currently available for any players wanting to see if the game is a good fit for their group.
Paying Off the Landlord Isn’t Broke Wizards’ Only Goal
In this particular indie game, relaxing is just as important as earning money. “Rent isn’t due until the end of the week,” after all, giving players a whole lot of time to make some memories. Players can watch videos together in-game via “Broke Wizards TV,” sitting on digital chairs and couches while directing their attention to a giant screen. In-game musical instruments are available, as are fireworks to launch throughout the town and a PvP arena to vent one’s frustrations with a particular wizard (or to simply laugh at the silly ragdoll physics).
Any fans of video game customization will be glad to know that Broke Wizards has them covered, too. Each element of a playable wizard’s character model can be adjusted; there are different hoodies to collect, hats to unlock, wings to acquire, and magical skateboards to obtain. Perhaps best of all are the pets, as players will be able to find and collect Pocketdragons. When these Pocketdragons hatch, a pet will come out of them that follows the player around. Said pets have super different designs, as there’s no telling which wings, horns, colors, and faces players will end up getting. With a light, Pokemon-style “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” element on top of all the mini-games and relaxation options offered in Broke Wizards, the notion that “sometimes slacking off is the point” looks like it absolutely will hold true.
