Developer: 2BIGo, ARP Games
Publisher: All in! Games
Platform: Switch, PC
Tested on: Switch
Lumberhill (Switch) – Review
There are never enough fun multiplayer games, at least not in our opinion. It’s nice that developers 2BIGo and ARP Games have worked together to provide us with a new one: Lumberhill. This game actually came out a while ago and we reviewed the PC version here. But since couch co-op is such a large part of this game’s appeal, it’s no wonder we need to look into the Switch version as well. This time, you can grab a friend and jump right in!
Story
By its very nature, Lumberhill is not the type of game to have any plot. It’s similar to Overcooked in a lot of ways, but with even less of a story tying the levels together. There isn’t a cutscene or crumb of lore in sight. But since that’s not what one expects when going into this game, it’s not an issue at all.
Graphics
Lumberhill could cause a few raised eyebrows with its visuals for some players. The art style is clearly going for a more cartoony, exaggerated approach. And while we certainly can’t say it has failed at that, it’s also not always as pretty as it could be. The bulging eyes on some of the animals are downright creepy rather than cute. On the upside, the level designs are fun and creative, with several worlds to explore each with its own theme which changes the looks of everything, down to the axes and trees. The game also has a great number of unlockable characters.
Sound
With a delightful soundtrack full of whacky tunes, you’ll always have something nice playing in the background while you go around having your shenanigans. Given how silly the game is, it lacks a surprising amount of sound effects. That being said, it’s something that is very noticeable at first, but it’s also quickly forgotten once you play for a while. Lumberhill has no voice acting, but the game also requires none.
Gameplay
Lumberhill is a party game that lends itself well to many different types of players, from those who want a laidback experience to those who like to be competitive. The mechanics are easy to learn, though they vary a lot between levels to keep things fresh. Of course, the basics remain the same: playing with up to four people, it’s your job to complete the tasks that pop up within the time limit. For each task you complete you get points, and at the end of the level, you get graded depending on how well you do. If you’re familiar with Overcooked, Lumberhill is pretty much exactly like that. The difference is you won’t be cooking, but instead doing lumberjack-type things such as chopping down trees and… herding sheep?
You won’t just be herding sheep, but also pandas, because there are several worlds in this game, and the aesthetic changes depending on where you go. The maps also get more complicated, having elevated parts or raging rivers. Before long you’ll be needing to build bridges or use lifts to get around, which makes completing tasks within the time limit gradually more difficult. Add to that the fact that there are real hazards as well – ranging from thunderstorms that cause fires you need to douse to actual dinosaurs – and it’s not hard to see why chaos will quickly take over. Good communication with your team is key. This is easy when you’re all sitting on the couch together, but if you like to challenge yourself to play with strangers there’s an online co-op too. Every level also comes with a special condition you can meet to earn yourself a diamond ax trophy. Conditions include finishing the level without falling off the map once or without building bridges.
And if all that isn’t enough to satisfy you, you can always hop over into the versus mode. In this mode (which again is available to play both local or online), players take turns trying to sabotage each other. Taking on the form of an animal, you can attack and annoy the lumberjacks to your heart’s content, hindering them from completing tasks and earning points. Then you switch places and they get to do the same to you. Whichever player gets the most points while playing the lumberjack wins. While this mode is not the meat of the game compared to playing co-op, it’s arguably where most of the fun can be had. Being a menace to your friends is just too much fun. On the other end of the spectrum, solo mode is available for those who want to play by themselves. Though we’d argue it’s just not as interesting.
Conclusion
Lumberhill is rough around the edges in some regards, mainly to do with visual and sound design, but apart from that, it’s a great game to sit down and enjoy with friends, offering enough variety to stay interesting even after several hours of gameplay. This is more than we can say for many other games in this genre, as they often nail the presentation but end up being extremely bland and uninspired. We are looking forward to seeing if this one gets some DLC to add new levels and characters to the mix.
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