Amer: Fighting Review: A visually striking beat ‘em up with a weak solo play

Beat 'em up games typically thrive on street-level chaos, letting you use anything you can grab against opponents — a formula that adds to the fun in Amer: Fighting.

Developed by Jordan's Mad Hook Games, Amer: Fighting reminds me of Toxic Crusaders with its over-the-top action. Though it doesn't replicate the same level of nostalgia, it manages to carve out its own identity in a unique way despite some drawbacks. 

Gameplay and Visuals 

For those unfamiliar with the beat ‘em up genre, it’s all about taking on multiple opponents in hand-to-hand combat, and this game delivers just that.  

You can punch, kick, jump, and use pillows, bats, or even throw furniture at other players to win a match. There are two game modes, solo and multiplayer, across seven distinct maps. Each arena has traps that can instantly take you out, adding an extra layer of chaos.  

The two playable modes in local play are Last Man Standing and Timed Match. In Last Man Standing, you team up with another player to face off against two opponents until one team claims victory. In Timed Match, you’re still paired with a partner against two opponents, but when you die, you respawn, and the winner is decided by the number of deaths once the timer hits zero.  

While the gameplay itself is enjoyable, what really carries Amer: Fighting for me is its visuals and attention to detail. The development team did a fantastic job bringing each location to life — from the sound of water when you step into a puddle to the overall environmental design, everything feels carefully crafted and adds to the game’s charm.  

Controls are simple, but they’ll take most players a bit of time to master. Once you get the hang of things, especially blocking attacks, the game becomes a lot more interesting. The real fun begins when you figure that out as well as using explosives — but we’ll get into more of that later.  

There are various characters to use in the game, which is great. Each one also offers multiple skins, a feature I didn’t immediately notice. When I finally stumbled upon the customization options, I was like, “Oh, so you can alter their looks? Nice!” Skins can either be unlocked at certain levels or purchased with in-game coins, adding a bit of personalization to character designs.

Issues and Irritations

Most of my concerns with the game revolve around the characters. It would’ve been great if each character had unique traits to make them stand out or give players a reason to pick one over another.  

For instance, the chubbier characters move just as fast as the average-sized ones, which feels a bit off if we’re aiming for realism. It would’ve made more sense for them to be slower but able to take less damage, thanks to all that body mass. Little touches like that could’ve added depth and strategy to the gameplay.  

Another issue is the limited moveset. While having fewer moves can simplify gameplay — especially in a beat ‘em up — it makes combat feel repetitive after a while. Worse, once you master blocking, fights become almost predictable. Block three attacks, and suddenly, it feels like your turn to strike, giving the game a turn-based vibe that doesn’t quite align with the genre. One way to fix this could be the addition of special moves designed for specific characters.

Online play is another mixed bag. I tried matchmaking a few times but only got paired once. When it worked, battling against real players felt much more engaging. However, depending on your region, finding matches can be challenging. And while Amer: Fighting is clearly designed with multiplayer in mind, the single-player experience feels underdeveloped. The local bot matches heavily lack the excitement of playing against real people, making solo play feel like an afterthought.  

Nevertheless, perhaps the team is fine with what they've built, with no plans of any sort of level addition or single-player depth around Amer: Fighting. Maybe they want to stick with their original vision for the game as a multiplayer-first experience and that's fine too, but I think there's room here for Mad Hook to explore the single-player content beyond what they've accomplished. 

Verdict

There aren’t many games like Amer: Fighting out there, and I think a lot of players will get more than their money’s worth, especially if they’re playing with family or friends. But if you’re planning to go solo, the fun wears off quickly, and the experience does not feel rewarding in any way. 

The game’s visuals and environmental detail do a lot of the heavy lifting. The diverse maps and straightforward controls don't make you go crazy looking for the button that blocks an attack. While the music doesn’t quite reach the heights of previous Mad Hook titles, it gets the job done.  

All in all, Amer: Fighting is a solid entry into the beat ‘em up genre, particularly for those looking to team up for some chaotic multiplayer action. If Mad Hook ever decides to flesh out the single-player experience, they might have something truly special on their hands.  

A copy of Amer: Fighting was provided for review by Mad Hook Games.