Furi

There’s definitely fun to be had in Furi’s fast and frenzied battles against a colorful cast of quirky boss characters. While it finds its strongest moments in its rewardingly rhythmic, precision-based one-on-one duels, an unwelcome level of tedium and occasionally cheap sequences — made even more frustrating by janky mechanics — keep the action from being as consistently strong as it is visually stylish.

Furi is a beautiful and challenging game that exemplifies what makes boss fights so special.

A stylish, mechanically polished boss rush game, Furi effectively channels the spirit of Punch-Out!! to make for an unexpected gem.

A stylish mix of bullet hell and deft swordplay, Furi is only held back by rare bugs and poorly designed difficulty spikes.

Furi's sole focus on cripplingly difficult boss fights is the definition of niche. Those who aren't up for the challenge will be disappointed

Even at its worst, Furi is something rather special.

Some of the boss designs feel uneven or underdeveloped, and the dialogue misses about as often as it lands, but when Furi is good, it's real good. I am surprised by how well its fusion of action and shooting works. Just make sure you have the patience necessary see the game through to the end.

Furi excels when you're in the heat of the moment, fighting for survival against great looking boss characters. Super responsive controls elevate the action, and a fantastic soundtrack only adds to the brilliant rush that the game's capable of providing - it's just a shame that everything outside of the crisp combat doesn't quite measure up. When Furi's on point, it looks, sounds, and feels incredible, but a little too often, it struggles to maintain its intensity.

Furi's series of dauntingly challenging boss fights are capable of turning all but the most committed of player into a gibbering wreck. It's a deceptively clever game that combines shooter and and beat-'em-up mechanics, all wrapped up in a stylish anime-influenced shell. It's not for everyone, with numerous difficulty spikes and an over-reliance on repetition. But it's refreshing to see a game rewards patient observation and persistence, as well as mastery of a carefully calibrated control system.

Furi's beautiful art and interesting ideas are somewhat undermined by obtuse story and janky mechanics.