Funko Fusion Review

Funko Pop figurines seem to be multiplying faster than ever, so it was only a matter of time before they got their own video game. Funko Fusion brings together characters from seven popular TV shows and movies, like Masters of the Universe and Jurassic World, and includes famous cameos like Marty McFly and Mega Man. While the game captures the unique Funko style with its big-headed characters, it falls short in many areas. The story feels pointless, the missions are repetitive, and it’s plagued by game-breaking bugs that ruin the experience.

Funko Fusion plays like a third-person shooter version of the familiar LEGO video games, such as LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. You smash objects to collect currency, only here, instead of LEGO studs, you gather vinyl chunks. The game allows you to play through different stories in any order, so you can start with Hot Fuzz and end with Scott Pilgrim vs The World, but the sequence doesn’t affect the thin overarching plot.

The story focuses on a battle between Funko Freddy and his evil counterpart, Eddy Funko. While these characters might be recognizable to hardcore Funko fans, they aren’t interesting or developed enough to carry the story. In the end, game’s weak narrative, repetitive gameplay and technical issues overshadow the initial charm of seeing your favorite Funko Pop figures in action.

Each substory in Funko Fusion is made up of five stages and you can switch between four characters during gameplay. Sometimes, switching characters is necessary to progress. For example, in The Umbrella Academy substory, I often used Allison to persuade NPCs to do what she wanted while Number Five’s ability to blink through the air helped me reach areas that were otherwise inaccessible. However, for most of the game, there isn’t much difference between the characters apart from basic attributes like the speed at which they fire their weapons.

Across all seven substories, the levels follow a repetitive pattern, often involving escort missions or fetch quests. Game also drags out stages by copying and pasting similar encounters, which makes the gameplay feel unnecessarily long. One frustrating example is in Scott Pilgrim vs The World, where I had to fight the same type of enemy over and over again in almost identical battles, which became very repetitive.

At the end of each substory, you face a boss battle, but these also follow a predictable formula. You have to shoot purple blobs off the boss while fighting off smaller enemies, collecting enough purple goo to fill a Funko flask. Once the flask is full, a giant Funko figure like Battle Cat or a T-Rex, arrives to finish off the boss while you stand by, shooting vinyl chunks on autopilot. These boss fights are repetitive and unsatisfying, leaving you bored and waiting for the cutscene to end.

Combat Felt Arduous Overall

Combat started off as fun, popping off Funko heads, but it quickly became tedious. The enemies come in waves, and sometimes they just keep coming endlessly. The only difference between them is whether you need to shoot them, hit them with a sword, or a mix of both, which gets repetitive really fast.

Puzzle-solving was slightly better. While there were basic tasks like shooting switches and turning cranks, some puzzles stood out. For example, in the He-Man sections with portals or using guitar amps to smash glass in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. However, that’s only when the puzzles worked properly, which wasn’t always the case.

Vinyl Fantasy

The team at 1010 Games did a great job recreating the Funko Pop figures and placing them in cute, detailed toy towns. It was fun to follow the swan through the village streets in Hot Fuzz or gather huskies in The Thing’s icy Antarctic setting. The vibrant bowling alley battle in The Umbrella Academy and cartoon explosions in Masters of the Universe’s Eternia added nice visual touches. There are plenty of Easter eggs to discover, and the worlds look well-crafted.

However, despite all the familiar characters and locations, Funko Fusion lacks its own personality. While games like LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes are filled with humor, Funko Fusion barely made me laugh. The only memorable moment was when the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica nodded at Knight Rider’s KITT because they shared similar red lights. Without character voices or facial expressions, the Funko figures felt like lifeless stand-ins for beloved characters. For example, when Adam raises the Power Sword, it’s the theme music that brings the moment to life, not the figure itself.

Confusing Mission Objectives and Game-Breaking Bugs

In Funko Fusion, communication is a major issue. Characters rarely speak, and mission objectives are often confusing, leading to lots of backtracking. Large levels like the Jurassic World shopping district, lack a minimap, making navigation frustrating. Finding vending machines to craft essential items often means retracing steps. Additionally, switching characters requires returning to Funko Pop display box which is inconvenient.

Combat is also problematic. It becomes repetitive quickly, with minimal differences between enemies and only a few attack methods. The lack of clear feedback makes combat confusing, as it’s not always obvious why some attacks don’t work.

Puzzle-solving is better in parts, with some interesting mechanics, but puzzles sometimes fail to function correctly.

Funko Fusion’s visuals are charming, with well-designed environments and recognizable characters. However, the game lacks personality and humor, and its static characters and missing facial expressions make them seem lifeless.

The game suffers from technical issues, including freezing cutscenes, broken puzzles, and frequent crashes. The lack of checkpoints means game-breaking bugs are particularly frustrating, often requiring you to replay entire levels.

Despite promises of future updates, the game’s current state raises questions about its intended audience. The mature content and lack of cooperative play options make it difficult to determine who Funko Fusion is designed for. Overall, the game struggles with too many issues to recommend.

• Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Review
• Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland Review: A Nostalgia-Filled Gaming Experience
• The Casting of Frank Stone Review

Conclusion: Funko Fusion

Funko Fusion is full of Funko Pop characters with their big heads, but it lacks fresh and engaging ideas. The shooting mechanics are bland, and the game is marred by numerous bugs and frustrating backtracking. Combining child-friendly character designs with adult-themed film and TV licenses doesn’t quite work and feels mismatched.

While game captures the look of the iconic collectibles well, it fails to deliver enjoyable gameplay. Overall, Funko Fusion might be better suited for a display shelf rather than your gaming library.