Foamstars Gamescom Preview – Preview of Square Enix’s answer to Splatoon

We were blown away when Foamstars, a brand new IP for PlayStation, was announced in May this year. Especially when the developers are none other than Square Enix. But this time it’s not an RPG, it’s a 4v4 battlefield fighter in Splatoon style. That’s right, because Nintendo’s color spectacle will have competition in the future. This time, however, the projectiles were not colored cartridges, but foam. Not only the field, but also the opponents want to be exposed to foam in the future and we have been able to see for ourselves whether this is good or not!

Square Enix’s hallowed halls were well hidden at Gamescom this year. Because the power house from Japan has been swimming under the radar this year. Nevertheless, we managed to secure a coveted spot in the preliminary session and were allowed to try our luck at Foamstars along with seven other journalists. The game was divided into two teams of four, and the scene began with the selection of brilliant characters, since eight heroes were available at that time. And although they all differ in terms of weapons and special attacks, we didn’t have much time to check them out beforehand. Instead, we jumped right into the fray in Smash the Star game mode. Here it is not important to cover the field in blue or pink, only the opponent. “After seven kills, a player from the opposing team is randomly selected to be the star and if this is done at the end, victory will be achieved. It looks easy, and it is…at least in the beginning, until everyone has mastered it.

Stylish foam stars with an appreciated value

Each hero has two special attacks that can be used often with individual cooldowns. However, if you do particularly well in combat, you can even activate your super special power unlock if you have enough waiting time. These skills must certainly be used at the right time, as rounds rarely last more than five minutes. This immediately shows how short-lived the Foamstars want to be, but motivates them to keep going right after victory or defeat. However, agreement with the team is absolutely essential, otherwise defeat will decorate the screen faster than one would like. Tough task if you are not sitting directly in the room with your fellow fighters. In terms of balance, too, some champions played unmistakably up front and even claimed a crushing victory in the fourth and final game. With a planned release date of late 2023 or early 2024, don’t worry, as there should be enough time to address these inconsistencies as well. Because Foamstars really are an amazing amount of fun, look and perform very well. Exactly what you’d expect from a Square Enix title.

Foamstars is scheduled to be released exclusively on PlayStation in either late 2023 or early 2024.