Square Enix’s Foamstars was one of the biggest surprises of Summer Game Fest

When Foamstars debuted during the PlayStation Showcase, it’s fair to say there were plenty of confused reactions related to its obvious similarities to a certain Nintendo squid shooter.

However, after we were able to get our hands on it for a few matches at Summer Game Fest Play Days, one thing is certain: Square Enix‘s multiplayer game doesn’t deserve to be dismissed.

As a fun take on the 4v4 shooter genre with a unique foam mechanic at its center, it’s not hyperbole to say Foamstars was one of the biggest surprises of this week’s show.

On the surface, as the PS Showcase reactions prove, Foamstars does very closely resemble the paint-splattered exploits of Nintendo’s squid kids. The characters in Foamstars are indeed covering an arena with some sort of substance – foam here, paint in Splatoon – and using it to both benefit their team and hinder their opponents.

This, however, is as far as the comparison goes, as the game immediately sets its own tone as soon as the match begins.

For starters, in the demo we played the roster of selectable characters featured four archetypes, each with their own unique skill set. One uses rapid-fire weapons, another wants to get up close and personal with shotgun blasts, a third can spread foam from long distances, and a fourth specialises in generating copious amounts of foam for their team.

However, each of them also had their own style and presence in the arena, a particular highlight being the purple-haired statesmen complete with monocle and moustache. Giving these characters more of a personality makes them stand out more among the crowd, and in turn makes us more interested in them.

The main game mode was a 4v4 team deathmatch-style affair, but with a twist: after a team achieves seven kills, the top performer on the other team becomes the ‘Star Player’, and taking them out results in victory for the team.

Eliminations are scored by shooting opponents with enough foam to completely trap them in a bubble – which is signaled by a small ‘Chance!’ icon when achieved – and then sliding into this bubble with the Surf button once they’re in there. If someone on your team becomes covered in foam, that ‘Chance!’ becomes ‘HELP!’ and you can free them from their bubble prison by sliding into them.

It’s unique, it’s fun, and it’s tense – under the best circumstances, winning a close match has the potential to elicit a jumping-out-of-your-chair reaction.

In one of our demo matches, we got off to an early lead and were able to spawn the Star Player while the other team had only scored two kills on us. Within minutes the tide had completely turned, and suddenly both Star Players were in play and a winner-take-all vibe immediately took over the game.

Players on each side shouted out loudly as the two Stars deftly avoided foam while being protected by their teammates, with our team ultimately winning the match to cheers of relief. That’s the kind of first impression a game should make.

The arena where our demo matches took place (the aptly named Bath Vegas) was essentially flat – a circular stage with black floors, a fountain in the middle, and a few spires that could be climbed.

It’s a fairly nondescript stage with few remarkable attributes, though it does serve as a good tutorial. Once it’s filled with streaks of pink and teal foam from the skirmishes within the stage, it does gain some personality. That said, we do hope future stage designs offer a little more than this.

What really sets Foamstars apart from its cephalopodic counterpart, however, is the foam itself. The paint in Splatoon sticks to a surface and lets the player swim in it, and Foamstars’ foam shares those qualities to a point, but it’s also capable of more.

As what’s essentially a 3D object being generated into the playing space, it can be shaped into a wall to protect from attacks, or shaped into a hill for better vantage points, which is an impressive trick that should help the game differentiate itself from Splatoon.

While talking about the game with other attendees at the show, it became apparent that Foamstars has the potential to be a bit of a sleeper hit for Square. The team-based shooter genre is undoubtedly crowded, but the mechanics in this one could help it stick out if enough players give it a shot.

Foamstars may be onto something, then, but it’s up to Square Enix to ensure its bubble doesn’t burst and prevent people being whipped up into a lather over its similarities to Nintendo’s multiplayer gem.