Back in 2015, Pinkoi Games and tinyBuild released Party Hard, a stealthy send up to the slasher films of the VHS era. I was quite a fan of the game - and judging by the 88% positive Steam reviews - so were gamers. Obviously, this positive reception hasn't been lost on the developer/publisher duo, as just this morning, tinyBuild announced the existence of a Party Hard 2 with a blog post and a short announcement trailer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFzF_5CRN64
Party Hard 2 is set ten years after the bloody ending of the original Party Hard, focusing on a new disgruntled killer. While the previous anti-hero may have been an anti-partying crusader, this unnamed protagonist's source of angst is his lack of a proper Christmas bonus. Of course, he does the only rational thing - don a white mask and start laying waste to partygoers, making him a sort of Michael Meyers meets Christmas Vacation's Clark Griswold.
Along with a new timeframe and a new protagonist comes new technology. Party Hard 2 will be 2.5D as opposed to the original game's 2D, with paper-thin partygoers traversing blocky landscapes that will inevitably be stained crimson. On top of art style changes, Party Hard 2 will also feature a new dynamic lighting system that will presumably add another layer of depth in the stealth mechanics, and physics for destructible objects such as cars and dumpsters.
It's safe to say that we'll be learning more about the title and it's unspecified summer 2017 release date when it's demoed at PAX East this march.
Quick Take
Despite its occasionally unfair difficulty, I really loved the first Party Hard's concept and sense of style. While Party Hard 2's trailer may not have shown much, it certainly showed enough to confirm both of those crucial elements are intact - and that's more than enough to put this sequel on my radar.Did you play Party Hard at some point? Do you agree with our positive review? Are you excited to party once again in this neon nightmare? Let us know in the comments below!
