Overview – developed by Trinity Team and buddy productions, with publishing handled by ININ Games, Slaps and Beans 2 is the follow up to the brawler based on the movies by Bud Spencer and Terence Hill. As the duo of Spencer and Hill, fight your way through a story inspired by their classic movies in frantic brawling action alone or with a friend. This title is available now on all platforms, with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank PR Hound for providing the copy of Slaps and Beans 2 that was used for this piece. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment as the plot uses themes from different movies of Spencer and Hill, telling a new story using the different plots. So to prevent ruining any story surprises, I will be going straight into discussing the gameplay for this release.
Gameplay – Slaps and Beans 2 is an adventure brawler, with an emphasis on co-op action where the players get to select which of the two 70s action stars they want to play as. If the player wants to play solo, the A.I. will take the role of the other character, controlling them alongside the player. At the start of the game, the player will be able to select between the two action heroes, with both of them having their own unique strengths and weaknesses.
The flow of gameplay follows a very simple formula, with players experiencing a plot that is inspired by the filmography of the titular actors. The game is separated into different stages, taking place in locations across Africa, Florida and more. While travelling through these environments, there will be wave after wave of men for the two heroes to brawl their way through, causing chaos as they slap, bash and stomp all in their way.
During battle with the different enemies that are encountered, the player can use a few different attacks, with moves that are unique to Hill and Spencer. The common inputs included are for light, heavy and special attacks. Terence is faster and Bud a little slower which fits their depictions in films, with combo attacks for co-op chaos. The combat can explode into full anarchy, as the gangsters and enemies will flood the screen during battles.
But physical strikes aren’t the only way to take down the hostile forces, as players can use anything that isn’t tied down to beat down enemies. Items like coconuts, chairs and more can be used as a weapon, with the ability to swing and throw objects at enemies to deal massive damage. Keep in mind though, that different items have their own durability, with some items breaking quickly but there is enough for players to cause maximum damage.
Not only can the player find items to use as weapons, but they can also find food that will replenish their life and beans that will refill the special attack bar. Players can also find power-ups that are specific to either Terence or Bud, giving them increased power, speed and more. These items can be very important as there is a chance for the player to get swarmed, beating them down quickly. But players can be revived if the other is fast enough.
At set points during the game, there will be bosses that appear for players to challenge. These sections have multiple phases, where an objective will need to be completed in order to progress. During these battles, there will be enemies that appear alongside the bosses, making the battles even more frantic. Some of these opponents will try to eliminate the two heroes in unconventional ways, which will keep players on their toes.
Brawling isn’t the only thing that players will experience in this release, as there are puzzles to solve with each of the characters having their own unique skills. At points throughout the game, there will be segments that require platforming and other skills abilities to overcome. These include using Terence to swing across bars to reach a switch, Bud to break reinforced boxes and this is where the ability to switch characters comes into play.
At any point during the game, if playing solo, there is the ability to switch between characters. This allows for players to get creative with their approach to the action, switching between the two heroes freely. There will also be segments where mandatory character abilities are needed, where players must solve puzzles to proceed. This can interrupt the flow of action at times, slowing down the pace of the brawling which can kill the excitement.
The last part of the game to discuss is the mini-games. During the story, there will be moments where the party games will come into play, including card games, an obstacle course race and an eating challenge. These challenges must be cleared to continue, but if playing two player, only one must win to progress. The mini-games can be played with up to 4 players in party mode, where they can enjoyed in either free play or competition mode.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to cover the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – the controls for this title are very simple, with the thumbstick/D-pad being used to move the characters and then the face buttons for attacks. The controls are shown when starting the game and picking a character, as well as tutorials during the game and tooltips that appear in loading screens. When playing, all of the inputs work quite well, with no lag in play and the overall feel is comfortable in docked or handheld play.
Difficulty – there is a fairly moderate difficulty curve to this release, with the brawling being quite balanced. But unfortunately there are some spikes in difficulty when it comes to the boss battles, due to the mild incompetence of the A.I. as a partner. However, there is a fairly forgiving checkpoint system when it comes to being defeated during stages, with the player losing some progress but they won’t be setback significantly.
Presentation – there is a very pleasant visual style to this game, reminiscent of the classic brawlers of the late 80s and 90s, featuring smooth animations and fast paced action. The environments have a nice amount of color, with sprite work is very vibrant and easy to see during play. The sound for this game is excellent with music from original movie composer Oliver Onions, alongside dubbing for the characters in English, Italian, German and Spanish.
Final Thoughts – when this sequel was announced, there was some anticipation for me as I had played the previous entry and enjoyed it. The overall feel of the experience is faithful to the comedy, action and feel of the movies, which I have enjoyed several of during my time. The brawling is a lot of fun, with the chaos that can occur when the screen is filled with enemies and items to bash them with. The momentum does take a hit with the puzzle sections sadly.
I can recommend this game to those who enjoy a good brawler and/or are a fan of the movies it is based on then this is for you. There is a lot of fun to be had with this release, wither alone or with a friend, likely speeding up some of the slower segments when playing with a partner. But the overall package is solid, with a lot of love for the two stars and their films, including a jukebox filled with classic songs from their catalogue.
In the end, I give Bud Spencer and Terence Hill: Slaps and Beans 2 a final score of 3.5/5. This is a solid brawler with a good narrative, chaotic action and mini-games to get engaged in, either alone or with a partner. The whole experience is a fitting tribute to the works of Spencer and Hill, with the only downsides being some minor issues with pacing and the A.I. for the CPU partner. If you want to check this title out for yourself, a link to each version of the game is below.
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Xbox version (HERE)
Link to Steam version (HERE)
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