You're invited to a party where all the guests are just dying to get in!
Party Hard cues you in on what to expect by its very name. A calculated and unforgiving time warp into the 80's, it's a game for the patient person. The levels are simple in graphics, with a gorgeous 8-bit palette... but don't be fooled by it -- the game takes a moment to really get the hang of it.
The story is a really fun, typical 80's dark cop scenario. Sounds somewhat oxymoronic, right? Well, we must remember we're all playing a game about lighthearted mass murdering. It simple, you play as someone who is really tired of the neighbors having loud parties. Instead of calling the police, you decide it's a better idea to kill everyone.
The art style is absolutely amazing and completely on point. Something that caught me out though was the voice acting. For me, it was on that fine line of not knowing if the deliveries were supposed to be funny and cliche, or if this was the hardest the actors were trying. But the writing. The writing surpasses. It's extremely well done and entertaining.
A few things really make up the main mechanics of the game. One, the environmental traps. You can go around and poison the punch, call in guests (a personal favorite), electrocute, explode... all in the hopes that you'll knock down the number of attendees a bit. The levels also sometimes introduce an item to the mix which makes for fun and diverse gameplay.
Two, is the cops. If someone spots you do something shady, kill someone, around poisoned people or bodies, someone else will freak out and call the cops. They'll had already clocked your face, so the police will come kicking down the doors. They come in extremely fast, so you tend to position yourself for a short run. What this game does well is the timer in which the law actually does chase you before they give up. It feels fair.
All that being said, I found myself glued to the monitor far longer than I usually sit for gaming bouts, really trying to stab everyone on that yacht. Especially the security chaps. Go quick on the draw or extra clever with those guys, or you'll be finding yourself well punched up. The music was good, but quickly became a footnote for me when it got a bit repetitive for the amount of time I was spending on each level. The DLC breathes some new life into it after you're done with the main game, which is always a huge plus.
It wasn't a bad game, not at all, but not the easiest game to master. The key is patience, and much at that. But if you like tearing down the house at a party (quite literally) or anything 80's really--you'll enjoy this unique title.