Afterparty Xbox One review: A fun, fast-talking romp through Hell that stutters in places

Milo and Lola are in a bit of trouble in Afterparty Source: Windows Cardinal

Afterparty is Night Schoolhouse Studio's second game, later on the team's debut title Oxenfree in 2022. Instead of a coming-of-age story with mysterious happenings, still, Afterparty gets correct to the point. Two best friends, Milo and Lola, are in Hell. Why? Who knows, your boilerplate hardworking demon isn't authorized to give out that kind of information. They've got jobs to do, later on all. Still, the night is immature, and before the torment begins the next day, Milo and Lola learn of an interesting catch: Satan loves to party and drink. If they tin outdrink Satan, they tin can go out of Hell.

This results in a fun, wacky journey through the nightlife and gild scenes of Hell. Vivid colors, witty dialogue, and a great soundtrack are some of the highlights as you lot irrigate some pretty stiff potables. Your option of drink even affects what dialogue options are available, in turn affecting how yous progress through the story and what ending you'll become. While it'due south a great adventure, technical problems mar the experience right at present, as the frame rate suffers whenever traveling between areas and dialogue would get glitched, repeating at times. It'southward still a expert experience, just one that suffers more information technology should.

Hard-drinking adventure

The cover art for Afterparty

Afterparty

$20

Bottom line: A mannerly, alcoholic romp through Hell that suffers from technical issues.

Pros

Fantastic art blueprint
Fun dialogue options
Unique drinking mechanic
Excellent voice acting

Cons

Major frame rate issues when traveling
Dialogue sometimes overlapped or repeated

Afterparty is all well-nigh drinking and talking

A rooftop bar in Afterparty Source: Windows Central

The start affair that stands out in this not-traditional trip to Hell is the splendid dialogue. Much like Oxenfree, conversations flow at a natural rate, near as liberally as the alcohol. Yous can choose from 2 dialogue options or a special 3rd option that depends on just what kind of corrosive cocktail you've imbibed. Some drinks allow you impersonate a pirate captain; others offering straightforward liquid courage. This opens an interesting gameplay system as choosing your beverage is almost every bit important as choosing your words. Do you fancy sparring wits with entities older that fourth dimension? Well, you lot'll have to if you promise to become out. Occasionally though, I noticed an abrasive problems where side conversations would repeat themselves, playing at the same fourth dimension as other dialogue. It simply happened a couple of times, merely it was extremely abrasive when information technology did, making it nearly incommunicable to understand anything.

Afterparty touts an impressive cast, with Dave Fennoy voicing Satan.

Yous'll control both Milo and Lola, with the exact character swapping from time to time based on your choices. Sometimes, you'll fifty-fifty take to go through some drinking games, like beer pong, stacking glasses, and even a dance-off. The controls tin can be a little finicky, though it's nothing also tricky once you lot become a bit of practice. There's besides a ghoulish social media platform yous can check in on called Bicker, which is substantially Twitter except without the pretense of people always being overnice. On Bicker, yous can detect some funny jokes and pictures based on your escapades through the nighttime. Our wholesome teen duo have their phones, and so you'll occasionally even encounter other humans and demons Tweeting-er, Bickering, in real-fourth dimension.

Afterparty touts an impressive cast, with seasoned voice actors similar Janina Gavankar as Lola and Khoi Dao as Milo. They're joined Ashly Burch and Erin Yvette every bit the demons Sam and Wormhorn respectively, while Dave Fennoy lends his dulcet tones and portrays none other than Satan. Alanah Pearce likewise lends her voice to a especially fitting part. Everyone turns in a fantastic performance, which aids the immersion. Is the idea of Hell equally a bureaucratic identify where demons only intendance for the nightlife kind of absurd? Yes, but the performances completely sell me on it.

Afterparty has a loud, colorful aesthetic

A dance club in Hell Source: Windows Central

Burning planes of torment? No, it's all parties and devilish music. Neon regal, pink, and lite greens dominate the landscape, which might seem like an odd choice for Hell, but it works rather well for this unique aesthetic. Frequently, I found myself stopping and taking a look at the background detail or work put into the different clubs. Regions of Hell feel singled-out, despite the strong, overarching party theme. There'due south likewise usually some funny background gags, similar demons who have partied as well hard crashing or lament well-nigh having to return to work the next day.

The potent color choices paint a brilliant, unique portrait of Hell.

These strong color choices paint a brilliant, unique portrait of Hell and compliment the soundtrack well. The upbeat tempo is fitting for the bar hopping and partying the protagonists undertake. The soundtrack was done by Andrew Rohrmann, aka scntfc, who also did the soundtrack for Oxenfree. It'southward usually corybantic and energetic, perfect for the drinking games and trip the light fantastic toe competition chaos y'all'll undergo. Still, there are a few quieter moments, somber tunes that play in the cursory breaks that Milo and Lola get to just talk with each other.

Unfortunately, the frame rate isn't where information technology needs to exist. When y'all're walking the streets of Hell, sometimes you lot'll demand to phone call for a taxi to traverse from 1 island or region to the next. Whenever you do, like clockwork, the frame charge per unit volition tank. Not a modest, sporadic drop either - usually, information technology would slow to a crawl, stuttering and stopping for easily ten to 15 seconds. It also tended to do this whenever the game autosaves. While that's by no means the majority of the game, it's not insignificant either - Afterparty is a few hours long, and y'all're traveling dorsum and forth constantly.

Summing up the binge drinking in Afterparty

Wrapping things upwards, I really do like Afterparty. Information technology's fun, colorful, and stylish, with smart, just-bad-mannered-enough-for-Hell dialogue. The protagonists are interesting, the demonic characters they interact with given a unique spin. Plus, this version of Hell is, ultimately, pretty fun! At night, anyways. Unfortunately, the technical issues that are present right now bring things down a bit. The frame charge per unit tanking every single time you travel is bad enough, but the problems with dialogue repeating besides weigh it down.

If you absolutely honey these types of games, or yous're actually, really eager for something new, then information technology'due south notwithstanding worth checking out, especially since it'southward only $xx USD. If you're a little more hesitant, I'd wait, at to the lowest degree until some of these issues are maybe fixed in a patch. Afterparty is included in Xbox Game Laissez passer, so if you intend to play on Xbox, you lot do have some other choice.

Go drinking

The cover art for Afterparty

Afterparty

Promise you lot've got a strong liver.

Afterparty is a game from Dark School Studio nearly two all-time friends, Milo and Lola. They've concluded up in Hell, merely there's a gamble of escape - if they can out-beverage Satan. Time to start partying.

We reviewed Afterparty on an Xbox One X, with a copy provided by the publisher.

Xbox

Main

What is Xbox Game Pass?
All-time 4K TVs for Xbox Serial X and S
Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2022
Xbox One 10 vs. Xbox Series S

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connection will presently be required when setting upwards Windows 11 Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this year, users will exist required to connect to the cyberspace and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows 11 Home since launch final October, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow suit before long.