A pot brawler was not on my bingo card as a game possibility before its announcement, but Double Fine consistency tackles the weird and wacky to create engaging gameplay loops. Kiln is a 4v4 party game where you play as a pot to bash other pots and also put our their Kiln (a section of fire) with water. The trick here is that you can create your own pot through a pottery mini-game, choosing the size and shape to either hold lots of water, move quickly across the levels or focus on fighting. After a brief introduction, you’ll be learning these functions within minutes and enter your first online match soon after. This is a fully online, multiplayer game – no single-player elements or offline modes. With these major details settled, let’s dive in.
Multiplayer brawlers are successful when the gameplay loop is satisfying. This varies in Kiln. In my first match, I struggled to get my bearings and the other players simply broke my pot constantly. While my other three team members were madly trying to put out the fire with the water absorbed in their pot, I focused on bashing the enemies while they tried to put out our fire. With the press of a button, walking becomes a fast roll and movement is a highlight. Though this is dependent on the size and style of your pot. Finding a pot (you can have multiple saved) that works for your intentions once the game begins is key. It’s basically an altered King of the Hill, Capture the Flag set-up here. With your group of 4, choosing a diverse range of pots for a run would work best – though your communication pre and post match may be limited.
The game pops with colour, and your first moments designing your little character demonstrate how important colour can be on a chaotic battlefield. It’s cute, charming and is layered in sounds for immersion. Performance (I played on the PS5) can dip when all is exploding on screen. The camera moves both from a top down and slightly cornered perspective, and your success will be gained through recognition of your pot.
The main challenge with a game focused on multiplayer only and short runs is longevity. Within the first few hours, I felt like I had tried all maps and dabbled with enough different pots to find my groove. I went from being fairly useless in the first few matches to dominating what must have been early-game players soon after. It never really felt cooperative as most of my team members chose their own path, which suited me fine once I had a grasp on how to succeed. It’s a multiplayer game that does allow for individual focus points, which is appreciated.
The map designs are small yet well crafted. The first is a dancefloor that lights up as you move through, though often you won’t notice the intricacies of the maps with all the action on screen. I do hope there are more maps outside of the current maps, as there are countless possibilities to engage players. The game mode is solid and does what it requires, though through the balance of both fighting and dousing flames there will be more game modes ahead. Perhaps Double Fine are waiting to see if this is a hit in announcing a more extensive roadmap, as creativity is a staple both of the studio and this game. In terms of depth, certain shapes of pots have special moves and your movement is impacted by size. Outside of this, and some trial and error, depth and longevity will be the greatest test.
Kiln is a fun multiplayer title that is unlike anything you’ve played before – on purpose. The words on the tin may sound wacky, but the gameplay loop and artistic direction is charming. I enjoyed my hours with Kiln and hope to see a greater roadmap, as you can master the current content very quickly. Many will bounce off fairly quickly due to the limited gameplay and options, though there is a foundation to work with here.
Pros
- Achieves purpose: pottery brawling
- Creating your own pots is an enjoyable process
Cons
- Limited content
- Minor performance issues
