PAX EAST 2019 | "Heave Ho"
There are party games, and then there are multiplayer experiences. Le Cartel and Devolver Digital is aiming to give players the latter with its upcoming title Heave Ho. On its surface, the game is very simple. It’s when the game’s put to action when the real fun begins.
At PAX East, myself and three other players got to partake in the zaniness that Heave Ho had to offer. The object of the game has up to four players attempt to reach one side of the room to the next, all using the power of teamwork. Players can grab the hands of others, as they swing and climb their way towards the goal. Mess up, and you’ll bear witness to a Gallagher level of colorful splattering before the characters respawn at the beginning.
The big key towards success is communication, the kind that makes this seemingly the perfect couch co-op experience. During my play-through, myself and the three other players had to tell one another to grab hold of walls, ceilings, and each other in order to reach the goal. If you don’t speak up, it could mean failure in the long run. Of course, even as you plummet to your death, it’s done with a hefty dose of hilarity!
Heave Ho is the type of video game you play with your friends to have a simple good time. There’s no need to compete, nor is there any sort of need to get angry if one doesn’t grab hold of a wall in time. Le Cartel just wants friends to have fun playing their game, and what they have delivered at PAX East was a fine breath of fresh air. Laughs were plenty, and the smiles it gave were brighter than the sun.
Heave Ho is due for release for Summer 2019 on the PC and Switch. When it drops, you can expect many players to have fits of giggles and playful cheering. Needless to say, Heave Ho is one experience that I feel more people need to partake in to better this world just a tad.
