As we tumble through the year of chaos and uncertainty that is 2025, I have found that there is comfort to be found in the world of live service games. As no matter whether you’re dropping into a battle royale, skating around a virtual city, or relentlessly replaying raids to get the rare drops you want, everything is vaguely similar.
You’re teaming up with pals, grinding for gear and cosmetics, and engaging with the same addictive gameplay loop over and over. Something that, if put together properly, never gets old. But this is easier said than done, as Amazon Game Studios has come to find over the years.
In a bid to create a glorious cash cow, Amazon has gone out of its way to produce the next live service hit to get the whales on board and rake in the big bucks, but to this point, it’s been rather middling returns, like New World, Throne of Liberty, and Lost Ark.
Good thing big daddy Jeff Bezos has deep pockets, as they’ve had another go, and this might be the most likely to achieve superstardom yet finally. King of Meat pokes fun at its corporate roots, satirically borrows dribs and drabs from industry leaders and pop-culture giants, and yet, still manages to feel like something wholly different from what’s on the market today.
But whether that actually translates to a live service hit that catches fire on launch remains to be seen. Here’s what we made of this chaotic, cacophonous, calamitous crossplay upstart.
Are You Not Entertained?
One thing that will become immediately clear to the player from the moment that they dive into King of Meat is that Amazon Game Studios hasn’t held back when it comes to production value, as the game practically opens up like an episode of Rick and Morty, with a series of worldbuilding and comedic animated infomercials.
From the outset, the game is keen to lean into slapstick and silly humor, making light of the barbaric dungeons and death matches being cast to the masses. Which, for the most part, works a treat. It’s always a worry that a live service game will rely on cheap tricks to get eyes, but it seems King of Meat is willing to do the legwork and actually garners the players’ attention with fun writing, silly skits, and a world bursting with personality.
Whether it’s the Hades-esque splashboards as you encounter and chat with the various NPCs around the Ironclaw Plaza and beyond, the running commentary as you climb the ranks on your way to the coveted ‘King of Meat’ crown, or the satirical jabs at the corporate, commercial world we live in, there’s usually something that punctuates the moments between bashing and slashing through skeletons.
I will concede, due to the lack of a player base ahead of launch, I never got to see the hub area bustling with life and abundant with players showcasing just how silly they can be in real time. But, I think there is a framework here that is strong enough to support a swell of players, and one that is creative and unique enough to warrant players stopping by.
Soft Play Gladiators
The world-building, quality animation, and quirky characters, to, ahem, meat, are great and all. However, games like these live and die by how engaging the core gameplay is, and thankfully, there is a lot to praise about King of Meat’s setup.
I mentioned in my preview that this game feels like a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster of all the live service games and co-op platformers of yesteryear you’ll have witnessed, and I still stand by that. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing at all.
The game’s platforming feels reminiscent of games like Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, where you dive through the air, belly-flopping with careless abandon to evade an explosion at your rear. But, it also feels like a kid-friendly hack-and-slash affair, with a simple combo-focused moveset for each weapon class that makes mindless button-mashing feel fun and rewarding.
…despite the death and destruction around you, the game never loses that sense of whimsy and silliness that makes for chaotic co-op fun.
It also feels like a game like Destiny, where players enter dungeons, score as big as they can, earn rewards, and then return to the grand hub world to turn in challenges, manage their gear, show off to the crowd, and then bounce into another match.
It even feels a little like an ARPG affair or looter shooter due to the focus on high scores through smashing everything in sight, keeping multipliers running, and gathering as much treasure as you can in each stage. Heck, it even has Borderlands-style New-U stations where you get jumped out in a big pile of Primordial Jello.
Then, as you might expect due to the influence of various LittleBigPlanet alumni, this game feels a lot like a co-op sandbox where all assets are there to be used creatively, most things can be destroyed to gain points, and despite the death and destruction around you, the game never loses that sense of whimsy and silliness that makes for chaotic co-op fun.
However, I also mentioned in my preview that this game’s combat and gameplay are incredibly simplistic, as the game seems to be shooting for the appeal of the kiddies out there. At times, that is true of King of Meat, but I do have to alter my stance a little, as the wealth of playstyles the game offers is a lot more tactically involved than I could have ever foreseen.
Each weapon class has its own perks and pitfalls, with upgrades that make each more potent the longer you use them and complete challenges. Then you also have Glory Moves that act as special attacks, which can help turn the tide in your favor. Not to mention, melee and range are equally important, as you’ll need to shoot on the fly for some enemies, and get up close and personal with others.
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not the most deep and nuanced setup ever crafted by any means. However, it walks the fine line between accessibility and customizability that works perfectly for the tone and format the game is pushing, and allows those who want to truly engage with the more competitive side of this game to excel beyond the casual competitors.
However, despite having more depth than I might have anticipated, this was a short-lived boon, as it was the various dungeons around me that started to make the combat feel stale, and make the progression toward the illustrious title of King of Meat feel like a war of attrition.
Solo Woes
The thing you need to know about King of Meat is that it is a game where you get out what you put in. Which, in case you’re still wondering what I mean, translates to a game where user-generated content is tantamount to the game’s potential success.
Much like games like LittleBigPlanet and Dreams, the solo content is effectively a proof of concept that shows you some of the things that can be created within the game’s admittedly very impressive creation station.
However, I believe that any live service game, such as this, should strive to cater to both introverts and extroverts, as I know I’m not the only one who plays predominantly co-op-focused games in search of a good single-player experience. Something that King of Meat simply doesn’t provide.
The initial novelty of diving into Pure Builds and seeing some thematic dungeons put together by the developers is enjoyable, but before long, you’ll have seen repeats of various puzzle variations, you’ll have fought the same mobs of enemies ad nauseam, and you’ll have played through several dungeons that feel rather cookie-cutter in design.
Then, you also need to take into account that these dungeons seem designed and balanced for multiple players, so it almost feels that you’re being actively punished for not having a set of pals to play with, as certain puzzles will require multiple players, and scores will be unattainable without multiple players racking up points.
Then, as the cherry atop the shoddy solo cake, despite a lack of cooks crowding the kitchen and spoiling the broth, and barely anyone occupying the servers at all ahead of launch, I found on several occasions that the game crashed mid-match, leading to lost progress, rewards, and a sour taste in my mouth.
So, in short, if you intend to jump into this one with the express goal of playing without engaging with the multiplayer components. Do yourself a favor and don’t bother. At least until you can tell from the outside looking in if the game has a bustling and creative community.
Live (And Die) Your Way
The one caveat I have to the solo warning above is that if you are a creative sort that loves nothing more than being given a toolkit loaded with assets, seamless functionality, and infinite possibilities, then King of Meat is a game geared towards you.
The standout feature, and the beating heart of this game by some distance, is the creation kit the title provides, allowing players to hop into a top-down creation grid and piece together a dungeon in their own image, complete with a wealth of decorations, traps, treasures, puzzles, and baddies to slay on the way to the finish line.
I’ll be the first to say, this is my nightmare, but as soon as I toyed around with the creation kit, I could see that someone more creative and patient could easily create a masterpiece with the assets and tools at their disposal.
Again, it has a much more kid-friendly, vibrant soft play feel to it. However, the entire setup reminded me of games like Mario Maker, Meet Your Maker, and the various creative modes in Fortnite, which allow players to do just about anything they can possibly imagine, setting a challenge for other players.
But it’s not just the dungeon customization that is impressive, as the game also allows for a lot of character customization, with cosmetics that actually feel worth grinding for, and don’t seem overpriced based on the in-game currency.
Plus, players can also attach decorations and stickers to the cosmetics they own, effectively allowing for you to splice your items, allowing for a unique look that a mass of other players won’t necessarily be walking around with. Like, for example, attaching a dapper little mustache to a traffic cone helmet. My calendar is open around the time of Paris Fashion Week, and I am a mere phone call away.
A Multiplayer Hail Mary
In the end, despite some rather hollow solo gameplay issues, I don’t have much bad to say about King of Meat. Which is, honestly, as surprising to me as anyone, as a curmudgeon like me isn’t shy about sticking the boot in when reviewing live service games.
However, while it wasn’t utterly remarkable or groundbreaking, I had fun with King of Meat. The gameplay was wacky and silly, the custom options allowed me to express myself, the excess of creation tools promised me infinite possibilities at my fingertips, even if I didn’t necessarily want them, and the game’s various cut-scenes, characters, and quirky oddities made existing in this eternal deathmatch almost homely.
…what feels like the biggest potential nail in the coffin of this game is that inexplicably, the game is being published as a paid, mid-range title, rather than a free-to-play game. A fact that honestly made me double-take.
But, call me cynical, I just don’t think the clear quality on show and the effort pumped into this game is going to matter. I’ve seen this story before.
I’ve seen custom dungeon crawlers like Meet Your Maker try and fail to garner an audience. I’ve seen games like Dreams promise the world, only to end up relying on a cult following of very dedicated creatives to keep the embers flickering, and I’ve seen plucky live service games aplenty simply not get a look in due to the saturated market.
But what feels like the biggest potential nail in the coffin of this game is that, inexplicably, the game is being published as a paid, mid-range title, rather than a free-to-play game. A fact that honestly made me double-take.
While I know, having experienced it, that King of Meat’s experience is a net positive one, I don’t necessarily think the game’s elevator pitch is strong enough, which is perhaps why even weeks out from release, hardly anyone in the industry I mentioned this game in passing had even heard of it.
There’s barely any traction, and due to the hollow solo content and reliance on community-led content, I think this game is in severe danger of being a dead-on-arrival, which is really a shame, as there is something there.
I don’t think this game has the lightning-in-a-bottle potential of a Rocket League or a Fall Guys to attract the masses on launch, and without the player base, the solo-player ghost town that I encountered throughout my time with this game will soon transition from a pre-party vibe filled with anticipation to an eerie atmosphere of an after-party that needs to end.
For the record, I hope it doesn’t pan out that way, as there is fun to be had with King of Meat, but in my heart of hearts, I can’t see this ending up anywhere other than the meat grinder.
Closing Comments
“King of Meat is effectively like one of the most eye-catching and elaborate LEGO kits you’ll ever see. The composite parts are excellent, with soft-play-like visuals, a world that is wacky, silly, and engaging, and surprisingly nuanced combat and progression. Not to mention killer animation, a sublime creation kit, and cosmetic items that actually feel worth grinding for. However, like all LEGO kits, they don’t come assembled, and you get out what you put in. As a solo experience, this game is hollow and quite one-note. Meaning that this game will only be successful and enjoyable if it gains a following, as community creations will be the lifeblood of this title. If the game gains that player base, it could be great, but it’s a huge ‘if’. The game doesn’t have that lightning-in-a-bottle feel, and there’s a genuine concern this game could be dead on arrival.”
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Author: 360 Technology Group
