Maximus 2: a bit of a Four Fats fanatic

Four Fats’ Maximus 2 is a beat ’em up with a heavy emphasis on video game references.

Four Fats is the moniker for a developer who formerly went by the moniker Mooff Games, and they produce games that are right up my alley. Their games are frequently complex homages to vintage video games from the 1980s and 1990s, with a particular emphasis on arcade genres such as beat ’em ups, fighting games, and scrolling shooters. Additionally, they began their careers developing very adorable teddy bear-themed puzzle games, but that’s another tale for another day. They specialize on arcade action games with a heavy emphasis on video game references, which I like.

They published Maximus in 2013 as Mooff Games, a tribute to Golden Axe but also to a slew of other side-scrolling beat ’em ups. It was a lot of fun and one of my favorite mobile brawlers. Maximus 2 is finally accessible, about a decade later. What services does it provide? It’s a beat ’em up featuring non-stop homages to a number of the genre’s most beloved entries. This is, after all, what these men do. I’d have it no other way.

Of course, this is a significant improvement over the previous Maximus. Over the years, Four Fats has experimented with fully 3D polygonal games in addition to its signature cartoony 2D hand-drawn aesthetic. Nowadays, it appears as though they’ve found a happy medium, where the majority of their characters are still hand drawn but the surroundings and occasionally other components of the game are rendered in 3D, which creates a pretty amazing impression. That is to say, Maximus 2 is an extremely sharp-looking game with a slew of really impressive graphic effects while yet maintaining the Four Fats aesthetic.

In terms of gameplay, this is a straight-up beat ’em up. You may choose from a variety of character classes, each with their own set of powers, and play through one lengthy, continuous campaign solo or with up to four people, either locally with multiple MFi controllers or online. There are some very mild RPG components in terms of upgrades and gear, as well as a slew of new moves your character will learn as you play. At its heart, it’s still a very straightforward arcade beat ’em up, but with a bit more meat on its bones than your ordinary button-masher.

As I previously stated, I am a Four Fats devotee. Their games are really similar to my own. If, like me, you’ve been enjoying Mooff or Four Fats games for the better part of a decade, you probably don’t need to be convinced of Maximus 2. If you’re unfamiliar with these people or are wary, Maximus 2 may be downloaded and played in its full for free. As a free player, you’ll encounter advertisements and will need to grind for in-game cash in order to unlock all characters and skins.

If you enjoy the free sample and want more, you may upgrade for $5. IAP that unlocks all characters and skins, improves cloud saving, removes forced advertisements, grants you more continues, and enables you to host private online games. With that IAP, it effectively becomes a premium game. Alternatively, you may continue to play for free and purchase in-app packs of coins or continues, which will also prevent advertisements. There are several ways to pay for this one, but the simple truth is that Maximus 2 is incredibly fantastic and completely free to try, so there’s no excuse not to.

Maximus 2 features some really impressive graphic effects while maintaining the Four Fats aesthetic. In terms of gameplay, Maximus 2 is a straight-up beat ’em up. You may choose from a variety of character classes, each with their own set of powers. There are mild RPG components in terms of upgrades and gear, as well as a slew of new moves.