Foamstars developer Square-Enix has finally lifted the lid on when PS4 and PS5 players will get to slide into its upcoming hero shooter. On Tuesday, February 6, 2024, the bubbly hero shooter will launch on PS Plus as part of February’s Essentials line-up – and yes, that means all PS Plus subscribers will be able to redeem it for free.
From the Foamstars release date up until March 4, anyone with a PS Plus sub can hop into the latest addition to the list of PS5 exclusives for no additional cost. However, should you miss out on redeeming it for whatever reason when it leaves the rotation, the game can be purchased from the PS Store for $29.99 from March 5 onwards. Considering an Essential sub will only run you ten bucks, and you’re going to need PS Plus to play online regardless, getting in on it now is a no-brainer.
Writing in the PlayStation Blog, Foamstars producer Kosuke Okatani says that the game will receive “seasonal updates over the span of one year” – yes, that also includes a season pass. The pass itself is set to offer “a plethora of bonus items” at different tiers, unlocked by “earning XP from battling or completing missions.” The first season’s pass will also include new character Mel T, who is unlocked immediately should you pick up the Premium Pass. It’s a standard model, but we’re intrigued to see what sort of grind will be necessary to max the battle pass out – hopefully nothing as strenuous as The Finals’…
An amalgam of some of the best games like Overwatch 2 and Splatoon, Foamstars looks to wear its influences proudly – though we can imagine Nintendo might have something to say about the 4v4 shooter. Alongside its PvE offering, the game will also include three PvP modes: Smash the Star, Rubber Duck Party, and Happy Bath Survival, which all look to inject some colorful mayhem into its DNA.
Of the three, Rubber Duck Party is the one this writer is most excited about. While it looks like an off-shoot of Overwatch 2’s Push mode, the prospect of getting a big ol’ progress boost by dancing on the head of a comically large duck is absolutely ridiculous in the best possible way.
Though it’s been dismissed by many as a Splatoon clone, by the looks of things Foamstars’ core gameplay loop is much closer to that of Overwatch and other hero shooters. Yes, foaming up the floor aids mobility but, unlike in Nintendo’s inky IP, you won’t gain any extra points for coating the arena in your team’s colors.
However, players can make their own minds up about this when Foamstars drops in the coming weeks. Even though live service fatigue feels inevitable in 2024, Square’s latest so far looks like a worthy investment of our precious hours.