A few years ago I reviewed a realistic forklift simulation game and didn’t like it.  But what if you took that concept and simplified the controls and made the objectives less realistic?  Would it be better?  Well that’s what we are here to find out with Do U Even Forklift?, a top down viewed game where you control a forklift lifting stuff and moving it around.  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

They don’t explain how to play very well in this game, but if you go to the controls part of the options menu, it’ll explain everything and you’ll be able to pick things up easier.  Use the ZR and LR trigger buttons to accelerate and reverse.  When you are next to something you can pick up, press the button and you’ll do so.  You can also raise and lower the arms of the forklift with the L and R shoulder buttons.  And another button honks your horn.

You’ll travel to each stage on a map.  In stages you’ll do things like move cars to parking spaces and load up trucks.  They really don’t explain what you have to do in each level, but there are picture cues to help you out.  Later you’ll have to solve puzzles like putting certain color cars in spaces or giving them a paint job first.  There are also hidden ramen bowls to find in each stage, but I don’t know what they do.

The press release says the game is “Ghibli-esque,”  which is a term many press releases overuse in my opinion.  But the simple graphics do remind me of Katamari Damacy.  Unfortunately, the unclear goals and tricky controls kept me from really enjoying this one.  Any game where you control a car in top-down fashion using RC like controls always trips me up, especially when you have to do a lot of reverse steering.  If you could change the controls I’d like that better, but I don’t think you can.  Once you get to stages that require more precise movements, the game becomes way less fun.

Kid Factor:

You can knock down telephone poles and crash into other things on your forklift, but that’s about as violent as it gets. Reading skill isn’t needed, but younger gamers may get frustrated at the unclear goals and tricky controls.  Do U Even Forklift? is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews