How many GOATED MEMES will we find in this throwback indie FPS? Find out in our 420BLAZEIT 2 Review!

Before 420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition graced our lives, there was the original 420BLAZEIT. I was in my last year of high school when it dropped; I remember downloading this game onto my shitty school laptop and showing all my friends this funny shooter I had seen on YouTube. Imagine my surprise and elation when Normal Wholesome Games announced a sequel to this masterpiece.

At first glance, many may write 420BLAZEIT 2 off as a joke game, worthy of a chuckle from afar but little more. I can happily say that those people would be dead wrong, not only is this game a competent shooter but one of the best to come out of 2024.

420BLAZEIT 2 Review – Story

Agent 69, much like John Wick, has been pulled back into a dangerous and bloodthirsty world after a long-awaited retirement. After a briefing from Dave, your handler, you’re thrust into the madness of the Memeverse. Fighting through the four layers of the memescape, you must bring back our sacred memes from the clutches of the Illuminati — also exactly like John Wick.

Very important PSA here.

The Memeverse is filled to the brim with references to early 2010’s internet culture. In my favourite mission of the game, you’ll be walking though the “Truthland” museum, learning that Australia isn’t actually real and that the Earth is most definitely flat. Later, you’ll be busting out of the slammer, fighting off hordes of zombified consumers, or eating toy cars out of the sandpit.

It’s “the” in German.

Accompanying you through this journey, contacting you exclusively through your phone and sticky notes found where items around your house used to be, is your neighbour Conspiracy Chloe. A charming B plot is developed in between levels, with Chloe acting as a little bit of a grounding force as you venture deeper into the Memeverse. It’s just part of the reason I feel like 420 stands out amongst other “funny ha ha” shooters recently.

Dab on them haterz.

420BLAZE IT 2 captured the nostalgic part of me that yearns for a simpler time. While recent comedic shooters have banked on le random or edgy humour that rarely stick the landing, 420’s goofs and gaffs feel more earnest and deliberate. It’s a testament to the talent of the writing team when a game chock full of in-your-face memes from the 2010’s feels this strangely coherent.

Now I can finally determine just how weak my memes really are.

Of course, as well-written as this game is, it can’t escape being dated by its time-specific pop culture references. Ultimately, this game will resonate with people who grew up around these memes more than any. Whether it’s a deal breaker for anyone outside of that age range isn’t something I can speak to, being the prime demographic for this exact kind of nostalgia trip.

420BLAZEIT 2 Review – Gameplay

Being an FPS player myself, I was pleasantly surprised at how good 420BLAZEIT 2 felt to play! Every gun has its own weight behind it. The lighter guns feel almost non-existent and less than lethal, which just pushes you to grab the biggest gun nearby to really tear through enemies. The shotgun is crunchy and a force of nature up close, while “The Big D” gives you that same feeling of power a more tight, compact form.

Head goes *POP*

Head goes *POP*

While popping heads is demonstrably satisfying, you aren’t forced to consistently hit that sweet spot as usually a second or third round to the body does the exact same job. With the sheer number of Illuminati thugs this game throws at you, it remains challenging while also being accessible.

I’m glad that there’s a game out there now with the word “Derro” in it.

420 also supplies you with a large variety of weapons to keep things fresh. Aside from your base guns and melee, each one of the game’s 13 levels has a few secrets for you to find. Venture into an unassuming door and you could find a gun that shoots trash or my personal favourite, the “oz-salt-rifle” that slings Aussie insults every bullet you fire (I appreciated the developers making the swears edgy but not derogatory).

Some people take the Steam sales real seriously.

Along with the guns are some useful pickups you’ll come across. Laxatives give you an explosive double jump while “focus pills” slow down time whenever you get a kill or slide around all epic style. Damage boosters like “gainz” coupled with a baseball bat are a lethal combo that lets you sprint around knocking everyone for six like some madman.

420BLAZEIT 2 Review – Audio/Visual

420BLAZEIT 2’s audiovisual style is just as balls to the wall as the rest of the game. Depending on your meme level, certain actions will make legally distinct memes appear all over your screen while screaming at you with memetic audio bites — something that spawned from the original game jam game in 2014. Everything is written in Comic Sans; the premier comedic font, and gameplay is accompanied by heavy techno and dubstep whenever possible.

It’s called a BOOMBox for a reason.

The UI can certainly get muddled with the amount of visual noise on screen, and things can get very heavy when the game occasionally switches into a flashing rainbow mess or has you under the influence of one of the pickups. Otherwise, the game has very simple presentation, aforementioned memes that spam your screen can be adjusted in the options menu and minor UI elements are non-intrusive, allowing the focus to remain on the environment and gameplay.

420BLAZEIT 2 Review – Extras/Post-Game

If the main story isn’t enough for you, you can try going back through all the levels and hitting every challenge possible. This will include not dying on a given stage, finding certain secret guns and other goofy tasks I won’t spoil here.

Boss fights are great fun!

420BLAZEIT 2 Review – Conclusion

Much like the original, 420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition is packed with self-aware humour and callbacks to what now feels like ancient relics from the internet’s past. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a competent shooter with a variety of creative weapons and decent level design with all sorts of secrets to find. It is remarkable how the team behind the game managed to capture the magic that made the original Game Jam title so fun and whacky, whilst building on it and making it a fully fledged game an entire decade later.

So why should you play 420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition?

• A fun, self-aware story that doesn’t overstay its welcome
• Solid gunplay in a silly setting
• Tonnes of fun secrets to find

But why shouldn’t you play 420BLAZEIT 2: GAME OF THE YEAR -=Dank Dreams and Goated Memes=- [#wow/11 Like and Subscribe] Poggerz Edition?

• You’re sensitive to flashing lights and loud noises
• The humour may not land for some

Thanks to the developers for providing a review key for our 420BLAZEIT 2 review! For more dank dreams and goated memes, be sure to join the Qualbert Discord (yes, we have a memes and shitposting channel).