Final Exam is a 2.5D side-scrolling action brawler developed as an indie title for PC. Players control one of four friends who arrive at their old high school for a reunion party only to discover a ghost town overrun by monstrous creatures. The core experience centers on surviving waves of enemies while completing objectives across large, non-linear stages filled with exploration opportunities and combat encounters.
Gameplay
The gameplay revolves around fast-paced brawling in a side-scrolling format. Combat emphasizes combos, follow-up attacks, and score multipliers as players hack and slash through hordes of original monstrous foes. Each of the four characters brings distinct strengths, such as proficiency with explosive weapons or close-range melee, and features its own skill tree that develops through play. Progress involves gaining experience from thorough level exploration, unlocking new weapons, special moves, and devastating powers. High-score chasing forms a central loop, with players aiming to outdo personal and friend benchmarks through impressive combo chains and efficient enemy clears. Levels incorporate some backtracking elements reminiscent of light Metroidvania design, though the focus remains on action rather than complex platforming or puzzle-solving.
Game Modes
The primary mode is the campaign, playable solo or in cooperative sessions supporting up to four players online and two in local play. Objectives vary across stages and encourage both aggressive combat and careful navigation of the monster-infested environments. A separate Time Attack mode challenges players to complete levels with optimized combos and minimal errors to achieve top rankings. These options support repeated playthroughs, particularly when switching characters to experience different ability sets and approaches to the same content.
Characters and Progression
Character selection influences combat style from the start, with each of the four options offering unique stats and upgrade paths. As experience accumulates, players unlock improvements that enhance survivability and damage output against increasingly diverse enemy groups. The system rewards experimentation with different loadouts and aggressive playstyles that build toward higher multipliers and better overall performance metrics.
Is It Worth Playing?
Final Exam delivers its strongest appeal in cooperative sessions, where the frantic enemy waves and combo-driven combat create engaging shared moments. Solo play tends to highlight repetition in enemy encounters and level design after the initial campaign run, which typically lasts three to four hours. The game suits fans of classic beat 'em up mechanics who enjoy score-focused challenges and local or online co-op with small groups. Its short length and replay incentives through character variety and Time Attack make it a solid pick for targeted sessions rather than extended campaigns. Reception highlights the humorous tone and solid co-op fun alongside notes on limited innovation in the core loop.
