Way of the Passive Fist Reviews

Way of the Passive Fist is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2018

In Way of the Passive Fist, winning is earned - and it feels good.

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4 / 5.0
Mar 14, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is one of the most refreshingly original games I’ve played in years. Though it has its hiccups when it comes to level design, the intense timing-based combat more than makes up for them.

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Unscored
Jul 19, 2018
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8 / 10.0
Mar 9, 2018

Though not a perfect experience, Way of the Passive Fist offers an interesting take on a tried and tested genre, creating something beautiful in the process.

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7.5 / 10.0
Jul 27, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is unique among the rest of the brawlers in the genre. Though the experience is mostly entertaining, the rhythmic gameplay can sometimes feel like a chore. Ultimately, the experience will have you reminiscing about the days of action-packed Saturday morning cartoons.

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5.7 / 10.0
Apr 24, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist captures that arcade style really well and it would be perfect for that type of setup.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 11, 2019

While I wouldn’t recommend the game to everyone due to its overall difficulty and what ends up being a fair amount of repetition, ultimately for brawler fans seeking out a challenge it delivers something both tough and fresh...

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 10, 2019

undefined.What it lacks in gameplay variety, Way of the Passive Fist makes up for in its unique focus on defense and its accessible approach to difficulty. I enjoyed playing through the story mode and learning the different attack patterns of my opponents as each interaction felt like a mini-rhythm game. If you are looking for an arcade-style brawler that has achievements and a fun hook, there's no need to be passive about downloading this one on the eShop.

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60%
Mar 14, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is an interesting title that offers a great deal to those who fully get on board with it, but its repetitive nature and demanding difficulty means that they will be few.

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Mar 6, 2019

For a beat 'em up indie game all about dodging and deflecting, it is worth absorbing every punch of Household Games' excellent Way of the Passive Fist.

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6 / 10
Apr 23, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist has got an interesting hook (or would it be parry?), but its tedious nature drags things on for far too long. Best in small doses, its desolate world desperately needs a dash of the ol' ultraviolence.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 26, 2019

Much like a deep dish pizza, Way of the Passive Fist isn't what it seems on the surface. And like the heavy alternative to the NY slice, it's not something I can recommend to everyone. However, it's a totally inventive, gorgeous, and well-executed spin on rhythm-based games, where the action never lets up.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 27, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is a game that continually left me wanting more and I highly recommend it.

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Ray Carsillo
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is a game out of time (in a good way). It feels like it would've fit right in alongside arcade cabinets from 30-years ago, with its cartoon color scheme and over-the-top soundtrack. But it's got a modern twist that solves a lot of old-school beat 'em ups' biggest problems and delivers a terrific overall experience with a cornucopia of options to keep you coming back for more.

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Generación Xbox
J.M. Subirosky
Top Critic
6.3 / 10.0
Mar 19, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is a strange and original proposal, which has led to a game that challenges our memory, but served as a brawler. Its visual style, purely arcade of the 90's, together with its rhythmic soundtrack are in charge of saving it from being forgotten.

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5 / 10
Mar 12, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist starts out strong with an interesting concept, but that interest soon wears off thanks to poor execution. Once you've played the first chapter you've pretty much played all 10 as there is never any variation on offer. Combine this with the fundamental flaws of basing the gameplay purely around blocking and dodging and you have a recipe for a promising and unique but ultimately disappointing game.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Mar 21, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is a clever play on words and a unique take on the genre. Sadly, the problem it attempts to solve with its unique combat starts to suffer from the same problems the games it draws inspiration from are plagued with. Still, it is a neat diversion from the norm and worth checking out on a decent discount.

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Unscored
Mar 6, 2018

Household Games clearly have vision and creativity on their side, as well as some very skilled artists and musicians. All they need is to exercise a little restraint on whatever they work on next.

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7 / 10
Mar 6, 2018

Way of the Passive Fist is an imaginative twist on a classic genre. It's fun to imagine a hero that can go through an entire warrior's journey without laying a hand on anyone… mostly. (The Wanderer's special attacks are a power punch, body slam, and gravity-powered explosion.) The idea isn't to beat everyone to a pulp, it's to rhythmically withstand everything that everyone else can dish out.

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6.5 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2018

The intriguing gameplay and myriad difficulty options are enough to make Way of the Passive Fist an intriguing curio, but it falls into the some of the traps it tries to escape

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