HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed Review
There’s something undeniably magical about the moment when childhood imagination collides with well-crafted game design, and “HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed” (yes, I’ll be capitalizing that word throughout the review) delivers that exact blend in a riot of plastic, nostalgia, and chaos. From the opening moments, I felt like I’d been transported back to the floor of my childhood bedroom, only this time, I had a controller in my hand and an entire arsenal of toy-sized weaponry at my disposal. Developed by the indie team at Digital Cybercherries, this game has been making the rounds across platforms since its original 2020 release on Switch and PC, but now that it’s finally landed on PlayStation, I got to dive into the definitive version of what might be the most heartfelt homage to sentient action figures this side of “Small Soldiers.” And honestly, that comparison isn’t accidental; this game feels like a playable tribute to that movie’s core fantasy: what if your toys were alive, armed, and ready to defend the very essence of your childhood?
At its core, “HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed” is a wave-based shooter with a simple but oddly compelling objective, defend a mysterious device known as the Hypercore from waves of hostile toys led by a nefarious villain named Major Evil. You take up arms (literally tiny arms) as one of several heroic figures, working alongside the grizzled Sgt. Max Ammo to keep the memories of our beloved childhood toys from being lost forever. It’s a silly premise, but the game embraces it wholeheartedly, and that sincerity goes a long way. The levels are what truly won me over. Each one is a carefully crafted battleground drawn from the most imaginative corners of suburban life, bedrooms, garages, toy stores, and bathrooms, all transformed into sprawling arenas where plastic soldiers and malicious dolls duke it out across bunk beds, bookshelves, and shampoo bottles. Playing through these levels felt like cracking open a time capsule and letting loose every daydream I ever had while surrounded by my old action figures.
The gameplay is equally charming, even if it doesn’t rewrite the FPS playbook. The mix of first- and third-person perspectives gives you some nice flexibility, while the shooting itself is tight enough to feel satisfying without being overly punishing. Preparation phases between waves are where the real fun begins; scouring the environment for coins, placing traps, building defenses, and uncovering secrets adds an extra layer of strategy. It never feels too overwhelming, and the pacing ensures you’re constantly moving without being rushed. This genre is usually not my favorite, so again, I’m thanking the charm of the overall concept for keeping me intrigued. Playing solo is surprisingly viable thanks to decent bot support. While the AI won’t be winning any tactical awards, they often feel like they’re just happy to be included; they’re at least competent enough to keep things moving and pick up some slack. That said, it’s clear that the game shines brightest in co-op. Whether it’s local split-screen or online multiplayer, battling waves of chaotic toys with a group of friends turns the mayhem into something special. Even with the occasional rough edge in traversal or AI hiccup, it’s hard not to have a good time when you’re launching toy helicopters off the top of a toilet.
There’s also a surprising amount of content here. Beyond the main wave-based campaign, there’s a suite of PvP modes like Deathmatch, Capture the Battery, and King of the Hill, each of which lets you throw down against other action figures in chaotic, bite-sized skirmishes. And the best part? Every unlock in the game is earned through actual gameplay. No microtransactions. No battle pass. Just good old-fashioned progress through performance, which makes every unlock feel earned and every new figure a badge of pride. Sure, “HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed” doesn’t necessarily bring anything groundbreaking to the shooter genre. If you strip away the action figure aesthetic, what’s left is a fairly traditional shooter experience. But the theme is so lovingly realized, so deeply rooted in the joy of playtime, that it becomes something greater than the sum of its parts. It’s not trying to be the next big esport or a gritty military sim. It’s just trying to be fun, and it absolutely nails that.
Yes, some parts could use polish. Movement can occasionally feel clunky when you’re trying to navigate more vertical environments, and the bots don’t always feel like the sharpest tools in the toy chest. But these minor blemishes are easy to forgive when the rest of the package is delivered with so much charm and care. Ultimately, “HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed” doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, it proudly caters to a very specific, wonderfully nostalgic itch, and scratches it with vibrant color, energetic pacing, and a heart that beats with genuine affection for the toys we all grew up with. It might not change the world of shooters, but it gave me a few hours of pure, chaotic joy, and sometimes, that’s all a game really needs to do.
8/10
For more information, visit HERE
Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
More Stories
Borderlands 4 Trailer to Unveil Today at 12:45pm PT via Twitch
Warhammer 40,000 Darktide Arbites Review for Steam
REMATCH Review for PlayStation 5