Quick Links
Gang Beastsis a multiplayer game that involves silly characters fighting against each other using simple moves. There are no complex controls required to play the game.Gang Beastsallows every player to start a match with the same skills to make it an even playing field during every round.
Players can choose to fight against online or local enemies until there is only one survivor left in a match. Players simply need to remove their opponents from the map in order to win while in melee mode. Another popular option would be for friends to work together to defeat the gangs in Beef City in wave mode. There are four game modes to choose from, giving players plenty of variety when experiencingGang Beasts.Gang Beastsdoes have a limit to how many players may participate per round to prevent matches from becoming overcrowded. There can be up to four people in local modes or up to eight people in online modes.
FEATURED:Gang Beasts: How To Make A Private Lobby
Basic Controls
WhileGang Beasts’movements and abilities may seem confusing at first for new players, the controls are simple and easy to understand. When players start a round, they are placed on separate sections of the map to give them a chance to test out some moves. A player can direct their character with the left stick while the D-Pad will change the camera angle. If a player is spectating after being eliminated during a round, they can switch their focus by pressing the right trigger to see another point of view.
Running
A character will walk slowly around the map unless a certain button is held down while they are moving. Holding the A button down ensures that a player’sGang Beastscharacter will no longer leisurely stroll around. Increasing a character’s pace may allow a player to outrun their opponent or reach a certain destination at a faster rate. Anytime the A button is held down while moving in any direction, the character will run.
Jumping
While running and walking are crucial movements to gameplay, players should not forget how important it is to reach new heights. Whether a player wishes for their character to avoid an obstacle or escape the grasping hands of their opponents, jumping is a must. In order for aGang Beastscharacter to jump, players must quickly press the A button on their Xbox controller rather than holding it down while moving in a certain direction. This will result in their character hopping around any time they are moving and quickly pressing the A button. This makes yourcharacter harder to grab and hit. Constantly moving around the map will prevent a character from becoming an easy target.
Sitting
Another use for the A button is to cause a character to sit down. Players simply have to ensure that their character is not moving and hold down A. This will result in the character sitting where they were standing instead of running or jumping. Sitting may not be a fighting technique in the game, but it will allow players to avoid obstacles where they need to be low to the ground.
Kicking/Laying down
Another way to avoid oncoming obstacles is to lay down. Certain obstacles will require a character to lower themselves to the ground to avoid getting hit off the map. In order for a character to lay down, players simply need to press and hold the X button. This will result in the character quickly lowering themselves to ground level, which is the lowest a character may get in the game. This move doesprevent players from movingaround and should be used when an object can’t be avoided otherwise. Laying down does make a player a difficult target to grab and is a good defensive move. A more advanced fighting technique that will take some time to perfect is kicking. Kicking requires the X button to be pressed quickly instead of held down. It can be hard to time out when a kick will be beneficial in a fight, so testing out a few moves at the start of the match will be helpful.
Ducking/Crawling
Sometimes aGang Beastscharacter will not need to get extremely low to the ground but instead will just need to dip out of the way for a quick second. This is why knowing how to duck is an important ability throughout the game. For a character to duck, a player should quickly press the B button on their controller. Should a player wish to crawl away from their enemies while everyone is scrambling to get away from an obstacle, they will need to hold down the B button instead of quickly pressing it. This will result in their character slowly crawling across the floor instead of just ducking out of the way.
Grabbing
to win a standard round, a player must have their character be thelast one standing in map. This means that they must throw, lift, or punch their opponents away from safe zones or into moving obstacles. Obstacles can be a train or even an oncoming sign that must be avoided. In order for a player to grab an enemy, they must understand which buttons control the left and right hands of their character. The left arm and hand of a character is controlled by the left bumper button, while the right arm and hand are controlled by the right bumper button.
RELATED:The Best Controllers for Xbox
If a player holds down a bumper button, they will gain control of the matching characters arm and hand. Holding down the bumper button will allow a player to use the left stick to control the directing and angle their character’s arm is held. If a player holds down either the right or left bumper buttons when an enemy is nearby, it will result in the opposing players' character being grabbed. It is helpful to know how to control the arm angle of your character, as raising the angle will allow players to throw their enemies. The grabbing action will allow players to hold walls, lift loose items, or open doors throughout the various maps. The simple act of holding onto a railing may save a player from falling off a map.
Punching
Punching has the same control concept as grabbing, but instead of holding down the right and left bumper buttons, a quick tap will do the trick. If a player quickly taps the left bumper button, their character’s left arm will shoot out as if to punch something. The same goes for the right bumper button. This does take a bit of practice to get used to as opposing players will not sit still and wait to get punched.
Even though there is no visible stamina bar in the game, characters are limited to how long they can hold an opponent or object. It is important to note thatGang Beasts’characters can’t swim and will slowly sink into water. This will eliminate a player from the round unless they can pull themselves back onto the solid ground while spamming the jump button or climbing onto a higher surface. With these basic moves, players can get the full experience of the game even if they are new players.
Gang Beastswas released on Jun 12, 2025, and is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Windows, Mac, and Linux.
