What the Clash - Apple Arcade Review

Kai Taylor
Jun 4
5 min read

Genre: PvP Battle

Modes: Single-player/Multiplayer

Developer: Triband

Publisher: Tribune ApS

Available On: iOS, macOS, tvOS

Reviewed On: iOS

Triband is no stranger to Apple Arcade titles. Their previous games, What the Car and What the Golf, were initially exclusive titles for the service before becoming available on platforms like Steam and PlayStation. Their latest game is What the Clash, an extremely entertaining Apple Arcade PvP battle game that never shies away from its comedic aesthetic and bizarre mini-games. What the Clash is a game that perfectly summarises the idea of 'casual gaming.' It's a game that may not be the greatest mobile game ever made, but it's a game that anyone can pick up and play immediately without needing to learn any deep RPG mechanics or intricate controls. The game is very easy to understand, the mini-games are great fun, and there is a huge amount of customisation to make your character pretty much any way you want. What the Clash is not a game I see myself playing in the years to come, but the mini-games do get repetitive after a few hours. However, any casual gamer will find a great deal of enjoyment in What the Clash.

HAND IN GLOVE

In What the Clash on Apple Arcade, you take control of an anthropomorphic hand that has legs, arms, and hands, but its head resembles an enormous hand. The head/hand is already a hilarious concept, but it gets even better when the character uses this head to its advantage. No matter what mini-game or mini-game style you play, this head will be the means to control your character. You can use the head to turn the steering wheel of a car, hold and swing a table tennis racket, or fly a plane. No matter what mini-game I was in, it was always amusing to see the different character animations, and I was left guessing what sort of position they would be in for the next mini-game.

If that previous paragraph sounded confusing, I apologise, but that is just how wacky and goofy What the Clash on Apple Arcade is. It doubles down on its equally creative and ridiculous premise, and it's not afraid to create visual comedy with its characters. The visuals themselves are simplistic, and most mini-games have the same orange backdrop, but they work in the game's favour. Triband did not design What the Clash on Apple Arcade to wow the world with its visuals; it is simply a component that adds to the game's charm and character. It is the same story as the character models. Your character is blue, and whichever character you fight will be pink. It's very simple, but the different colours work with the minimalist visuals. What the Clash on Apple Arcade is definitely not an ugly game, nor is it a beautiful game; it's a game that exists to entertain, and the visuals complement it.

The main title screen of What the Clash for Apple Arcade

Visual comedy is not the only aspect where What the Clash succeeds; the sound design and overall soundtrack are equally entertaining. Characters do not have any dialogue and instead make a series of noises based on whatever mini-game you are playing, or if you win or lose a match. The sounds of the characters reminded me of the Rabbids from Rayman, but nowhere near as constant or annoying. The soundtrack also adds to the game's comedic nature and wouldn't feel out of place in a slapstick comedy film or TV show. Triband knew what they were doing when it came to visuals and audio, and What the Clash on Apple Arcade was a treat in both departments.

LET THE HAND DO THE WORK

At its core, What the Clash on Apple Arcade is an online PvP battle game where you fight against an opponent, and the first to win three games wins overall. Anytime you win a game, you earn XP to level up your character and currency to spend on outfits and accessories. At the start, the only mini-game unlocked is tennis, and you use your finger on the touchscreen to control your hand holding the racket. The more XP you earn and the more level-ups you get, the more mini-games you will unlock. The first unlockable mini-game is racing, and there are a few more to unlock, such as archery.

On the whole, there are not many different mini-games to play through in What the Clash, but Triband introduced a system of unlockable cards to alter the gameplay. At the beginning of a specific mini-game, you and your opponent have the ability to select a particular card that will change the rules of the game. For example, if you are playing a round of tennis, you may have a specific card that says 'Sudden Death,' and your opponent may also select a card that says 'Sudden Death.' If this happens, the rules of the game change and the first person to win a point is the winner of the round. Every mini-game has dozens of different gameplay modes that all slightly alter the way you play a game. In the tennis game, you can have a fan at the side of the court interfering with the direction the ball goes. In archery, instead of hitting targets, you could be hitting rolling barrels that will explode if they get close to you. The unlockable cards are the biggest strength of What the Clash on Apple Arcade, but it is also the biggest fault I have with the game.

Selecting a card to choose a mini-game in What the Clash for Apple Arcade

For the first couple of hours, I was constantly discovering new gameplay modifiers, all of which were creative, keeping the game feeling fresh and engaging. However, after investing five hours into the game, I unlocked a vast majority of the different modes, and the game lost much of its charm. If you are playing What the Clash to see as many game modes as possible, you are restricted because the type of game you play is dependent on which card your opponent selects. You can choose a particular card, but so can your player, and it makes unlocking the different modes a game of luck. Unfortunately, during my playthrough, I found myself replaying many of the same mini-game types in each consecutive match. The repetitive game modes were what led me to put down What the Clash, despite all the positives I had experienced during my time with it.