Funko Fusion | PS5 Review

In 2010, Funko Pop! figures made their debut at San Diego Comic-Con, beginning with a small batch of characters from the DC Universe, such as Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern. It’s hard to believe that this quirky line of collectibles, with their oversized heads and minimalist designs, would go on to dominate pop culture over the next 15 years (sigh). What began as a niche product has since exploded into a massive brand, spanning an astounding range of fandoms. From Mickey Mouse to Freddy Krueger, Nickelodeon to South Park, Parks & Recreation to Stranger Things, and everything in between, Funko Pops have captured the imaginations of collectors, including my fiancé, across every corner of entertainment. 

Developed by 10:10 Games and published by Funko in collaboration with NBCUniversal, Funko Fusion digitizes these collectibles into an action-adventure mashup that pulls characters from multiple Universal Studios franchises into one shared universe. However, the timing of the game’s release seems at odds with a brand whose once feverish popularity has started to wane in recent years. 

A-POP-calypse Now

Funko Fusion blends third-person action/adventure with puzzle-solving gameplay, drawing clear inspiration from the LEGO games. This isn’t surprising given that 10:10 Games, the studio behind it, was founded by former Traveller’s Tales developers. The story, while not deeply narrative-driven, follows a multiverse crisis where an evil entity attacks Funko HQ, damaging Freddy Funko, the brand’s mascot. Players travel to various iconic worlds, battling enemies, solving puzzles, and collecting in-game items, all with a progression system similar to the LEGO titles.

Funko Fusion features over 20 different intellectual properties from the Universal Studios catalog, but only seven receive a full campaign mode: Jurassic World, Hot Fuzz, The Thing, Battlestar Galactica, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Masters of the Universe, and The Umbrella Academy. The rest are limited to cameo appearances or one-off levels, offering brief nods to fan-favorite franchises without the same in-depth treatment. While these cameos—like Five Nights at Freddy’s or Back to the Future—add fan service and fun diversions, they serve more as tributes to the expansive Funko universe than fully developed adventures. The overall plot doesn’t impact the game too much, seeing as you can choose to play the seven worlds in any order you wish. Naturally, as I am “Mr. Eighties”, I started with my favorite horror film, John Carpenter’s The Thing.

Whether or not you enjoy Funko Fusion largely depends on your attachment to the franchises featured. Fans of Jurassic World, The Thing, or Scott Pilgrim vs. The World may find themselves more invested in the game’s worlds and characters, while others might feel less drawn in if they don’t have a connection to these IPs. Much like the physical collectibles themselves, the game thrives on nostalgia and fan service. If you were hoping for a particular franchise to get the full campaign treatment, only to see it relegated to a cameo while a property you’re less interested in takes center stage, the novelty might wear off quickly, leaving the gameplay feeling less compelling.

It’s the Vinyl Countdown

Players familiar with the LEGO series will feel right at home with Funko Fusion and its third-person adventure gameplay. Combat, puzzle-solving, and collectible hunting are central to the experience, with each character bringing their themed abilities and stats to the mix. Like in the LEGO games, destroying objects in the environment spills clumps of vinyl, the game’s currency, which can be used to purchase and craft special items. However, while the game captures the essence of various franchises, it falters in critical areas that make it less enjoyable over time. One of the game’s biggest issues is its environments. While it does a good job of portraying familiar settings like Isla Nublar in Jurassic World and Outpost 31 in The Thing, you’ll quickly grow tired of them due to the constant backtracking. Objectives are often vague or unclear, and the game offers little guidance in helping you figure out the next step.

You will also be overwhelmed with endlessly respawning enemies while you’re trying to figure out objectives, making the experience feel more like a chore than fun. This is particularly frustrating when you’re stuck triggering the next mission marker or solving a puzzle under constant pressure. While the core mechanics are solid and the mix of characters is fun in concept, the game’s lack of direction and repetitive environments detract from the experience. It feels more focused on fan service and collectible hunting than on delivering engaging gameplay. For some, the nostalgia might be enough to push through and overlook the flaws, but others may find the novelty wears off quickly.

Vinyl Destination

The graphical presentation in Funko Fusion does a solid job for a game centered around vinyl figures. The environments, while not always engaging from a gameplay perspective, are at least visually faithful to the worlds they represent, whether it’s the dense jungles of Jurassic World, the frozen outpost from The Thing, or the quaint English Village in Hot Fuzz. The real attention to detail shines in the character models themselves, where each Funko Pop is expertly crafted to reflect its on-screen counterpart with a humorous twist. For instance, Nicholas Angel from Hot Fuzz (portrayed by Simon Pegg) swings a Japanese peace lily as a melee weapon, while Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) wields a Cornetto ice cream cone, adding personality and charm to each character.

In addition to these character details, Funko Fusion incorporates a “toys-to-life” feature. Players can buy physical Funko Pops that feature the “Fusion” branding, and each figure comes with a redeemable code to unlock that character in-game, adding a collectible aspect to the experience. However, while the designs of the figures are spot-on, there’s a noticeable limitation when it comes to their expressiveness. Much like the early LEGO games, Funko Fusion forgoes spoken dialogue, relying on body language and gestures to convey emotion and narrative. But due to the minimalist design of the Funko faces, their ability to emote effectively is diminished, making it harder for the characters to express themselves as well as the more detailed LEGO figures of yore. Occasionally, the game also suffers from minor glitches, such as clipping issues or characters getting stuck in the environment, which can briefly take you out of the experience. Despite this, the game still captures the playful spirit of these characters within its vinyl-inspired aesthetic.

Vinyl Thoughts

Funko Fusion offers a fun, nostalgic romp for fans of the franchises it pulls from, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the games that clearly inspired it. There’s a solid foundation here with its character designs and creative mashups of iconic worlds, and players who love the Funko brand will find plenty to appreciate in the attention to detail, particularly in how each figure is faithfully and humorously represented. The “toys-to-life” feature is a nice touch, offering collectors an additional layer of enjoyment as they can bring their physical Funko Pops into the digital space. 

In terms of content and replayability, Funko Fusion is comparable to LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, the Xbox 360/PS3-era release that combined the original and prequel trilogies. While it delivers a decent amount of fun, the lack of polish in certain areas keeps it from becoming a standout in the genre. It captures the playful spirit of its vinyl-inspired aesthetic, but issues like constant enemy respawns, occasional glitches, and limited character expressiveness make it feel uneven. Fans of Funko and the represented franchises may still find plenty to enjoy, but others might feel the novelty wears off before long, making it a solid but flawed entry in the action-adventure genre.

To hear me talk more about Funko Fusion, be sure to listen to the October 17, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 1:17:11 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased PlayStation 5 copy of Funko Fusion. It is also available on Xbox and PC via Steam, with PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch releases following at a later date.