Funko Fusion Review: The Concept 'Pops', But Major Flaws Hold It Back

I've always appreciated a good crossover, and I happen to be a pretty avid collector of Funko Pops — so when I heard that Funko Fusion was coming out, I was more than a little excited. It's interesting to imagine blending fictional universes that would never come together otherwise; where else than in the Funko world will we see Mega Man, Jaws, and Chucky in the same game? From the start, it was clear to me that this game had endless potential. But unfortunately, Funko Fusion takes these seemingly infinite possibilities and turns them into a game that's just okay and nothing more.

Yes, it's definitely cool to see your favorite characters interact with the world using their unique, fitting abilities, and to identify the hidden little secrets that reflect a true understanding of every IP. It's also nice to have some agency in the story, in that you can at least choose which franchise you'd like to start with. This seemingly lets players engage with the stories they love, and skip over the ones they might not be so interested in. But unfortunately, seeing your characters in adorable Funko Pop form and checking out the little Easter Eggs is pretty much where the "fun" in "Funko" ends.

Once you've chosen the world you want to start with, you're thrown into a tutorial level, which admittedly does a pretty good job of explaining everything, before being left on your own to complete Worlds. Each world has several levels, which lead up to boss battles. After completing every level, you'll get a shiny Crown that allows you to unlock... even more levels! If that sounds a little monotonous, well, that's because it is.

The levels themselves are all quite similar in design philosophy, so it's never too difficult to figure out where you need to go or what you need to do. This can get pretty repetitive, and even frustrating, fast. Sure, every character has their own ability but the process for solving puzzles never really changes:

1. Identify an objective,
2. Find a character with relevant power
3. Use it
4. Rinse, and repeat.

And that's not to mention the back-tracking; step 2 of that puzzle-solving process is a little more complex than it seems. If you don't already have a character and ability you need to solve a puzzle, you'll need to find their World and finish it up before progressing.

Every level has you working towards a boss fight, which, in theory, should keep things suspenseful despite the need to back-track. Things can afford to be a little repetitive if it's all for an epic battle and a great, satisfying reward, right? Unfortunately, the game's boss fights just aren't that great, and they, too, suffer from the same monotony as the levels that lead up to them. Almost every boss has the same ground pound attack, which deals a lot of damage but is rather easy to learn to avoid. After a few boss fights like this, it becomes a chore to complete them. A good boss fight should have players' hearts pounding as we approach it, not having us think "Not this again!"

If you're wondering if all these repetitive boss battles and run-and-gun levels have any real meaning to them in the form of a masterfully crafted story, you'll likely be disappointed to hear my answer: not really. In fact, you don't have to even scratch past the surface to see that the whole plot is more of an ad for Funko than a love letter to the franchises it represents. The game's story follows Freddy Funko, Funko's mascot, as he faces off against his evil counterpart Eddy. Eddy has a purple goo that corrupts Pop figures, turning them into beasts. And...that's pretty much it.

The plot explains everything just enough to give the game a bit of cohesiveness and give us some context, but it isn't introspective enough to evoke any kind of emotional response. What is most disappointing is that Funko Fusion had the opportunity to capitalize on the unique interactions between characters from different worlds. It could have been a brilliant mashup of storytelling and gameplay, where each world contributed something genuinely interesting and distinct to the overall experience. But instead, the game feels more like a checklist — an exercise in ticking off objectives rather than crafting an adventure players can truly get lost in.

Overall, Funko Fusion has a vibrant and appealing style, but the gameplay just doesn't hold up. Despite the sheer amount of content in the title, I couldn't see myself sinking tons of hours into this game after completing it once; it's just too repetitive to be truly fun. If you’re a die-hard Funko fan, you might still find some enjoyment here, but if you're looking for something that feels fresh, exciting, and with staying power, you might want to look elsewhere. As much as I wanted to love this one, I unfortunately think it'll end up collecting dust on the shelf.