I Just Played the Funniest PS5 Game I’ve Ever Seen — and It’s Only $16 for a Limited Time

I’m a simple man; when I see Matt Berry involved in something, I’m probably going to watch it or play it. I loved him in “What We Do in the Shadows,” I loved him in “Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace” and “Toast of London,” to name a few.

What are we playing?

Welcome! This column is part of a series where members of the Tom’s Guide team share what they’re playing and what they like, with the goal of helping you find great games you might want to play next time. Be sure to check out our recent post where our writer discussed one of the major issues with Bloodborne during a full replay of the FromSoft classic.

So when I saw Berry was part of the voice cast for the new indie title that’s been making waves since its multi-platform launch on August 1st, I immediately grabbed Thank Goodness You’re Here! on PS5. I’m glad I did; this short comic book adventure is easily one of (if not the) funniest games I’ve ever played, and definitely one of the best PS5 games you can play right now.

Described as a “slapstick” by indie studio Coal Supper, Thank Goodness You’re Here! introduces players to the fictional northern town of Barnsworth, a heightened, surreal vision of provincial England inhabited by a cast of oddball characters.

You’ll play as a small-time traveling salesman who’s sent to Barnsworth, ostensibly to meet with the mayor. Once there, you’re quickly drawn into a series of increasingly bizarre (and occasionally disturbing) tasks as more and more locals ask for your help, always with the immortal words, “Thank God you’re here!”

A… slap-former?

(Photo credit: Coal Supper/Panic)

“What the hell is a slapformer?” I hear you ask. Well, you have two main ways to interact with the locals: jumping and running around town, and giving everything in sight a quick, hard slap. That way, you’ll start conversations with everyone, solve puzzles, and, most importantly, find all the best gags.

The closest thing I can compare it to is probably Untitled Goose Game (also published by Panic, it turns out), but the two games differ in one crucial way. In Goose Game, you honk your horn as you tear through a city, gleefully wreaking havoc on the local populace. Thank Goodness You’re Here!, meanwhile, functions essentially as a 2-4 hour British sketch show in which the player plays a key role.

You’ll progress through a series of scenes, learning more about the drama between the characters and taking on new quests… none of which will turn out the way you expect. whole the idea is to create a game that always pushes you to the next punchline, so even if it’s a simple control scheme, you won’t notice it. Soon you’ll be pushing, jumping, and punching everything you see.

Just make me laugh

(Photo credit: Coal Supper/Panic)

Look, the fact is that everyone’s sense of humor is subjective, and as a Northern Englishman at heart, and someone who grew up watching a lot of quintessentially British comedies that clearly influenced the creation of Coal Supper, I have to admit that Thank Goodness You’re Here! seems made to measure to make me laugh.

Right at the start they ask if you want to play in Standard English or a regional dialect, and I can’t explain how much I was amused to see “Faff” instead of “Options.” And that’s before he started game.

The game’s sense of humor ranges from cheeky to downright absurd, with the occasional slightly sinister, uncomfortable undertone. The script is full of double entendres and unsubtle or repetitive gags, but they all hit the mark, and the city is littered with signs, posters, and other background gags that you’ll quickly start looking for each time you stray into a new sequence.

As we all know, explaining a joke is the fastest way to kill it. And since the game is only a few hours long, I don’t want to spoil any of the best moments. Just know that the timing and comic delivery in Thank Goodness You’re Here! are spot on, and the gameplay (while simple) is diverse enough to keep you interested before the credits roll.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for something short that you can binge through in one or two sittings, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is definitely one you shouldn’t miss. If you want to experience this strange tale for yourself, be sure to pick up Thank Goodness You’re Here! in the next few days while it’s still 15% off (though it’s worth buying even at full price). It’s not something I’ve played all year and loved every second of. Speaking of which, I’m off to blow a few more mailboxes.