Fist of Awesome is an old-style side-scroller, where you play the role of a time-traveling lumberjack named Tim Burr…yes, Tim Burr. It turns out that his family, and indeed all of humanity, have been captured by bears and sent to live in zoos throughout the world. In order to restore humanity and put the bears back in their place, you must traverse space/time and defeat all bears in hand-to-hand combat. 
The first thing you’ll notice right away is the low-res graphics. The developer obviously wanted that 1980s look. But remember, that decade did offer some incredible graphics; namely the Commodore Amiga and its direct competitor, the Atari ST. Fist of Awesome however seems more like an Atari 2600 toss-in from the ’70s.
On the upside, there is the storyline. Who doesn’t enjoy a good lumberjack out of time? The pithy comments and one-liners remind one of Sam and Max…and by that I mean the original Sam & Max Hit the Road from 1993! While we could play musical decades for years, the bottom line is Graphics down; writing up! Prepare to laugh, but not to see what you’re laughing at.
Is the game worth it? That depends. If you are a fan of the endless left/right side-scroller, it can be a mesmerizing experience. If that sort of thing bores you, especially if you like pretty pictures, then perhaps better to stay away. Either way, I would recommend Fist of Awesome to anyone training for a career in standup comedy.
-Chris Roberts-
An autistic gamer with opinions on games who also enjoys making dumb videos on the internet!