World's Worst Handyman Preview

I will admit that I thought that World's Worst Handyman was a different sort of game to what it is. I imagined something like Surgeon Simulator; but what I got was something more akin to Moving Out mixed with Hello Neighbor. It was probably just me misreading the description, but I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

You play the titular handyman who decides to raise money for an animal shelter. Unfortunately, he’s only just become a handyman and has no skills, but fortunately things just seem to work out for him. The game is played from an isometric viewpoint, and you have to go around watering plants and unclogging toilets by just pressing a button on your controller (or keyboard, though it recommends controllers). But then the field floods and the toilet, well, bad second example because it also floods, but you get it, the task is failed successfully.

The build of World's Worst Handyman that I played only had three levels, and each one gives a handful of tasks that you have to do. Sadly, it’s not as easy as just finding the right coloured key to unlock the door you need to get in. Each level has someone who doesn’t want you there for whatever reason — the first one is a streamer who really hates being interrupted — and you have to avoid them. If they catch you, they attack you and you drop all of your stuff — keys, chickens, wrench — and you have to retrieve it when you respawn at the start.

Each level has crates which give you a single use item to help against your, let’s call them foe. Banana skins for them to slip on, alarm clocks to distract them… There are also environmental items such as radios and singing fish that will draw them into a room and (hopefully) out of your way for a few moments.

The graphics are bright and highlight how family-friendly the game is. The music isn’t bad, but honestly not very memorable. There’s a good use of “panic” music when one of the foes spots you, though!

While I only had about half an hour with World's Worst Handyman, I’m honestly looking forward to playing more when it releases later in 2023. I was introduced to the foes, timed tasks, environmental hazards, and fixing toilets by hitting them with a plunger. I want more!