Review of Dung Ho! – Pirates of the Veld on PC A Co-Op Gem

Dung Ho! – Pirates of the Veld turns one of nature’s most unglamorous tasks into one of the most delightfully slapstick co-op experiences on PC. Developed by Lesser Weevil—an indie studio founded by Matthew Armstrong and populated by veterans of Borderlands and Skylanders—this physics-driven party game proves that with the right crew, rolling a ball of manure across Africa is pure gold.

Rolling Through the Chaos

The core premise of Dung Ho! is as simple as it is absurd: up to six players take on the role of tiny, earnest dung beetles tasked with escorting a massive ball of dung across hazardous terrain to feed their family. Standing in your path are steep cliffs, aggressive wildlife, treacherous terrain, and, worst of all, the chaotic instincts of your own teammates. Victory requires constant communication and quick thinking. As your fragile payload rolls over hazards, it breaks apart, forcing the team to scavenge for fresh droppings along the route to patch it up.

While the base game established a solid foundation of physical comedy, the Pirates of the Veld expansion ramps up the stakes significantly. True to its name, the update introduces swashbuckling pirate enemies and explosive hazards that turn routine treks into frantic rescue missions. Beyond new routes in the Tour of Africa campaign, the headline feature is Bobbin’s Nightmare. Taking inspiration from punishing vertical climb titles like Only Up!, this endurance mode tasks your beetle crew with ascending dizzying heights where a single physics mishap can send your dung ball tumbling all the way back to square one.

The Highs and Lows

Dung Ho! shines brightest as a social experience. Every 30-to-60-minute session generates plenty of “did you see that?” moments through ragdoll physics, near-misses, and sudden catastrophes. A library of over 80 cosmetic options gives completionists plenty of unlockable gear to spruce up their beetles.

However, the game stumbles if you play alone. Without a group of friends to share in the failure, the physics mechanics feel more repetitive than rewarding. Additionally, the exaggerated physics engine—while integral to the game’s charm—can occasionally border on frustrating when precision is required during high-stakes climbs.