Schooligans is a chaotic action indie party game for PC where players take on the roles of the worst students at Coolischool. The objective centers on building popularity through filmed stunts and mischief rather than traditional academic success. Up to eight players work together in online co-op sessions to pull off increasingly absurd antics while managing the risks of getting caught.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around daytime classes and nighttime escapades across a full school year divided into three terms. During the day, players navigate specific class rules in subjects like math, music, physical education, and library sessions. Each class imposes unique constraints, such as maintaining silence in the library or following the coach's discipline demands in PE. Players use their in-game phones to record videos of stunts performed behind teachers' backs or in plain sight.
Teachers respond to proximity voice chat with real voice recognition, forcing players to whisper plans or risk detection. Getting caught leads to escalating punishments, starting with time in the corner and progressing to expulsion from the room. Physics govern all interactions, leading to unpredictable outcomes that often produce the most valuable footage. At the end of each day, players post their best clips to earn aura, the game's measure of popularity and score. Viral videos can deliver unexpected bonuses.
Nighttime shifts the focus to exploration and riskier activities once the school locks down. Players can attempt to steal keys from the watchman, locate cheat sheets, or navigate areas rumored to contain zombies. Gadgets purchased with earned currency add layers of chaos, including items that transform others or alter behavior. Betrayal serves as a deliberate strategy, allowing players to throw friends under the bus for personal gain during voice interactions or group activities.
Game Modes
Schooligans operates primarily as an online co-op experience supporting one to eight players simultaneously. Sessions emphasize shared mischief and competition for aura within the same school environment. Players take turns holding the camera or compete for the best shots, with mechanics that encourage both collaboration and friendly sabotage. The structure follows a term-based progression where the group must meet collective aura quotas to advance, or risk repeating the term or facing expulsion.
Single-player options allow solo runs through the same systems, though the design prioritizes group play with voice communication. No separate competitive or versus modes exist beyond the inherent rivalry built into aura farming and social features like GossipApp, where players track and comment on each other's actions.
The School Year and Progression
A term lasts three in-game days of classes followed by evening activities. Quotas for aura increase with each term, pushing players toward more elaborate and risky stunts. The class council evaluates the group's performance at the end of each term. Individual progress includes collecting and trading Schoolicards, acquiring gadgets, and climbing personal rankings. The planner and GPS features help navigate the school layout, while self-recording options support moments when no one else holds the camera.
Full controller support ensures accessible play across different setups. The physics-driven world and voice recognition create emergent moments that rarely repeat, rewarding creative approaches over rote strategies.
Is It Worth Playing?
Schooligans targets players who enjoy chaotic multiplayer party games built around social interaction, voice chat, and unpredictable physics. Its focus on filming stunts, managing teacher detection, and navigating day-night cycles offers a distinct take on co-op mischief. The game launches on November 5, 2026, with no player reviews or ratings available yet. Those drawn to betrayal mechanics, gadget experimentation, and group aura competition in a school setting will likely find the described systems engaging for repeated sessions with friends. Solo players may appreciate the systems but will miss the core social dynamics that define the experience.