Game Overview
A foul-tempered side-scrolling brawler, Pulling No Punches turns pandemic-era frustration into a loud, deliberately abrasive arcade fight. Its fictional crisis unfolds in a world where dangerous denial and conspiracy-minded fanatics have made everyday life even worse, leaving four ordinary citizens to fight back while masked and gloved. The tone is satirical, politically charged, and cartoonishly violent rather than subtle, with enemies and environments designed to provoke a reaction. Beneath the social commentary sits a classic beat ’em up structure built around marching through hostile streets and knocking sense into crowds of troublemakers.
Combat revolves around the satisfying fundamentals of the genre: rapid punches and kicks, throws, grabs, headbutts, and improvised attacks using whatever the stage provides. Each of the four playable characters brings individual moves and unlockable abilities, encouraging players to experiment with different approaches instead of treating every fighter as a simple palette swap. Stages demand crowd control as much as raw aggression, since players are regularly boxed in by groups that can punish careless button-mashing. Up to four people can play together locally, making it especially suited to a couch session where coordinating attacks, reviving allies, and accidentally hitting friends are all part of the chaos.
Its greatest strength is the presentation: every character and impact is drawn by hand and animated frame by frame, giving the action an expressive, rough-edged visual identity that feels closer to a nasty underground cartoon than a polished superhero spectacle. The game channels the straightforward momentum of Final Fight and Streets of Rage while using a modern subject and a more confrontational sense of humor. Players looking for an apolitical nostalgia trip may find its message too blunt, but that bluntness is central to its personality. Pulling No Punches fits beat ’em up veterans who want a short, energetic co-op brawler with a distinctive visual style, while newcomers can enjoy it for its accessible arcade instincts and immediate, punchy feedback.
Screenshots
Installation
- Select the Download button at the top of this page to open UploadHaven.
- On UploadHaven, wait for any countdown, then select Free Download. Optional: UploadHaven Pro for faster downloads.
- When complete, extract the archive to a Pulling No Punches folder using 7-Zip.
- Open the extracted folder and start the game normally.
- For errors, check Setup Guide & Troubleshooting below. Keep your security software enabled.
System Requirements
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Storage: 4 GB available space
Setup Guide & Troubleshooting
How do I fix missing DLL errors for Pulling No Punches (v2023.04.05)?
After extracting Pulling No Punches (v2023.04.05), navigate to the _Redist or _CommonRedist folder inside the game directory and install DirectX, Vcredist, and any other dependencies included.
What should I do if the downloaded file is corrupted?
The full archive is 1.66 GB — make sure your download completed fully before extracting. Use 7-Zip to extract the files. If you still see a "file corrupted" error, re-download and try again.
Do I need to run the game as administrator?
Usually, no. Start the game normally from the extracted folder. If you see a permissions or save error, check that the folder is writable and follow the game's documented fix. Only grant administrator access when a trusted game's specific setup requires it.
How do I update my GPU drivers for this game?
The game won't launch — what should I try?
Check that extraction completed and your PC meets the system requirements. Note any error message before choosing a fix. If it identifies a missing runtime, install the required DirectX components or Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft.
My antivirus is blocking the game — is it safe?
A warning needs to be investigated; the download source alone cannot confirm that a file is safe. Keep your security software enabled and review the detection details. Do not run or restore a flagged file unless you have verified that it is a false positive. If you are unsure, leave it quarantined.