A few weeks ago, someone noted you could pick up a normally $20 game for $2 called Stilt. I'm a fan of picking up VR games for $2 . . . especially when they turn out to be pretty good games!
I've talked a fair amount about VR platforming games here on TFN. Astrobot during the COVID era was what initially made me fall in love with VR. Back in November 2023, I boldly declared that No More Rainbows was the evolution of VR platforming because it lived in the era post-Gorilla Tag and used arm movement to get around.
Stilt firmly resides in that same category as No More Rainbows. In this game, your arms are basically pogo sticks, and you use them to bounce around classic platforming puzzles to collect stamps and gift boxes.
I say classic platforming puzzles intentionally because that's part of what differentiates this game from No More Rainbows. The platforms, obstacles, and enemies feel more like something out of an old-school NES Super Mario game more than anything, and it's every bit as difficult in many ways.
Stamps are pretty much like your standard classic Mario coin or Sonic ring. Much like Sonic, your stamps are also your key to staying alive. If you lose three hearts during a level, you can start over from a checkpoint for the cost of 10 stamps. Gift Boxes are what you're trying to earn throughout the levels. Each level can cough up to 5 gift boxes: 3 for completing objectives in the levels, 1 for surviving to the end of a level with a lot of stamps, and 1 for racing to the finish quickly.
As you progress through the levels, you'll find pogo leg power-ups that convert your regular pogo legs into awesome pogo legs. They feel a bit like gadgets that Inspector Gadget might have used (Could you imagine if this was an Inspector Gadget platformer instead of what it is?):
- Fireball pogo leg -- you can shoot three shots at enemies in rapid succession before entering a cooldown for the gun.
- Slow pogo leg -- you can slow down time to help you dodge better or freeze puzzles for a few seconds for a better view.
- Magnet pogo leg -- you can suck stamps toward you for collection.
- Swing pogo leg -- you can shoot out a vine and swing from it, giving you extra height or distance.
- Glider pogo leg -- you can use it like a helicopter blade for a short time to carry you far across the map or toward a goal quickly.
- Rocket pogo leg -- you can blast in any direction quickly for an extra boost
- etc. (I don't know if I've found all the legs yet)
As you progress from world to world, you eventually hit walls where you have to deposit gift boxes into a mailbox to open the wall and let you through. The first levels use Green boxes, which can only be inserted into the green mailbox. The next set of levels uses Purple boxes, etc.
So far, I'm through the first two walls of gameplay as I'm making my way up to what appears to be some kind of tentacular type of monster, which certainly is the end boss.
I've heard some mixed reviews on this game, and I get it. The "classic" platforming vibe feels a bit dated, and your pogo-sticking self doesn't really have a lot of charm. If there is a complaint from me, it's that . . . compare this game to No More Rainbows, and you're missing charm, and THAT is what I wish I had more of. Max Mustard had charm. Astrobot had charm. Lucky's Tale was oozing in charm. In comparison, Stilt is, well, stilted in its lack of charm. Then again, I haven't played multiplayer yet, which is where I imagine I'd maybe find a bit more of what I'm looking for.
THAT SAID. YAY VR PLATFORMING FUN! I don't want you to think that I'm not having fun with this game. I am, and for the crazy price of $2, I'm getting more fun than I bargained for.
I'll be reporting more on this game, and hopefully, when I soon beat the end boss. Until then . . .
Happy Dueling!
No comments:
Post a Comment