Have you ever tried to walk atop a pair of stilts, or bounced around on a pogo stick? I have very fond memories of doing exactly this as a kid. After many an hour spent outside, bouncing, falling, and dusting myself off. It was time to kick the shoes off and relax with the classic platformers we all love like Super Mario Brothers. Now this unlikely coupling has met and had a gorgeous, bouncy baby. Bouncing its way onto PSVR2 is ‘Stilt’. Developed by Rekt Games and published by VRKiwi.

In the world of Stilt, you play as a furball with two arms. You were routinely flying your spaceship delivering gift packages. While going about your business, a giant octopus living atop a volcano decided to steal your ship, dispersing precious cargo all over the hills. You equip yourself with a pair of springy stilts to bounce through the challenging landscape to retrieve the lost gifts and take back your stolen spaceship.

During the tutorial level players will be introduced to the motion mechanics and make their way into the overworld. When I first started bouncing around I felt incredibly awkward, mainly because my body was making me feel as if I was going to fall. Getting around the levels once you get the hang of it is truly one of a kind. While I was seeking some extra information about the game I had a lovely conversation with one of the developers.

He was kind enough to offer a couple of tips for new players. “It’s generally easier to bounce than trying to walk. The game is designed to bounce around. So make sure you get some height in your movement to have an easier time.” “Also, a lot of new players forget to raise their arms when jumping up on platforms, resulting in their stilts hitting the wall they try to jump past and bouncing them back down. So remember to lift your arms when jumping up on stuff.”

There are five gifts in total for you to collect during each level. Three of them are hidden for you to find, some of these only revealing themselves by meeting requirements like eliminating all surrounding enemies. The other two gifts can be obtained by collecting enough stamps and finishing the level quickly. I’m not much of a speedrunner, I was able to get a fair few of those gifts early on. I found myself getting furious during the later levels as they were much more challenging to even reach the end goal.

Collecting stamps scattered about the level not only serves to unlock valuable gifts. They can also be spent upon death to allow you to start from the last checkpoint, spend a few more and gain a power-up on respawn. Powerups can be found when breaking open cardboard boxes and boy they are a game changer. I often found myself armed with the propeller vine and fireball launcher. The propeller vine allows me to swing and launch to reach far-away platforms. Taking out enemies is a breeze with the fireball launcher. Be careful not to take any damage from enemies or the environment, do so and lose your power-up.

Bouncing on top of enemies to take them out feels very familiar, we’ve all played it. This combat stands out because of how intense it feels in the VR space. There is also a bit of risk involved, hit an enemy hard enough and you’ll be sent flying into the air. Often causing you to overshoot your piece of solid ground and meet your demise. Do not expect an easy time reaching the goal, it only gets even more challenging the more you progress. The later levels will require every ounce of skill you’ve got, beware the traps.

Even after all of the carnage and bouncy fails of the campaign, there is still plenty more game to experience. I haven’t been able to play the PVP multiplayer modes, so I will update my review after the launch.

‘Smack-em-all’ will see players duking it out for the most kills, armed with a fireball launcher. ‘Area Bash’ will test your agility and skill within a shifting boundary, staying within the boundary will score you points, and most points win. ‘Electric Tag’ aim to be the last man standing in this game of tag with shocking results. ‘Balloon Hunt’ will have you aiming high as you compete for balloon-popping success. I am excited to try these out they sound pretty fun. Multiplayer PVP also supports cross-platform play and a social lobby to meet up, gear up, and set out on your next bouncy skirmish.

The visuals on display are super clean, crisp, and very smooth. The art style certainly draws heavy inspiration from all of the platformer classics. The bright colour palette used certainly fits the bouncy nature of the game. The level designs are incredible, never failing to present an often frustrating challenge. My only issue is that it can sometimes appear as if your body is sinking a little into the floor.

The audio experience is just as bright and crisp as the visuals. The implementation of Sony’s 3D audio is flawless. Easily able to discern which direction I was being attacked from and even able to hear when I was getting closer to a hidden gift. I love how well the soundtrack also fits the overall theme and blends with the super cute sound effects.

Stilt is a fantastic nod to the classic platformers that have come before. It’s bright, bouncy, fluid, fun, and presents a hefty challenge. I’ve loved my time with this incredible offering and it has certainly bounced its way into my heart. I look forward to seeing you in the PVP arena of Stilt when it springs onto PSVR2 on March 8th 2024.

Written by: Gary Nielsen