Stick It to the Stickman
Preview
Moving you way up the corporate ladder
EA SCOUT the last line of defense for buying on Steam's Early Access
by William Thompson
previewed on PC
Rage Against the Machine
There is no doubt that in everyone's working life that you've been involved in a bad meeting, had to meet an unreasonable deadline, or there has been a fellow employee or a boss that you'd have loved to punch in the face. Admit it...you're thinking about one of those people right now. Of course, the HR department and the threat of losing your job would discourage you from doing so, but Stick it to the Stickman, the latest from the team behind the indie hit Broforce, however gives players the chance to do just that. This beat-'em-up is less about Profit and Loss reports and more about R-rated violence.
The core premise is simple yet instantly relatable: you're the new recruit, and you have to fight your way up a massive corporate skyscraper. Each floor is a gauntlet of enemies, from your fellow stick figure employees to hulking bosses that represent every micro-manager you've ever had. You'll punch, kick, throw coffee cups and fire deadly staples as you ascend through a series of offices. It's a chaotic, physics-based brawler where every enemy, from suit-wearing coworkers to clipboard-wielding managers, is just another obstacle on your path to CEO.
Two-fold progression
But this isn't just mindless smashing. The game's roguelite progression is what makes each run unique. Before you start, you can choose from a range of various new recruits, each with different starting abilities and a special skill. As you fight your way through the building, you'll earn new moves and passive abilities. Will you upgrade your kicks for more power, or pick up a skill that gives you bandages to heal on the fly? The choices you make on the fly add a layer of strategy to the frantic combat, ensuring every playthrough feels fresh.
The absurdity of the corporate world is a key part of the game's charm. As you progress, you'll unlock new recruits with different starting abilities and open different buildings, each with its own unique gameplay twists. One moment you might be brawling your way through a warehouse, delivering packages in a vertical platforming challenge, and the next, you'll find yourself in a turn-based, deck-building cage match against a boss. This mix of fast-paced action and strategic downtime keeps the experience from ever getting stale.
"You can't quit, you're Fired"
The main gameplay of rising up the corporate ladder is simple, but with the upgrades that players gain throughout each climb adds a touch of strategy. Do you choose a special skill that gives bandages when required, or one that adds power to your kicks or punches? There is also enough variation in stick figure enemies with each requiring a different way to defeat. And combined with the different recruits, this ensures that the gameplay has a different feel with each playthrough. Stick it to the Stickman promises to be another indie hit from the collaboration of Free Lives and Devolver Digital. It's a game that knows exactly what it is: a cathartic, chaotic, and endlessly replayable office rampage.
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Recommend
There are no guarantees - but we'd bet our own money on this one. If you're going to take a chance with yours, odds are good this one will deliver.
