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Games : Recommended
Ranking:
Release Date: May 6th, 2014 Movie Release Year: 2014

Stick It to the Man!

Overview -

Zoink, an award winning development studio located in Sweden, have primarily focused their skills for the mobile market with titles like 'Adventure Time: Rock Bandits', 'Swing King', and 'Reality Fighters Dojo' for iOS and Android. And yet, they managed to branch out to the console spectrum with the recent 'Stick it to the Man!' and thereby broadened their footprint with platforms like the PlayStation 3, PS Vita, Wii U, PC, Mac and now, the PS4. 'Stick it to the Man!' appears on its surface to be taking visual cues from games like 'LittleBigPlanet' and 'Tearaway,' but at the same time appears to reflect a whole different avenue of humor, not to mention gameplay. Sounds intriguing, but does the gameplay and story provide enough creativity to seal the deal?

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Video Resolution/Codec:
1080p
Audio Formats:
LPCM
Release Date:
May 6th, 2014

Video Review

Ranking:

The developers at Zoink have created Ray and the world he inhabits from an imaginative use of paper and cardboard cutouts. Both the animated and static characters and environments are superbly done and help to further immerse the player into this unusual world through a nice mix of colorful splashes and chalk- drawn outlines. I particularly enjoyed the head animations as characters spoke to one another. The complete separation of the top of the character's head from their bottom jaw enhanced the comical tone in an already cartoonish looking game.

There is also a high level of variety between characters and environments from chapter to chapter. At one point, the player will be traversing Ray's brain. In another, you'll be searching for a way to escape from the inner walls of a mental hospital, populated with inmates that would give Arkham Asylum a run for its money. This level of variety helps to keep things fresh and interesting, and you'll look forward to what the game has to offer as the story progresses.

Audio Review

Ranking:

When a video game like 'Stick it to the Man!' begins with the song 'Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)', I can't help but smile and fondly reminisce about my favorite Coen Brothers movie - 'The Big Lebowski.' Considering the creative setting and unusual story of 'Stick it to the Man!,' this choice for opening song could not have been any more appropriate.

Adding to this is some wonderful – and wonderfully funny – voice acting. Whether it's Ray detailing his odd and uncomfortable first kiss, or his psychiatrist apologizing for using the bathroom in Ray's head, the writing and subsequent delivery of the story from one character to the next is always spot on. During the brief four to five hours of gameplay I often found myself laughing out loud. Anyone with an open sense of humor will likely experience the same result.

Zoink has also made creative use of the DualShock 4's internal speaker by reserving it for the thoughts Ray listens in on. The audio during these oft-repeated events is presented in a way similar to speaking from a distance through a tunnel. After adapting to this form of communication it quickly became second nature and another example of the developers successfully making the best use of the tools made available to them.

Final Thoughts

'Stick it to the Man!' was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for me. I was somewhat familiar with the game when it was first released but knew very little about what it had to offer. It's always a treat finding an indie game that unexpectedly provides a better overall experience than some of the AAA franchises the video game industry has to offer. 'Stick it to the Man!' is just such a game. While not the most challenging game available, it will entertain you in ways other game developers should take note of.