Max Mustard PSVR 2 Review. I am a sucker for a good VR platformer. I remember the first time I played Moss or Astrobot: Rescue Mission. I was amazed at how much a standard platformer could be changed by putting the player in the world. Being able to look behind walls or even help your little character out by interacting with the world in first-person was terrific and never got old.
Max Mustard is no different. Most of this game impressed me. I didn’t have any issues with bugs or motion sickness. Motion sickness isn’t something I often experience in VR; however, when I get it, it’s generally due to frame rate issues. It’s usually a great indicator of the quality of the VR title. The design of the world was fun and inviting, and the interaction with the world in the first person was responsive and fun.
Even with all the positives, Max Mustard never seems to show why it’s better than Astrobot: Rescue Mission or Moss. This is its only drawback.
Max Mustard (PSVR2) Review – A Great VR Platformer That’s Still Trying To Ketchup
An Octopus Vs. Flower Rabbits: You’ll Get It When You Play The Story
Like all great platformers, the story encloses a simple premise: things are captured, save them. Max Musterd is no different. You are tasked with saving small half-rabbit and half-plant creatures called Mudpup. They are being rounded up by a scientist and his giant robot octopus. Here is where you come in to save all the Mudpups.
As you progress, there will usually be three smaller Mudpups to rescue hidden through the level in crates you have to jump on. However, at the end of each level, you save three big ones by jumping on a trampoline and pulling a lever. These signify the end of the level and take you to the overworld. A map of the land is at the back of Max’s flying camper.
Each level looks like Mod Nation Racers and Kena: Bridge of Spirits had a baby who became a platformer. The world is gorgeous, full of vibrant colors that give everything that ‘made of plastic’ look. Being in the world, even without anything to collect or save, is often fun. Nevertheless, there are secrets to uncover, creatures to save, and enemies to defeat.
Slow But Flavorful Gameplay
From the jump, you can tell that Max Mustard will be a blast, but that’s mainly because jumping and hovering with your rocket boots is all you can do at first. Coming off Astrobot, I expected to be able to run around, jump, and melee. However, the game starts you off slow. Its first goal is to help players understand the controls and mechanics in VR. In hindsight, it was a satisfactory introduction, albeit a tad slow. Judging distance, learning how far enemies can attack, and even how long you can hover are all critical.
In the first couple of levels, you can only jump if you don’t collect enough coins to spend them on different upgrades. Once you acquire new abilities, the game gives the player more agency, opening up the world.
The first ability I unlocked was the spin move to take down enemies without having to jump on them. Max Mustard even makes acquiring the ability a fun little game by having the player grab the crate they want to spend coins on and free-throwing it to shoot and unlock the upgrade.
After a few free throws, I finally could take down enemies without jumping. Although this was a game changer, you are also given different weapons to help Max. Early in the game, you have a dart gun that can’t do much except shoot planes and targets. However, the next gun acquired is a suck cannon that you can use to pick up enemies and fire them at other enemies or walls to unlock secret areas.
Sadly, these weapons cannot be brought with you; instead, they are given to you at the start of specific levels or mini-games that act like shooting ranges.
The mini-games function very similar to arcade shooting ranges, which are timed to get a bronze, silver, or gold reward. When the gold rank is achieved, you save a Mudpup. This, surprisingly, was more fun than daunting. Often, when a game adds mini games like these, they feel cheap and are used as padding. In Max Mustard, however, they were fun and showed off a different aspect of VR.
All in all, I had a great time with Max Mustard. From the gameplay to the cute world, Max Mustard has started something truly special. If built upon, it can rival heavy hitters like Moss and Astrobot as high quality VR platformers.
Max Mustard is out now for PSVR 2.
Review code kindly provided by publisher.