Max Mustard, the most ingenious VR platformer, has arrived in its best version yet to save the day.
What happens when you combine a robust system in the PSVR2, a childlike brilliance rarely seen in the genre, and a unique approach to gameplay mechanics? Max Mustard, is what. A clever adventure full of ingenuity that was sorely needed in the VR gaming landscape. Once exclusive to the Meta Quest, the acclaimed platformer now arrives in a shiny new coat of paint, ready to dazzle. And that it does in spades.
Like other games of its ilk, Max Mustard has a somewhat paper-thin story to get things going. The protagonist, sharing his name with the journey’s title, is a long-haired, cheerful little guy who drives an impossibly cool yellow van.
Max presumably spends his days helping people in need, wherever that may be. In this story’s case, a capitalist octopus is stealing cute plantlike animals named Mudpups to sell them as pets, and it is your duty to rescue them. The end.
Of course, this setup is basically the excuse to sling you across the world, engaging in explosive acrobatics to save all the mudpups that were wrongly taken away. Max Mustard is, in essence, a third-person platformer with all the staples that come with it.
Over 40 unique levels, varied power-ups, an overworld to choose from, and a goal to defeat each boss at the end is something you might think you might have seen before. But you have not because this experience was made for VR, which makes all the difference crystal clear as soon as you start playing.
Involving your whole body to see where Max is moving does wonders for immersion. You are not just only moving a stick while sitting down to use your hand-eye coordination, but also using the headset to see specifically what you want to see.
Max Mustard cleverly uses this omniscient point of view to its advantage. Although the camera moves forward on its own as you advance through each course, there are pleasant surprises thrown your way at every moment.
To avoid spoiling too many of them, one incredibly fun use of your perspective is when you have to ride a boat, just like a water ride from Disney World. Throw into the mix a vacuum gun that interacts with objects near and far, and you will have a recipe for unfettered enjoyment.
At other times, things can get just a little too close to you, just to keep you alert at all times and not just focused on the little acrobat you are controlling.
Once in Max Mustard‘s van, which doubles as the overworld to choose the next mission, it is impressive to see the level of detail in the posters on the walls and decorations the little guy has. One standout is a warning not to pull a handle on the far right corner of the view. Suffice to say it is an unexpected turn of events that will keep you on your toes throughout your adventure.
Max can jump once and boost himself up a second time with his boots, making him a graceful athlete against the many obstacles he will face at every level. He can wall jump, and as you collect enough coins to buy more power-ups from the shop.
He can use new attacks to engage with his enemies by jumping on top of them and in new, creative ways. Increasingly complex levels make the mudpup rescue mission an always adventurous proposition. Being able to pet the cuties with your hands as well is a lovely reward in and of itself.
Taking full advantage of the medium it is played in, the boss fights of Max Mustard are memorable encounters that will test your skills learned throughout each act. Obstacles, moving targets, and having to move both Max and your weapons at your disposal simultaneously lend a simply special experience unique to VR.
In this regard, it does feel like playing and being a part of the game, too, is much more fun than just controlling the character on its own.
In addition, Max Mustard’s difficulty is not too much of a hassle if you have some background in platforming at all. Besides, being “inside” the game gives a much more grounded feeling of the 3D space you are in.
This gives more precise control over Max’s overall movement. Sometimes, even when Max strays a little too far from your eye’s view, it can be a challenge to see how accurate you are at measuring distances.
The checkpoints are lenient, but it must be said that there are few health boxes between levels, which can only be remedied by buying an upgrade at the store. And if you at some point lose all your hearts and have to restart, all the collectibles and coins you earned will be lost, and you will have to do it all over again, making it a trying moment, specifically for those looking to obtain the Platinum trophy.
The variation in level design is much welcomed. Some courses are music-themed, changing platforms to the rhythm of the soundtrack, and others have you run by clicking a switch from left to right, with new platforming sections appearing every time you press it.
Each level takes about 3 to 8 minutes to complete, making it a very accessible and bite-sized gameplay session available, or finish it all in one go. Considering how hard it is to put down, more players than not might choose the latter.
Aside from the main stages needed to progress the main story, there are minigames and side levels to keep the fun rolling. Fast-paced shooting ranges, crate jumping to collect a bunch of coins, and more are among the many options to spice up each act’s available levels.
While not a minigame in and of itself, going to the shop and having to throw a box containing your power-up needed inside a hole feels like a carnival game, too, making the usually trivial option to spend your hard-earned coins that much more amusing.
As mentioned, Max Mustard was initially released on the Meta Quest and took a bit of time to get to PSVR2. But that time from developer Toast Interactive was well spent, as the enhancements across the board are easy to appreciate.
Shinier visuals, a crisp framerate, headset haptics, and my favorite, Adaptive Triggers, were some of the highlights tweaked to deliver this journey on a new system. So, it is not hyperbole to say they went above and beyond this port, and it obviously is the best version to play.
As it stands, Max Mustard is the best PSVR2 platformer on the system, bar none. The developers saw an opportunity, seized it to the best of their abilities, and succeeded.
Max Mustard is a true source of joy that is hard to find anywhere else, heightened by the full engagement of your senses only a VR headset can provide. Praising this game any longer would be a disservice to your time, which could be better spent jumping into this jolly adventure for yourself.
