Max Mustard is the first VR title to have me pull out my PSVR2 in a while, and after booting up Max Mustard, I spent a few days beating the story and enjoying the experience making it worth putting the headset on.
When I first launched Max Mustard, I wasn’t sure what to expect. From the outside, it looked like a fun platforming game that lived inside the VR world. The game is more than those first instances. Max Mustard is an evolution of many great games, and they have been meshed well. It seems to have been inspired by Astro Bot, Mario 3D and Crash Bandicoot, with testing but enjoyable platforming and level discovery. The levels are small to medium size and grow challenging as you progress through the game. Max Mustard is the type of game you can pick up and play for hours or minutes at a time.
The game introduces our hero by saving the VR viewer from an attack from a giant robot squid. The robot’s goal is unknown, but it involves stealing our little friends, known as Mudpups. The Mudpups are wombat-shaped, odd-looking, blue, four-footed creatures with flowers on their heads that allow them to fly. While the gravity-defying squid uses a bearded old man to capture and crate the Mudpups and it’s up to Max and me to defeat the enemies and save the little creatures. Each level generally has three Mudpups to save, except in the case of the challenge levels, where earning a gold medal gains you one of the delightful creatures.
The game is split into four different themed areas containing approximately ten levels each. Once each area is conquered, there is a fun and challenging boss battle. Defeating the boss allows progress to the next area. Each level is unique, and some challenge levels are dispersed into the mix to help further break up the gameplay. Some levels incorporate using VR wands, using a plunger gun or a wind gun to assist Max in completing the levels or defeating a boss. Outside of using the firearms to assist Max in completing the levels, the game also features shooting gallery-style levels, which are some of my favourites.
The music and game ambience in Max Mustard are great. There is a unique playlist that pairs well with the game. There are even a few levels where the music plays into the stage layout, which was sometimes more difficult than I first thought. I enjoyed the game’s sounds and ambience; the team did a great job creating the little worlds, an awesome variety of enemies, and interactable environments.
The enemies are fun and varied. They take on many forms, including but not limited to drop bears, flying rats, charging beasts and many more. All the enemies can be defeated by jumping on them, or enemies can be shot on the levels that feature the plunger gun. Their inclusion makes the game a little more challenging, and I found myself defeated by an unexpected enemy a few times during my playthrough. The big bosses were a different type of difficulty; beating the level to find them and then working out the pattern to defeat them made for great fun. Each has its unique battle style and challenge.
Max Mustard is a must-play for those who enjoy different and stimulating VR titles with a unique spin. I plan to play through some more to try and complete the trophy list, and I will have a lot of fun doing so.
(Review code provided to Explosion Network.
Read about our review and ethics policy here.)
