On paper, Max Mustard might appear to be a rather familiar offering. A 3D platformer starring a cheeky adventurer exploring colorful worlds? We’ve been there before, many times over. But spend some time zipping through its lush landscapes, and you’ll discover this game gracefully tweaks the formula.
Toast Interactive’s creation draws inspiration from classics like Mario and Crash Bandicoot while incorporating virtual reality smartly. Despite guiding hero Max Mustard from a third-person perspective, a sense of immersion remains. Whether marveling at her daring leaps between platforms or using first-person gadgets to aid progression, you feel delightfully transported.
Max’s journey sees her traversing four vibrant worlds on a quest to thwart the nefarious plans of industrialist Stubbins. Alongside run-of-the-mill platforming challenges and addictive collection objectives, periodic interactions pull you directly into the experience. Whether blasting incoming threats with a suction gun or guiding obstacle-moving pinwheels, these moments showcase VR’s potential for engrossment.
While the tale brings nothing revolutionary, Max Mustard excels as a vibrant playground. Expressive characters, charming artistry, and clever level puzzles keep adventure feeling fresh. Perhaps most impressively, comfort remains paramount. Flawless movement prevents nausea, as rewarding gameplay promises fun for all.
In inviting us into her colorful world so seamlessly, Max Mustard highlights virtual reality’s power to immerse beyond screens. Crafted with passion and polish, this is a classic genre reborn for a new generation of players to enjoy.
Exploration and experimentation
Max moves with a fluidity that makes navigating her colorful world a delight. A single tap sends her soaring or allows spinning kicks that neatly topple foes. Levels invite discovery through movement alone—leaping reveals hidden coins or spinning reveals new pathways.
Each area presents its own puzzle. You may jump pyramids that rise and fall or ride gusts carrying platforms ever higher. Environments evolve too, transforming steady stages into testing timed challenges. New ideas seem endless—bouncing orbs float you skyward while falling rock rains call for dashing skill.
Secrets lurk everywhere. Scouring nooks and crannies unlocks extra items, while hidden letters in timers spell rewards. Three mud pups per level encourage backtracking but aren’t required to progress, respecting players who seek perfection or prefer pace.
Coins fund upgrades in hub shops, amplifying Max’s abilities. Longer jumps or attack power strengthen her steadily, though not needed to complete. Upgrades instead augment fun, like damage-dealing boots that let Max stomp feet flat!
Enemies lack variety but introduce mechanics creatively. Jumping adversaries teach timing, whereas projectiles demand evasion. Repetitive foes fade beside ingenious level puzzles. Still, bosses demand skill using tricks like platforming and marksmanship together.
Replaying grants scores to improve or finding all secrets. Difficulty options ensure challenge for experts, while simplicity aids newcomers. Shared records further fuel runs as hidden rewards create reasons to master each delightfully experimental area.
A World Brought to Life
Max Mustard pops with color. Bright hues and intricate details make everything a joy to behold. Whether zooming across futuristic cities or plunging through underwater kingdoms, each location dazzles.
Max herself exudes charm, from her cartoonish features to her brightly colored attire. Spinning kicks and soaring leaps become pure entertainment to observe. Enemies prove equally creative, be they dancing mushrooms or robotic beasts. Playful designs ensure even combat stays whimsical.
Environments shine in virtual reality. Towering structures and expansive landscapes bring a sense of scale. Peering down reveals immense vistas stretching as far as the eye can see. Submerging gives the feeling of diving into a living painting, surrounded by swirling sea life. VR pulls you into a bustling world.
Special touches abound, from glimmering stars that illuminate night skies to shimmering waves that ripple believably. Water maintains a crystal clarity, its currents nudging Max along serenely. Smoke and sparks erupt realistically during explosive challenges, heightening each moment.
Max’s adventure embraces whimsy through its backing tracks. Melodies match settings perfectly, whether conveying underwater wonder or Western shootouts. Music lifts exploration with charming, upbeat stylistic nods to retro greats. In unison with visual and technical feats, it seals the experience as a multi-sensory delight.
Stepping into the Adventure
Jumping into Max Mustard’s vivid world feels seamless. Her movements translate perfectly, from nimble hops to pinwheel-propelled flights. Handling guns switches seamlessly between shooting scattered cargo or sucking foes into rotating fans. VR pulls you along for the ride.
Worlds burst with scale. Towering above city streets grants a godlike perspective, whereas underwater brings swimming schools into arm’s reach. Shifting views lets you dart between platforms before swooping to safety, as if taking the reins yourself. VR transforms linear levels into multi-angle playgrounds.
Dotted first-person sequences offer welcomed shifts. When blasting scattered parcels or hoovering coins into Max’s pouch, your hands become the experience. VR transforms an assisting role into true participation, further drawing you beneath vibrant surfaces.
Comfort remains a priority. Smooth tracking prevents unease as scenic views drift lazily by. Brief rollercoaster plunges feel less alarming through VR’s transportive powers. Max Mustard invites all to lose themselves within its visionary realms.
Perspective innovation energizes classic design. VR injects new life into a genre, whether peering around obstacles or ushering gusts with a wave. By realizing virtual worlds with such harmony and heart, Max Mustard proves this adventurer’s genre truly found its ideal home. VR brings storytelling to colorful life.
Drawing You In
Max exudes plucky charm. Her cartoon features and daring exploits inspire grins as she dashes through colorful worlds. Subtle animations like fist pumps after jumps invite connections with her adventures.
Narrative relies on letters discovered after levels, crafting an easy-to-follow plot without distracting from action. Max’s motivation to save kidnapped friends drives progression through Stubbins’ misdeeds.
Levels invite experimentation. Puzzles demand scrutinizing environments for solutions, be it locating hidden areas or mastering obstacle courses. Challenges feel crafted for discovering innovative methods, not frustration.
Secrets encourage thorough searches. Beyond mandatory collectibles, hidden rooms house bonuses for explorative players. Finding every nook of expansive stages becomes a delightful objective itself.
Comedic moments offer lighthearted smiles. Enemies dress creatively, like crocodile-garbed foes adding charm. Slapstick surprises punctuate platforming too, like dumping into rivers or hidden trapdoors. Wit keeps challenges feeling jovial throughout Max’s cheerful romp.
Reasons to Keep Exploring
Max Mustard keeps rewards hidden for multiple playthroughs. Finding every coin or cutscene keeps goals fresh. Time trials push skills, while scoreboards encourage testing limits.
Difficulty sliders mean all feel included. Relaxed runs let stories unfold unimpeded, whereas challenges demand mastery of every booby trap.
Future adds could expand journeys. Additional characters with unique powers could reinvent familiar stages. Downloading community creations also breathes life into this cheerful cosmos.
Max’s world remains a vibrant playground long after credits roll. Whether revisiting for rankings or just experiencing handcrafted escapism again, joy awaits around every corner of this 3D haven. Toast crafted an adventure that continuously invites returning without end.
A World Worth Exploring
Max Mustard excels at transporting players to vibrant lands. Marvelous artistry paired with fluid movement let exploration feel spellbinding. Clever level invention keeps surprise around each corner in this colorful 3D haven.
While not revolutionary, Toast Interactive crafted an adventure honoring classics. Staying true to roots through stellar mechanics enhances fun with narrative charm and visual pizazz. Max’s story delivers joy in small moments wherever curiosity leads within its playful cosmos.
Sony’s platform awaited just such an experience. Innovating enough to excite veterans while maintaining simplicity that welcomes all, Max Mustard delivers top-notch campaigns countless will adore. Whether one seeks challenge, relaxation, or whimsical worlds, this delightful romp brings smile-inducing satisfaction.
I happily recommend this masterful tour. VR expands accessibility, merging player and hero on a journey resonating with everyone. Traversing Max’s detailed landscape immerses, unlike other formats, living out platforming dreams in new light. To call Max Mustard essential would be an understatement—this is VR at its artful, enthralling best.
The Review
Max Mustard
Max's world exudes charm and innovation in equal measure, transporting adventurers young and old to an uplifting 3D playground that begs to be explored. With steadfast commitment to accessibility and visual pizzazz, it deserves a spotlight among the premier VR experiences on PSVR2.
PROS
- Charming art style and character designs
- Tight controls that feel great to play
- Clever level design with constant invention
- Easy to pick up, but challenges for those wanting them
- Comfortable VR implementation
- Upgrades provide value to exploration
- Humor and narrative infused throughout
- The stellar soundtrack enhances every setting
- Long-lasting appeal from collectibles and scoring
CONS
- Enemy/boss variety could be more diverse
- Camera restricts backtracking at times
- Some collision events are unpredictable
- First-person sections underutilized
