Bean Stalker
- June 6, 2022
- VR Storm Studio
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Bean Stalker" is a VR game where you climb a giant beanstalk, avoiding obstacles and battling enemies on your way to the top. With various weapons and upgrades, players must reach the giant's castle and defeat the boss to complete their mission. The game features a dynamic weather system and a day-night cycle, adding an extra layer of immersion to the virtual reality experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and fun climbing experience with engaging mechanics and a sense of height that adds to the thrill.
- It features a variety of crafting, looting, and combat elements that keep gameplay interesting and rewarding.
- The multiplayer aspect enhances the experience, making it a great co-op game that many players find enjoyable.
- The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to long loading times and performance issues, especially on certain VR setups.
- Combat mechanics are often criticized for being clunky and unresponsive, with issues like hit detection and enemy AI problems.
- Development appears to have stalled, leaving the game in a state that some players feel lacks polish and additional content.
- gameplay68 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Bean Stalker is praised for its unique and immersive mechanics, particularly in VR, offering a blend of climbing, crafting, and intense co-op experiences. Players appreciate the seamless flow of mechanics and the engaging core gameplay loop, though some express concerns about the grindiness of crafting and the need for clearer guidance on certain elements. Overall, the game is noted for its creativity, replayability, and the thrill of navigating its expansive environments, making it appealing to both new and experienced players.
“Bean Stalker has some of the most unique and fun mechanics of any VR game, and the whole objective of the game is unlike any other game out there.”
“Good controls, tons of replayability, and very active gameplay.”
“The climbing works great, the gameplay is fun, and the heights are incredible.”
“I also feel like the death mechanics need to be looked at... I just died for the 3rd time and I don't know if I will ever go back to the game, to be honest... but it sure is cool.”
“Most gameplay elements are unexplained, left for the player to discover and figure out.”
“Apart from the clunky gameplay, combat, and user interface, Vive support is terrible.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the impressive art design and steampunk aesthetic, others report performance issues such as stuttering and long loading times. Despite these challenges, many feel that the visuals are adequate for the game's scope, though there is a desire for improved graphics in a potential sequel. Overall, the game's demanding nature may require adjustments to settings for a smoother experience.
“The game is a bit demanding (understandably due to the massive worlds and impressive graphics) and takes a long time to load the world, but the devs have done an amazing job with this game and are very responsive to questions, bugs, and issues.”
“The quality of the art design and aesthetics also surprised me.”
“I was very shocked at the level of quality that comes through in the gameplay and visuals; I really love its steampunk aesthetic and overall feel.”
“For some reason, my HMD and PC had a lot of difficulty with stutters and freeze-ups, which I've started getting with other games as well. I suspect my HMD is nearing the end of its life. Eventually, it crashed, causing me to lose all progress sadly, as it's that kind of game. I solved this by dropping to low graphics, which is a shame, but it really hasn't changed my experience much.”
“The long loading times, combined with horrible headache-inducing graphical effects, stuck screens (a different one for each eye!), and no real feedback to indicate it's doing anything ('waiting...') until about 90 seconds in, when it suddenly starts another slow load, which at least doesn't make me feel sick.”
“Concerning graphics settings, I just used the default it starts with.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is criticized for long loading times and framerate issues, despite the gameplay being enjoyable. Players express hope for future updates to improve these aspects, particularly regarding inventory management and performance. While some mention that the game is "pretty well optimized," the consensus leans towards a need for significant improvements.
“With tiny optimization changes in the future to smooth out a bit of inventory clunkiness, it'll feel super polished!”
“Eager to check in every few updates and see if it gets more optimized, because the gameplay is a joy.”
“Also pretty well optimized.”
“Good game but incredibly bad optimization.”
“Only real issue is it takes forever to load, despite not seeming to be too intensive, so I assume it also needs some optimization.”
“- Seems like the optimization needs work: I had a very long initial load time and framerate issues.”
- story14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging, featuring main quests and checkpoints that enhance the RPG experience, particularly through climbing mechanics along the bean stalk. Players appreciate the emotional focus and narrative depth, although there are concerns about differences in gameplay between platforms. Overall, the story elements contribute positively to the game's enjoyment, especially in multiplayer settings.
“I tend toward games that have story and emotional focus.”
“I bought this game to play with my friends. It's amazing! I really enjoy the climbing style and the RPG style as well. I like that there are quests and checkpoints along the bean stalk.”
“Also, make sure you do the main quests on the board in the treehouse; you can't progress to the next bean stalk before you do them.”
“I tend towards games that have story and emotional focus.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow, particularly in the early stages, leading to a decline in enjoyment after the initial excitement. While some appreciate the mechanics and note that grinding becomes more manageable as they progress, many express frustration with the excessive resource gathering required for crafting. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, though some players feel the game remains enjoyable even without fully engaging with them.
“While I liked the overall mechanics, I really despise excessive grinding in games, and the way to obtain crafting items is grindy.”
“This game is fun for the first 30 minutes, then it becomes tedious.”
“Gathering resources is fun at first, then tedious.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, including erratic AI behavior and frequent issues with multiplayer functionality. Players have experienced frustrating gameplay elements, such as dropping climbing picks and falling unexpectedly, leading to a general consensus that the game is not worth its $30 price tag at this time.
“Add to that buggy AI with confused pathfinding, and the result becomes seriously painful to look at.”
“Multiplayer is very buggy though, but it just came out, so that's to be expected.”
“But as of today, it is pretty difficult to recommend this quite buggy game, to say the least, for the price tag of $30.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently highlight the game's excellent controls and active gameplay, contributing to its high replayability. The inventive concept sets it apart from other VR titles, making it a compelling choice for repeated playthroughs.
“Good controls, tons of replayability, and very active gameplay.”
“It's an inventive concept different from any other VR game I've played, and it's got tons of replayability.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as dynamic and eerie, effectively enhancing the sense of danger, particularly at night. This immersive sound design contributes to a heightened atmosphere, prompting players to pause and absorb the experience.
“I'm not sure if there's more danger at night or if the music and the eerie surrounding sounds are just dynamic, but I found myself standing still until I was in the main menu.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate games that prioritize storytelling and emotional depth, indicating a strong preference for narratives that evoke feelings and connect with them on a personal level.
“I tend towards games that have a strong story and emotional focus.”
