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.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and fun climbing experience with a great sense of height and immersion.
- It features engaging co-op gameplay, crafting mechanics, and a variety of enemies and environments that keep the gameplay fresh.
- Despite some bugs, the developers show passion and commitment to improving the game, making it a hidden gem in the VR space.
- The game suffers from poor optimization and performance issues, leading to long loading times and lag during gameplay.
- Combat mechanics are often frustrating due to hit detection issues and enemy AI problems, making encounters less enjoyable.
- The lack of updates and support has left the game feeling unfinished, with many players expressing disappointment over its potential not being fully realized.
- gameplay34 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Bean Stalker offers a unique and immersive VR gameplay experience, featuring innovative mechanics such as climbing, crafting, and cooperative elements that enhance replayability. Players appreciate the intense and engaging gameplay loop, though some express concerns about the grindiness of crafting and the need for clearer guidance on mechanics. Overall, the game is praised for its creative design and enjoyable mechanics, making it a standout title in the VR genre.
“Bean Stalker has some of the most unique and fun mechanics of any VR game, and the whole objective of the game is unique compared to any other game out there.”
“Good controls, tons of replayability, and very active gameplay.”
“The game play and mechanics are quite unique and unlike any other VR game I have played.”
“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.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % 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 that detract from the experience. Despite these challenges, many hope for improved graphics in a potential sequel, indicating that the current visuals, though not perfect, are satisfactory for the game's scope.
“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.”
“The graphics aren’t the best, but they aren't bad for what it is.”
“For some reason, my HMD and PC had a lot of difficulty with stutters and freeze-ups, and eventually crashes (which caused 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 really hasn't changed my experience much.”
“The long loading times, along 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.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players find it well-optimized, many report long loading times and framerate issues that detract from the experience. There is a consensus that improvements are needed, particularly in loading efficiency and inventory management, to enhance the overall polish of the game. Players remain hopeful for future updates to address these concerns.
“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.”
“It could use some better optimization to help with the loading times; then again, the worlds are procedurally generated.”
“The only real issue is it takes forever to load, despite not seeming to be too intensive, so I assume it also needs some optimization.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging, featuring main quests and checkpoints that enhance the climbing and RPG experience. Players appreciate the emotional focus and narrative elements, although there are concerns about differences in gameplay between platforms. Overall, the story is a significant draw for those who enjoy immersive narratives.
“I bought this game to play with my friends. It's amazing! I really enjoy the climbing style and the RPG elements, as well as the quests and checkpoints along the bean stalk.”
“I tend towards games that have story and emotional focus.”
- grinding6 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, with many noting that it becomes more enjoyable once they can progress faster. While some appreciate the mechanics, excessive grinding for resources and crafting items is a common point of frustration, though a few mention that the game remains enjoyable even without fully engaging in these elements.
“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.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting significant bugs such as erratic AI behavior, unreliable climbing mechanics, and multiplayer issues. These problems contribute to a frustrating experience, leading many to question the game's value given its current state.
“Add to that buggy AI with confused pathfinding, and the result becomes seriously painful to look at.”
“The game is buggy; you constantly drop your climbing picks and fall.”
“As of today, it is pretty difficult to recommend this quite buggy game, to say the least, for the price tag of $30.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's excellent controls and active gameplay, contributing to its high replayability. The inventive concept sets it apart from other VR games, encouraging 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.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its dynamic and eerie quality, enhancing the sense of danger, particularly at night. Players often find themselves captivated by the atmospheric sounds, contributing to an immersive experience that can leave them hesitant to move. Comparisons are drawn to other titles like "The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners" and "Song in the Smoke," suggesting a strong emphasis on sound design in creating tension.
“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.”
- emotional1 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.”
