Pogostuck: Rage With Your Friends
- February 28, 2019
- Hendrik Felix Pohl
- 28h median play time
"Pogostuck: Rage With Your Friends" is a challenging game about climbing a mountain using a pogo stick. The game features multiple modes, including single and multiplayer co-op, rubber band co-op for 2-16 players, and randomly generated dungeons to explore. Utilize tilt controls, jumps, and powerboosts to reach new heights and collect loot.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and challenging experience that tests patience and skill.
- The multiplayer aspect adds a fun dynamic, allowing players to share the experience and frustrations with friends.
- The sense of accomplishment when overcoming difficult obstacles is incredibly rewarding.
- The game can be extremely frustrating, often leading to feelings of anger and despair.
- Controls can feel inconsistent, making it difficult to master the mechanics.
- Many players report losing significant progress due to the game's punishing design, which can lead to a sense of futility.
- gameplay111 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Pogostuck" is characterized by its challenging mechanics centered around controlling a character on a pogo stick, which can be both rewarding and frustrating. While some players appreciate the depth and satisfaction that comes from mastering its demanding controls and level design, others criticize the game for its inconsistent mechanics and punishing difficulty, leading to a cycle of frustration. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that appeals to those who enjoy perseverance and skill-based challenges, but it may not resonate with everyone due to its steep learning curve and design flaws.
“The core gameplay mechanic of 'Pogostuck' revolves around controlling a character on a pogo stick, navigating through an increasingly difficult vertical landscape.”
“Its simple yet demanding mechanics, combined with charming visuals and a lively multiplayer experience, make it a standout title in the platformer genre.”
“The gameplay, audio, and graphics are stunning; I like the concept, it's different from others, and I enjoy this daily for long periods of time.”
“The game fails to introduce novel ideas or push the boundaries of the platforming genre, leading to a stagnant and uninspiring gameplay experience.”
“Extremely infuriating game with poor level design, mechanics, and controls.”
“This game was designed purely to frustrate you with bad level design, over-the-top mechanics, and annoying little characters.”
- humor45 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Pogostuck 2" is a standout feature, blending frustration with laughter as players navigate its challenging mechanics. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to create a fun, chaotic atmosphere, especially when played with friends, leading to shared moments of rage and hilarity. The cartoonish aesthetics and ragdoll physics contribute to the comedic experience, making it a memorable multiplayer adventure that thrives on the absurdity of failure.
“Pogo Stuck 2 is a delightful rage-inducing experience that has me screaming at my screen one moment and hysterically, sadistically laughing the next.”
“What sets Pogo Stuck apart from other platformers is its unique blend of frustration and humor.”
“The ragdoll physics and the ridiculous ways your character can flop around are just hilarious.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Pogostuck" are widely praised for their vibrant, colorful art style and charming character designs, which create an engaging and whimsical environment that contrasts with the game's brutal difficulty. Reviewers appreciate the unique aesthetics of each level, the clear background and foreground elements, and the overall stylistic appeal, making it a standout title in the platformer genre. While some comments suggest that graphics may not be the primary focus for all players, the visual presentation is generally regarded as a significant draw of the game.
“The whimsical graphics and charming character designs create an engaging and visually appealing environment.”
“Each level is crafted with a unique aesthetic, keeping the experience fresh and visually stimulating as you progress.”
“Visually, this game knew what it wanted to be; the aesthetic is designed to be cartoonishly friendly and warm, making the game less frustrating. The background and foreground elements are extremely clear and have a unique 3D render to them despite being on a 2D plane, blending together nicely to create an insanely stylistic and appealing game.”
“Disgusting graphics.”
“🔲 Graphics don't matter in this game.”
“This game is brutally hard and the only appeal would be the satisfaction at the end or the surprisingly distinct and unique art style.”
- emotional26 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players describe the emotional experience of "Pogostuck" as a profound rollercoaster of frustration and triumph, often leading to tears and deep personal reflection. Many express that the game's challenging mechanics evoke intense feelings of vulnerability and perseverance, making them confront their own emotional struggles. Despite the heart-wrenching moments, players find a sense of connection and catharsis, highlighting the game's ability to resonate on a deeply personal level.
“While some games have their characters go through an emotional arc that leaves them a changed person by the end, Pogostuck forces you to live that arc yourself.”
“This game made me feel so alive while also making me feel the worst I have ever felt.”
“Ffffffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.... great game, emotional rollercoaster with incredible highs and lows.”
- music26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the banjo tracks irritating, especially during moments of failure, as it can feel mocking. However, some users suggest muting the game and playing their own music for a more enjoyable experience, noting that the upbeat soundtrack can create a false sense of ease. Overall, while the music may not be universally loved, it can enhance the gameplay when paired with personal playlists.
“I love the colorful graphics and the catchy soundtrack.”
“This is a fun game that will cause some rage, but still enjoyable when you're playing with music.”
“The cheerful, upbeat music and sound effects create a false sense of ease, often lulling you into a brief moment of calm before the next inevitable fall.”
“Nothing will ever make me as mad as the mocking banjo music that plays when I inevitably fall to my demise.”
“Even the music kicking in to mock you whenever you make a particularly devastating mistake is here.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its depth and emotional complexity, featuring rich lore and well-developed character backstories that engage players on multiple levels. Many reviewers compare its narrative quality to that of renowned titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Persona series, highlighting its ability to evoke strong emotions. However, some users feel the story is minimal or lacking, suggesting a divide in player experience regarding its narrative depth.
“The lore is very good and the backstory behind the characters is very interesting.”
“This game is incredibly nuanced, with an extraordinarily deep, intelligent, yet still challenging story that will play with your emotions at every turn.”
“This game has one of the most intense and rich stories out there, good enough to rival the likes of RDR2, the entire Persona series, the Kingdom Hearts games, and much more.”
“This game has no story.”
“It's like playing Temple Run for the story.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, driven by a sense of improvement and the challenge of overcoming tougher obstacles, appealing particularly to speedrunners. However, some players note that forced replayability can detract from the experience, suggesting that not all forms of replayability are equally enjoyable.
“The replay value is off the charts.”
“It also has great replayability if you like speedrunning and building muscle memory.”
“The game’s design encourages replayability, as the sense of improvement and the desire to conquer ever-harder challenges keeps you coming back for more.”
“The replay value is off the charts as well.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it offers a sense of improvement and can be enjoyable in short bursts, many describe it as tedious and frustrating, particularly due to challenging jumps that lead to repetitive gameplay. Despite the grind becoming less fun over time, some still appreciate the overall experience and recommend the game for its rewarding moments.
“This game is too tedious to be enjoyable; a lot of the jumps are absolutely ridiculous.”
“But it really stopped being fun after it became tedious.”
“After 30 hours of tedious gameplay and hundreds of attempts at the same jumps, I was able to complete the game without breaking my computer.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a soothing and immersive quality, enhanced by tranquil soundscapes that foster a comforting experience. Additionally, the shared emotional responses among players—ranging from frustration to laughter—cultivate a sense of camaraderie that enriches the overall atmosphere.
“It really adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
“The soothing atmosphere, combined with the tranquil soundscapes, creates an experience that's truly immersive and comforting.”
“Watching my friends get just as mad as I do—whether they’re swearing at their screens or laughing at their own misfortunes—creates an atmosphere of camaraderie that makes the frustration worthwhile.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent freezes, significant frame drops, and issues during startup that prevent access to gameplay. Overall, these problems have led to a frustrating experience for many players.
“Game freezes and experiences massive frame drops.”
“The game freezes on startup.”
“I just bought Pogostuck and am trying to access the game. Whenever I boot it up, the home screen with the earth and all the chapters appears, but then the game freezes.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the lack of microtransactions and find the game rewarding and enjoyable, others criticize it as a cash grab based on a poor concept.
“Great game, super rewarding, high-quality movement, no microtransactions (that I know of), super fun.”
“Trying to cash grab on a poor concept.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, allowing players to improve their skills and discover more efficient routes as they revisit earlier sections. This aspect enhances the overall gameplay experience, making it engaging and rewarding.
“It's optimized pretty well, and it is a very immersive game.”
“As you continue to redo old parts, you seemingly get better at them and find the most optimized routes.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frustrating performance drops during critical moments.”
“Despite its potential, the optimization feels rushed, resulting in frequent crashes and long loading times.”
“The lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems, which is disappointing.”
- character development1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the whimsical graphics and charming character designs enhance the game's visual appeal, they do not significantly contribute to character development, which may leave players wanting more depth in the characters' growth and narratives.
“The whimsical graphics and charming character designs create an engaging and visually appealing environment.”