Richie's Plank Experience
- December 18, 2017
- Toast Interactive
- 14h median play time
Get on SteamRichie's Plank Experience is a VR game that offers a variety of modes, including flying around a city to extinguish fires, sky writing with rocket hands, a scary nightmare mode, and a Santa Simulator for kids. It provides a psychological experience, invoking emotions ranging from exhilaration to fear, and also serves as entertainment by allowing players to watch the reactions of others. The game includes health and safety warnings due to its immersive nature.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
PlayStation VR2
Reviews
- Richie's Plank Experience is a fantastic introduction to VR, providing a unique and immersive experience that can elicit strong reactions from players.
- The flying mode, where players can soar around the city and put out fires, is highly enjoyable and adds significant replay value to the game.
- The game is great for showcasing VR to friends and family, especially when using a real plank for added immersion.
- The game lacks substantial content and replayability, with many players feeling it can be completed in under an hour.
- The introduction of a cumbersome EULA screen that resets every time the headset is removed has frustrated many users, making the game less accessible for group play.
- Some players have reported technical issues and bugs, such as glitches in the flying mode and problems with controller responsiveness.
- graphics29 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the improvements and vibrant visuals, particularly in reflections and cityscapes, while others criticize them as basic or bland, reminiscent of older gaming styles. Many users appreciate the ongoing updates that enhance graphical quality, but some still find the visuals lacking compared to more graphically intensive titles. Overall, the game's charm lies in its simplicity, though opinions vary on whether the graphics meet modern standards.
“The graphics have improved so much.”
“Graphics are awesome; this game is always a hit and works well with Windows headsets.”
“The city is beautiful and the graphics are great.”
“The only downside to this game is the graphics.”
“Very basic great idea but poor graphics; more hype than gameplay.”
“The visuals are sloppily made and there's no more than 15 minutes worth of content.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this VR title is characterized by its limited content and basic mechanics, making it more suitable as an introductory experience for newcomers to VR rather than offering substantial replayability. While the flying superhero mode showcases impressive mechanics and provides some fun, overall, players find the game lacks depth and becomes repetitive quickly, leading to concerns about its value at the current price point. Despite its shortcomings, the unique experience and engaging community support are noted as positives.
“When you're done soiling yourself, there's a great fun mode where you kind of play a rocket-powered superhero firefighter, which features some of the most fun VR flight mechanics in any game.”
“Seriously, this might be the best 'flying superhero' core mechanics we've yet to experience in VR!”
“For anyone interested in a unique VR experience that incorporates a 'real world prop' for added realism, and enjoys a fun 'flying game' mechanic, I'd recommend the purchase.”
“I do admit that the gameplay is very limited and only a few things you can do, but it's totally worth it to show to friends and family.”
“This game is great if it's your first time playing VR as an intro into how immersive VR is, but there's nothing to it. The fact that you can spoil the entire gameplay in one sentence shows how little content there is.”
“The only problem is it gets boring very quickly; there isn't more than 15 minutes of gameplay before it gets old.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players finding joy in the reactions of others, particularly during tense moments like the plank scene, which elicits screams and laughter. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a fun atmosphere for friends and family, making it a great choice for shared experiences. Overall, the comedic elements and unexpected moments contribute significantly to the enjoyment, making it a must-try for those looking for a lighthearted gaming experience.
“Incredibly funny game to make your mother and father play.”
“Watching people scream at the thought of falling 80 floors is hilarious.”
“Reactions are hilarious and completely worth it.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 42 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that it becomes boring quickly and does not offer enough content to warrant multiple playthroughs. While some find it enjoyable for introducing others to VR, the consensus is that it is not suitable for those seeking a game with significant replay value.
“Perhaps a bit overpriced at $8, but still, very replayable compared to other titles.”
“It has replayability.”
“Not much in terms of replayability, but still a 'must have' in my opinion if you want to show VR to others!”
“There is no replay value in this game and it gets boring fast.”
“This is not a game with replay value.”
“Don't buy this if you are expecting something with a lot of replayability that you can sink 20 hours into.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed perception of the game's story aspect; while some players find it engaging and recommend it highly, others criticize it for lacking a substantial plot and variety in missions. Overall, the narrative seems to be overshadowed by gameplay mechanics, with calls for more interesting missions and exploration.
“Buy Megaton Rainfall and you'll get that, challenges and storyline.”
“Make some interesting missions with lots of variety and exploration.”
“Moral of the story: do not let your dumb family friends know about this game; it is a very good game. 10/10 recommend.”
“It's a fun game but has no story plot or modes.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a mix of stability issues, including minor glitches such as falling into a white limbo and buggy water mechanics during gameplay. While some glitches are noted as less impactful, the presence of these issues suggests that the game still shows signs of its early access status.
“Small glitches, for example, falling down put me into a white limbo.”
“With some small visual glitches and a small map, the early access is apparent.”
“When you do put out fires, you'll find that the water is buggy and often doesn't want to work.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the experience, particularly during action sequences, but some users report issues with abrupt cut-offs and fading to silence. Overall, the sound design is well-received, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“You can also fly around the city and put out fires like a superhero, which, coupled with the epic music, makes for a great experience.”
“The music is spot on, the sound design works, and even the birds look great!”
“The music just cuts off at one point, as it is clearly broken or just gives up and fades to silence.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The audio quality is poor, with noticeable distortion that detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
While the game has seen improvements in graphics, performance, and stability over time, users still report that it is poorly optimized, particularly for those with lower-end hardware, which can lead to a subpar experience.
“They've added new modes, improved graphics, performance, and stability over the year I've owned this game.”
“This game is also poorly optimized, so if you have a Vive but a lower-end card, you will not have a good experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as vibrant and immersive, with dynamic environmental elements like birds, helicopters, and cars that contribute to a lively setting. Additionally, the intense and chaotic experiences, such as carrying characters through dramatic scenarios, enhance the overall sense of excitement and engagement.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with objects in the environment like birds, helicopters, and cars making the world feel quite alive.”
“Richie, when you get your life together and add people you can pick up in one arm who scream and cry while you rocket into the upper atmosphere that you can set on fire with your rocket jets and drop to their screaming, urine-soaked deaths, give me a call please.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy heavily relies on advertisement videos, suggesting that more effort was invested in marketing than in the game's actual development.
“They put more work into the advertisement videos for this game than they did into the game itself.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making the game feel incomplete.”
