Sticks And Bones
- March 28, 2019
- Sticks and Bones
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Sticks and Bones" is a story-driven first-person shooter that takes place in an alternate reality of the 1940s. As a mute soldier, you must rely on your wits and tactics to survive, using a variety of historically inspired weapons and equipment. With a focus on immersive storytelling and challenging gameplay, "Sticks and Bones" offers a unique and thrilling gaming experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is quirky, funny, and charming, with a unique slapstick style that evokes classic silent comedies.
- Despite its short length, the game offers a delightful experience filled with humor and engaging mini-games.
- The art direction and sound design are well-executed, showcasing the developer's passion and creativity.
- The game is very short, typically taking around 40 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
- There are several glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with achievements and controls.
- The gameplay mechanics are simplistic and may lack depth, making it feel more like a tech demo than a fully fleshed-out game.
- humor78 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and effectiveness, primarily relying on slapstick and visual gags without any dialogue. Players find it genuinely funny and entertaining, often laughing out loud, though some note that enjoyment may vary based on individual taste in comedy. Despite its short length, the game delivers a delightful and whimsical experience that many recommend, highlighting its ability to catch players off guard with unexpected humor.
“Great sense of humor and a very funny story told with no dialogue.”
“This game is hilarious, and tells a fun little story entirely through slapstick and charades.”
“The comedy is so genuinely funny I laughed until I cried; if you've got the cash to spare, I'd give it a look.”
- story58 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Sticks and Bones" is presented as an introductory episode that sets the stage for a planned series, featuring a humorous narrative conveyed entirely through visual gags and animations without dialogue. While the plot is considered shallow and ends abruptly, the game is praised for its clever writing and entertaining gameplay, which includes quick time events and puzzles. Overall, it offers a lighthearted and comedic experience, appealing to players who enjoy humor-driven storytelling.
“It's amazing how they can tell a story without dialogue and only nice animations and sound effects.”
“With the game's clever writing and entertaining story, this game is perfect for all ages. I have to give it a solid 10/10; it's left me tearing up from laughter and joy all the way through!”
“For five bucks, you get a joyous little interactive short story full of humor and heart.”
“The plot is inconsequential and kind of just ends abruptly, but it’s pretty funny with a lot of visual gags conveying a joke without any dialogue.”
“If we're rating this as a movie, it's not even an hour long and you won't take much away from the shallow (but humorous) story.”
“Some parts of the game have interesting sound ideas going on to tell the story, but no soundscape makes it feel like an unfinished game.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Sticks and Bones" primarily revolves around quick time events and simple puzzles, offering a short and humorous experience that can be completed in under an hour. While the game features a variety of basic mechanics and memorable comedic moments, it suffers from a lack of replay value and limited interactivity, with some players finding the price unjustifiable for its brief length. Overall, it provides a fun, albeit simplistic, experience that may appeal to those who appreciate its comedic style.
“Hilarious, fun gameplay, and awesome art/sound design.”
“There are lots of gags that are quite memorable, and they are often baked into the gameplay (i.e left-click to slap someone.) Overall, a fun experience that is worth the few bucks you pay.”
“The comedy is hilarious and unexpected; I would say, I have had many laughs and 'WTF' moments in this short gameplay.”
“However, the little gameplay that requires skill (the swordplay) is pretty bad, and for 6 bucks, I can’t justify the short length.”
“But even with the price drop, the developer is wanting the best part of 5 quid for an (extremely) low rent 40 minutes worth of barely interactive gameplay with zero replay value.”
“There's no replay value since there's only one outcome, and the gameplay is entirely made of slow-time events and short rough minigames that get repeated a few times.”
- music16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its handcrafted quality, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the animations effectively. While the dynamic soundtrack contributes to a fun atmosphere, some players noted moments of repetitiveness that could benefit from a richer soundscape. Overall, the combination of music and character actions creates a joyful and engaging adventure.
“The music and soundtrack felt like a handcrafted experience, working perfectly with the game.”
“There is no speaking in this game; everything is conveyed through character action and music.”
“The animations and musical accompaniment made me laugh and smile more than I have in a long time.”
“There is no speaking in this game, everything is done through character action and music.”
“The animations and musical accompaniment on display here made me laugh and smile more than I have in a long time.”
“- well done dynamic music”
- graphics16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are often perceived as basic and reminiscent of common low-poly assets, leading some to label it as an "asset flip." However, players appreciate the charm and passion evident in the art style, which, while not stunning, contributes to a memorable and enjoyable experience. The combination of simple animations, dialog-free cutscenes, and an endearing character design evokes a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of titles like Wind Waker.
“The game looks good, I like the art style, and the sound direction is genuinely great.”
“Controls are simple to understand, the main character is adorable and endearing, and the graphics remind me a little bit of Wind Waker.”
“In terms of art graphics, it's easy to overlook this as being an 'asset flip' of the overused polygon Unity store packs by Synty Studios, but once you play it, you'll start to notice how much work and passion seemed to go into it despite its common graphics.”
“The low poly graphics, dialog-free cutscenes, and animation have a lot of charm.”
“It's short, it's silly, the graphics aren't stunning, each piece of this seems somewhat unremarkable, but I honestly can say that this is one of the most memorable games I've played in quite some time.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, including glitches and bugs that affect gameplay, such as camera problems and unearned achievements. Players have reported that relaunching the game and adjusting settings can help mitigate some of these issues, but overall, the experience can be inconsistent.
“Kinda buggy too as I don't have any achievements even for stuff like just leaving the starting prison, and later on the camera bugs out when you try to climb the towers, so movement becomes really awkward.”
“Some of the achievements are buggy, but I was able to get them to trigger by relaunching after each one was earned and running on the lowest possible settings.”
“It tries to be funny and usually hits the mark, but I did encounter a few glitches, so just be wary.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users noting that it offers only one outcome and relies heavily on repetitive slow-time events and minigames. Many feel that the experience could have been enhanced with alternative puzzle solutions, but as it stands, the gameplay is deemed too short and linear to warrant multiple playthroughs.
“But even with the price drop, the developer is wanting the best part of 5 quid for an extremely low-rent 40 minutes worth of barely interactive gameplay with zero replay value.”
“There's no replay value since there's only one outcome and the gameplay is entirely made of slow-time events and short rough minigames that get repeated a few times.”
“I think the overall experience could have been extended via replayability if a few of the puzzles had alternative solutions with differing outcomes.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a wholesome ending that resonates with players, alongside genuinely funny comedic moments that evoke laughter to the point of tears. Overall, it creates a heartfelt experience that many recommend.
“I liked the end of the story, which I found to be quite wholesome.”
“The comedy is so genuinely funny that I laughed until I cried. If you've got the cash to spare, I'd give it a look.”
