Stikbold! Review

Stikbold is a vibrant, silly sports game with a multiplayer focus, and its brilliant.

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Stikbold!:

Stikbold! is the latest in a long line of multiplayer-focused indie games. Luckily, I have a dedicated group of friends whose quiet evenings in are made much louder with such offerings, so we were thrilled to try out the new, incredibly odd looking (and oddly named) Stikbold. We were very glad we did.

Story:

It’s the dodgeball tournament, and Jerome and Bjorn are in the finals! Only problem is, as they’re squaring off against the (beautiful) opposition, their competitors get kidnapped by… the devil? Jerome and Bjorn, gents that they are, decide to forgo the default win and rescue their competition for a fair fight.

It’s a strange set up, but adorable and fun to watch. It’s all presented fantastically and my dodgeball partner and I were kept thoroughly entertained throughout. It’s not going to win any awards, but what’s here is cute as heck.

Gameplay:

Stikbold is an arena brawler of sorts. Think Towerfall or similar indie gems and you’ll have an idea about what to expect. In circular arenas two teams of two (or sometimes more) duke it out with dodgeballs. You can hurl them at your enemies, intercept them or pass them to your teammates. Hit a foe twice (or get hit twice yourself) in quick succession and it’s a knock out. It’s a really straightforward premise with enough depth to make the shouting matches fun for the foreseeable.

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Each stage presents different hazards such as bee-hives falling in the arena or giant waves washing everyone away, which mixed things up throughout and always kept me on my toes. Stikbold is, at the very least, the only game I’ve ever shouted “watch out for the hippie van!!” whilst playing. In the campaign mode (which is also completely co-op) you’ll be tasked with different objectives, such as hitting an opponent from a specific distance or getting three crabs to pinch you simultaneously. There’s enough here to keep you coming back for more and chasing medals until you perfect the art of dodging and balling.

Multiplayer:

Multiplayer is, predictably, where Stikbold really shines. Playing two on two with some friends was some of the best, loudest fun I’ve had in ages, and really must be tried by everyone. It’s simple enough for everyone to be able to pick up, play and have a good time, but for the competitive amongst us there’s plenty of depth to sink your teeth into.

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A lot of the games I played seemed to devolve into fisticuffs on the court, as the dodgeball slowly rolled away, and it’s definitely the most fun I’ve had throwing jellyfish at my closest friends. The fact that you can go through the game’s kooky campaign together is fantastic, but the majority of your time will be spent facing each other as enemies, not as buddies.

Presentation:

Stikbold is ridiculously colourful at all times, featuring great looking blocky characters and environments that are all vying for your attention. The style is Crossy Road meets Minecraft and the result is a very sweet, saccharin explosion that’s great to look at. It’s also very distinctive, so you’ll never be struggling to find your character amidst the action.

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Sound design is fun but forgettable, though the voices of all the characters kept me smiling throughout the campaign. It’s all irrelevant though, you won’t be able to hear anything over the screaming, shouting and trash talk of your dodgeball parties, which will now be a thing you do.

 

Conclusion:

Stikbold! is vibrant, hilarious and, most importantly, fun multiplayer game that will keep you and yours entertained for hours. Indie multiplayer games are kind of huge right now, with a lot of devs trying their hand at bottling this vogue magic. As long as they continue to be as wildly entertaining as Stikbold, you won’t hear me complaining.

Good

  • Fantastic fun with friends
  • Vibrant, colourful visuals

Bad

  • Solo play is dull by comparison
8.3

Great

Story - 8
Graphics - 8.5
Sound - 7.5
Gameplay - 8.5
Multiplayer - 9
Value - 8.5
Reviewer - GamerKnights

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