Not only does Stilt's unconventional control scheme work surprisingly well, it opens the door to a uniquely joyful VR experience
When I first heard that Stilt was coming to the Quest 3, I was intrigued by the idea of a platforming game played entirely from a first-person perspective. However, the notion of controlling my character by bouncing on stilts also seemed rather implausible and potentially disorienting. Thankfully, after spending some time with Stilt, I can say that not only does the unconventional control scheme work surprisingly well, it opens the door to a uniquely joyful VR experience.
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In Stilt, you take on the role of a small alien creature who travels by hopping around on a pair of springy stilts. The story is simple - your spaceship has been stolen and you must navigate colorful 3D levels in order to confront the thief and reclaim what is yours. Gameplay revolves around using your stilt-legs to bounce over obstacles, enemies, and bottomless chasms as you search each area for presents, stamps, and the exit portal.
If you've played Gorilla Tag or Underdogs, the locomotion system will feel very familiar. However there's a big difference in Stilt as your stilts are always active and you don't have to hold down the grab buttons on your controllers to "grab" into the environment. What this ultimately means is that every surface you touch pushes against you and that's where all the fun and pain come from.
At first, getting a handle on the bouncing mechanics feels daunting. It takes some trial and error to learn how to propel yourself the correct distance with jumps of varying strength. Overshooting a target or plummeting into the abyss is common in the early going. Thankfully, the checkpoint and lives systems are generous, so death never feels too punishing. Having said that, I would have preferred if falling off the map and straight into water, lava or sand didn't kill me in one hit having to restart from a checkpoint, which is also limited as it costs stamps, or the whole level from the beggining. With practice, bounding across ever-shifting platforms and precarious pathways becomes increasingly fluid and satisfying. Mastering tricky jumps is hugely rewarding.
Where Stilt truly shines is in its level designs. Each world embraces a distinct aesthetic theme and provides numerous hidden nooks to uncover using well-placed jumps. Later stages introduce shifting platforms, timed challenges, and clever platforming puzzles that test your newly honed stilt skills. Locating all the gifts tucked away in each area keeps you exploring every inch. The act of soaring between distant ledges never gets old thanks to the game's dazzling colors and smooth performance.
Power-ups also mix up the gameplay in fun new ways. These powerups can be used only once while you are in the air and reset once you touch a surface with the respective arm. Mastering power-ups like the grappling hook or the rocket boost open up previously inaccessible areas and add exciting new dimensions to your movement. Hunting down these Pick-Ups gives incentive to revisit older stages.
While the learning curve is steep at the outset, Stilt is accessible enough for all skill levels. More seasoned players will find plenty here to master as well through challenges focused on speed and perfection. It's endlessly satisfying to pull off daring tricks or complete objectives against the clock.
There's also a whole multiplayer side in Stilt too, but the online population is very small and I didn't really found any active "lobbies" to fully test this part of the game. One time I found some kids in the open-lobby thingy, but they didn't join me to play in any of the offered modes like Deathmatch or Ballon Hunt for example.
All told, Stilt succeeds in crafting a vibrant 3D platforming experience that feels perfectly tailored for VR. Its imaginative level design, intuitive controls, and joyful spirit had me bouncing through its colorful world for hours on end with a perpetual smile. This is a truly unique and dare I say an essential VR experience to get on your Quest 3. Get this game. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 via a promo code provided by the publisher. Stilt is available now on Meta Quest, PSVR2 and PCVR.
