I loved dodgeball during my college years. It was the only time I could get away with throwing a ball at the toughest guy in school without any repercussions. I mean, it was only a game, right? It was a blast to play and usually ended up chaotic in the college sports hall. I’d played a few video game variants too which were equally as fun, one on the NES sticks in my mind.
So when Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure popped onto the Playstation Store, I had to play it. Developed by Swing Studios, Stikbold! is loud and unusual. The story mode puts you in control of Bjorn and Jerome, former dodgeball champions who, last year, lost the title and Bjorn, his heart. As the rematch to regain the title is due to begin, the devil himself abducts the new champions and it’s down to Bjorn and Jerome to get them back. The story is dull as dishwater with dialogue being as stale as a week old loaf. The same can’t be said for the graphics which are immediately striking from the moment you start up the game. Stikbold! is bright and, as the name depicts, bold with a visual art style similar to the blocky sensation Minecraft, just with a bigger colour palette and less substance.
The game itself plays like a top down shooter. The left thumbstick controls movement whilst the right one controls your aim, with the L2 and R2 buttons used for shooting and dodging. Simple controls for a simple game. Holding the shoot button down controls your power with holding it down too long penalising you by throwing it spectacularly bad. Stikbold! is fun when played locally with friends. It’s clear that it was made with that solely in mind. Ganging up on your mates is satisfying, but I couldn’t help but wish there was a sprint button. It gets tedious chasing the ball around at the standard slow pace that all players seem to run.
Playing solo is another frustration altogether. Especially during story matches. There is no option to switch between players when you don’t have the ball. Instead, you’re having to rely on the clunky AI of your computer controlled team mate. Luckily, you don’t have to have the reflexes of a cat to dodge your opponents’ pot shots, so it’s never long before you’re in control again.
During multiplayer matches, which sadly are purely only local multiplayer as there are no online options, getting eliminated from a match doesn’t mean it’s game over if your friends are still standing. There are three controllable traps in each arena to hinder your opponents which leave temperature open for a swift smack in the face from your compadre. As I said earlier, Stikbold! was clearly created with multiplayer in mind. It’s a blast to play with friends, but solo it is nothing more than a mediocre and occasionally boring experience.
The game changes when it comes to the occasional boss fights that split up the twelve story matches which pit you up against all sorts of stereotypes such as hippies. My favorite was a battle with a huge white whale which required me to stick TNT in its mouth whilst fending off ambushers. A welcome change of pace. All in all, the story took me around two hours to complete. It would have taken longer if I was a completionist as there are multiple challenges to fulfill during each match.
Developer: Swing Studios
Publisher: Curve Digital
Platforms: Xbox One, PS4, PC
Release Date: 1st April 2016