Max Mustard Review — A VR Game To Relish

Max Mustard is a VR game by Queensland-based studio Toast Interactive, marketing itself as the ultimate VR platformer that was reverently inspired by Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. The inspiration is certainly there, mechanically parallel to Sony’s flagship VR title, but Max Mustard certainly brings its own charm to the VR platformer genre that I was delighted to experience.

In Max Mustard, you team up with the titular character, who is on a mission to save the tremendously cute Mudpups across 40 diverse levels after they were all kidnapped at the beginning of the game. The story is definitely the game’s weakest point, told mostly through notes after completing a level. This in no way deteriorates the experience, as the platformer genre as a whole is not known for captivating storylines.

You play as a “floating head” that controls Max Mustard from a third-person perspective, guiding her through deadly obstacles while utilising her jetpack as well as different gadgets along the way, such as a plunger gun. These gadgets were incredibly easy to use, and the precision and alignment of the projectiles were near-on perfect. There isn’t a lot of variety when it comes to the gadgets, though, that’s certainly not to its detriment, as the developers have shown a lot more focus and attention to the varied platforming and level design itself. There’s even a nod to Toast’s previous game, Richie’s Plank Experience.

Max Mustard has four Arcs with ten levels each, including a boss fight at the conclusion of each Arc. A majority of the levels in Max Mustard are standard platforming levels from start to finish, many offering a straight shot of the entire level from the beginning. These standard platforming levels have three Mudpups to be found, with a few offering additional collectibles within. As I mentioned before, these levels offer a vast degree of variation throughout, albeit the enemy variation was lost.

Another type of level is the series of Bullseye levels, which tasks you with shooting targets in the quickest amount of time possible. These are by far the most challenging aspects of the game. Hitting the gold time takes great patience and perseverance, as it leaves players with little to no room for error. These levels humbled me very quickly, but after dozens and dozens of attempts, I was successful, and the reward was so worth it – an adorable Mudpup.

The boss levels have a short platforming section before encountering the boss itself, and this really allows the game to set up a bit of tension build-up. The boss fights utilise your gadgets and require Mustard’s finessed platforming skills as you work together to defeat the uniquely designed bosses. Even though the boss fights didn’t bring anything new to the table except Mustard (ba dum tss), they were extremely engaging and were something I looked forward to in each Arc.

Mustard can purchase new abilities and upgrades with the thousands of coins littered throughout the game. These items range from extra melee attacks to faster running speed and longer jetpack duration. The upgrades are very useful to purchase, which incentivises exploring each level intricately, as there are always hidden coins laying around.

One of the highest praises I can give Toast Interactive is how fantastic the game looks. The crisp textures and high resolution were delightful for someone like me who isn’t a regular in VR gaming. This is definitely the best-looking VR game I’ve ever played. Not only the bright and charming art style but also the lighting effects around light sources prove that the game was crafted with tender loving care.