Review: Human Fall Flat VR
Human Fall Flat is a game I have always been interested in with it looking so unique but, it was never something I ever got around to playing. Then when I heard the news it was getting brought to Virtual Reality, I thought this is my chance to finally check out the game. Although from what I have watched of the flatscreen version I wasn’t sure if it would translate well into VR.
Release Date: October 31st 2024
Developer: No Brakes Games
Publisher: Curve Games
Price: US $12.99 / £9.99
Reviewed On: Meta Quest 3
* Access Provided For Review *
My Little Jelly Puppet
Human Fall Flat VR has the same premise as the original flatscreen game of navigating the level, which is build out like an obstacle course. You are going to do this by using the physical interactions of your little wobbly jelly-like friend. Which will see you jumping, grabbing, climbing, pulling levers, moving boxes and so on. However, the big change in how it works is, you will be controlling your little companions arms like a marionette, with the rest done by the buttons on the controllers to move, lean over or go completely limp. This does feel very unnatural at first, which can feel a little frustrating but, by the time your are through the first couple of levels it feels more natural and was the most intuitive way of bringing the game to Virtual Reality.
All of the levels you play will have multiple ways to navigate them, and if you are thinking can I some how take a short-cut over this wall – it’s likely there is a way to do it however, it might more difficult and time consuming than the nature straight-forward path. As mentioned these levels are made up physicals interactions which lead to the multiple solutions being a thing, and these obstacle courses are destructive. Maybe there is a window in your way, no issue go find something to smash it with or see those bars on the wall, find something to put in-between them and bend to make an opening. The levels really are you own playroom, leaving you to figure the way you want to approach each one.
Even taking the above into account, the puzzles offered will test your brain enough to leave you rubbing your head at times as your try to figure out your next move and approach. Luckily the game does offer a forgiving check-point system, meaning if you do want to try something to see if it works, you wont be punished too harshly. Which is great as the gameplay is really the main pull of Human Fall Flat.
Do you want to make this already humorous and crazy concept of game even crazier? Why not play it with co-op with friends or others online? This makes the game so much more hectic and leads to really funny moments, even when playing with random players. This can come from concocting crazy solutions, that even though your brain is telling you it wont work at all, you still try it. Randomly stopping and making your jelly marionette dance together or celebrating a successfully pulled off plan in ways the wobbly characters only allow. Even better is sometimes just choosing chaos and hindering someone by grabbing them as they make a run up for a jump or try and carry out their actions, some of the falls and failures created will leave you all laughing.
Simple But Works
Human Fall Flat VR not only plays like the original flatscreen game, it looks exactly the same as well. So, if you are wanting something that will visually blow you away, you will not get this with here, with it looking very much like the indie game it is. Which personally I do not see an issue with because, this suits the craziness of the game perfectly. However, it did shock me that it didn’t look more sharp on the Quest 3, with the simple flat textures and limited lighting. Although for most of the game you will be concentrating on your character, and your nameless friend is animated well, with the rag-doll physics making it even more funny.
There really isn’t much depth to the sound, but it does everything it needs to do for the premise of the game. You get audible sounds when your hands grip to the level and items, a satisfying thud as you fall and hit the floor, some environmental sounds for each level and music that seems to cut in and out at set parts.
Comfort
The Verdict
Human Fall Flat VR has successfully brought the game to VR, with the team making a marionette type control system, which was certainly the best and most intuitive way to approach it in this new medium. At first it can be a little frustrating but, as soon as you are used to it, you will be controlling your little jelly man well – although this will never be seamlessly, as that is part of the fun of the game. With this in mind other than the new control system it doesn’t really deviate from its flatscreen counterpart, although making your way around the levels obstacle courses with the trial and error approach and looking for your own way is still just a crazy and fun. This means that if you are not a fan of trail and error and sometimes failing to no fault of your own, this might not be the game for you. Also, with it coming over directly form the flatscreen version, the levels included are the same, so if you have played it previously, it will not offer any challenge other than the new control scheme.