Stick it to the Man!

About Stick it to the Man!

Stick it to the Man launched in November 2013 as a quirky indie adventure from developer Zoink and publisher Ripstone. You play as Ray, a hard hat tester who wakes up with a spaghetti-like arm sprouting from his brain after an accident. This gives him mind-reading abilities and the power to manipulate a paper world using stickers. The game lets you tear pages, fold environments, and stick objects to solve puzzles while fleeing from The Man for a crime you did not commit. It arrived on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita as a single-player experience where physics and logic collide in a colorful paper cutout setting.

Gameplay

You control Ray through side-scrolling levels using standard controller inputs to run, jump, and interact with the environment. The core loop involves scanning characters to read their thoughts for clues or objectives. Once you know what someone needs, you grab nearby stickers and place them on surfaces to alter physics or create paths. You might stick a rocket to a box to launch yourself over a gap or paste a door handle onto a wall to open a new route. The controls feel responsive as you rip pages in half or fold the ground flat to change elevation. Each level presents a new puzzle that requires you to combine mind-reading with sticker placement to progress without dying or getting caught by guards.

What Players Think

Critics and players alike seem to enjoy this title despite its age. Metacritic gave it an 83 out of 100 while IGDB lists a 73.1 average from 52 ratings. The PlayPile community data shows an average playtime that aligns with the game's tight design, though completion rates vary widely among users. Only 16 achievements exist in the full roster, and players have unlocked them at an average rate of just 23.5 percent. The rarest badge "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste" remains elusive for most since only 6.50 percent of users have earned it yet. Review snippets often mention the charming paper aesthetic and the satisfaction of solving creative puzzles without excessive frustration or bloating.

PlayPile's Take

Stick it to the Man is worth your time if you like puzzle platformers with a distinct visual style and humor. The $2.39 price point on GOG makes it an easy pick for collectors or casual players. You will likely spend a few hours working through the 16 achievements, though the hardest ones require specific sticker combinations that many miss. The game shines when you figure out how to use mind-reading to bypass obstacles rather than brute forcing your way through. Avoid this if you expect a long narrative or complex combat systems since it focuses entirely on environmental manipulation and logic.

Storyline

Meet Ray, he lives in a world where everything is made out of paper and stickers. One day he has an accident and wakes up with a giant pink spaghetti arm sticking out of his brain. This gives him awesome powers and he can suddenly change the world around him by folding it, tearing it, pulling stickers off and sticking them elsewhere! And if that weren't enough, Ray can also read peoples minds! Digging into the brains of his fellow citizens, Ray can hear their thoughts and use that to his advantage. Unfortunately, Ray doesn't have much time to get to grips with his new abilities. He is framed by ‘The Man’ with a crime he didn’t commit, and is on the run. Can you help to get Ray out of this sticky situation? Get ready to tear it, rip it and Stick it to the Man!