Review by Jon Donnis
Hyperstacks combines combat, parkour, puzzle-solving and level creation into one colourful VR experience, with its three core gameplay pillars working together to create a broad range of challenges. It is an ambitious approach, but one that largely succeeds thanks to strong movement mechanics, enjoyable combat and an impressive set of creative tools.
The campaign introduces these systems progressively through a cast of characters, each with their own personality and style of challenge. Between levels, you return to the lobby to interact with them, take on quests and unlock new mechanics. This gives the campaign a useful sense of progression while ensuring that new gameplay ideas are introduced at a steady pace.
Combat makes particularly good use of VR. Melee and ranged weapons give encounters plenty of variety, while enemies can put you under pressure and force quick reactions. Environmental hazards can also be used to your advantage, and there are situations where your own fists become part of the solution. Some encounters turn into frantic bullet-hell battles, making good use of the physical space around you.
Movement is another major strength. Hyperstacks allows you to climb, swing, swim, jump, skate and teleport, alongside tools such as grappling hooks, ziplines and jump platforms. These mechanics are not simply there to get you between objectives. They form the basis of many of the game's challenges, demanding timing, precision and a willingness to experiment.
The parkour sections are at their best when several mechanics are combined. Grappling from one point to another, jumping between platforms or finding a route through hazards such as hot lava gives the movement a satisfying physical quality. For players who enjoy standing up and physically engaging with their VR games, there is plenty here to enjoy.
The in-game level editor is one of Hyperstacks' strongest features. Its grid-based system allows players to build stages containing enemies, traps, movement mechanics, puzzles, logic systems, colours and lighting. Despite offering considerable freedom, it remains accessible rather than becoming an unnecessarily complicated development tool.
This opens the door to a substantial amount of community-created content. Players can create and share their own challenges, while fast loading makes it easy to move from one creation to another. The community library therefore adds genuine longevity rather than simply acting as an afterthought once the campaign has been completed.
The creation tools also encourage experimentation. Because players have access to the same basic systems used by the developers, there is plenty of scope for building unusual traps, puzzles and interactive contraptions. The possibilities are particularly interesting when the game's combat, movement and logic systems are combined.
Hyperstacks also has plenty to offer players who enjoy mastering individual levels. Once you know a stage, returning to improve your time can turn a completed challenge into something worth revisiting. The movement mechanics give speed-runners plenty of opportunities to refine their routes and execution, adding another layer to the game's replay value.
Visually, Hyperstacks has a colourful and distinctive style, while its characters have a charm that suits the playful nature of the experience. The presentation helps give the campaign some personality without getting in the way of the gameplay.
The biggest weakness is also connected to the game's ambition. Hyperstacks has combat, parkour, puzzles, logic systems and a full level editor competing for your attention. For players who want one particular gameplay style to receive a very deep and polished treatment, that breadth could make the experience feel somewhat unfocused.
For everyone else, however, the combination works well. Combat provides the action, parkour gives the game physicality, puzzles require thought, and the creation tools offer an almost entirely different way to engage with the game. The campaign teaches you how these systems work before giving you the opportunity to see what other players can do with them.
Hyperstacks is at its best when these elements overlap. A level can ask you to fight, move, think and improvise rather than simply completing one type of challenge repeatedly. Combined with the accessible editor and growing library of community creations, that gives the game a strong foundation for continued play.
If you enjoy VR games that get you on your feet, give you plenty of movement options and mix combat with puzzles and creative challenges, Hyperstacks is well worth playing. Its broad range of mechanics can occasionally leave it feeling less focused than a game built around a single discipline, but there is enough quality and flexibility here to make that an acceptable compromise.
Hyperstacks is a strong VR experience with excellent movement, enjoyable combat, clever logic systems and a level editor that substantially extends what the game can offer.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
Out Now on MetaQuest
