Overview – developed and published by independent creator Andrew Connelly, First Person Stapler is a simple yet charming shooter, where players take the role of a night shift worker in a call center. Armed with your trusty stapler, roam the different areas of the call center, destroying targets, chugging coffee and causing chaos around the office. This version of the game is exclusively for Steam, with a link to the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank the Representative who provided the copy of First Person Stapler that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. I will be skipping the story segment as there is little in terms of plot for this release, so with that it is time to jump straight into discussing the gameplay of First Person Stapler.
Gameplay – First Person Stapler is a low poly FPS title, where the objective is to destroy targets and reach the goal in the time limit. The game has 8 levels for players to challenge, starting with the tutorial, where all of the ins and outs of the gameplay mechanics are show to players. This is a very simple but challenging shooter experience, with fast paced action and a tight time limit, keeping the pressure on players throughout.
All of the stages start the player off with 30 seconds to get the job done, but this can be extended by shooting clocks on the walls. Each clock will extend the timer by 15 seconds, keeping players in the game a little longer. The targets that need to be shot are scattered throughout the stages, with many of them hid behind pillars, doors and shelves. This adds to the tension of finding them all, increasing the challenge as players search for targets.
When starting a stage, the player only has a basic stapler as their weapon. But the different stages will have upgraded weapons, which can be found in the different rooms of the stage. The first upgrade is the dual staplers, for faster rapid shots and the second is the Pneumatic Stapler, for slower stronger shots. The ammo for staplers is unlimited, letting players shoot freely, alongside a kick that can be used to cause chaos and destroy targets.
To clear the stages, the player needs to get the highest score they can and reach the goal. In the stages, players can find coffee power-ups which increase his speed, allowing him to sprint even faster. This lasts for a limited time with an on screen timer, counting down the seconds before it expires. This speed boost and the upgraded weapons can be very useful, giving players a fighting chance to get the best score and reach the exit door.
When a stage ends, if the player has reached the goal with a high enough score, they will be able to move onto the next stage. Then depending on the performance, they will also be given a star rating out of 3 stars. This gives the relatively short experience a lot of replay value, allowing players to retry each of the stages to get a better score and higher rating. There are only 8 stages, including the tutorial, but there are also bonuses that players can enjoy.
There is one minor issue with this release, which is the scores needed to get to progress as there is no way to know if you have reached the target. This can be pretty stressful, with multiple attempts failing by a few points due to some less than optimal accuracy. It is not a bad thing but a frustrating thing, as repeated failure can put players off from trying to get further into the game. But aside from this minor complaint the gameplay experience is well balanced and enjoyable.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to discuss the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – this title is your typical first person shooter experience, using the mouse and keyboard set up for the action. The controls work rather well, with the mouse being used for looking and shooting, along with the standard WASD and shift/space for movement. The movement and action is reactive, with the controls feeling very responsive while moving around the stages and shooting the targets. I am unsure if this game supports controllers as I wasn’t able to test it out.
Difficulty – all of the challenge comes from the time limit, as the pressure of learning the target layouts and managing the timer adds to the difficulty. Once players get used to the target and clock positions, the challenge becomes all about getting the best possible score. The overall challenge adds to the frantic feel of the game, as the fast paced action and timer increases the tension, as players try to get the best accuracy for maximum points.
Presentation – the low poly visuals work well for First Person Stapler, giving it a nostalgic feel as the game looks right out of the late 90s. Everything has a bit of a celshaded look to it, making the visuals pop even more. There is no issue with performance too, as the game works perfectly and there is no issues in terms of lag. The sound of the game is good but surreal, with unusual and odd music that enhances the chaos of running around rooms with a loaded stapler.
Final Thoughts – I quite enjoy first person shooters, so I was excited to check this out. The action has the chaotic feel to it that is missing from a lot of titles in the genre, with First Person Stapler keeping it nice and simple. There is a lot of fun to have with this release, all for a low entry fee. The game is compact and fun, with lots of enjoyment and replay value. I recommend picking this up if you want a fun and simple FPS, just bear in mind it may take a few attempts to clear.
In the end, I give First Person Stapler a score of 4/5. This is a fun and chaotic first person shooter, with a fun gimmick that makes it different from many of the others out there. The game may be short, but there is plenty of content and replay value in the package, all for a low asking price. If you want to check this steam release, a link to the game will be below.
Link to Steam version (HERE)
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