The Henry Stickmin Collection

Developer: PuffballsUnited | Publisher: Innersloth | Release Date: 2020 | Genre: Casual / Adventure / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

What began as a simple Flash animation on Newgrounds has grown into one of the most hilariously memorable point-and-click adventures out there. The Henry Stickmin Collection gathers six episodes, five of which were originally free online. It packages them with a shiny new coat of paint, a full-length finale, and an absurd amount of replay value. Whether you’re here for nostalgia or just curious about a stick figure constantly failing his way through increasingly ridiculous scenarios, this collection delivers a surprisingly rich and rewarding experience.

The collection follows Henry Stickmin, a silent yet expressive stick figure who constantly finds himself in high-stakes situations, usually of his own making. Throughout the six episodes, you’ll help him (or try to) break into banks, escape from prison, steal priceless diamonds, infiltrate airships, and even take down or join the notorious Toppat Clan.

The sixth and final episode, Completing the Mission, is exclusive to this collection and stands out as a true culmination of everything that came before. It allows you to start from any combination of previous endings, creating dozens of narrative permutations. Some are epic, some are tragic, and a good number are just plain ridiculous, but all are satisfying in their own way.

The first five episodes, Breaking the Bank, Escaping the Prison, Stealing the Diamond, Infiltrating the Airship, and Fleeing the Complex, were initially released as Flash games on Newgrounds. They were spruced up for this collection and had their backgrounds and sound effects redone. Breaking the Bank, the earliest episode was even reanimated entirely from scratch. The overhaul is more than just cosmetic; it’s a loving tribute to the original while elevating the overall experience for modern platforms. This is especially important in the wake of Flash’s demise some time back.

At its core, The Henry Stickmin Collection is a point-and-click adventure with branching choices. Each decision you make pushes the story in a different direction, and often, the “wrong” choice is far more entertaining than the correct one. This is one of those rare games where failure is half the fun. Every failed choice results in a short, often hilarious animation loaded with references, visual gags, and unexpected outcomes. It’s reminiscent of old-school interactive cartoons like Dragon’s Lair, albeit with violent stick figures instead of Don Bluth animations.

Some choices are straightforward, while others come with strict time limits, and sometimes, doing absolutely nothing is an option, too. Because of how random some of the outcomes can be, there’s real joy in experimenting just to see what the developers came up with. The game even includes a map system that tracks your progress and lets you jump back to any choice you’ve unlocked, which makes completing all paths and achievements a little more convenient.

The game also encourages players to pay attention to the backgrounds. Clicking on background characters reveals their bios, and collecting all of them is part of the 100% achievement hunt. Replayability is through the roof with so many possible story branches, endings, and fails.

Don’t let the stick figures fool you. There’s a lot of personality packed into these simple designs thanks to expressive animations, clever visual gags, and distinct accessories like hats and accessories. The visual upgrade from the Flash originals is significant, with cleaner lines, improved backgrounds, and better effects. Everything ran smoothly, and even though the game advised against playing in full-screen mode, we didn’t encounter any issues during our playthrough. The art style, minimalist but expressive, perfectly fits the tone. It makes the characters instantly readable and the humor that much snappier.

The soundtrack is surprisingly diverse, with some genuinely catchy tunes that pop up in key scenes. Sound effects, along with the visuals, have been overhauled, and they complement the slapstick action beautifully. Voice acting is minimal but effective, and the audio cues are tightly integrated into the comedy. Even the fail screens are fun to listen to, thanks to some clever use of sound and timing. Plenty of references are sprinkled throughout the game’s sound design, from classic internet memes to iconic gaming and movie nods. Some of these might feel dated to newer players, but fans of the original releases will appreciate the nostalgia.

The lack of traditional gameplay elements, such as puzzles or exploration, makes this collection more of an interactive cartoon than a conventional game, which might not appeal to everyone. The humor also relies heavily on subverting logic, so players who enjoy figuring out the “right” answer to scenarios might feel frustrated by the game’s random nature. Finally, a lot of the charm comes from the massive replay value of the game, so individually, the episodes are pretty short, and the game can be completed quickly. Players who are unwilling to dig deep and uncover all the different branching paths will miss out on a lot of content.

The Henry Stickmin Collection is more than just a nostalgia trip, though. It’s a celebration of interactive storytelling at its most absurd, packed with humor, charm, and a surprising amount of content. With six episodes, dozens of endings, and hundreds of hilarious fail states, it’s hard not to get hooked on seeing what’s around the next decision.

Whether you’re here for the stick figure slapstick or the intricate web of branching storylines, you will surely be entertained. It’s also one of the very few games we’ve ever played where, if you ever find yourself making the right choice on the first try, you might just feel a bit disappointed for missing out on a perfectly good fail.