A figure in a top hat just crashed through a window on the twentieth floor, meeting a fatal end on the way down the corporate hierarchy all because I tossed a package at them. Such occurrences are common in Stick It to the Stickman, a roguelite beat ’em up game developed by Free Lives, known for Anger Foot, set to be available in early access later this month.

The excitement of the game is enough to overshadow any disappointment from the news last year that its release had been pushed back to 2025 by Devolver Digital.

As seen in the trailer, Stick It to the Stickman follows a straightforward concept: “Stickmen need jobs, but more importantly, shareholders demand growth. Climb the tower to confront your boss and keep in mind that half of office work involves throwing stickmen out of windows.” After engaging in cathartic combat and reaching the office rooftop, you face off against the current CEO for control of the corporate empire and the choice to defy or submit to the ruling corporeal overlords.

The game is scheduled for early access launch on August 18, but players can already experience its floppy brawls through a revamped Steam demo. My initial encounter with disrupting capitalism through this game has left a positive impression.

Starting from a park bench, you battle your way through job seekers at the skyscraper lobby. To secure employment, you must defeat a friend and Fortnite companion in a comical fight. Progressing up the tower involves climbing ladders and entering lifts that sound strangely like flushing toilets to confront progressively challenging suited stick figures needing your martial arts moves or even a mug thrown at them.

Free Lives have effectively balanced humorous body movements post-impact with impactful punches akin to Gang Beasts. The satirical jokes about capitalism add an extra layer of amusement.

The developers intend for Stick It to the Stickman’s early access phase to last around 12 months, with monthly updates introducing new features like manufacturing facilities, marketing departments, science centers, doomsday bunkers, and corporate lobbying opportunities each offering unique gameplay experiences guiding players towards the story’s conclusion.

After enjoying booting executives out of windows in the demo, I am eagerly looking forward to diving deeper into this game.