Handstand Hank Review
(Image credit: Loden Games)
During the most recent Steam Next Fest, I stumbled across a little demo called Handstand Hand, and I’m still not sure if I loved it or if it just hurt me in a very specific way. Either way, it left an impression. This is a 3D precision platformer where you control Hank, a man on a mission to climb a makeshift mountain, upside-down. That’s not a metaphor. He’s literally doing a handstand the entire time.
The game is developed by Michael Fischer, the solo dev behind Loden Games, and it’s clear from the jump that Handstand Hank takes inspiration from titles like Getting Over It, Jump King, and A Difficult Game About Climbing. If those names send a chill down your spine, then you already know the kind of game you’re getting into.
From a game-play perspective, Handstand Hank is about precision, patience, and a surprising amount of upper-body empathy. You’re constantly adjusting balance, momentum, and trajectory, just to keep Hank from falling to his inevitable demise. One slight misstep, and you’re likely tumbling down to a previous checkpoint. Or worse, if you’re playing on Hard Mode, all the way back to the start.
Let’s talk modes, the game offers two difficulty options. Easy Mode provides merciful checkpoints that give you a climbing chance. This mode allowed me to explore the movement mechanics and actually make progress without fearing every jump. But Hard Mode? That’s a different beast. No checkpoints. One fall, and it’s all over. It’s perfect if you’re the kind of player who enjoys testing your mental fortitude one failed leap at a time.
And yes, if you’re not careful, this game will absolutely make you rage. Not because it’s broken or unfair, but because it knows exactly how to frustrate you. It lures you into a false sense of confidence, “Oh, I’ve got the hang of this now!”, right before over-jumping a narrow ledge you misjudged by half an inch. It’s a game that requires not just precision, but discipline.
In terms of style and atmosphere, Handstand Hank doesn’t offer much story or personality. There’s no real narrative here. The game’s central hook is scaling up a makeshift mountain while on a handstand. It’s a gimmick, and the game doesn’t try to be much more than that. But that’s okay. In a way, it’s a commitment to the bit, and that’s what makes it work.
Visually, the game is clean and minimal. You’re not playing this for the graphics; you’re playing to see how far you can push yourself without rage-quitting. The environment does lean into a slightly psychological horror vibe, there’s a quiet tension that builds as you climb, with eerie stillness and open voids that make each fall feel a little more haunting than the last. It’s not full-on horror, but the sense of isolation creeps in the longer you play.
One thing I appreciated is that the controls are responsive. Your success (or failure) is mostly in your hands, which makes each small victory feel genuinely earned. The demo only includes part of the full game’s content, but it still gives you a solid feel for what Handstand Hank is going for. The full version will offer four levels, each with its own frustrating physics challenges to conquer.
Currently, Handstand Hank is only available on PC, and it fits comfortably into that niche of punishing platformers built for people who like to suffer. Whether you play it for the challenge, the bragging rights, or to see how far you can make it without rage-quitting, there’s definitely a specific audience that’s going to love this game.
