Stick it to The Man!

Lore & Background

The game follows Ray Doewood, a hard hat tester who, after being hit by a capsule-like object, wakes from a coma with a pink spaghetti-like arm protruding from his brain. This arm grants him mind-reading and telekinesis powers, allowing him to use stickers to manipulate the world. Ray is falsely convicted of a crime he didn't commit and must evade secret agents while solving puzzles. The plot involves Ray's alien companion Ted, his girlfriend Arlene, and the antagonist The Man, who seeks to extract Ted from Ray's brain. The story concludes with Ray and Arlene returning home, Ted departing to his home planet, and Ray discovering Ted left something inside his head.

Reader's Guide

Stick it to The Man! received generally favorable reviews, with critics and gamers comparing it to Psychonauts for its dialogue, art direction, and puzzles. The game's 2.5D side-scrolling gameplay involves reading minds to obtain hints, placing stickers in appropriate locations, and using pins to access distant areas. Secret agents chase the player if noticed. The title is sometimes spelled 'Stick It To The Man!' and features the song 'Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)' on the title screen and end credits. Its release across multiple platforms over the years helped it reach a wider audience.

Did You Know?

• The song 'Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)' is used in the title screen and the end credits.
• The game's city is made of papier-mâché.
• Only Ray can see the pink spaghetti-like arm sticking out of his brain.