Review: Barn Finders VR

Playing Barn Finders VR feels a bit like one of those reality TV shows you watch when there’s nothing else on, or you’re stuck at home ill, with only daytime TV to get you through. There’s a sense of being watched by cameras as you pick through old barns looking for value, or bidding on a storage unit which contains a valuable item. Half the time I was playing I wanted to look directly into a camera lens and raise my eyebrows at the audacity of those trying to outbid me.

The Barn Finders, that’s the player and their redneck relation, operate a store which seems to sell bits and pieces pulled out of random barns. At first, the store is barren; every shelf holds only dust, floor displays are broken wooden pallets. Utilising the store’s handy (and ancient) computer, customers will get in contact asking the Barn Finders to search a property for a particular item – we can keep everything else we find and sell it in-store.

I went out to the first barn looking for a taxidermy deer. I seemingly had superhuman strength as I could pick up huge wooden crates, vehicle tires and myriad large knick-knacks. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was looking for. At one point I picked up a taxidermy… I think it was an otter (it was bad taxidermy) and when I placed it down a countdown timer appeared with no other prompts. Eventually, I worked out that when the timer hit zero, I had to pick up the item again which would package it into the truck out back.

Using the controllers I pointed at cans, bottles, and random rubbish which could be recycled with the press of a button. Now I knew what the timer meant I began picking up everything to see if it could be collected. Eventually, I found the deer we’d come for, threw it into the truck and headed back to the shop.

Around the store are areas designated for cleaning items or repairing them. Of course, these took cash to unlock, so I began placing the items I found in the store. The shelves still looked bare, so I chose to bid on a storage unit next. After driving out, and watching one of the many bizarre cutscenes which feel as if pulled from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, it was time to bid. Of course, I won the unit, bidding seemed a bit pointless as I assume clearing the unit is part of the campaign.

I repeated everything from the barn, this time finding more mechanical parts and an entire truck which could be sold in the yard of the store. I was quietly enjoying the concept of the game, it’s not going to win any awards, but there was something oddly relaxing and satisfying about roaming these cavernous spaces looking for potential treasures.

Also oddly pleasing is the shopping experience offered to the customers back at the store. Patrons enter and stand by the item they want, sparking a conversation, which leads to some haggling over prices. Using a slightly wonky UI, you can hold out for a better price, refuse the sale or let the item go for the offered amount. 

Frustratingly, a moving bar must be stopped in the right zone to trigger a successful haggling attempt and the motion controls just aren’t good enough. In fact, anytime I had to ‘physically’ press a button it took a few attempts. Several times I sold an item for lower than I wanted because the sensitivity is skewed.

Otherwise, I was enjoying my time in this faux TV entertainment. The attention to detail in the environments and items is quirky and the developers have committed to the redneck family stylings in a wonderfully ironic way. The idea of rooting through these spaces is always appealing, but like many similar games (House Flipper I’m looking at you) it’s enjoyable but gets repetitive quite quickly.

There are odd driving forces aside from the core concept – the store can be upgraded visually, there are comic book pages to discover and hidden items which require revisiting areas and exploring again. Your mileage will vary depending on your patience.

It’s hard to say whether VR really offers anything to the concept here. There weren’t really any moments where I marvelled at something I was manipulating in virtual reality; the whole experience could be played with mouse and keyboard and affect nothing within the game. While that’s not a major detraction, it would be nice to have some features that justify the need for VR.

Review: Wanderer

It’s been proven in many a movie and videogame that messing with time travel can lead to all sorts of convoluted narratives and weird plotlines. They can also offer some of the most novel ways to explore both history and what could have been if certain events hadn’t transpired. Wanderer most definitely drops you in the deep end of a time travel adventure that features iconic moments, people and places that aren’t quite as they should be, and it’s up to you to unravel the mess and find out how it happened in the first place. Welcome to the most gripping VR game of 2022…so far.

Wanderer

A combined effort between New Zealand-based studios M-Theory and OddBoy, Wanderer sets you on a journey that’s as puzzling as you’d expect – it is one giant brain taxing puzzle title after all! You step into the shoes of Asher Neumann who locates his grandfather’s apartment which contains a few odd trinkets, a remote control car, a lot of cockroaches, several power tools and as chance would have it a talking, flying watch. Samuel is his name and not only is he essential to unravelling this mess he also provides some welcome company along the way.

Neumann’s grandfather was involved in some murky shit but without spoiling too much of the storyline he’s given you mostly everything you need to right quite a few temporal wrongs. Right away Wanderer immerses you in the narrative of skewed timelines and tragic events that shouldn’t have happened. It’s truly engrossing and like a good book, keeps you enthralled throughout; even when the frustration kicks in trying to solve a particular puzzle.

The developers have done an exceptional job of immersing you in Wanderer. There’s lots and lots to interact with, whether it’s for fun or a crucial next step. The apartment has items like a knockoff Super Soaker and NERF gun, you can smash plates and bottles with a satisfying crack, and if you like hunting through drawers and cupboards there are plenty of those as well.

Wanderer

One disappointment that appeared right at the very start was a jump mechanic to get yourself through a window or down a ledge. It required standing in an exact spot and holding the A button-down, hardly the most involved of VR abilities. Whilst it detracts from that sense of immersion, it only appeared at the beginning of the videogame, almost like M-Theory and OddBoy decided they didn’t want it in the rest of Wanderer. All the better for it really.

As mentioned, Wanderer takes you to various times and places, inhabiting people of that time like you’re Dr. Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap. Become an astronaut during the 1969 moon landing, meet Nikola Tesla, step into WWII and more, all of which are linked in some way. Wanderer is a puzzle adventure through and through with only a few light action elements, and the puzzles really do shine; they get that grey matter working too.

Puzzle titles can fall foul of repetition, using the same base design over and over again. Wanderer’s puzzles feel continually fresh with each encounter, even when a couple are reused here and there. What it does test is your memory. Once you’ve unlocked a few timelines and collected a bunch of items, managing it all is a mission unto itself. You’ll probably find that because the apartment operates as a makeshift base, hoarding starts to become a problem as all the ancient relics and odd objects begin to collect.    

Wanderer

Helping with this process is your friendly watch, Samuel. Attached to your wrist – left or right-handed, you choose – Samuel provides a basic inventory with a maximum of five slots available. You’ll need to unlock most of these by keeping an eye out for glowing blue shards hidden amongst the environment – keep opening those drawers! – before utilising a contraption in the apartment to expand each one. It’s this same machine that gives you a chance to customise your watch by locating specific objects. It’s a tiny side feature but a fun little one when you want to take a break.

And there will be moments where you’ll need to. Wanderer packs a lot in, with stunning visuals, voice acting and some complicated puzzles. Samuel can be called upon to give you hints but there were times when he just kept repeating the same thing over and over. Not sure if it was a bug, in any case, it wasn’t helpful. Other inconsistencies also played a part in making Wanderer a less than perfect experience.

Object interaction felt haphazard at points, having to readjust grip to correctly hold an item when it snaps into your hand awkwardly. Certain objects just didn’t sit well, trying to use the bow perfectly demonstrated why the weapon can be so difficult in VR. The classic problem of invisible walls also made an appearance (or not in this case). Leaning over a table or large item pushes you away, making the remote grab ability essential. Nothing really game-breaking although an issue with the Enigma machine puzzle forced a chapter restart that meant having to replay a chunk of the game as there’s no manual saving.

Wanderer is an ambitious project and for the most part, M-Theory and OddBoy have succeeded. The single-player adventure will keep you busy for 10+ hours and you’ll want to see it through to the end. Pushing the settings to max on PC will give you a glorious game to look at, and the audio is rock solid. Yes, there are one or two unwieldy issues along the way yet they didn’t hamper the overall entertainment Wanderer provides. If you’re looking for a puzzle game to really get stuck into then definitely take a look at Wanderer.

Review: Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

Games Workshop’s Warhammer franchise has rooted itself in every entertainment medium and virtual reality (VR) gaming is no different. It’s a universe that fits well in VR, where you become a god-like warrior defeating hordes of horrifying enemies. While Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister took you to the more modern equivalent of Games Workshop’s war-filled universe, Carbon Studio’s Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall takes place in an era without all that technology, where knights fought ghastly ghouls to ensure the protection of mankind. Which all sounds awesome doesn’t it? Yet the final delivery just doesn’t quite live up to the potential.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

Ever since Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall was revealed in October 2020, each drop of information bathed the experience in deep, rich lore that you just couldn’t wait to be part of. All of that lore is there if you wish to delve into the menu and extract it, which is why it’s such a shame that all the surface level stuff – i.e. the main storyline itself – lacks delivery and a real sense that you’re embodying this epic Stormcast Eternal warrior come to vanquish the plague of Nighthaunt forces.

So some context. As the name implies the videogame is set within Warhammer’s Age of Sigma universe, where a devastating Necroquake wakes up all these horrible forces who go on to attack the mortal realms. As Lord-Arcanum Castor Stormscryer, an all-round badass and leader of the Stormcast Eternals you have to cleanse the world using your superhuman skills, some rather brutal melee weapons and a suitable amount of magical abilities.

Starting in a city ravaged by Nighthaunt forces, Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall is mostly a linear adventure that takes around 7-8 hours if you don’t get lost or delve into all the side missions. Lost you may be wondering? Carbon Studios has created an intricate city where the narrative will simply move you forward as intended but with a bit of exploration, you’ll find plenty of hidden secrets including Sigmarite and ancient scrolls (vital for upgrades) and doors unlock that provide handy shortcuts later on. Alas, these are useful but other gameplay elements hamper that usefulness, more on that later.  

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall is in no way subtle about its gameplay style, you’re a massive warrior who smashes through everything to get the job done. In your inventory are three weapons ranging from the really close combat sword to the long staff. These can be dual-wielded so you can mix and match depending on your preferred strategy and the magical abilities of each weapon. They all have three castable spells, performed by holding the trigger and either lunging forward, swiping horizontally, or lifting the weapon skyward He-Man style. Fairly simple yet they’re all effective in different circumstances and are suitably fun to unleash.

However, even though combat is the core of Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall, it also becomes one of the titles weakest facets. To begin with, smashing Deathrattle Skeletons apart – you can just rip them apart with your hands – or unleashing magical bolts of lightning at Nighthaunts is a blast until it becomes clear that the collision detection isn’t that great. There were numerous times when slashing at an enemy produced no result, and the same goes for the magic casting. It was erratic enough that it took a lot of the joy out of battles, especially when surrounded.  

And you’ll get surrounded a fair bit as the enemy AI is set on grunt default of charging straight at you. You’d kind of expect it from the skeletons but you’d hope for a bit more from the Nighthaunt that float menacingly around. Fights then become a real close quarter hack ‘n’ slash affair instead of intense sword fights. Elements such as being able to block and parry are there, alas they fail to properly solidify the battles as they’re not easy to read when toe to toe with multiple enemies. And when waving both weapons around does just as good a job why bother?

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

On the subject of opponents, there’s also a lack of variety, Deathrattle Skeletons and Nighthaunt come in several flavours but you have to wait until the latter half of the campaign that some new enemies actually appear, at which point you’ll miss the ghostly foes. Running the Steam version of Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall at full resolution the enemies are incredibly well designed and intricately detailed, they do look the part, but after continually fighting so many the repetition quickly sinks in.

That’s made all the worse by the spawning layout. Basic enemies like the skeletons appear in packs during the city level, making for nice natural fights as you turn a corner and suddenly spot a group. It’s when you come across a wide-open area that you know Nighthaunts will appear and quite often you’ll be locked in an arena battle, over and over again. You’ll feel that inevitable sigh building as you walk into another grand area to fight the same enemies. Remember that mention of opening up handy shortcuts, they’re all well and good but the spawns happen in the same spots so wandering back over an area looking for secrets will trigger them again.

It must be said Carbon Studio has done well with the level layouts, they twist and wrap around one another to simulate multiple paths and there are plenty of sneaky hidden areas to find. This is vital if you want to upgrade that equipment of yours. Weapons can have their base stats improved followed by each magical spell, so there’s plenty of reason to hunt down elusive chests. As you might have guessed by now there is a but, a big but. There’s no easy way to access your main base to incrementally add these upgrades unless you want to keep walking through the city fighting the same opponents again and again. There really needed to be more anvil placements or a quick return feature.   

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall

If that wasn’t enough Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall has some annoying mechanics that hampered the general gameplay. It was little things like picking up a Spirit Flask or using the Gravesand Hourglass. Weapons instantly appear in hand when pressing grip so you can get right into a fight, that’s perfectly fine. Pick up an empty Spirit Flask – used as a grenade when full – and it automatically equips, the Hourglass is two-handed but with the same effect. Thus, every time either of these items are used you have to reequip your weapons again. After several hours of this, you’ll understand the annoyance.  

Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall offered the prospect for the sort of adventure Games Workshop’s brutal universe is renowned for, and the history and narrative is certainly there. Yet there’s no connection to or development of the main character, the action is mostly forgettable and there are just too many little glitches and inconsistencies to create a world Warhammer fans can really immerse themselves in. Warhammer Age of Sigma: Tempestfall isn’t a bad VR game, there were enjoyable moments and with a bit of refinement it could be a decent game; at the moment being a Stormcast Eternal just isn’t a blockbuster experience.

Review: Eye of the Temple

Eye of the Temple

Roomscale gaming where you purely use your body and not the controllers isn’t something often seen anymore. There are plenty of virtual reality (VR) titles where you can move about a virtual space, crouching or walking over to pick up an object but actually employing your two feet as the only locomotion isn’t easy; especially if you’re working with a minimum 2m x 2m area. Sure, videogames like Space Pirate Trainer DX offer the chance to run around a play space if you can find an area large enough. This is why Eye of the Temple is a bit of a rarity, a true roomscale experience with an awesome Indiana Jones vibe.

Eye of the Temple

Eye of the Temple is the work of solo indie developer Rune Skovbo Johansen who’s been working on this project for several years now. The whole ethos behind the title is navigating your way through an ancient, trap-filled temple, carefully watching where you place each and every foot. One wrong step and it is instant death.

While you might be quite comfortable walking around in any normal VR experience, Eye of the Temple is very different, for one you spend a lot of time looking at the floor and around your feet. Traversal through is primarily via stone blocks that move in one particular direction, carefully gauging your timing so you don’t fall between the gaps. There are some cylindrical blocks as well, encouraging you to keep your position by walking backwards as it rolls forward.

It’s this type of movement where some players are going to struggle, Eye of the Temple even offers a warning right at the start. You might think that physically stepping through the environment would be fine, however, a disconnect can happen when a block suddenly drops down, raises up or moves in an unexpected way. As long as you’re aware of this Eye of the Temple can be a lot of fun.

Eye of the Temple

The gameplay is challenging right from the outset, it isn’t just about looking where to step next, there are gems to collect, multiple pathways to choose from and then there’s the whip. In fact, you have a whip in one hand and an unlit torch in the other, both designed to help you interact with the environment and solve puzzles. At times Eye of the Temple is like trying to rub your belly whilst tapping your head, as well as being spatially aware of obstacles; ducking under stuff plays an important part.

Even though Indiana Jones makes using a whip look easy, that isn’t the case here. With it, you can smash jars filled with gems, use it to pull levers from afar or kill enemies like little annoying flying scarabs. It certainly takes practice as the first few times trying to wrap the whip around a lever just seemed impossible.

As you can probably tell, Eye of the Temple is a physical experience all the way through, and it’ll have your heart thumping in no time. Not in the same way a rhythm action title would as the pace is steadier but you soon notice it after an hour or so. It becomes that engrossing you really do need to make sure your gameplay area is clear of any objects, it’s used to the maximum. If your boundary stops at a wall at times you’re going to be right up against it.

Eye of the Temple

Eye of the Temple isn’t hectic in any way, encouraging you to take your time and explore. All those extra pathways offer secrets to discover which is exactly what you’d expect when exploring a lava-filled temple of death. No difficulty option is available, surprisingly though some accessibility options are, like being able to change the duck height or the whip hand if you’re left-handed. Best of all though is the auto-saving which seems to happen at every block. So there’s no trudging through swathes of a level if the worse happens.  

This October features some really big VR releases and sandwiched in between them all is this nugget of indie inventiveness. Eye of the Temple feels like it goes back to VR’s roots in a way, the gameplay is simple but very effective, always keeping you thinking and on your toes. The whole experience achieves that one sort after quality in VR, immersion, where you become so focused on what you’re doing it’s easy to forget that the temple is actually your living room. Just be careful not to topple over, that can happen!   

Review: Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia

Rhythm of the Universe: IONIA

Episodic videogames are a tricky proposition. They give developers plenty of scope to provide a more TV series-like structure to their narratives, one that can be tweaked and refined with each release. The downside is that gamers only get a small slice of the content, which can mean a short, unsatisfying experience. And as streaming services like Netflix have proven, the general public just loves their binging sessions. And so onto ROTU Entertainment’s launch of Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia, a gorgeous nugget of VR gaming that’s just too bittersweet.

Rhythm of the Universe: IONIA

Stepping into Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia for the first time the narrative and visuals offer a grand vision of a beautiful forest world, inhabited by strange and wonderful plants and animals all under threat. While the Oculus Quest version has noticeably taken a graphical hit, the PC VR version really does show attention to detail. Some of the epic visual set pieces look like you’re on Avatar’s world of Pandora, offering a rich tapestry of colour and glowing mushrooms that you can play.

And it’s that musical prelude that Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia is built around, from the playable shrooms to the puzzles that all have their own melodies. They’re all based on real instruments so in one puzzle you have to play a metal drum whilst a couple of others you get to jam on a xylophone that appears to have grown out of a tree.

ROTU Entertainment has really gone for the environmental element throughout the title, whether that’s habitats under threat of destruction to walking through old temples taken over by plant life. There’s a natural synergy to the whole experience. That’s also been reflected in the real world with a small percentage of sales going supporting the Wildlife Warriors Worldwide organisation.

Rhythm of the Universe: IONIA

Unfortunately, that’s where most of the goods points end because Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia doesn’t live up to the grandiose vision it has for itself. As mentioned, the problem starts with the episodic design, with the studio having previously said seven instalments are planned. Whether that’s still the case isn’t clear, what is clear is the 45-minute run time over five chapters. A good chunk of that time is taken up with backstory sequences to build up this fantastical realm, yet you’re given so little time to interact with it there’s no real connection. Especially when it comes to the briefly mentioned Tritone army that’s destroying the world, a part of the narrative you never get to see.

You play a mute lad called Allegro, who alongside his very talkative sister Allegra tries to save the Harpa, a mystical creature dying from all the deforestation. What this actually turns into is you listening to Allegra talk at the start of each chapter, follow, solve a puzzle then move onto the next level. There’s no exploration in Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia, just a very short point A to point B wander. It would be amazing to investigate the depths of the world, but you can’t.

The most you can do is climb. In fact, Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia has a significant amount of climbing for such a short adventure, with vines or jutting out bricks glowing yellow so you can see where you’re going. These sections are the closest you’ll get to feeling even slightly connected to the world of Ionia. The rest of the time you’ll be teleporting around.

Rhythm of the Universe: IONIA

It’s very easy to tell Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia was initially built around teleportation, making it nicely accessible to all players. Direct locomotion is there it’s just quicker to teleport – some sections even mandate it. If you are well acquainted with VR head to the options section and up the walking speed to the max as the default is slow; fully running feels like the proper walk speed. Crucially, do this before starting the videogame as none of the settings can be accessed mid-game. Worse, going back to the main menu means you have to start the chapter you’re on from the beginning!

There were other various bugs and glitches that hampered the overall experience like getting stuck on invisible walls when walking or Allegra’s twitchy animation – she also rarely looks directly at you, either off to the side or like she’s staring right through you which is both annoying and slightly unnerving. Yet the one glaring issue with Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia is the emptiness. Sure, there’s plenty of foliage giving the impression of a lush environment except you do want something to do. Those musical moments are too short and far between and are way too underused, symphony of the universe this is not.

What this all leads to is Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia giving the impression of a VR experience from a couple of years ago rather than a properly immersive 2021 videogame. There are plenty of issues that still need refining like opening the menu, lack of saving and lack of a properly seated option. Even with all of that, there’s still hope. The world-building and narrative ideas show great promise and it would be tremendous to see further editions expand the premise. Only then would Rhythm of the Universe: Ionia be worth exploring.

Review: I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar

I Expect You To Die 2

The original I Expect You To Die was one of those must play virtual reality (VR) titles, showcasing in 2016 a delightful combination of wit and diabolical puzzles that any VR-newbie would feel comfortable playing. Fast forward five years and the immersive gaming landscape has certainly changed but Schell Games’ concept of an approachable escape room experience has remained true. And so it’s time to save the world again from the evil Dr. Zor in I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar.

I Expect You To Die 2

As VR videogames have inevitably expanded in scope and freedom the adjustment curve for new players has increased in turn, whether that’s building up those “VR legs” to run around environments or adding a great selection of controls. Whilst there are new features, at its heart Schell Games’ latest doesn’t really care about any of that, keeping the general gameplay simplicity the series is known for, whilst providing some ingenious puzzles that wouldn’t be out of place in a Bond or Bourne movie.

Because that’s essentially what you’re in. There’s an unseen villain, his seemingly unstoppable evil organisation intent on world domination, a collection of stooges and, of course, you. The suave, sophisticated agent tasked with bringing the operation to its knees. This all means I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar has just the right level of pageantry, humour and theatrics to pull off this cheeky caper without descending into Austin Powers territory.

You don’t need to have played the original even though this is a direct sequel – although it can’t hurt – as a little catch up is there to fill in the blanks. Even so, I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar can still be appreciated in its own right as there’s plenty of sleuthing to be had.

I Expect You To Die 2

There are only six levels which don’t sound like a great deal but each is its own little microcosm of hidden items and interconnecting challenges, each more intricate than the last. And just like before there’s absolutely no locomotion, you remain seated in the same location throughout, the only twist to this being the last level inside an elevator. So with no movement to worry about I Expect You To Die 2 has a telekinesis mechanic to pick up distant objects that can either save the day or kill you.

And die you will, most likely fairly often in fact. I Expect You To Die 2 isn’t all trial and error but there is an element of that, where pulling a drawer will unleash death or that tasty looking sandwich on the food cart seems to house a very dangerous resident; you’ll not get out alive, to begin with. The levels aren’t timed per se, so you can carefully mooch around to avoid a messy end. Yet, it’s not at all bothersome. It is actually quite fun finding all the various traps and machinations hiding just under the surface. What will likely frustrate is the complete lack of hints, there really is no hand-holding here and therefore getting stuck can crop up. Clues do surface if you can find them, just don’t expect them to drop on your lap.

Much like games such as Vacation Simulator, I Expect You To Die 2 weaves far more into the experience than you’d have initially thought. Sure you can solely focus on the challenge at hand and blast through the whole game in a couple of hours or less. But you’d miss chunks of well-placed humour and other little activities. Both of these play important roles within I Expect You To Die 2, the former adding charm and life to the experience whilst the latter much-needed depth.

I Expect You To Die 2

Completing a level is only the start of the challenge as you then be presented with a list of smaller – sometimes much more difficult – tasks to complete, like trying to speed run the level, finding particular objects or solving a puzzle in a particular way. Sure, it’s regurgitating the same levels over and over again but a least the whole thing isn’t over in a couple of hours.

And let’s not forget about the whole theatrics of I Expect You To Die 2. As expected from Schell Games production quality is top-notch, with Wil Wheaton superbly stepping into the role of world-famous actor and celebrity John Juniper. The same must be said about the epic introduction sung by Puddles Pity Party, it really does set the whole experience up, putting most other VR videogame intros to shame.

I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar hasn’t come to reinvent the wheel and it didn’t need to, what was required was achieved; an entertaining puzzler that you can’t put down. An extra couple of levels would’ve been nice with the possibility of a handy nudge in the right direction yet they’re only minor quibbles. If you’re looking for a VR puzzler that really pushes the technology then this isn’t it, I Expect You To Die 2 is all about playing to the masses and that’s no bad thing either.

Review: Ragnarock

Ragnarock

It’s fair to say that virtual reality (VR) gamers have no shortage of choice when it comes to rhythm action titles. Long gone are bulky peripherals like plastic guitars in favour of far more physical (and entertaining) gameplay mechanics where you can wave your arms erratically to a thumping beat. New releases were starting to get a little predictable until Ragnarock came along. Developed by French team WanadevStudio, Ragnarock perfectly encapsulates the addictive rhythm these videogames should possess.

Ragnarock

Ragnarock initially arrived as a Steam Early Access title at the beginning of 2021, instantly standing out thanks to the song selection and gameplay styling. Combining epic Celtic rock and metal tracks from the likes of Alestorm, Gloryhammer, and Saltatio Mortis with simple four-drum interaction, it instantly felt like a breath of fresh air. Especially as you’re on the back of a boat commanding a bunch of blokes to row faster rather than some neon-drenched cyberpunk level you’ve seen a thousand times before.

At its core Ragnarock is a drumming videogame all about scoring as many points as possible, you do this by hitting the notes bang on time to the music, you know, like every other rhythm action title. The quirk here is that Viking inspiration being at the helm of a longboat because you only gain points by travelling a certain distance, not hitting perfect strikes. Instead, perfect drumming allows you to build up combo energy – first blue then yellow – which can be unleashed by hitting one of two side shields. Doing so your crew lets out a triumphant roar and row even faster (a speed boost essentially).

Do this well and you’ll be awarded either a bronze, silver or gold medal depending on the distance, with each song having three difficulty levels to work through on solo mode. WanadevStudio has been very careful to ensure Ragnarock can be tailored to all preferences with a ridiculous array of customisation options so you can tweak the height of the drums, vertical angle of the hammers, inward pitch of them and much, much more. Ragnarock easily has the most options seen in this type of experience.

Ragnarock

Playing with those options can get a bit fiddly at points but once you’ve settled on the settings the gameplay does shine. It isn’t as complicated as some of the genre leaders – Beat Saber or Synth Riders for example – so there’s no trying to give you a full-body workout or spin you around 360-degrees but that’s alright, Ragnarock doesn’t need it. There’s an instantly addictive quality to banging those drums and the music is a perfect fit, from heavy metal riffs to more euphoric melodies, each track is satisfying to play through.

And highly energetic, you are drumming after all. A few songs in on medium difficulty and you’ll soon feel it in your arms and shoulders. It’s also quite nice not having to dodge barriers and just concentrate on drumming away with a big smile on your face.

When it comes to adding depth and a competitive vein Ragnarock provides a couple of choices. Solo, you can activate a ghost of your previous best effort to race against, or there’s the PvP mode. Here you can create your own session or join another open one, competing against a maximum of five other players for the top spot. This does add plenty of replay value, especially when a few mates are involved.

Ragnarock

On a side note, whilst this review is for the PC VR version WanadevStudio has released Ragnarock for Oculus Quest as an App Lab title. This tends to mean the videogame isn’t ready for an official launch on the Oculus Store but from initial testing and playthroughs works every bit as well as its PC-based cousin.

Ragnarock impressed before and now that the official PC VR launch has taken place Ragnarock has got even better, finessing what was already an enjoyable experience. The same essence is still there but now there are more tracks, a few extras like new hammers to unlock, and some cool new levels to look at. Ragnarock is a joy to play, reigniting that passion for rhythm action videogames. Currently, Ragnarock is the best rhythm game to launch in 2021.

Review: Sniper Elite VR

Sniper Elite VR

When it comes to a lot of virtual reality (VR) shooters the tendency is to go big or go home, making you feel like you’re Rambo running around a jungle with a massive 50 calibre machinegun on your hip – and that’s even with realistic physics. That can be plenty of fun, yet if you’re looking for something a bit more intense where you’ve had to dive for cover because you’ve missed a shot, alerting the enemy and are now fumbling a reload on your bolt action rifle, then Sniper Elite VR is where it’s at.

Sniper Elite VR

Rebellion’s Sniper Elite series is well known for its action-focused gameplay with a dabble of realism thanks to its WWII setting. And Sniper Elite VR is no different, this time dropping you into Sicily as an Italian resistance fighter trying to free his home from the scourge of the Nazi’s. So the entire single-player campaign is one long tale being reminisced by this unnamed sniper as if he were reading a story to his grandchild.

Of course, this means you’re going to be doing a fair amount of sniping, taking your time to line up shots and whittle down the enemy forces whilst trying to remain a ghost. Developed by Just Add Water, it’s easy to tell the studio has put significant effort into the sniping mechanics, from the ballistic physics to the manual reloading the sniper rifles are certainly the star of the show. They all have the same blot action to them which can be finicky at first but you do get into a rhythm after a while. Even so, this does mandate a particular tempo to the gameplay because you’re not running in guns blazing, picking your spot and carefully selecting each target, really immersing into the experience.

All the other weapons felt very much secondary, whether that’s the SMG’s, the shotguns or pistols. They all maintain those realistic reload mechanics and when particular levels get a bit enclosed and narrow can come in use, but even then the temptation to use the rifle remains. Unfortunately, whilst there are a number of sniper rifles to play with they all feel virtually the same. The only one which stood out was a silenced version available later on, taking all the challenge out of being as sneaky as possible.  

Sniper Elite VR

Immersion is key to all VR titles, especially if you’re WWII with realistic weapons and physics. Sniper Elite VR, however, toys with this aspect in such a way that at times you can become truly engrossed then jolted back to reality mostly by the settings you select. There are a wealth of options available and it can take a little while to settle on a nice balance, setting up Sniper Elite VR to be as realistic as possible or a complete arcade-style experience.

For instance, right out the box, the HUD settings can get real annoying, completely distracting you from the gameplay. During missions you’ll get objective markers pop up, a noise indicator to muffle your gunshots or the save location. They are useful if you really need them but having white icons constantly appearing does feel quite antiquated. Thankfully they can all be switched off. Another feature you can increase or decrease is the iconic X-Ray Kill-Cam the series is known for. Utterly brutal and visceral in the standard flat game, the VR version ups that by a factor of ten, as you can lean in and briefly look around during the few seconds it runs. When you’re nestled in a tower picking off enemies it can get a bit much on the higher settings, constantly pulling you in and out. It is completely comfortable though.

There were some other aspects that didn’t always sit right for VR. The manual save points were great yet they’d always swap to a separate saving screen which became quite disjointing. And the body holster became way too busy once fully loaded with two weapons over each shoulder, two on the chest and then an assortment of grenades and other explosives, occasionally grabbing the wrong one during a firefight as they are fairly close. With all the physical gameplay built into the guns and holster system, the environment itself didn’t provide much in the way of interaction. Apart from ammo to pick up and explosive boxes, all the bunkers, offices and bases had lots of items to set the scene without having that all-important presence.

Sniper Elite VR

Sniper Elite takes place across 18 missions which offer the usual selection of protection and infiltration style objectives. Most of the maps tend to be of a decent size with some of the larger ones allowing you to be a bit more creative. For the most part, their linear structure means that most have key positions to move between so don’t have complete flexibility when it comes to hunkering down. There’s also some notable repetition and padding to the gameplay structure, as earlier levels are used later on, just from a different perspective. You also need to unlock later missions by collecting enough stars, forcing you to replay previous levels rather than being able to run through the entire campaign in one shot.  

Another nod to its arcade-focused gameplay, each level can award you three stars. These are gained by completing mission-specific parameters or simply scoring enough points. So you’re not just killing and then moving on, as you’ll gain bonuses for headshots, distance, remaining unseen and killstreaks. In addition to the stars, there are also numerous collectables hidden within each stage, increasing that replay factor for those that like to uncover everything.

A quick note when it comes to the PlayStation VR version. While most of the review was on PC, testing the PlayStation VR edition of Sniper Elite VR did bring up some interesting variances. These were all due to the controller input. Suffice it to say the DualShock 4 controller was less than adequate, just don’t even bother as it ruins the experience. PlayStation Move is supported so you can manually reload. However, movement is via the face buttons which aren’t great for stealthy wandering through Nazi fortifications. If you’re picking up Sniper Elite VR for PlayStation VR you need the Aim controller. On the downside it automates the reload process making rapid killing very easy, whilst the upside is a far more dependable control method.

Sniper Elite VR

So was Sniper Elite VR worth the anticipation and wait? Most definitely. It’s not without issues trying to find that balance between being a fun experience for all whilst giving VR veterans a videogame they can really get stuck into. When you do get into it though, Sniper Elite VR becomes a thoroughly engrossing VR shooter as you read the environment, study enemy movements and take that vital long-range shot. Doing that continually over the 7+ hour campaign seems very repetitive but lining up that perfect shot never is.

Review: Eternal Starlight

Eternal Starlight

Games like Elite Dangerous can offer some pretty epic battle scenarios to those who love space-based battles but they also take a lot of time and effort. If you’re looking for something far more manageable, with a real-time strategy (RTS) flavour, pick-up and play gameplay and some decent replay options then White Noise Games’ new virtual reality (VR) title Eternal Starlight ticks plenty of those boxes.

Eternal Starlight

Set in a future where mankind is no longer living on Earth because we’ve ruined it again for the millionth time, Eternal Starlight revolves around our new home of Proxima. This needs defending at all costs and to do this you need to build and manage an armada of spaceships. These consist of both human and alien technology gleaned from friendly races you choose help along the way, in turn giving Eternal Starlight plenty of scope when it comes to strategy whilst encouraging you back to give it another pop.

Because Eternal Starlight isn’t an RPG where you spend hour after hour toiling away, carefully building your fleet in an expansive world. This is an RTS with permadeath where you can fail a mission but if you die then that’s it, all those resources and ships are gone in an instant and you’re back to square one, kind of. It’s this kind of functionality that serves titles like Until You Fall and In Death: Unchained so well, dropping you back to try again, tweaking your strategy as you do so. And it works just as well here.      

You’re given a single flagship and one accompanying fighter to being with and via each mission, you can earn resources to buy more fighters, hull and shield upgrades or, if you’ve got a lot of cash some bigger support ships which can be independently controlled. So you can have them in formation around your flagship, off on their own scanning nearby objects of interest or conducting a nice flanking manoeuvre when in battle. They can all be upgraded in a similar fashion with your flagship having the greater number of weapon and mod slots to turn it into a proper space tank.

Eternal Starlight

Eternal Starlight isn’t a game you figure out on the first playthrough as there are plenty of little facets to keep you thinking. While the campaign storyline does suffice don’t expect some epic space opera, its way too bare-bones for that. But it does set up the other races with a total of five which you can align yourself with. Doing so will give you access to their technology, from ships to upgradeable parts. If you really focus your mission selection on one race they’ll provide reinforcements for the big boss battles – which is certainly needed.

Your main opponents are the Kraya who plan on attacking Proxima in seven days, which equates to completing seven missions of your choosing. Each run will randomly generate what missions appear which is great for making each run slightly different. Sometimes you can focus on the alliance of one race, whilst at other times a more balanced approach is required. Whatever you choose those seven days remain locked and you have to complete the impending battle whether you’re ready or not. Win, and you can continue, given another week to prepare for the next onslaught. Even after death and the frustration of losing all your tech you’ll instantly want to try again, Eternal Starlight can get quite addictive.

The battlefields are fairly compact and the majority of the main missions can be completed in under two minutes, usually consisting of protecting a friendly vessel or just cleansing a region of enemies. Battles are viewed from a third-person perspective where you grab a ship and plot its course by dragging it along. Now, this means that for the most part Eternal Starlight is always viewed from the widest possible viewpoint, moving your ships around like little toys. There is the ability to zoom in and get right in the thick of it during battles, which looks good yet it hampers your ability to command your fleet massively. There is a handy watch that highlights each vessels health and from where you can activate special abilities but it never felt like it did enough to become an essential tool.

Eternal Starlight

Gameplay tends to be slow and methodical, so while it can get visually busy with lots of cool little projectiles and ships flying around, they don’t always instantly react to a command, especially where movement is concerned. At points, the flagship just spun in a circle for several seconds as if it was unclear about which way to go, as a gigantic explosion began to engulf it. As all the levels are set in space you know you’re going to get a lot of stars and the odd planet but the actual battlefields can be fairly sparse at times. There is a bit of environmental variation with asteroids floating around or clouds of dust to hide in but a bit more would’ve been nice.

If you’re playing on the Oculus Quest then you also have the option to choose hand tracking. Eternal Starlight and hand tracking seemed like an ideal combination (at points it is), however, the feature is still too inconsistent to reliably complete later missions. Grabbing ships was finicky and trying to draw a flight route was always a gamble. Another little interaction issue is with pressing buttons. In the main hub, you’re presented with flat panel screens like you’re on the Enterprise. But everything requires a finger highlight then a button press – or a hand tracked finger pinch. It doesn’t feel satisfying or immersive.  

There are other little annoyances with Eternal Starlight. The intro cockpit where you can accidentally hit the story trailer which then can’t be cancelled whilst waiting for the videogame to load. Or the inability to twist the world alongside shrinking/enlarging it with your hands/controllers. On the plus side, Eternal Starlight is very comfortable to play seated, standing and in roomscale, with the option to activate joystick movement and turning if you really need it.

Eternal Starlight

Most importantly, Eternal Starlight has lots of replayability. Not only do you have the random missions and the varied alliances, doing so permanently unlocks their ships to use within the skirmish mode. It’s still a single-player where you can mix and match yours and the AI fleets before each battle, getting a great feel for your opponent’s abilities.

Eternal Starlight is available for PC VR headsets and Oculus Quest, certainly feeling more attuned to the standalone with the paired back graphics and the built-in hand tracking. There’s plenty of content on offer if you love RTS gaming with options galore to keep you coming back for more. Even though it isn’t a perfect experience and larger, more insane battles would be great, Eternal Starlight is still wonderfully fun to play.

Review: A Rogue Escape

A Rogue Escape

Escape room games shouldn’t be easy, by their very nature they need to be taxing or else you’re just an idiot stuck in a room.  So it’s always satisfying when a videogame-like A Rogue Escape comes along, offering barely any information other than you’re some giant mech which you need to somehow pilot and obviously use to escape. With that in mind be prepared for an equal measure of head-scratching whilst flicking switches and levers galore to get this hulking monstrosity moving.

A Rogue Escape

 A Rogue Escape is based on a previous title, developer Spare Parts Oasis’ Nauticrawl. Known for being rather difficult, the same ethos remains whilst being completely remade for virtual reality (VR) gaming. So there’s lots of physical interaction with the vehicle and very little in the way of hints to help you along, half the experience is simply figuring things out.

You find yourself in this giant Nauticrawl because you’ve managed to escape your captors but there’s one slight problem, you’ve never been in one and a manual isn’t exactly laying around. Apart from a rather vague tablet outlining the initial basics, A Rogue Escape presents a rather dizzying array of interactive elements which are perfectly suited to VR, it’s always great fun to flick and turn dials aplenty. All in a rather suitable steampunk design. The only weird inclusion is the fact that buttons don’t require a physical push which you’d expect. Instead, your translucent hand points its index finger and you then have to click the trigger, making for a rather unsatisfactory interaction.        

Even though you’re inside a giant walking mech which you have to pilot around, A Rogue Escape is still very much an escape room experience, completing challenges in a certain order to unlock the next puzzle. It’s very slow to start as you learn the main controls and the order certain sequences need to be activated. So if you’re not into slow and methodical gameplay then you might not enjoy this. What becomes clear is that A Rogue Escape requires plenty of multitasking, managing a selection of tasks as various buzzers warn you of incoming hostiles, an overheating engine or a dead battery.

A Rogue Escape

While you do have to deal with enemies per se, A Rogue Escape isn’t action-oriented in the slightest, so all those controls can feel a little clunky if you’re used to more arcade-style control schemes. And you don’t have any real strategy options or variance when dealing with those outside forces, as the couple of areas you can explore are very limited in scope.

The real joy with A Rogue Escape’s gameplay is that it becomes immensely gratifying when everything does start coming together, like being a kid put inside a giant steam train for the first time. Suddenly all those annoying beeps and flashing lights make sense so you can instantly react and go on your merry way. You just need the patience to get there. The lack of info before then does mean if you get stuck the bubble you’re in starts to look rather drab after a while.

When it comes to comfort you shouldn’t have much issue with A Rogue Escape as there’s no locomotion apart from a lift with which you can adjust your height. This sounds ideal for playing either seated or standing, however, A Rogue Escape really doesn’t work sat down. Most of the control systems are too far away, requiring getting out of the seat to reach, completely negating the feature in the first place. Even though it doesn’t look it, the enclosed Nauticrawl interior is rather large and even a 2mx2m roomscale area will see the boundary pop up occasionally on the Oculus Quest 2. And don’t look for options because there aren’t any.

A Rogue Escape

On first inspection, A Rogue Escape didn’t seem like it was going to do anything too different yet it showcases how a traditional escape room videogame can be recreated and enhanced by VR. Playing around with all the systems is a lot of fun with a run through taking around 2-3 hours. The real shame is the replay factor, there is none. Once you’ve figured out what does what that initial spark is lost, and there’s nothing else to explore. But the same can be said for most games of this ilk. Even so, A Rogue Escape had its moments of greatness.