Lights, Camera… Action!

Action Hero casts you as an actor/stuntman playing the lead on various movie sets, a clever premise that should breathe new life into Superhot’s time-manipulation mechanics. The game unfolds across five distinct “movies,” each broken into four acts. Each Act consists of five or six action-packed vignettes. Your director then encourages or chides you through sequences ranging from high-speed battles atop a moving train to Matrix-inspired showdowns.

The Hollywood setting proves genuinely inspired, offering a natural justification for the game’s segmented structure and repeated attempts at perfection. Each “movie” pays homage to different action genres—you’ll find yourself channeling Indiana Jones one moment and Neo the next. The aptly named “The Code” sequence, with its cyberpunk aesthetic and reality-bending set pieces stands out as a particular highlight.

While the concept and setting work well, there is definitely room for improvement. You can choose between two directors at the beginning of the game, but this choice seems to be entirely limited to the voice-over that pushes you through the game, which is a real missed opportunity.

Had the choice between the directors been integrated into the actual gameplay mechanics, the option between two distinct personalities could have been transformative rather than merely superficial. Had the stricter director imposed time limits, restricted the number of retakes before “firing” you, or demanded specific style points for a scene, the game would have been much improved. Similarly, the other director could have offered more generous conditions but lower score multipliers.

Implementing such mechanics would have perfectly aligned with the movie-making premise while adding meaningful replay value and, at the same time, offering the game at least one gameplay addition to set Action Hero apart from its inspiration. Instead, we’re left with little more than a voice pack selection.

A Time-Tested Formula

Let’s address the poignantly static elephant in the room: Action Hero‘s core gameplay is virtually identical to Superhot. Time moves only when you do, creating a strategic dance of bullet-dodging and precision shooting. This “bullet ballet” remains as engaging as ever, with each vignette playing out as a spatial puzzle where plotting your path through enemies requires both tactical thinking and physical prowess.

The game shines in its moment-to-moment gameplay. Consider a sequence atop a speeding train, where motorcycles leap through the air amid explosive chaos—time crawls to a stop as you map out your response, each movement a calculated risk. When scanning your surroundings, you learn to move with exaggerated slowness as any quick head turns accelerate the incoming threats. Players will use these temporal mechanics to master each scene, eventually blossoming from a cautious planner to an action hero who can handle real-time combat with practiced grace.

Individual scenes can be completed in seconds, but perfecting them becomes an addictive pursuit. The game includes a “normal speed” toggle that lets veteran players attempt runs without the time manipulation crutch, adding another challenge for leaderboard chasers. It’s the kind of game that can steal minutes or hours as “just one more try” becomes your evening’s mantra.

However, where Action Hero falters is in its reluctance to innovate. While Superhot’s mechanics were revolutionary, their direct reproduction here feels safe to a fault. The game could have explored new variations on the time-manipulation theme—perhaps scenes where time moves backward, where maintaining momentum is crucial, or where particular objects remain in real-time while others slow down. Instead, it settles for being an exceptionally well-produced clone of an exceptionally well-made original.

Blockbuster Flair

The most significant departure from Superhot comes in the visual design. Gone is the stark white-and-red minimalism, replaced with vibrant, colorful environments that pop in VR. The movie set themes allow for varied locations and spectacular set pieces—exploding barrels, mid-air motorcycle jumps, and Matrix-style environmental effects create memorable moments.

However, this shift comes with tradeoffs. While Superhot’s minimalist aesthetic achieved a timeless elegance, Action Hero‘s more conventional approach, though polished, feels less distinct. The blockbuster styling is well-executed but lacks the iconic visual identity of its inspiration. It’s a reminder that sometimes less truly is more. That said, this will come down to personal preference as there will doubtless be many who prefer the bombacity of the blockbuster aesthetic. I prefer the context and flair given by the action movie set motif, but I know that others (Ed.) will not agree.

Setting the Scene

The sound design effectively serves both form and function. Slow-motion explosions and gunfire sound satisfying and provide crucial spatial awareness cues. A barrel exploding in slow motion to your right naturally draws your attention. The audio mixing cleverly balances the needs of both slow-motion and real-time gameplay, ensuring important sound cues remain clear regardless of your temporal state.

The sound design also pulls double duty, simultaneously selling both the action movie experience and the “behind-the-scenes” setting of a movie set. The addition of director voice-overs adds personality, though as mentioned earlier, the two-director system feels like a missed opportunity for more profound gameplay variation. The overall soundscape successfully reinforces both the action movie premise and the core gameplay mechanics.

Cut! Reset! Let’s go again!

Action Hero presents a challenging dilemma for reviewers. Viewed in isolation, it’s an exceptionally well-crafted VR action game that delivers satisfying gameplay in digestible chunks. The movie set premise is clever, the execution is polished, and the core mechanics—borrowed as they may be—remain compelling.

Yet it’s impossible to ignore the game’s derivative nature. This isn’t merely inspired by Superhot; it’s essentially Superhot with a fresh coat of paint. While the original broke new ground, Action Hero seems content to merely redecorate it. The additions it does make—the movie set premise, colorful visuals, and director system—feel more like surface-level changes than meaningful evolution.

For players who have never experienced Superhot, Action Hero offers an excellent entry point into this style of VR action. Those craving more of Superhot’s unique gameplay will find a pseudo-sequel on offer and will likely relish it for its familiarity. However, veterans of the original may find themselves wishing for more innovation beneath the Hollywood glamour.

Concept: 4
Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 8
Sound: 7.5
Longevity: 8
Overall: 7.5

Color by numbers Superhot

This approach raises a crucial question: did Half-Life: Alyx boost Valve Index sales? Surprisingly, yes—it did. Following the announcement, Valve’s Index sales saw a significant jump, with 103,000 units sold in just over a month. A strong franchise can drive hardware adoption. So, is Batman: Arkham Shadow good? And can it sell Quest headsets?

Hopefully, this review will answer the first question. As for the second question? We’ll leave that up to you. Tell us what you think in the comments.

Thug-Life

Taking place early on in Batman’s career, Arkham Shadow is a sequel to a prequel. It takes place after Batman: Arkham Origins and fleshes out some of the early history of Bruce Wayne, featuring various characters known to fans of the lore, including Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, and several others.

As the game begins, you assume the character of ‘Matches Malone,’ a small-time Gotham City gangster that first appeared in Batman #242 during a character-defining run that was written by Dennis O’Neil, illustrated by the incredible Neal Adams, and penciled by Dick Giordano. To many long-time Batman readers, myself included, this was truly an iconic era. You don’t need to have known any of this to enjoy the game or appreciate the progression of the narrative, but it does demonstrate the intimacy that the writing team led by Narrative Director Brendan Murphy and Lead Writer Alex O. Smith have with the original source material.

Anyway, I digress. As Batman / Matches Malone, you set fire to the Bat signal above the Gotham police station, promptly get arrested, and then sent to Blackgate Prison, where much of the game takes place.

As anybody familiar with movie tropes, you know already how this will play out; you’ll get a flashback showing why you decided to take on the Matches identity and why you wanted to end up inside Blackgate.

Wham! Thud! Thwack!

If you’re a rare bird who’s never played any of the previous Batman Arkham games, let’s just say the games were mostly fantastic, relying on excellent writing, superb voice acting, and drawing on the strengths of Batman’s character to alternate between stealthy sequences where you took enemies out one by one while remaining undetected and all-out fights where you fought various opponents together using a combat system famous for its free-flowing nature that allowed you to string together varied attacks and build up incredibly satisfying combos. It was wildly innovative back then and has, arguably, never been bested in third-person gaming since. The games also showed off Batman’s origins as a detective, with a detective mode that lets you scan clues and figure out your next lead.

The biggest question regarding Arkham Shadow‘s gameplay was always going to be how faithfully it manages to translate that gaming experience to VR, and this is where you have to acknowledge the sheer acumen that developers Camoflaj (who did a great job with Iron Man VR) have demonstrated with Shadow’s design choices.

The first choice made here was to limit the scope of the game world in a way that makes sense. You can create a whole Gotham City on later generation consoles, but it would have been impossible to do so on a Meta Quest standalone headset without massive concessions in graphics, so instead, the game relies mainly on the limited world of Blackgate prison, and outside of that only features a few selected locations around Gotham City, and it weaves a story that works well within those confines, preventing you from feeling that the spatial limitations are contrived.

The other choice made here was to alter the free-flowing nature of the combat, leading to a mixture of free decisions regarding who you’ll strike next and when, and short prompted almost-QTE sequences that occur during combat sequences. So you’ll pick your enemy, punch-dash towards them, then be prompted to deliver a jab, uppercut, or hook, and sometimes a beat down with both hands or a punch after you’ve grabbed an opponent’s leg, etc.

Initially, I was disappointed that the combat didn’t replicate the free-flowing nature of the console games, which was excellent for ‘flow-state’ combat. However, after a few hours, I adjusted, stopped comparing it to the originals, and appreciated that—despite sacrificing some of the original feel—it provided an intense workout. It’s easy to take on small fights with only 3 or 4 enemies, but when you go through a big battle with 10 enemies or more, you’ll work up a good sweat! I checked my Move stats, and on longer sessions of 90 minutes or so, I was burning up around 500 calories playing this game.

Predator sequences, on the other hand, have carried over perfectly to VR and feel just like they did in the flat games, except, well – much better. You’re Batman, perched over your enemies, picking them off one by one with stealth takedowns until the last one is down. When you get good at these sequences, it feels, for lack of a better word, perfect.

The game replaces the Riddler Trophies of the previous games with Rat King statues that are often in difficult-to-reach areas, requiring some puzzle-solving to reach; these are all optional and provide some head-scratching relief from the action of the combat sequences.

As you progress through the game, your arsenal also evolves, with skill or progression trees for your combat skills, suit, gadgets, and predator skills. The game already starts with many of those already unlocked, but as you gain experience points, you can unlock more, like letting you use sonic Batarangs, various combat combos, quicker and stealthier takedowns, and more. Some of these are only available once you’ve received new gadgets, like the Bat Claw, the Shock Gloves, and others, all delivered by Alfred via the Bat Wing. This helps you feel more and more powerful as the game progresses, and by the end, you really do feel like a perfectly capable Dark Knight, ready to take on whatever Gotham’s criminals and twisted villains throw your way.

The game also offers what had become a staple in the console versions: combat and predator challenges. Although there are only three of each for now, we expect more of those to come from Camoflaj.

Batman: Arkham Shadow does what it should; it successfully brings the gameplay of the Arkham series to VR and does it with confidence and flair.

My Beautiful Batworld

Arkham Shadow nails the visual language of Batman, blending Gothic and Neo-Gothic architecture with a mood of urban decay. Its dark, gritty criminal underbelly and subtle steampunk elements make it one of the best-looking games on Meta Quest. It could be argued that other games like Red Matter 2 look better, but games like Red Matter 2 don’t have to balance their looks with bone-crushing action sequences featuring a dozen characters on screen at a time.

The game does a marvelous job with all the characters, including the NPC, most of whom are visually distinct. You won’t see the same characters copied and pasted ad infinitum here, and the main characters are incredibly detailed and remarkably well-animated.

Aside from the beauty of the locations and art direction, the actors’ motion and expressive facial captures are superb, highlighting their beautiful performances and lending emotional heft to the already excellent writing.

The game also features real-time shadows, conveniently placing a backlight behind you regularly to highlight your shadow with your cowl and bat ears, subtly and silently reminding you that behind that headset you’re wearing, you ARE Batman.

The only complaint is that the game’s framerate occasionally drops, especially before and after gate-opening sequences, which are likely there to mask load times. It’s a little distracting when it happens, but it never occurred to me during combat sequences where it would have been the most jarring. These hiccups happen even when the dynamic resolution setting is turned on in the game, but Camoflaj have told us that the game is still being optimized, and the first patch might even be out by the time you read this review.

I Hear You, Bats.

If anything, the audio in Shadow is even better than the graphics since, by its very nature, it’s unencumbered by performance limitations. The sound effects are solid throughout, and the soundtrack by Kazuma Jinnouchi blends the familiar dark, orchestral tones of previous Arkham games with fresh compositions that drive home the game’s drama. Jinnouchi maintains continuity with the series while introducing new elements that match the game’s unique mood.

The voice acting is also superb, with standout performances by Roger Craig Smith as Batman / Bruce Wayne, Troy Baker as Harvey Dent, and Mara Junot as Leslie Thompkins. Junot’s portrayal, in particular, conveys deep empathy for Bruce, truly drawing you into the narrative and the emotional connections between the characters and creating a world in which Batman is not a lone solitary figure but a man loved by the people who understand his traumas, his struggles, and the choices he makes.

Bat-Snags

Despite being a smooth experience overall, I encountered a few issues playing Arkham Shadow. Early on in the game, there was a rope tying a door shut, and I was supposed to cut it with a Batarang; this failed spectacularly despite my repeatedly trying; luckily, I found an alternate path, so it wasn’t a game-breaker. A few bugs like this showed up during my playthrough; a vent I couldn’t enter, a doorway that wouldn’t let me in even after it opened, etc. Infrequent as they were, such issues were usually resolved by simply reloading the last checkpoint or quitting the game and starting again.

The game also seems to trigger some communications with Alfred not by chronological sequence but by location, so I found that if a particular voice message from Alfred was triggered at some place, if you returned to that place again, the same recording was played; this was immersion breaking. I’m hoping Camoflaj will fix it.

I’ve also heard of some players who experienced a game crash where the game would just exit. This only happened to me once when my Quest mysteriously declared that it didn’t have enough memory to run ‘Manta.’

Bat Hours

If you’re wondering about length, the game’s campaign lasts about 10 hours, more or less, depending on how well you play it, how much of it you choose to complete, and what difficulty level you select. I played it on Hard. The combat and predator challenges could add significantly to that time if you enjoy those modes.

Bat Thoughts

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a remarkable achievement in standalone VR, featuring a compelling story, strong character development, stunning graphics, immersive combat, and captivating performances. It showcases how well the character translates across different media and highlights and builds upon the impressive world and mechanics created by Rocksteady way back in 2009. It also reflects the dedication, love, and respect that Camoflaj and Director Ryan Payton have shown for both the character and the earlier Arkham games and, in the process, proves that Batman’s world can thrive in VR, making Arkham Shadow a must-play for both VR fans and Batman enthusiasts alike.

What’re you waiting for? Do you really need a score?

Yet, as you dive deeper into its dark caverns and sprawling alien cities, the game reveals a duality: it’s a technical marvel at first glance but begins to stumble as you push toward its conclusion.

Exploring the Abyss

You step into the shoes of Ben Mitchell, a deep-space scavenger who, alongside his AI sidekick Jonathan, finds himself on an alien world after being sucked through a wormhole. The central hook of Into Black is simple: explore, gather resources, upgrade your equipment, fight alien creatures, and try to repair your ship to escape. But this isn’t just a solo experience; you can bring along up to three friends to take on the campaign in co-op, adding a social dynamic to the core gameplay.

The game also offers several different modes. The main campaign propels you through caverns, magma chambers, sunken cities, and more, with Jonathan providing some humor and light commentary throughout the journey. Outside of the campaign, you’ve got resource-gathering missions, perfect for players who want to grind without focusing on the story. There’s also a PvPvE mode, “Singularity,” where 12 players battle it out in an ever-shrinking map, hunting for resources while fighting both aliens and each other. On paper, this package is immensely appealing—offering variety, action, and a healthy dose of replayability.

Mining for Gameplay Gold

The first thing that stands out in Into Black is the fluidity of movement. The Binary Mill’s VR pedigree is on full display as you run, jump, and shoot your way through a vast and dangerous landscape. The mechanics feel polished—there’s no jitter or clunkiness in how you interact with the world. The controls are intuitive and smooth, making even the most mundane actions, like mining for resources, feel satisfying.

Shooting in Into Black is a real treat. You get an array of weapons—pistol, shotgun, SMG, and even a returning axe that gives off major God of War vibes. The game also doesn’t shy away from borrowing mechanics from other iconic games. You’ve got Gears of War’s quick reload system, Super Mario-esque mushroom bouncing, and some clever nods to other classics scattered throughout.

That said, the gameplay does start to show cracks. While the shooting feels good, the combat loop does wear thin after prolonged play. Boss fights, in particular, are disappointingly lackluster—these bullet-sponge encounters drag on and don’t offer much in the way of tactical depth. You’re left dodging projectiles and pumping rounds into alien statues that hardly animate. It’s a shame because the game’s combat has such potential, but these moments feel undercooked.

Cavernous Eye Candy

Graphically, Into Black is an absolute stunner. The stylized visuals work wonders in VR, especially when combined with the game’s fantastic lighting effects. One of the most memorable moments comes early on, when you fire a flare into a cavern and watch it illuminate the alien landscape in real time. It’s breathtaking. The game’s biomes are varied—magma chambers, ancient alien ruins, and underwater caverns all offer a sense of discovery that keeps things feeling fresh, at least for a while.

However, the longer you play, the more technical issues you encounter. There are bugs—literal and figurative—clipping through walls, getting stuck in the environment, or not reacting properly to the game’s physics. I’ve had moments where a teammate in co-op would suddenly start levitating, or plants would hover slightly above the ground, which chips away at the game’s initial immersion. These bugs are jarring, especially when you’re playing a game that feels so polished at the start.

Stand Up Jonathan

Audio in Into Black has its highs and lows. The standout here is Jonathan, your trusty AI companion. His witty banter and occasional comic relief do wonders to break up the sometimes bleak atmosphere of the game. Some players have even confused his voice for that of our very own Pete Austin from 6DOF Reviews! The weapon sound design is punchy and satisfying—guns sound like they have weight, and the feedback you get when firing is palpable.

But the game stumbles when it comes to music. The soundtrack is repetitive, especially during combat encounters where you’re fed the same adrenaline-pumping track over and over again. This repetitive score feels like a missed opportunity to enhance the emotional beats or dramatic moments in the game.

Bugged Out, Blacked Out

The deeper you get into Into Black, the more it feels like the game is held together by duct tape. Small issues accumulate: creatures glitch out, environmental elements don’t react as they should, and some aspects of the game design feel underdeveloped. The puzzles, for example, could have been a great way to break up the action, but they remain simplistic throughout the entire game. There’s no ramp in difficulty, and they often feel more like time fillers than real brain teasers.

Fabricating resources, a crucial aspect of upgrading your gear, becomes an absolute chore as well. The interface doesn’t allow for batch crafting, forcing you to sit through long animations for each individual item. It’s an incredibly tedious process that really grinds down the pace【31†source】.

Long Play, Short Patience

On the plus side, Into Black offers a lot of content. Between the main campaign, the co-op options, and the PvPvE mode, there’s plenty to keep you engaged for dozens of hours. But as mentioned, the longer you play, the more the game’s flaws start to reveal themselves. There’s a real sense that the scaffolding holding this experience together could use some more structural support.

Into the Light, but Not Quite

Into Black starts out like a dream—fantastic mechanics, gorgeous environments, and charming voice work. The experience is immersive and addictive, sucking you into its alien world with blistering confidence. However, the deeper you go, the more the game starts to feel like it’s losing its grip. Bugs, repetitive music, and lackluster boss fights prevent it from achieving greatness.

Still, all these issues, apart from maybe the dull boss battles, are fixable, and if The Binary Mill supports the game with patches, Into Black could easily rise to become a standout in the VR world. If you’re seeing this review after those updates, consider it an 8.5/10, but for now, it’s not quite there.

This dynamic of anticipation and dread, combined with the stark contrast between the agent’s cautious exploration and the alien’s predatory stillness, brings an unsettling atmosphere to the game. It feels reminiscent of certain asymmetrical multiplayer VR experiences like Panoptic, where two sides use different strategies and abilities. Here, though, the tension is cranked up a notch because you never know exactly when danger will strike.

Mannequin Mayhem

Mannequin‘s gameplay offers more depth than it might first appear. What starts as a straightforward hide-and-seek game quickly develops into a mind game where both teams need to rely on strategy and communication. As an alien, one of the most enjoyable elements is setting traps. For example, one alien could purposely get caught moving, luring agents into the open where others are waiting in ambush. The aliens have a short dash ability, so the moment they get close to an agent, it’s usually game over.

For agents, though, it’s not so simple. Their detection equipment can help spot moving aliens, but they have to be careful with their shots—accidentally shooting a real frozen human means their gun jams, leaving them vulnerable to attack. This constant balancing act keeps the stakes high. I found this part of the gameplay particularly satisfying, especially with how easy it is to slip up as an agent if you’re overconfident.

What really makes Mannequin stand out is the emphasis on teamwork. Even after you’re “killed” and turned into a ghost, you can continue helping your team by scouting out aliens or agents and communicating their locations. This keeps the experience engaging even after death, similar to how Echo VR kept stunned players involved with team coordination even when they were out of action. The revive mechanic also adds another layer of strategy, with the potential for thrilling comebacks if your teammates are quick on their feet.

Frozen in Time

Visually, Mannequin does an excellent job at crafting an eerie atmosphere. The stylistic graphics complement the gameplay well, with its frozen humans scattered in mid-movement, as if life just paused around you. This is enhanced by little details like objects suspended in the air as though frozen in time, reminding me a bit of the surreal environments in Into the Radius, where floating objects give an otherworldly feel.

The color palette strikes a balance between vibrant and unsettling, creating environments that feel frozen in more ways than one. That said, the levels can start to feel somewhat repetitive. While the frozen environments are distinct, they don’t vary much between rounds, and the art style, while effective, could benefit from more diverse settings. Hopefully, future updates bring more variety to the maps, which would help keep things fresh for players long-term.

Listen Closely, or Else

If the graphics set the mood, the audio in Mannequin makes it essential to your survival. Spatial and locational audio play a huge role, especially if you’re playing as an alien. Your ears are your best defense, letting you track the movements of agents by listening for their footsteps or the beeping of their detection equipment. There’s a strong sense of tension as you’re frozen in place, relying on sound alone to plan your next move.

On the flip side, agents need to pay close attention to these same auditory cues, using them to pinpoint mannequin movements. The audio design is exceptional here, elevating the suspense and making every game feel like a high-stakes dance of patience and precision. In this regard, it shares a bit of DNA with stealth games like Phantom: Covert Ops, where audio is critical to both tension and gameplay. The way sound influences your decisions adds to the immersive quality of the game, making it as much about listening as it is about looking.

Live by the Community, Die by the Community

Like many multiplayer VR games, Mannequin’s longevity will largely depend on its community. The game has all the tools to be successful—a fun and accessible concept, depth for strategy lovers, and enough tension to keep things interesting. However, whether it thrives or falters will come down to the player base.

During my time playing, I noticed a mix of younger players and casual gamers, which isn’t surprising given the straightforward mechanics. The game doesn’t demand the kind of dedication you’d expect from more hardcore VR experiences like Population: One or Onward. It’s the kind of game you can jump into for a few rounds and still feel like you’ve had a good time. But without a solid community to keep the lobbies full and the matches engaging, it could be tough for Mannequin to sustain long-term appeal.

Memory Lane

For all the positives, Mannequin does have one major flaw that threatens to undermine its long-term replayability: the frozen NPCs aren’t randomized between rounds. Once you’ve memorized where the real frozen humans are, playing as an agent becomes significantly easier. If you have a good visual memory (like I do), you’ll quickly start recognizing which figures are NPCs, making it much harder for aliens to blend in.

This is something I pointed out during playtesting, and I was surprised to see it hadn’t been addressed in the latest update. Randomizing the placement of NPCs seems like a no-brainer for a game like this, where unpredictability is key to maintaining suspense. Until this is fixed, the game risks losing its edge for more observant players, and that could turn away some of its more dedicated audience.

A Mannequin with Potential

Mannequin is a unique and suspenseful multiplayer experience that brings a fresh concept to the Quest’s lineup. The game offers moments of high tension and strategic depth, with its simple yet effective mechanics. The graphics, while not groundbreaking, create a memorable atmosphere, and the audio design is top-notch, integral to the core gameplay.

That said, its future success depends on two key factors: the community and continued updates. If the player base stays active and the developers address some of the current issues—particularly the non-randomized NPCs—Mannequin could become a go-to casual multiplayer experience. For now, it’s an entertaining game with a lot of potential, and with a free trial available, there’s little reason not to give it a shot. Whether you’re a kid looking for some fun or an adult who enjoys casual, strategic gaming, Mannequin has something for everyone.

Note: I’d happily give it a 7.5 if they add NPC randomization! So if you’re reading this at some point in the future when that’s been done, then it’s a 7.5!

If you’re anything like me, you were probably excited by the trailer and early gameplay footage. They were enthralling, showcasing innovative mechanics that see you battling through a stylised adventure set in the world created by the hit TV show. 

What the trailer doesn’t show is how much of that experience takes place around you, operating at times more as an immersive psychological thriller than an actual game. In fact, at the core of reviewing Stranger Things VR sits a ponderous, elephantine question; Is this really a game at all or is this an interactive experience?

It seems that Tender Claws have set themselves the lofty ambition of combining the two, hoping to transcend both and become greater than either. As such, it is difficult to answer the question of what Stranger Things VR is, so perhaps we should focus on a different question; is it any good?

TOO MANY HATS

Stranger Things VR is a narrative-driven adventure with a much heavier focus on the narrative than the adventure. For those familiar with the source material, you take on the role of Vecna following his exile into Dimension X (sorry nerds, it’s no longer ‘the upside-down’). Here, you join him as he grows within his new powers and attempts to subjugate the sentient hellscape to his will. Fun times.

Interspersed within this prequel-style narrative are interactive vignettes that overlap with the characters and events of the popular television series. As the experience progresses the story increasingly unfolds around the player, with the gaming mechanics added in seemingly to give you the illusion of participation as the dialogue rolls on regardless of your actions.

Some sections incorporate an element of combat, but these are neither frequent nor varied. Similarly, there are innovative movement mechanics that almost take on a platforming element, however, neither of these elements offers enough depth to carry the whole experience as a “game”. 

BYSTANDER SYNDROME

What gameplay elements do exist in Stranger Things VR have the hallmark creativity that Tender Claws have previously displayed in The Under Presents. As the first few chapters unfold, the focus leans toward the gaming elements, which initially show potential. 

Players can use one power to spread a vine-like ‘corruption’ along the ground, which can then be used to anchor the stilt-like tentacle movement mechanics. This can then be used to vault into the air, allowing you to spread more corruption that you can use to traverse upon, like some kind of demonic Tarzan. 

What action there is comes by way of telekinetic battles. There is a fairly intuitive system for bringing objects close and hurling them at the various lurking monsters, but this is the sole attack the player is capable of throughout the entire affair. While it works, the requirement to always bring items towards you before being able to launch them is cumbersome and halting, failing to create anything resembling a fluid combat system. 

Combining these powers takes a little practice but works well enough that you can see it could have been quite engaging had they been developed and expanded upon. However, Stranger Things VR is only partly a ‘game’ and, as such, the gameplay never evolves beyond this early stage. As the story unfolds these mechanics are shelved in place of increasingly limited interactions within static scenes, dashing any early hopes for an action-packed adventure in the Stranger Things universe. 

THE STRANGEST THING

Set in the Stranger Things universe, the 3.5-hour immersive experience encompasses elements of all four seasons of the show. It even throws in a few nods to the stage show prequel. Familiar scenarios from the series are revisited from a different perspective, giving the spotlight to the internal struggles occurring in these pivotal moments. It’s a strange narrative construct as it requires knowledge of the source material to resonate, but having that knowledge makes the story immediately feel overly familiar. It’s also so intrinsically linked to the show that it’s difficult to imagine Stranger Things VR being even vaguely engrossing to anyone without a strong working knowledge of the series.

The narrative devices are often deliberately obtuse, with a diegetic use of time and space labouring the psychological tension between two characters locked in conflict within a single psyche. The story suffers terribly from pacing issues, and the narrative gets lost within its own distorted framework, often feeling aimless and repetitive. This is particularly notable in elements hinging on player interactions and it’s often confusing trying to assess if you need to do something, or just wait until the dialogue has run its course. 

Compounding these issues is an overuse of repetition, with scenes looping back to a single point before branching into slight variations with frustrating regularity. 

Perhaps the worst sin in all of this is that Tender Claws seem to have completely missed the tone and character that made the source material so popular in the first place. As a TV show, Stranger Things is hardly high art, and sadly this VR adaptation feels, in places, like a ham-fisted attempt to cram Avant-garde sensibilities into what is, essentially, popcorn drama.

LESS IS MORE

There seems to be a trend at the moment that sees MR sections being shoehorned into games regardless of whether it is even vaguely relevant. Sadly, Tender Claws seem to have succumbed to this as they offer two entirely superfluous mixed reality chapters. In fact, the optimisation and execution in these sections are poor enough that their presence actually lowers the game’s overall score.

Staying in theme, the first MR section introduces interesting mechanics before getting bogged down in poorly paced dialogue sections which, again, make it unclear as to the player’s ability to impact events. 

The final chapter is essentially a telekinesis-based wave shooter that sees players using hand-tracked gestures to close portals and fend off enemies. However, the MR implementation is finicky, with objects misaligned or clipping through the real world in a way that breaks any immersion garnered from seeing the virtual world appear in the real one.

PRETTY STRANGE

One thing Tender Claws does consistently well is create a unique visual language with which to tell their tales. There are places where Stranger Things VR looks fantastic, benefitting from excellent lighting and a superb overall sense of artistic direction. The sections of the game that overlap with the main cast offer character models that are unique and stylish. 

However, many of the game’s sections occur within the ill-defined realms of the upside-down or the dark expanse of a character’s tormented psyche. These seem to cash in on the murky aesthetic and, as a result, feel less polished.

The sound is also very well delivered, with a tense, atmospheric score that captures the show’s ambience far better than the overall narrative tone. The voice acting is high quality and is the main attraction as the story plays out, standing out in contrast to the frequently protracted dialogue.

Despite my criticisms, a few scenes use these audio-visual components to excellent effect, creating an intensely brooding atmosphere. In these moments, it is obvious that Tender Claws have some real talent, demonstrating a deep potential far beyond what has been realised in Stranger Things.

FINAL CHAPTER

At its core, Stranger Things VR feels conceptually confused. Interesting mechanics are squandered as diversions, feeling like a sideshow attraction amongst the disjointed progress of the narrative. Conversely, the gamified elements confuse the storytelling, poorly defining whether the player has agency to affect the events unfolding around them or is merely a spectator.

Despite some well-wrought and original gaming elements, there is a limited amount of actual gameplay on offer, and those looking for a traditional gaming experience may be disappointed.

Our Intrepid Survivor

When Arizona Sunshine 2 begins, you wake up in a dingy trailer, thirsty and looking for a drink. The opened beer bottles around you are variously empty, used as ashtrays, or contain your vomit—a good intro to the game, quickly establishing the pathos of the character you embody for the next 8-12 hours. Soon, a helicopter you hoped might rescue you crashes nearby. You rush to it in desperation, but it’s too late for the pilot. However, you gain a new canine companion from this ordeal. Without knowing his name, you decide to call him Buddy, marking the start of a beautiful friendship and a new quest as you realize the military is trying to locate patient zero, your potential ticket out of hell.

The gameplay in Arizona Sunshine 2 follows a straightforward single-player, narrative-driven campaign. As a fan of such campaigns, I’m all for it. The gunplay, a standout feature of the original game, is wonderful. It’s immensely satisfying to land a good headshot and hear the mushy explosion of a zombie’s head. Along your journey, you’ll find various weapons—pistols, machetes, semi-automatics, Uzis, rifles, machine guns, shotguns, and more. Each feels good to use, has its strengths and weaknesses, and allows you to approach zombie killing in your unique way.

Your holster is adjustable; you can carry two weapons at your waist and another slung over your shoulder. You also have two Half-Life: Alyx-type inventory slots in your wrists for consumables, grenades, mines, Molotovs, or stick grenades. As if that wasn’t enough, Buddy himself has two holsters, allowing him to carry two extra small weapons for convenience. Buddy isn’t just there for company. You can order him to take down zombies and fetch objects. He’s the heart of Arizona Sunshine 2, as in this world, a dog is not only man’s best friend but perhaps his only friend.

The writing in Arizona Sunshine 2 is a standout, with Rob Yescombe’s pitch-perfect writing and Sky Soliel‘s wonderful portrayal of the main character. The character’s range of emotions—frenzied desperation, gallows humor, enthusiasm, tender loving care, and even toilet humor—is all perfectly balanced and appropriate to the story’s context.

And it is a great story. Unless you’re dead inside, you’ll fall in love with Buddy. The last time I felt this emotional about an in-game animal was in The Last Guardian, which had me in tears by the end.

Arizona Sunshine 2 features a fantastic story, with twists and turns, highs and lows, and it will emotionally captivate you.

Oh, Ye Pretty Armageddon

While the first Arizona Sunshine never excelled graphically and relied on its gunplay and wit, the graphics in Arizona Sunshine 2 are atmospheric and superb. They portray a variety of environments and locations and comfortably overwhelm you with on-screen zombies when necessary. The art direction is on point, and the game is frequently just pretty, if your idea of pretty includes rotting corpses and splattered brains.

There are occasional glitches, like zombies’ heads and limbs tearing through doorways and walls, and sometimes Buddy’s body partly tearing through a wall, but it’s hardly a problem.

The graphics on PSVR2 are superior to those on Meta Quest 2 or 3, but they suffer from noticeable reprojection on PSVR2. I hope Sony finds a way to improve this across the platform, as it detracts somewhat from the overall immersion.

Can You Hear Me?

The audio’s standout is Sky Soliel’s beautifully nuanced voice acting, taking you on an emotional journey through the game. The sound design is fantastic, playing a huge part in the feel of the weapons. The guns sound different and satisfying to reload and shoot. The sound effects—from the zombies’ growls to barrel explosions—are great, and the music sets the mood effectively, ranging from suspenseful to action-packed.

Apocalyptic Delights

The story can be played single-player or co-op, taking around 8 hours on normal and closer to 10 on hard. Arizona Sunshine 2 also brings back the horde mode from the original, where up to 4 players can fight off

 increasing waves of zombies in various environments. Your enjoyment will depend on your affinity for replaying story campaigns and wave modes.

Freddy Failures

There’s not much to complain about with Arizona Sunshine 2. It excels in areas where other VR games struggle. Opening cupboards and drawers is easy, climbing works well (though it’s only used in a few areas), and aiming is precise. There are a couple of sections where the difficulty spikes, but remember this tip in times of need: aim for the legs.

There are minor issues, like wonky trolley physics and a potential memory leak causing increased loading times the longer the game runs on your system.

Overall, the positives far outweigh the flaws. You’ll be drawn in by the writing, laugh with the main character, empathize with his loneliness and newfound enthusiasm for Buddy, and appreciate his moments of reflection. Meanwhile, you’ll enjoy action-packed gunplay, varied environments, and well-paced set pieces.

Freddy Thrills

In summary, I had a fantastic time with Arizona Sunshine 2. It’s a sequel that surpasses the original in every conceivable way, setting a new standard for single-player narrative-driven campaigns in VR, especially on Quest and PSVR2. It’s focused on what works, providing a fluid experience from start to end, and is easy to recommend to anyone with a beating heart who hasn’t been bitten by a brain-eater. Stop reading this, get the game, and enjoy it!

COLD, COLD GROUND

Upon loading Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior, there’s a sense of familiarity. Menus look and sound the same, and the narrator and protagonist from the original VR release—an amiable elderly Italian partisan reminiscing about his time as a crack-shot sniper in the Second World War—remain. In the first outing, he related his tales from his sunlight-dappled garden, where his young family frolicked, enjoying the freedoms he fought for. This time, he starts in bed, with a blizzard outside snowing him in, triggering memories of snow levels he didn’t mention previously.

After a brief but effective tutorial firing range, which you can leave without completing if you’re on another save, we’re dropped into the first level proper. Well, sort of. It’s still actually a tutorial and quite narrow in scope (no pun intended, for once). The gameplay is familiar: sneak, snipe, use environmental sounds to cover your shots, kill everyone, plant a bomb, and then get to the exit. You know the drill, perhaps too well.

WINTERLUDE

Let’s start with the positives. Many of the nice things I said in my review of the original two years ago still hold true. The sniping is surprisingly intuitive and effective, the slow-motion bullet kill cam is well-realized, and the graphics are largely lovely.

The sound is good, and there’s a core to the gameplay that’s undeniably fun. If you were a big fan of the original Sniper Elite VR, you’ll know what to expect from Winter Warrior—it provides more of the same, mostly. However, I can’t help but feel let down and uninvested in this sequel.

GUNPOWDER FROM ICE

Despite being a standalone title, Winter Warrior never really feels like a sequel. To be fair, it’s half the price of the original and probably conceived as additional levels rather than a full game in its own right, and it shows. The game has a pervasive tiredness about it, like it’s just going through the motions. The Partisan starts in bed and never really gets out of it. Music cues, assets, animations, and sounds are reused from the first game. Missions should feel like playgrounds of possibility, but are actually a staid and workmanlike series of checkpoints and triggered events. There’s a surprising lack of emphasis on stealth and, believe it or not, sniping. Limited enemy numbers mean that after you’ve killed a few, the game spawns more in, sometimes alerted regardless of how stealthy you’ve been.

‘Letters From Home’ and other collectibles are scattered around levels but can’t be read—they’re just busywork, not additional context. There are challenges in each level that add some fun and replayability, but this idea, too, is regurgitated from the original. The déjà vu is strong, and it contributes to the hollow feel of the game.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED

Sniper Elite VR nailed some core experiences and basics that other titles like Medal of Honor and Onward didn’t. It felt like a lot was riding on it, and it confidently quelled many fears. That relief allowed me to overlook some jankiness because it had heart.

The sequel, however, does nothing to advance itself and suddenly feels dated. The lack of engaging VR interactions is grating and reveals a laziness and lack of ambition. Handguns can’t be held with both hands. Door handles, keys, switches, satchel charges, and the like are operated by reaching out a hand and holding down a grip button until a bar fills up—flat game mechanics that break immersion in VR. You don’t feel like an elite sniper; you feel like you’re just waving a pointing finger in the air. These interactions are crucial for VR, and we deserve better. Michel Roux famously asked potential students to crack an egg for him, saying that if they could do that well, he could teach them anything. I feel similarly about VR games handling keys in locks or opening cupboards—if this feels good and intuitive, the rest of the game might have the right attention to detail to be a winner. In this game, those aspects are lacking and definitely hurt the quality of the final product. Reloading and charging guns were nailed in the first installment—now, where’s the rest of the game? The remote pull for ammo and objects is fiddly and inconsistent, with no sense of weight. Enemy animations are basic and staccato, making reading the levels annoying at times. The enemies don’t feel enough like combatants, just paper marionettes waiting to be decommissioned.

THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT

One unexpected disappointment in Winter Warrior was the character of The Partisan himself. While there’s nothing wrong with the acting per se, the structure of having him narrate the action as a series of memories means the affable old man persona never lets up. Everything he says has the tone of an advert for authentic pasta sauce, without really conveying the urgency of the player’s situation. Remember the bit in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf suddenly drops the genial grandpa act and reveals he’s a powerful, ancient soul with the weight of the world on his shoulders? That never happens with the Partisan, and a potentially interesting narrative about a lovable old chap who was a super-assassin evaporates in a cloud of whimsy. It would be great if, while peering down the scope of a sniper rifle, the voiceover matched the mood, rather than making me think I should be tucked under a tartan blanket falling asleep in front of Countdown.

A FROZEN, ROTTED ROAD

The snowy theme of Winter Warrior is apt, as the game feels like the first one but frozen in time. It never really thaws, losing a lot of charm and goodwill to frostbite. It will be overshadowed by other releases around it, perhaps deservedly so. With a bit more care, I’d be more positive. As it is, Winter Warrior feels like a dead end. I hope there’s another VR installment of the Sniper Elite games, one that pays more attention to its competitors and respects its audience.

Stick with the original or wait for it to go on sale. It’s got more charm and imagination than this ersatz sequel, which will leave you cold.

If you’re a big fan of the original, you might add a point or two to my score. But if you’re like me and love the original but want more this time, this game feels like less.

Among the key additions is an Official Deathmatch Mode. This new mode allows for up to six players to compete against each other on six newly-designed maps. According to Anthony Nobile, Marketing Project Manager at Squido Studio, the Deathmatch Mode was introduced in response to community requests for more competitive gameplay options.

In addition to the Deathmatch Mode, the update also brings three new Power-Ups into the game:

1. Sword: A one-time-use item that enables an instant-kill mechanic.
2. Milkshake: Provides a temporary invincibility shield.
3. White Berry: Can be deployed to create a wind vortex for both quick map traversal and trap-setting.

The update also incorporates a Gold Cosmetic Tier designed for players who have collected a significant number of golden eggs in the game. These cosmetic items offer a new layer of customization options for players.

Another feature in the update is a redesigned Leaderboard system that now ranks players globally. The ranking is based on player performance across the different game modes, including both the newly-introduced Deathmatch and the existing Chicken Catch modes.

Squido Studio has also improved usability with a New Lobby System specifically designed for different game modes, making it easier for players to select their preferred style of play.

Details of the Transition

The shift to a free-to-play model will be executed as follows:

• Meta Quest Platform: The paid version will be retired, with the free trial version expanded to offer the full game at no cost.
• Steam VR Platform: The current $14.99 version will be available for free.

Perks for Early Adopters

As a gesture of gratitude, players who purchased the game before the transition date will receive an “Early Adopter Bundle”, which includes:

• A new Grapple Hat
• An exclusive skin pack for all weapons
• 1200 in-game credits
• Over 100 previous items in the game

To claim this bundle, existing players need to have purchased Grapple Tournament and open the game before September 14 to receive the bundle in-game.

Versions Being Sunset

The following versions of the game will be discontinued:

• Paid Quest version
• Oculus Rift version
• Steam demo

The iconic mystery game that chilled you to the bone in the 90s, the 7th Guest, has been brought back to life with cutting-edge VR technology that delivers an atmospheric and haunting story.

Explore the foreboding mansion, solve challenging puzzles, and uncover its dark secrets. The 7th Guest VR is the ultimate mystery adventure, and it’s time for you to experience it for yourself.

Six guests have been welcomed to the foreboding mansion. But something sinister is at play…

• The Aging Illusionist : A life devoted to pretense, but yearning for real magic. Real power.
• The Vain Heiress: Always looking back and growing more bitter by the minute.
• The Ruthless Business Man: All business, no remorse. Out for glory and no one to watch his back.
• The Failed Actress: Manipulative Martine, why cultivate skills when you have the looks.
• The Penniless Husband: A never was, arrogant and selfish. And out of luck.
• The Penniless Wife: Weak willed and always afraid, but with a dormant power.

We’ll have a review up for you when the game gets released. You’ll find it right here on our site or over on our 6DOF Reviews YouTube channel!