Scanner Sobre
I had not heard of this game before it launched on the regular PC, but got word VR support was getting added. The game is basically a walking sim but with a very unique mechanic I had never seen before. You hold a scanner in your hand, the scanner shoots out beams that reveal the environment around you which otherwise is just black. What makes it interesting is it does so in the form of rainbow colored dots. The more you scan the more of the surface is covered in these waves of color revealing what the environment actually looks like.
The VR implementation is done pretty well even though it’s still only in the beta branch. It offers full motion controls for the scanner but unfortunately only offers teleportation locomotion for now. The slow walking pace of this game really needs an option for trackpad locomotion so I hope the developers add this in. The story is mostly told through text that appears randomly through the game as you reach various spots. You discover a few upgrades to your scanner along the way to better reveal the areas. The visuals of all the colored dots is a perfect fit for VR and feels like it was made for VR. The map view is also a very cool feature that works wonderfully in VR.
I would not classify this as a horror game but just be warned there are some creepy parts to it with strange static and flashes that go on, which in VR can give you a good scare you a moment or two. The game also is not very long I finished it in about 2 hours but for the price that is pretty decent for a VR game. As the game is still in the beta branch I’m not really sure what plans they have for the VR implementation as it feels pretty complete already aside from lack of locomotion options. All in all a unique experience for any VR owner that wants a slower and unique experience.
Airtone
As a big fan of rhythm games in VR I have tried a good portion of them. Audioshield, Beat Boxer, Holodance, and Soundboxing are couple of my favorites. But, recently Airtone has been my go to rhythm game night after night.
Like most all rhythm games, this one is very simple to pick up and play but can be insanely challenging depending on the difficulty. The game offers 25 set tracks each having 3 difficulty options. Having set tracks definitely limits the overall variety but also allows for some very fun gameplay. The easy difficulty is perfect to get a feel of the game but once you hit medium it ramps a lot with hard being ridiculously hard for me.
The gameplay consists of two basic types of beats one you just hit with your hands the other you hit while holding the trigger down. It also throws in a hold trigger and rotate your arm to follow a colored line aspect as well. The combination of how they do this with the brightly colored levels make for a very exhilarating experience overall.
The music itself is going to obviously come down to personal preference it feels just like a game you’d play in a big arcade over in Japan. If you are not into the more anime style of graphics and music this probably will not be for you. Only a couple songs are unlocked from the start, you unlock more by gaining rhythm points which you get as you complete songs. The graphics themselves are very polished easily one of the best looking rhythm games you will play in VR. You have a nicely animated anime style avatar who is your companion in the game. The hub area which you can teleport around in has several items you can play with; you will also unlock more as you gain more rhythm points.
The addictive gameplay keeps me coming back day after day even if the song selection is a bit scarce and hard gives enough challenge to have something to work towards. When you get into a good groove on a song it’s really a first class experience. The current price of $30 is definitely steep for this type of game but the overall fun factor and polish makes up for it, just hoping more songs get added in the future.
Titan Slayer
Visually stunning and action packed Titan Slayer is yet another brilliant VR game that suffers from being way too short. Slick graphics and good production all round. It appears to be a generic wave shooter/slasher during the first level but becomes a bit more interesting after that.
The game demands you move around in your play space to dodge special attacks. Some attacks can be side stepped and others can be deflected but there are also big sweeping attacks you have to crouch under, like way down low. Anyone with dodgy knees might have a bit of trouble. As the game progresses you end up with only a tiny little spot to hide in and it all gets very exciting.
There are plenty of big orcs to smash along with smaller squishier swarm type enemies. The main party piece as the name suggest are the titans. Level two takes place on the back of a rapidly moving boat with flying enemies harassing you as orcs climb aboard. After a while, a giant snake like creature comes crashing out of the water. This is where the fun begins! The scale of these titan enemies is epic. I backed into the wall a few times just trying to get out of it’s gigantic reach. Darting to avoid these behemoths while waiting for the weak spots to open up reminds me of the old arcade shooters like Time Crisis and House of the Dead. It really gets the blood pumping.
The 3rd and final level has you standing on a tower fighting an enormous Balrog like creature. The fight has multiple stages and the variety of attacks really keep you on your toes switching between melee and ranged weapons. As the tiny tower you stand on gets smashed by the monster, becoming smaller and smaller, it really feels like the climax of a great fantasy film.
But, then it’s all over. Three levels is all you get. Thankfully the game only costs a few bucks but the polished graphics and action really leave you wanting for more. Here’s hoping they eventually expend this into a full release with many titans and half our long sweat inducing battles. The concept certainly seems like it would hold up well enough.
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