Roboquest VR Review: An Instant Classic

Roboquest VR takes an already exhilarating FPS roguelite to ship a near-flawless adaptation, turning into one in every of my new favourite video games to expertise in a VR headset.

VR isn’t any stranger to flatscreen conversions, and Flat2VR Studios rapidly made a reputation for itself doing precisely that. Roboquest VR is the newest instance, taking RyseUp Studios’ 2023 roguelite FPS and completely overhauling it. You management a Guardian robotic taking down waves of hostile enemy machines, blazing a path to your human companion Max in direction of Haven 8 – an oasis within the desert that makes up most of this post-apocalyptic Earth.

Throughout a run, gamers can discover any variety of weapons with Borderlands-esque modifiers from chests, dropped from enemies, discovered as rewards from problem rooms, and provided on the market at relaxation factors. The variability on show right here is spectacular, and that is not even accounting for the totally different variables weapons might be rolled with. They vary from normal rifles and shotguns to vitality weapons, joined by handheld fare reminiscent of tomahawks, kunai, boomerangs, bows, and extra.

That is the place Roboquest VR first differentiates itself from the unique launch. With a keyboard and mouse, vary, charge of fireplace, and such had been totally different – really controlling every weapon feels a lot the identical. In VR, that is not fairly the case.

Bows want you to manually notch an arrow very similar to different VR experiences; for throwable weapons, as an alternative of merely aiming and holding down the set off, you as an alternative maintain down the set off, goal a swing, after which let go as soon as you have achieved your required arc. You’ll be able to reload weapons with a button click on, although Flat2VR has pleasingly added a handbook reload perform the place you actively eject and cargo magazines. It feels unbelievable in motion, particularly with the non-obligatory laser sight enabled.

Different retooled parts relate to the consumer interface; whereas by default there is a floating well being bar to your comfort, you’ll be able to verify your left wrist for extra granular info in your standing, together with HP and the way shut you’re to leveling up. The precise wrist can showcase a minimap when raised and might be expanded by holding down the fitting grip button. Upon level-up, the perks you are provided are portrayed as bodily playing cards that you have to seize after which verify your alternative by holding down the set off whereas the perk card is in your hand. All very welcome adjustments, and these go a good distance in direction of grounding the VR expertise.

Lots of your numerous Guardian lessons’ distinctive skills have additionally been retooled to higher swimsuit VR gameplay. The default class has a recharging defend tied to pushing in the fitting analog stick, whereas holding down the fitting grip and set off allows you to use a melee assault with the thrust of your arm. That may even be upgraded right into a sledgehammer by means of the number of random level-up perks, and naturally a barely totally different give attention to swings relatively than thrusts. Different lessons present features like summonable drones that distract and assault enemies, an explosive laser cost, and extra. If you happen to did not know any higher, you’d battle to inform that Roboquest wasn’t a VR native launch to start with.

Nonetheless, Roboquest was already a reasonably brutal expertise, and its VR conversion makes it much more troublesome. When you become familiar with the controls, nevertheless, it is an exhilarating expertise not like the rest – Roboquest is not only a fast-paced recreation, however verticality is a core factor of its gameplay loop. Leaping onto grind rails and rocketing your self throughout the map with a double bounce whereas peppering bullets on the enemies beneath is not only a chance; it is mainly anticipated once you close to a run’s finish recreation. Some bosses even outright rely upon it! It is one factor when all that aiming solely requires a mouse, however once you get your complete physique within the equation, what was already a taxing expertise feels prefer it asks much more from you. Even when in return is a much more memorable expertise.

There are, after all, extra issue choices (4 in whole) for gamers searching for them. Simple mode presents a barely much less oppressive issue curve whereas nonetheless sustaining a lot of the friction that makes the sport shine; a good choice as you accustom your self to Roboquest VR and its controls. Ranges are randomly generated, although it is best to consider it like Danger of Rain’s procedural technology; the majority of every stage’s format stays the identical, so you’ll be able to rapidly study the easiest way to beeline from level A to level B.

Contemplating that a few of the recreation’s branching paths are locked behind pretty strict time necessities – lots of which ultimately result in crystals that, as soon as activated, make the ultimate stage easier – it is all nicely and good that is the case. It is a adequate hook to maintain enjoying, although the story is in no way the sport’s focus. There’s worldbuilding for gamers to look out for if that is their fancy, nevertheless – and a few of that does tie into a few of the recreation’s non-obligatory aims.

Generally one path offers a quest merchandise handy over to an NPC discovered on a completely totally different route from the one you took; possibly you may be rewarded the passcode or ticket to entry an space you could not attain the primary time. Particular person places do not change a lot past the enemies you discover there, but there’s nonetheless loads of technique available with every run and deciding what your final aim is. These really feel like the right size for VR; not accounting for moments the place the timer is paused whereas in camps, a profitable run sometimes lasts between 30-45 minutes.

Upon ending your run, you’ll be able to spend sources accrued inside to improve your base. These embody upgrading the quantity of HP you achieve from a level-up or growing the rarity of weapons you may discover in chests, alongside spawning NPCs that may reroll or add new skills to your weapons. You’ll be able to even improve their rarity when utilizing Powercells gained throughout a run.

Finishing NPC quests rewards you with devices, everlasting toggleable modifiers that apply from the outset of a run. Some quests, past merely requiring gadgets from different branching paths, may require particular actions. It’s possible you’ll must carry a selected weapon to point out an NPC, save up on Powercells to open a door, or use a selected Guardian class to get previous a wall of lasers. A few of these are pure upgrades – one will internet you a free Powercell upon level-up, for instance – whereas others supply trade-offs, just like the Shades which improve your base injury however restrict your beginning well being. They’re nonetheless nicely value in search of out regardless, as toggling them on and off again at your basecamp can transform how runs play out in some circumstances.

Like several good roguelite, Roboquest VR delivers a satisfying loop that each enhances the moment-to-moment gameplay and actively pushes you exterior of your consolation zone. Exploring these zones and determining the place to seek out these hidden areas or logs detailing a few of the recreation’s lore additionally advantages from the transition to VR. Looking for stage geometry you need to use as a makeshift parkour monitor to succeed in someplace out of attain feels all of the extra participating when it feels such as you’re the one making these jumps, and discovering these hidden areas.

Roboquest VR – Ultimate Verdict

Roboquest VR takes what was already an excellent flatscreen roguelite expertise and transforms it into a brand new VR basic. Second-to-moment gameplay feels improbable, and the sport is true at house on the platform. Flat2VR Studios ought to take delight within the work they’ve achieved, because it appears like a necessary expertise for hardcore VR gamers with out being revolutionary. I simply want that co-op was obtainable at launch; I would like several cause to hop again in for one more spherical.

UploadVR makes use of a 5-Star score system for our recreation evaluations – you’ll be able to learn a breakdown of every star score in our evaluate tips.