Assault on Titan VR: Unbreakable brings the celebrated Attack on Titan franchise to Oculus Quest, delivering engaging combat but a formulaic and repetitive early game experience that may leave players yearning for more variety. Discover the latest insights from our comprehensive analysis, ongoing.
As someone familiar with the anime series, I must admit that I’m not exactly a die-hard enthusiast; nonetheless, my understanding of the Assault on Titan VR: Unbreakable narrative piqued my interest. As the popularity of virtual reality-based fan sports continues to grow, I found myself wondering how an official sport would integrate this concept. UNIVRS has opted for an early mover approach, unveiling the first two chapters ahead of the planned Winter launch of Model 1.0. While you may not be eager to fully commit to “Beat” Unbreakable just yet, the game does have its flashes of brilliance, despite being held back by several notable flaws.
Developed as a collaborative effort between Japanese animation giant Hajime Isayama and virtual reality technology innovators, this official VR sport is deeply rooted in the immersive world of the iconic Attack on Titan franchise.
Quest?
July 23 (Early Entry); Winter 2024 (Full Launch)
: UNIVRS, Inc.
$5 for early access to the first two chapters, with the full book’s price yet to be determined.
Fortunately, Unbreakable’s narrative doesn’t rely on prior knowledge of its supply materials; instead, the context is skillfully established through a concise introductory sequence. As the Titans continue their relentless assault on humanity, you join the esteemed ranks of the Survey Corps, embarking on a perilous journey alongside familiar faces such as Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and Levi. Throughout various missions, different Survey Corps members occasionally appear; however, they never actively assist you during combat engagements.
The game introduces a comprehensive tutorial, smoothly guiding players through its intuitive management system. With the Omni-Directional Mobility (ODM) gear, you’re able to grasp and navigate the town seamlessly via anchors, while a carefully regulated fuel supply allows for precise control over your aerial movements. The game’s mechanics are well-suited to the virtual reality format, particularly when navigating through space by grasping onto anchor points and swinging around Titans with a sense of physical presence.
As your ODM serves a dual purpose, transforming into a weapon that allows you to carve through hordes of gruesome, naked behemoths with serrated blades that gradually wear down before shattering, forcing you to scavenge for ammunition crates scattered throughout the ravaged town. As I touchdown the killing blow after meticulously targeting the nape of their necks, a fleeting sense of satisfaction washes over me. However, the subsequent pleasure of dismembering my opponents – even as they relentlessly regrow their lost limbs – is tempered by the nagging awareness that these enemies are always one step ahead.
Earning mission completions unlocks a diverse range of ODM blades, allowing you to equip them at your base. It’s worth noting that some options are currently inaccessible due to the game’s early access status.
To meet diverse requirements, we’ve introduced distinct statistics for wire size, sturdiness, assault energy, and an optional “Welcome Selection” that caters to various user preferences for a heightened experience. While equipping devices without having to return to the hub may be convenient, this consideration is relatively minor.
Despite the engaging flashbacks, the current marketing push for Unbreakable falls short of expectations. The five stages of each chapter, comprising distinct personalities, grant a maximum of 50 stars upon performance, prompting my initial lack of motivation to replay. While missions may require the elimination of a specific number of Titans within a designated timeframe, this formula can become monotonous, even when introducing an irregularly challenging variant. Despite the individual’s altered behavioral patterns, I rarely find myself feeling genuinely challenged.
Different marketing campaigns have mission varieties that feature simple resource gathering while avoiding formidable enemies, or defending a crucial location against relentless enemy onslaughts for a predetermined timeframe. As Titans breach the battlefield from unpredictable directions, defensive strategies become crucial, forcing players to tactically decide which behemoths to divert and which to eliminate. While initially unimpressive, the game’s balance is reevaluated when considering the forthcoming cooperative play option, which had guided the design of these phases from the outset.
Despite admiring video games designed for standalone VR, Unbreakable’s presentation requires further development to overcome its current limitations. While character fashions for notable figures such as Levi, Mikasa, and Armin exude exceptional quality on the Quest 3, the Titan designs are impressively rugged and demanding of attention. Efficiency gains in a few missions unexpectedly led to some notable framerate dips.
As I wander through the desolate landscape, a mediocre environmental piece catches my eye, prompting me to wonder if UNIVRS relies on my distraction from the impending Titan threat to neglect crucial testing of the surroundings? The nostalgia-inducing aroma of a vintage video game wafts through the air as I’m struck by the uncanny resemblance between a rustic fruit stall’s humble setting and the whimsical world of Fire Emblem: Three Homes, where harm may have been mitigated in an N64 classic; meanwhile, the lush grass appears to be painted onto the ground, transporting me back to a bygone era. While Quest’s cel-shaded visuals were initially impressive, the lack of danger in this instance is somewhat disappointing.
Although an early entry launch, the abbreviated nature of Assault on Titan VR was unsurprising; each episode typically required around an hour’s investment to complete. The exact number of forthcoming additional missions remains ambiguous, as the early entry roadmap only provides a vague notion that “later chapters” and cooperative play will be introduced alongside the initial version 1.0. I’m excited to see how cooperative play fares out, and it’s clear that Unbreakable will be even more enjoyable with friends.
As I step out of the immersive world of Assault On Titan VR, my verdict is this: a riveting and intense experience that will leave you breathless.
Assault on Titan VR: Unbreakable’s early entries deliver pulse-pounding thrills, yet a few notable drawbacks prevent me from wholeheartedly endorsing this experience without reservation. While Unbreakable’s combat excels with engaging fights and responsive aerial mechanics, its marketing push is marred by tedious mission objectives, a lack of complexity in its problems, and occasionally subpar environmental graphics. Work remains to be completed prior to the release of Model 1.0, but even so, I thoroughly enjoyed taking down Titans in early access.
