Harpagun delivers a colourful VR arcade shooter-smasher with a compelling narrative. Learn on for our full ideas.
On-rails motion is not essentially the most thrilling proposition for VR gaming today, but Harpagun exhibits such motion titles can nonetheless get the job completed. Following final 12 months’s work on the comfortable puzzle recreation Toy Trains, One thing Random’s subsequent title opts for a fast-paced arcade-style shooter. Regardless of a restrictive motion system and unpolished edges on Quest, the core motion stays extremely pleasurable.
What’s it?: A VR shooter-smasher arcade recreation set on a post-apocalyptic planet.
Platforms: Quest, PC VR, Pico (coming quickly) PlayStation VR2 (reviewed on Quest 3)
Launch Date: Out now
Developer: One thing Random
Worth: $19.99
Harpagun affords humorous sci-fi absurdity with a futuristic Soviet twist when you discover a post-apocalyptic world, weaving an intriguing narrative with a satisfying decision. Taking part in as a ‘Harpagun’, our titular protagonist finds their comrades lacking, with armies of mutant fungus able to kill you. Guided by two dysfunctional leaders through a floating TV, this compelling story explores what occurred to this society that leaves me invested in our hero’s survival.
The marketing campaign splits into bite-sized missions with three problem settings, which is helpful for those who favor taking part in in brief bursts. You may restart from a checkpoint for those who die, although these are frustratingly absent throughout boss fights. Our objective is to search out protected passage off this abandoned planet and again to the mothership, armed with two gravity weapons that allow you to shoot stuff alongside merely grabbing objects.
Commonplace gunfire does what’s wanted, however launching objects like rubble, chairs, doorways, and even elements of an enemy we have torn off into these fungal foes is way more entertaining. Every stage is suffering from throwable objects for entertaining kills, although grabbing enemies immediately and destroying them by throwing them into one another can also be enjoyable.
Timed provide drops helpfully present additional well being or restricted ammo sorts for elevated injury. Killing a number of foes without delay as lasers bounce throughout one another feels good, shotgun-style ammo for heavy hits at shut vary present helpful crowd management, whereas electrical upgrades cost a lightning ball that outright smokes these wild mushrooms. It is excessive, dramatic, and nice enjoyable throughout.
I recognize the creativity with some enemies too, and Harpagun affords a very good selection as you advance via missions. For instance, one foe requires you to tug them upwards with the gravity gun and use your different hand to shoot the bubble that quickly seems. One other requires ripping its wings off, which sounds extra brutal than it truly is. Extra superior enemies and weapons regularly roll out at a very good tempo, although you may at all times be geared up with gravity weapons.
When enemies spawn practically as quick as you kill them, this turns into a juggling act that may overwhelm you for those who aren’t cautious. Throwing again a foe’s projectiles with the gravity gun feels nice throughout these moments, as does blocking them by selecting up different enemies. Nonetheless, all it takes is a number of hits to kill you, so you have to hold transferring.
Harpagun has a robust basis, but its design feels constrained, and that rapidly turns into obvious when preventing these enemy waves. Teleporting to set factors throughout the map normally works properly till you are attempting to dodge enemy hearth, supplying you with restricted choices for the place to maneuver. You possibly can usually strafe left, proper, forwards, or backwards from the central space, and that is it.
One thing Random evidently designed Harpagun’s motion to prioritize consolation over immersion, which works as I’ve not had any points to this point even with minimal consolation settings. Nonetheless, a number of extra features may additionally use fine-tuning. Clean digital camera turning is simply too quick, making it robust to be exact and in contrast to snap turning, the digital camera pace is not adjustable. Lengthy loading occasions are additionally current on Quest 3, most notable when booting up the sport.
Harpagun makes use of an on-rails system the place you may transfer between particular areas by teleporting utilizing an analog stick, there is not any freedom of motion. An non-compulsory vignette can be activated with three totally different strengths. The digital camera helps easy and snap turning, although solely the latter’s energy will be adjusted.
Presently, the sport options English and Polish language help. By default, digital camera turning is ready to the left analog stick and motion to the proper analog stick, although this may be swapped. Motion pace will be adjusted too. Your well being and particular ammo will be seen through a floating TV that accompanies you.
Lastly, the Quest 3 model helps three totally different high quality settings: efficiency, balanced, and constancy. This overview used stability, and we have but to verify if comparable choices can be found on Quest 2 or PS VR2.
I’ve additionally discovered efficiency hiccups on Quest 3, and the framerate drops are evident in later ranges when extra enemies are onscreen. I additionally observed some moments the place the textual content bubble on display from the leaders through the TV would jitter, which wasn’t uncomfortable however your mileage might range. I’ve but to strive the Quest 2, PC VR or PS VR2 variations, so I can not evaluate any variations proper now.
The primary marketing campaign takes round 5 hours to finish, which neither feels overly lengthy nor too brief for Harpagun. Different choices can be found resembling a handy arcade mode for replaying particular person ranges past the marketing campaign, alongside an Area mode the place you battle enemy waves. I am not significantly compelled to maintain replaying the latter, although it is a good choice to have.
What advantages Harpagun significantly on Quest 3 is the colourful cel-shaded presentation, providing well-designed environments and an usually unsettling array of enemies. The soundtrack fits the sport comparatively properly, even when it isn’t something too riveting, and it is nice to see a alternative of efficiency settings obtainable for many who’d slightly prioritize efficiency or constancy.
Harpagun Evaluation – Closing Verdict
Harpagun continues a robust streak by One thing Random after final 12 months’s Toy Trains, delivering an entertaining VR smasher-shooter with an intriguing narrative that instantly grabs your consideration. Some tough edges on Quest uninteresting its shine and the restrictive motion system limits fight, but there’s nonetheless a lot to love with its sturdy motion gameplay. As such, it comes really useful.
UploadVR makes use of a 5-Star score system for our recreation evaluations – you may learn a breakdown of every star score in our overview tips.
