VR Invaders (PC) Review

In truth, although VR Invaders is at the cutting edge of the current technological trend, the inspiration for this title stretches back to the very dawn of mainstream gaming. The shadow of Space Invaders engulfs it, with a core gameplay loop based around shooting down swerving robot drones flying around a designated path. Sounds familiar, right? However, some might say that taking inspiration from such a classic staple of gaming culture and tradition is not the worst idea in the world. After all, the best ideas are the most obvious.

This is where VR Invaders sits; mainly because it gives a reason to keep the headset on for longer than most other VR games. Much of the criticism in these early days of VR centres on the very short, one-time playthrough shovelware, which does little to enhance the reputation of the fledgling medium.

Indeed, on starting this, it may initially look like a throwaway title, but there are some hidden depths. Now, let's be clear first of all, it boils down to holding a laser shield in one hand and a laser gun in the other and holding the trigger. However, the mistake many other developers of VR make is to forget the basic qualities that make a good arcade game.

This is definitely a decent arcade game. The differing enemy types, from the basic drone to the shielded drone or the faster speeder ship, all zip around the eight stages, which are well varied between large indoor facilities and outdoor space areas. It's probably wise that the protagonist stays stationary on a single platform during these levels to avoid the motion sickness problem. It is slightly sad that this world that is dying to be explored can only be viewed from the distance.

 It also allows for the classic VR flailing any casual onlookers will find immensely amusing to observe. That's because things get manic very quickly and the difficulty is anything but handholding. When the lasers start flying and the enemies circle, it becomes a maelstrom of sounds and activity; quick reflexes of using the shield, dodging and shooting, all combine and things suddenly get very exciting.

Of course, it wouldn't be an arcade shooter without some upgrades; the additional weapon upgrades help to even out odds and also provide an extra surge of enjoyment at wielding this power. Add in some map-based distractions, such as giant laser weapons, as well as boss entities that pop up, and there is definitely enough here to go beyond shovelware.

There is a story, but it is threadbare and suffers by having a very minimalistic presentation featuring some sort dialogue before each of the eight chapters. It isn't going to win any awards for writing or originality, albeit the voice actors do a decent job of at least being committed to the situation, and at times inject some humour and personality.