Tried out "World War Z VR": The biggest opponent is boredom
In "World War Z VR", players not only fight against the fast-paced undead, but also against poor graphics and dull gameplay.
"World War Z VR" for Meta Quest and Steam VR brings tons of undead to the screen.
(Image: Saber Interactive)
Anyone who thinks of the 2013 horror blockbuster of the same name starring Brad Pitt will probably immediately have a scene in mind: thousands of undead run unchecked towards a wall until they pile up high enough to overcome it. It is precisely this iconic moment from one of the biggest hits of the zombie boom of the 2000s and 2010s that forms the template for the core gameplay of “World War Z VR.” Saber Interactive's new VR shooter is all about shooting away huge hordes of the undead before they overrun you.
In contrast to the first license conversion from 2019 for PC and consoles, Saber has dispensed with a co-op mode in the VR version for Meta Quest 3 and SteamVR. Instead, “World War Z VR” offers a solo experience with linear missions, a clear focus on action rather than tactics, and AI companions that do a rather mediocre job.
Fast, loud, stressful
It becomes clear within the first few minutes of the game that there is hardly any time to take a deep breath. The zombies keep attacking in waves as you make your way through the linear-level sections, storming through narrow corridors and rarely allowing any quiet moments. A wide arsenal of machine guns, shotguns, pistols, projectiles, and activatable traps are available for defense. However, there is no close combat. The enemies are not particularly clever, but there are plenty of them. According to the developers, up to 200 undead can appear simultaneously in one wave. Things are correspondingly chaotic.
(Image:Â Saber Interactive)
Keeping the waves at bay is a lot of fun. Of course, this requires a preference for fast, repetitive VR shooters, in which reaction and overview are more important than targeted action. However, anyone hoping for tactics, quiet passages, or a horror atmosphere will not find what they are looking for here: “World War Z VR” relies on constant fire rather than thrills. Between missions, weapons and equipment can be upgraded and new advantages and modifications unlocked. However, due to the strictly linear level structure, there are hardly any alternative routes or space to explore.
Good VR game design is different
However, fighting the zombies is not the only battle players have to fight in “World War Z VR.” Between the wave attacks, there is one opponent in particular: uninspired level and quest design. In some sections, Saber sends players back and forth several times to change fuses, operate switches, or find power boxes. There are also some unfairly placed checkpoints. If you fail at a large wave of zombies, you can expect to have to repeat up to 15 minutes of the level hose before you are allowed to return to the point of failure. Ever since Meta's VR game design tips, we've had it in black and white just how frustrating unnecessarily long sections in virtual reality can be.
Many design decisions also clearly ignore best practices in VR games. If you want to sprint in the hustle and bustle, you have to keep the analog stick pressed down and pay attention to your stamina meter. It's just a shame if this is not visible at all. To see the life indicator and stamina bar, you first have to lift your left wrist, which has a smartwatch with the corresponding indicators on the inside. This is extremely unintuitive, especially in hectic situations.
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Another negative example is manual reloading, which is made more difficult by misleading signals and ignores common movement routines. The shotgun, for example, cannot be reloaded by pulling back the fore-end, as is typical, but instead requires the press of a button. In addition, it is not always clear whether you first have to remove the empty magazine from the weapon or insert the new one, as the signal placeholder is colored identically in both cases. This leads to confusion time and again.
Nevertheless, Saber Interactive offers a simplified version in addition to a realistic mode in which every move must be correct. All you have to do is hold the empty weapon against your fanny pack to reload – a welcome relief in the heated battles. The rest is standard fare: secondary weapons sit on a customizable holster, primary weapons hang on the back, ammunition is in the waist belt, grenades end up in the breast pocket.
A little more feedback, please
The weapons look believably modeled, and the feel of the rifles and shotguns comes across well. What is lacking, however, are the zombies' hit reactions. There are a few splatter moments with flying body parts and fountains of blood. Overall, however, “World War Z VR” is quite tame for an 18+ zombie shooter.
(Image:Â Saber Interactive)
Shot undead often disintegrate very quickly and only react irregularly to hits. When we shoot into a piling crowd, it feels more like we're using a steam cleaner to clean the dirt off an old dump in “Power Wash Simulator VR.” The penetrating power of grenades could also be improved. Those who rely on area damage in situations with large groups of enemies will be amazed when the projectile turns into a sparkler and frees just a single undead from its suffering.
As the title can currently only be played in single-player mode, but fighting the hordes alone is hardly feasible, “World War Z VR” provides us with two computer-controlled companions. They work well in quiet moments but quickly reach their limits in large hordes: instead of positioning themselves at strategically important points, they often stand still in the middle of the crowd or react too late to attacks. The lack of a cooperative multiplayer mode is particularly noticeable if you are familiar with the main game released in 2019. There, team play was at the heart of the experience.
Light, shadows, and flat textures
The campaign consists of three missions that take you through New York, Tokyo, and Marseille. Each environment brings its challenges, such as narrow subway shafts or open spaces full of enemy movement. Graphically, the Quest version is in the lower mid-range and looks more like it was developed for the technically outdated Quest 2. Although the environments are varied, they often look dull and lacking in detail.
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Although the visual design rarely has an impact on the core game mechanics, immersion suffers when there are hardly any visual highlights. In the many dark sections at the beginning, it is also difficult to recognize enemies or find your bearings. Light sources are sparse, and there are hardly any atmospheric lighting effects. It looks a little better on the PC, but also falls far short of what would be technically possible.
There are also minor technical problems: sometimes the edge of the screen flickers, dead zombies float above the ground, or you clip through walls. Textures also look very flat in places. At least the frame rate remains stable even when there is a lot of movement, which is a positive surprise given the mass of enemies.
Interim conclusion: Much ado about nothing
“World War Z VR” wanted to stand out from the crowded genre of VR zombie shooters with all-out zombie hordes. Saber Interactive succeeded in this, but unfortunately nothing more. Even in the first few hours, the hectic zombie action starts to feel repetitive, and even in the quiet passages, the game weakens with monotonous and dull key and switch puzzles. Instead of a horror atmosphere and moments of shock, only the gigantic number of enemies provides excitement.
Those who enjoy fast-paced VR shooters and don't value tactical depth will get their money's worth in the almost six hours of gameplay. However, the game doesn't really shine. The technology is mixed, the controls are not always well thought out, mission objectives are boring, the AI is only of limited help, and the hit feedback is rather weak. There is also a lot of room for improvement graphically. The complete lack of a multiplayer mode is also likely to put many players off.
“World War Z VR” is now available for Meta Quest and SteamVR. The price is 20 euros. USK from 18.
(joe)
