Adventure games are really pushing the boundaries of VR so that the technology can be used in engaging ways.
Due to the sheer freedom that developers have, it’s really fun to see what VR games from the first-person adventure genre have to offer.
Today, we will discuss one such game known as The Assembly VR to see if it’s worth the hype or not.
The Assembly VR
The Assembly VR puts you in the shoes of two scientists part of an organization known as the Assembly. As you play through the game, the story takes many unexpected twists and turns that keep you engaged.
Alternate #1
Firewall Zero Hour
Firewall Zero Hour is a well-optimized online squad multiplayer game that you can pick from the Playstation Store. It’s very easy to get the hang of but difficult to master as you trudge through explosive battlefields and complete missions.
Alternate #2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
The VR version of the highly acclaimed video game is just as great as you would expect. The VR is well-optimized and provides you with a way to experience the magical world of Skyrim to the fullest.
Quick Summary of the Main Product
The Assembly VR is a first-person adventure game that is played from the perspectives of two different people within a fictional scientific facility.
The first protagonist is Madeleine Stone who is taking part in “trials” to determine whether she can be part of the facility or not. The second protagonist is Caleb Pearson, a veteran that has been working at the facility for some time.
While Stone’s sections are more gameplay-oriented, Pearson’s are the ones that are more engaging when it comes to the plot.
The two sections give a nice variation in gameplay as you delve deeper into what the facility is and what type of (possibly sinister) research they are conducting.
Features and Benefits
Can be Played In and Out of VR
One thing that’s notable about this game is the fact that it can be played inside and outside of VR.
This is something that’s quite welcome since oftentimes, the nausea and motion sickness that many people feel can be a subjective factor. Some people don’t feel at all in certain VR games whereas other people do in those same games.
So, when you play The Assembly VR, if you get to a section that causes you motion sickness, you can switch to the regular version and clear it with that.
Varied Gameplay
As mentioned earlier, the fact that you have two protagonists really works to the game’s benefit.
This is because the gameplay and overall tone of the game change dramatically as you shift between sections with these two characters.
This allows the game to stay fresh and keep you engaged as you switch back and forth between them.
Engaging Plot
When you first start playing this game, the scientific facility known as The Assembly seems like a benign research facility. However, as the plot unravels, you begin to understand that things are not as clear as they seem.
This results in a highly engaging story that keeps you on the edge of your seat as you traverse through the facility to figure out its secrets.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy The Assembly VR
Price
While we do feel that The Assembly VR should be a little cheaper, its price is not all that bad for a consumer. It’s cheaper than most games’ retail prices which is a good start.
User-Friendliness
The game is fairly simple to understand. If anything, we feel that the gameplay is not challenging enough and as you near the end, it can begin to seem like a chore because it’s so easy.
Nausea and Motion Sickness
We did feel nauseous at certain parts of the game. Examples of these parts are sections where you are transported in an elevator or are wheeled through the facility on a wheelchair.
However, as we mentioned earlier, this problem can be solved by just playing those parts outside of VR.
Pros and Cons
- Accurate tracking
- Fluid gameplay mechanics
- Can be played inside and outside of VR
- Easy to set up and play
- Reasonably priced
- Plot falls short of being something great
Social Proof
We wanted to see what others thought of the game so we checked out some online reviews for it.
Here’s what other people had to say about The Assembly VR:
Similar to The Assembly VR (Recommendations)
#1: Best Console Alternative - Firewall Zero Hour Review
Firewall Zero Hour is really one of those games that are testing the limits of VR when it comes to multiplayer games.
When VR first started to become more common, many people talked of the possibility of online squad-based multiplayer shooters in VR. That’s exactly what Firewall Zero Hour is.
You can join your buddies online on the PSN network to compete in matchmaking with ease.
The UI is streamlined to ensure that you find matches with relative ease. Not only that but the game mechanics are also quite fluid and well-optimized.
The game takes great advantage of the PS VR Aim-Rifle controller to provide you with an experience that is highly immersive and dynamic.
The missions are fun to do but extremely stressful and intense at the same time. The intensity of these missions is also something that plays a huge role in immersing you in the atmosphere of the battlefield.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy Firewall Zero Hour
Price: While it’s not the cheapest VR game out there, it’s certainly not expensive either. We definitely feel that Firewall Zero Hour’s price is justified when you look at the amount of value it provides you with.
User-friendliness: As we mentioned earlier, the menus are easy to navigate and it takes you very little time to find an online match to jump into. Furthermore, the gun physics and gameplay is also quite accurate and very satisfying to play.
Nausea and motion sickness: Very few players have reported nausea or motion sickness due to the nature of the movement inside of the game. However, it’s possible that you may feel sensory overload when you first boot it up since it’s a lot happening all at once.
- Accurate tracking
- Fluid gameplay mechanics
- Supports online matchmaking
- Easy to set up
- Affordable
- Only available on the Sony Playstation
Best Console Alternative
The best console alternative is Firewall Zero Hour thanks to its smooth gameplay mechanics, user-friendliness and reasonable price.
#2: Best Fantasy Alternative - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR Review
The Assembly VR paints a picture of a dystopian future while Firewall Zero Hour focuses more on the modern battlefield.
However, if you’re someone that wants to be transported to a mystical land, then The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR is definitely worth considering. This is something we would even recommend to players that have already played the regular version of the game.
Seeing dragons in all their glory in VR is really an experience that is highly unique and should be experienced by everyone.
When it comes to the core gameplay mechanics, they are still the same as the original game and work just as well. All the RPG elements are present and do much to keep you engaged as you progress through the story.
When it comes to the implementation of VR, some levels can seem a bit wonky. Some darker areas feel too dark whereas brighter outer areas can sometimes seem too bright.
However, these issues were few and far between and not necessarily enough to completely ruin the experience.
Factors to Consider Before you Decide to Buy The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
Price: We would’ve preferred if this version of the game was priced slightly lower than the full retail value since the game itself is quite old at this point. We do feel it’s overpriced but not to the point where it’s ridiculous.
If you can afford it, you should go for it. However, if you have money for just one VR game at the moment, you do have better options to spend that money on.
User-friendliness: If you haven’t played Skyrim before, it may take you some time to get used to all the RPG elements. However, they are fun to learn and do a lot to get you immersed in its world.
Nausea and motion sickness: You may experience some nausea when exploring dark dungeons and cave systems within Skyrim. Other than that, we didn’t really have any issues while testing it out.
- Fair amount of replayability value
- Tons of content to explore
- Engaging RPG elements
- Stunning visuals
- Great story
- Expensive
Best Fantasy Alternative
The best fantasy alternative is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR thanks to its engaging story, a complex RPG-style leveling system and immersive visuals.
Buyer’s Guide
Oftentimes when you buy a VR game or just any game in general, you can have a 50/50 chance of getting your money’s worth. Sometimes, the game itself is just not polished or good enough. Other times, the game may be well-made but it may just not be your kind of thing.
This is why it’s important to conduct thorough research before you buy any VR game because let’s face it, they can be pretty expensive. You certainly don’t want to spend a hefty chunk of money on a game that you won’t enjoy.
Luckily, there are some key factors that you can assess and take into account in order to determine whether a game is right for you or not.
These factors are:
Price
The price of the game is obviously something that you must consider and it’s something that all consumers do actively think about. You never want to overspend on a luxury item such as a VR game.
However, many people don’t understand how to assess the price of a VR game in correlation to the level of value that it provides.
Many uninformed consumers look at a $60 game and immediately dismiss it as being overpriced. However, while this may be the case sometimes, in other cases, this is totally untrue.
A $60 price tag for a game may be completely justified if you get lots of content with it that can keep you entertained for months or even years. This is true for online multiplayer games and community games that have content added to them constantly.
Hence, you should not immediately dismiss a game just because it seems pricey. It’s important to look at the level of value it provides to properly assess whether or not it’s overpriced.
Similarly, you may find many cheap VR games in the market that you think are a great deal. However, it’s true that many VR games out there are cheap simply because they don’t really have a whole lot to offer.
They might also be unpolished, and unfinished and end up causing you nausea or motion sickness.
Hence, assess what your budget is, assess the level of value that a certain game provides and then, base your decision on these variables.
User-Friendliness
If you think a clunky UI or frustrating controls are annoying in a regular video game, just imagine how much more frustrating they must be in VR.
VR is already a fairly clunky technology with all the wires, the positioning, and the big heavy device on your head. You don’t need an unpolished UI or unsatisfying controls to further sour the experience.
The best VR games out there are the ones that are highly polished to the point where you don’t even notice the controls. This is because they seem highly natural and like something that you’ve always been able to do.
They are extremely intuitive to get the hang of but at the same time, they may be difficult to master. This gives games a certain level of challenge.
To assess a game’s user-friendliness before you buy it, you can check out user reviews as well as gameplay footage on Youtube.
Nausea and Motion Sickness
Certain games may be unpolished to the point where the motion inside them as you explore the virtual world may seem highly unnatural. This unnatural movement can cause a ton of issues such as eye strain as well as nausea and motion sickness.
As you can probably imagine, motion sickness is something that can completely sour your VR experience. You may have to take a break and come back to it at a later time. If it continues to happen, then that means you can’t experience that game at all.
Some games may be well-polished but may still cause nausea and motion sickness purely because of their nature.
For example, some individuals may enjoy a VR rock climbing game but others who are afraid of heights may become nauseous when they experience it.
This is something that is subjective and thus, it’s something that you’ll have to figure out for yourself.
Again, it can be a good idea to check out user reviews and also gameplay footage of the game you intend to buy. This can give you great insight into whether or not it may cause you to become nauseous.
Genre
This is another subjective factor that you must think about and tackle on your own terms.
Not everyone likes the same kinds of games. This is especially true when it comes to VR games.
Some people may like calming, meditative experiences such as the psychedelic landscapes of Tripp VR. On the other hand, others may like visceral, horrifying experiences such as the dread and terror of Resident Evil VII: Biohazard VR.
It’s all about figuring out what you enjoy and then seeking out the VR games that fit into that category.
Obviously, you must conduct thorough research into a certain VR game to figure out what type of game it is. Only then can you make an informed decision on whether or not you’ll enjoy it and whether or not you should buy it.
You have no one to blame but yourself if you buy a game that’s of a genre or gameplay type that you don’t enjoy in general.
Fun Factor
Even if a game is from a genre that you enjoy, it still needs to have fun and engaging gameplay mechanics to keep you entertained.
Why do we play games? To have fun, right? Sadly, not all developers have the competence to develop VR games that are consistently engaging and entertaining.
Some unpolished cash grabs can be so embarrassing that they feature monotonous, repetitive gameplay that nobody could enjoy. This is, again, something that you must figure out through thorough research on a game.
User reviews and gameplay footage can also help you figure this one out.
You may find reviews where people say that a game is enjoyable but when you look at the footage, you may find that it’s not something that you would have fun with.
Hence, it’s important to conduct such research before you make a purchase to make sure that a game will offer an experience that will be valuable to you.
Wrapping Things Up
That’s it for our The Assembly VR review.
Ultimately, it’s definitely a decision that should be based on whether or not you enjoy this type of game or not. The Assembly VR is not an action-packed shooter but rather a slow-burn investigative story.
If that’s something that tickles your fancy, be sure to pick this one up.
What do you think of the Assembly VR? Let us know in the comments section below.