Since DOOM‘s reboot last year, it was probably the best first-person shooter I have ever played since Darkwatch on the PS2. Playing DOOM on virtual reality (VR) seemed to be a dream come true. But did the game live up to expectations? That’s the question there. There are bits of interesting new stuff that isn’t in the original 2016 reboot.
DOOM VFR might not be the perfect VR experience, but it’s one addictive and entertaining VR game.
Platform Reviewed: PSVR (PS4 Pro)
Platforms Available: PSVR, HTC Vive
Publisher: Bethesda
Developer: id Software
Release Date: December 1, 2017
MSRP: $29.99
This review is based on a review copy provided by Bethesda.
When we tackle about the story, you’re not Doomguy, the feared demon slayer of hell, but someone who’s mind and memory transferred to a mechanical body after getting killed by a Pinky Demon from hell in Mars. It might not be a compelling 3-hour killing spree adventure, but it’s the gameplay that makes up for everything.
What makes DOOM VFR a decent VR game is not because of its 3 to 4 hours story, but it’s the experience you get when you blow up demons into bits of pieces. You have three ways to play the game and that’s by using the PlayStation Aim controller, the PS Moves, or the DualShock 4 (DS4) controller. Each has its own unique take, but I will be leaving out PlayStation Aim since I don’t own one yet.
When you play with PS Move controllers, the main movement is simply by teleporting (or dashing) as what we experience in most VR games – especially on Skyrim VR. It feels more authentic when you use the PS Moves as wielding big ass weapons can make you one unstoppable badass killing machine. When you start gunning down demons with a shotgun, it gets even more satisfying when you weaken enemies and ripping them apart by teleporting to them. The PS Moves can take some time in getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you’re in for a ride to hell buddy.
If you don’t own the new Aim controller and the PS Moves, then the only choice you have is the standard PS4 DualShock 4 controller route for controls. This is when everything gets pretty fast. Unlike the PS Move, the movement is pretty much your regular first-person shooter with a VR-feature switch turned on. And the motion sickness kicks in almost an hour of play which makes the PS Move the best way to play DOOM VFR if you can’t take the dizzying feeling.
DOOM VFR didn’t miss out on the things what makes it a DOOM game. There are secret rooms or labs to discover, lots of collectibles to get, better upgrades, and portals for you to jump in to take on challenges. When it comes to content, DOOM VFR didn’t disappoint even if it’s a 3 to 4-hour hellish ride.
Visually, playing DOOM VFR on my newly bought PlayStation 4 Pro (PS4 Pro) gave a little boost when it comes to resolution. It’s particularly sharp compared to the OG PS4 and the PS4 Slim. Some environment textures are clear, but the blurriness still exists at some places in the game. While the graphics is not significantly better on the PS4 Pro, a game like DOOM VFR is best played on the upgraded console.
DOOM VFR provides loads of fun factor. Although it is not a perfect virtual reality iteration of DOOM as it does have its own minimal flaws, DOOM VFR is still a nice experience leaving me satisfied after I climbed out from the virtual world of Hell.
