Arken Age Review – Step Into the Future of VR

Arken Age Review

The landscape of Virtual Reality is undergoing a significant transformation. After years of refining control schemes and technological advancements, the medium has reached new heights. Developers are now crafting expansive, richly detailed worlds that emphasize interactivity, deepening immersion like never before. Arken Age, a sci-fi adventure from VitruviusVR, leverages these innovations to deliver an enthralling journey that exemplifies the potential of modern VR gaming.

Set in the distant future, in the stunning world of the Bio-Chasm, you take on the role of the Untethered One. After communication with its creator, The Grand Arborist, suddenly stops, you must explore the luscious green environment to learn about the mysteries within. Upon arrival, you discover that the land is corrupted with hostile robots and much more making traversal dangerous. With peace at the forefront, you set out on an adventure to unravel the truth behind Bio-Chasm’s decay, restoring harmony to its once-thriving ecosystem. Although the premise is intriguing, the delivery of its narrative lacks the same appeal. With most of the events being detailed through data logs, it is easy to overlook the story in favor of its delicious gameplay loop.

In Your Hands

Arken Age takes advantage of the platform, with its focus on interactivity and its tactile approach to gameplay. Everything you do, even down to scrolling through menus, is via an action that instantly anchors you in the world. Weapons are located across your body, allowing for quick and seamless transitions from one item to another and reloading can be achieved in several ways to suit the situation. Another unique feature is the manner in which you equip your climbing axes. Rather than pulling up a radial menu, you simply flick your wrist. Although simple, it’s these small details that truly help to further immerse you in the adventure and allow the game to rise above its peers.

With a ton of mods to customize your weapons, there are a range of options for how you approach enemies. From melee-focused weaponry such as swords and axes to range-based offense like rifles and bows, your arsenal allows you to adapt your combat style to suit any situation, whether you prefer getting up close and personal or picking off foes from a distance. Each weapon feels great, thanks to the incredible implementation of haptic feedback. Whether parrying a strike or absorbing the recoil of a shot, you feel the reverberation, deepening your immersion in the adventure.

Take Your Shot

Enemies vary, with some wielding shields that force you to target specific weak points to gain the upper hand. Grabbing your sword and brutally severing an opponent’s leg before finishing them with a visceral blow feels incredibly satisfying. However, a single approach won’t cut it. The variety of enemies demands adaptability, requiring you to switch seamlessly between melee and ranged attacks to survive. Bosses build on this ethos with multiple stages that test your reaction and This dynamic combat system rivals the best in VR to date.

With full locomotion, you can run, jump, climb, and more, offering a sense of freedom as you explore and uncover hidden secrets. The environments boast impressive verticality, allowing you to scale obstacles, leap between ledges, and even dive below the surface. As you discover rare loot, items, and blueprints, you can use them to purchase gear and upgrade your weapons. A particularly nice touch is the customization system. Not only can you enhance your weapons with new features, but you can also personalize them with custom paint jobs. These mechanics combine to add a thrilling sense of adventure, though players prone to motion sickness may find certain aspects of the movement challenging.

Missions are quite basic, requiring you to either clear an environment of hostile enemies or collect an item. Although objectives are straightforward, they allow you to make the most of the solid mechanics. At times you may need to venture between maps to complete your mission which does include a small loading screen. However, you can quickly get around the world with the use of teleportation pods which make backtracking simple.

A Sight For Sore Eyes

Each area and location looks stunning. On the PSVR 2, everything is crisp with a delicious level of detail which entices you to search every nook and cranny. Backed with a synth-focused Sci-Fi-inspired soundtrack, the overall presentation is remarkable and helps to further elevate itself above the simplistic, minimal design often seen in many VR titles.

Arken Age delivers an incredibly immersive adventure through its exceptional tactile gameplay. Every aspect of the game is built around this core philosophy, quickly grounding you in its world. With a diverse arsenal and unparalleled freedom of traversal, it offers the kind of complete experience VR gamers have long been craving. While it may not prioritize storytelling, it remains an essential title for VR enthusiasts.

***A PSVR 2 code was provided by the publisher***