Review of Alien Rogue Incursion VR Rating *****
Before purchasing any VR title, I like to read reviews from actual users. When this title first came out, I saw numerous negative reviews from people calling it ‘woke’ or asking for their money back because the main character is a black female. WTF? What rock did they climb out from under? I’m not going to play a VR game because it has a black character. That’s nuts. This is a top-tier VR game from start to finish.
The graphics in this game are as good as any Alien set in any of the Alien movies. The attention to detail is evident throughout. From the blowing snow outside to the mist and electrical sparks inside the mammoth, multi-level alien planet outpost, you will feel like you are there. You won’t have to wait very long after starting the game before your first alien encounter. You’re clued in to when the aliens might appear by the music and the sound of aliens scurrying around in the snow or through the rafters and ducting inside. You do have an alien finder radar apparatus on your left arm that works just like the ones in the movies, but I didn’t rely on that very often. I was too busy looking in all directions for the next attack. As you might expect, the further along in the game you get, the more aliens you will have to contend with. I’ve died a thousand deaths in VR games, but none have been as graphic as death by alien. You can almost feel them reaching into your chest and ripping your heart out. You also get an up-close and personal view of this.
If you ever get stuck and are unsure of what to do next, pull out the data pad. Your next move will be listed under objectives. I resorted to this many times. It is a subtle hint system that helps you get through roadblocks. The data pad also contains a movable map of interior spaces. It’s useful but lacking the one feature that would have made the map so much better: labels. The most time-consuming and frustrating aspect of the game is trying to find your way through the labyrinthine outpost. Where was that damn elevator again?
When it comes to puzzle solving, they are mostly related to redirecting electrical wires in various electrical panels throughout the interior. You also have to navigate to various locations, sometimes resorting to climbing and crawling through ductwork systems. If you come to a door that says ‘blocked’, you more than likely need to use a tool that burns away previous welding work on the door. If it says, ‘low power,’ you might be able to open the door after redirecting the wiring. Here is an important tip. Learn to recognize where the panic rooms are. This is where you dock the data pad and save your progress in the game. If you don’t find a panic room and dock the data pad, you might have to redo a very long sequence.
It took me 50 hours to complete the game. I only resorted to watching a walkthrough video for some parts of the last few hours. The final battle with the queen (or king) alien was intense. I’m sure I spent six-plus hours on this one part. I gave this title five stars out of five. My computer is three years old: I9, 62G Ram, HP G2 Reverb headset, Nvidia 3090t.