When I think of 2016’s Doom, I think fast movement and absolutely visceral action. And translating that to VR is no easy task. VR doesn’t usually go well with fast movement, and in your face action might actually be a recipe for nausea. However, Doom VFR is an incredible mix of everything that made the latest Doom great, giving story context to the VR setting and making excellent use of the platform.
Hell has never looked slicker, hotter or bloodier in VR as is does in Doom VFR. The shift to VR definitely comes at the cost of noticeable visual fidelity, especially on the PS4 where some pop-in can be distracting. However, this is still one of the best looking VR games you will play across platforms. The custom built levels are brilliantly designed keeping in mind the limitations of the hardware, and for the most part gives way to an extremely satisfying experience.
Movement and combat systems have been revamped – you move using a teleportation device, which slows time dows as you move, giving you time to aim. It’s a fairly simple gameplay mechanic, but puts you quickly in the rhythm of slaying hell demons. You can also quickly move out of the way of incoming bullets by using the buttons on the d-pad. You can play with the move controller or the dualshock controller on the PS4, and it doesn’t take too long to get the hang of getting around killing demons.
My only complain is the lack of a more hands-on Glory Kill animation, but for the most part all of the combat looks and feels just as good as in last years game. It’s bloody, and gloriously gory. The original arsenal of weapons make a return, and so do the enemies. They will feel really familiar, but using them in VR feels likes a whole new experience.
If you’re looking for a great shooter on VR, or even simply more Doom, then Doom VFR is an excellent choice. It’s great to see Bethesda’s support of VR platform so strongly. Taking the time to create a new combat and movement system for VR is definitely appreciable. The overall campaign is also fairly long – about 4-6 hours, and the action never lets up for a second.
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