Archery RED Review (PC VR)

I hate to be that person, but I’m just going to come out and say it: Superhot VR, in spite of its barebones design and oversimplified mechanics, isn’t exactly on the verge of fizzling out. I say that, because when all’s said and done, even with the vast amount of replicas that stem from an almost identical root, we still vert back to the same place. There’s a certain level of comfort in its transparency, it seems, and even now, in the midst of a brand-new wave of clones, it still feels almost impossible to let the bullets and heat signatures fall through the cracks of our fingers. Alas, there is indeed a new installment in this particular spectrum, and it appears to be bringing all of the same trappings as the aforementioned cult classic, only with a fresh twist. And yes, I’m talking about Archery RED.

Ah yes, Archery RED — a virtual reality game that quite literally needs no formal introduction, for it is exactly what it describes itself as: a first-person arrow-centric shooter that conveniently centers its entire premise around—you guessed it—the art of archery and the likes. Think Superhot, right down to its erratic heat signature-like opponents and Mirror’s Edge setting, and you’ll have a vague idea of what we’re getting at. That is, at least to the best of our ability, how we are able to describe it: a crimson slice of archery on a virtual reality platter.

Archery RED has only just shed its first skin, and so, whilst we are able to comment on several of its core gameplay features and modes, we won’t be able to capture the heart of the game until the necessary adjustments have been made. Still here? Then let’s press on.

Crimson Arrows

Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room here: Archery RED looks an awful lot like Superhot — and for good reason. In a bit to capitalize on the game’s successes, Archery RED makes an attempt to reignite a lot of the same wicks—an act that not only translates into an instantly recognizable crimson and diamond white art design, but also a leveling structure that depicts an eagle-eyed protagonist waging war against robotic heat signatures in a high-octane environment. The only major difference here, of course, is its chosen weapon—the bow, a timeless bit of kit that, under the right circumstances, can be irresistibly dangerous to wield, though perhaps as equally as deadly as a traditional ranged weapon, doubly so in the hands of the right archer.

Archery RED doesn’t feature a storyline as such, but rather, a collection of mismatched levels and beats, with each one containing a slew of obstacles to sift through, as well as a collection of enemies to plaster with a volley of precision arrows. Aside from the fairly generic tapestry of missions, the game also features an endless mode—a mode that allows you to knuckle in on a mouth-watering high score over an indefinite period of time, and essentially obtain a spot on the leaderboard to secure a rightful spot on the throne. But that’s about it as far as content goes, and so, while it does wager a relatively hearty collection of levels, it doesn’t provide much depth by way of implementing any plot points or overarching themes. And that’s, you know, fine.

Arrows A-Plenty

The good news here is that, while there isn’t a huge amount of diversity in the gameplay itself, the actual process of whittling down enemies with a bow can be rather satisfying — more so when you’re able to hone your skills and execute a shot that doesn’t feel like a fluke. Granted, I did manage to weave a few fluke shots together during my time behind the bow, but that didn’t prevent me from wanting to learn how to develop a firmer understanding of how a mediocre shot could transition into something a little more, shall we say, spectacular. And in time, that thirst for knowledge did in fact come to pass, after which the general process of working through the stages became a lot easier, regardless of the stage, quantity of enemies, or victory conditions.

It’s an early access game, and so, naturally, there’s still a fair amount of work that needs to be done before it can ascend to its optimal state. For the time being, however, there’s still a sufficient amount to enjoy, and it helps, too, that there are several incentives for those who are willing to shovel a few hours into it—a leaderboard, being the standout feature of the bunch, for sure. Could it do with a little extra depth in its gameplay and storyline department? In ways, yes, but then, if Superhot was able to achieve all of the same goals without the inclusion of either of these things, then honestly, there’s nothing to say that Archery RED can’t amount to the same success, either. Point is, it’s still too early to call it, so we’ll have to wait and see, really.

Praise the Bow

As with any game that employs a basic one-tone design, Archery RED is unfortunately somewhat uninspired when it comes to level layouts and targets. There aren’t all that many levels, to begin with—31 stages, with the added bonus of an endless mode, from what I counted—which means, if you’re one for romping through VR games in a single sitting, then there’s a good chance that you’ll cope just fine with this one — motion sickness taken into account, of course. Truthfully, though, there isn’t a great deal to keep you on your toes beyond the initial batch of stages; the levels do increase in difficulty, for sure, but other than that, there just isn’t much to write home about, what with each chapter containing the exact same enemies and diamond white backdrops.

I’m on the fence with this one, to be honest. On the one hand, I do believe that Archery RED has a satisfying gameplay loop that could be all the more enjoyable by implementing a slew of fresh enemies or locales. With that said, for $10, I can’t help but feel as if it isn’t quite worth the price of admission — at least in its current state. Don’t get me wrong, the addition of an endless mode and global leaderboard does add a little extra flavor to the blueprint, but honestly, that’s about it. In other words, there just isn’t a great deal of replay value here, which begs me to question: is it worth holding out for a few more months, at least until the devs have ironed over the last-remaining creases and created a product that’s, if not more fleshed out, then a little more engaging? Perhaps.

Verdict

Archery RED sports a blueprint that’s entirely recognizable due to its chosen art style and gameplay mechanics — and that’s fine; imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all that jazz. The question is, does it execute it as well as its chosen source? Honestly, I’m on the fence with it, as I can just about commentate the fluidity of the design, but at the same time, also feel the need to compare each and every one of its aspects to that of another, slightly more prestigious piece of art. It isn’t an original game, is what I’m saying, and so, while I can celebrate several of its features and modes, I still find myself thinking about how Superhot VR was able to do certain things with a little more style and grace. Still, that sort of reception was set in stone the moment it chose to replicate its adversary.

For a VR shooter, you could definitely do a lot worse than Archery VR, and to give credit where it’s due, there are some good bones to pick at here. Sure, it’s a little repetitive and not to mention unmistakably similar to a whole bunch of other projects, but the fact that it works, and that it provides a generous amount of in-game incentives and stylish executions does, in all fairness, counter the lack of originality. Is it the best VR game I’ve ever had the opportunity to play? Not by a long shot, no — but I can see that there’s a beating heart embedded between the crags and crevices of its blueprint, so again, I’m all for singing its praises, if only in bite-sized verses and between lengthier sessions spent in alternate realities.