Swords of Gargantua | Oculus Quest Review

June 24, 2019 Chris Behrensmeyer

Have you always wanted to be a sword fighter combating against waves of enemies? Do you own an Oculus Quest? Then perhaps I have come across a game that may pique your interest. Enter Swords of Gargantua, a first person action adventure from the developers at Yomuneco, Inc. At first glance, I was enthralled with the idea of a good old fashioned sword-and-board romp. The idea of being a fighter in the veins of Dungeons and Dragons was going to be a winner in my eyes. Let’s dive in and see if this is a game that you should add to your VR library.

An Arena of Potential

Swords of Gargantua is fairly simple idea. At the game’s core, it is a VR action game set in a world where the people are being wiped out by a race of giants. These giants are controlled by a leader known as the Gargantua. It is your duty to assist a god-like being in fighting back and destroying them to save your people. You can do this on your own or in a multi-player format online with others.

Your character is equipped with a sword in the very beginning of the game. As you progress, you’ll unlock different melee weapons as well. If you’re a fan of more blunt weapons, such as a mace, don’t fret. The developers have packed plenty of weapons for you to unlock and then smash, slice or pierce the baddies.

Each level is a wave of enemies that spawn into the room for you to defeat. There are various enemies from smaller faster fighters to large hulking behemoths that can destroy you with only a couple hits. Each wave takes place in a fairly generic room that has four pedestals that spawn weapons or a shield. You can pick these up and use them to your advantage or use the pedestals as a way to slow down your opponent. As the enemies pour into each level, one thing becomes quickly apparent. Every level takes place in the same room with a different combination of enemies. As you hit the enemies or block their attacks, a green circle appears as a guide to let you know “hit here for more damage.”

Up Your Arsenal

The weapons and shield in Gargantua feel authentic in their own right in the VR world. A small sword does less damage, but is quick. A mace feels like it packs a little more punch, but swings slower. When you land a blow on an enemy, the weapon does not pass through them but will stop, giving the mental sensation that there is something tangible to strike in your eyes. The more you use your weapon, it also becomes dull and deals less damage. You can sheath it, though, which slowly recharges it. The shield is also a wonderful addition, letting you block and deflect enemy attacks to help discover openings in their defense. One of the more fun elements I came across is the ability to pick up the other weapons in the room and then throw them, inflicting damage as well.

Each level also has a checklist of objectives you can complete as you plod along. One challenges you to keep from taking damage, and another requires you to defeat an enemy with a certain weapon. Completionists will find this added challenge to be very welcome. You’re rewarded with tokens that allow you to unlock more weapons at a faster rate.

Sword and Bored

The game is entertaining in the sense you’ll feel like a warrior, but like all games, it is not without some flaws. I have been playing for some time now, and I am more than a little off-put that the environment never changes. So far every battle has taken place in the same room, with no changes to even the pedestal layout. The story is just a couple cutscenes in the beginning, and after five hours of gameplay there has been no further developments.

However, the biggest concern with this game is the lack of competent AI in the enemy fighters. I have on multiple occasions had four plus enemies in the room and was able to guide them around the room. At no point in time did I feel in danger. I was able to just pick up weapons on the floor and casually throw them at the enemies whittling them down. In my opinion I would have like to see the group split up and force me to engage.

Swords of Garguatua Final Verdict

Overall, Swords of Gargantua is a great concept for a game, even though it seems like I am being harsh. The art style is enjoyable to look at, and the enemy’s armor is fairly well-designed. I feel that this game has the potential to be a great VR game, but it definitely needs some updates. More variety to the room and some tweaking to the enemies AI tactics would go a long way with helping grow the fan base. I would love to recommend this game to other players, but at this time I would say hold off for a sale unless it receives some more love from the developers. If you are a fan of combat style games as well as a die-hard VR enthusiast like me, though, this entry into VR provides a fairly decent challenge.