The Climb | Oculus Quest Review
Let’s just get this out of the way: first and foremost, I love virtual reality. The idea behind strapping on a headset and thrusting yourself into a world or an experience is amazing. For people who may never have the chance or ability to overcome certain fears, virtual reality provides the opportunity for that to happen. The Climb from Crytek is quite possibly one of the best reasons to get into VR, especially for people with the fear of heights. Let’s grab hold and take a deeper look into why this is a must-own for anyone with access to virtual reality.
A Sight To Behold
At first glance, The Climb is an almost perfect blend of visuals and concept for a VR game. It’s a simple game; you are a climber with the simple task of scaling the mountains or rock formations in front of you. With nothing but your hands and your wits, you have the ability to do what seems like impossible feats for most ordinary people. As you progress along the path before you, the game places you in an almost zen like state. Even as the difficulty increases, you build a level of confidence that makes you feel amazing. This is quite a feat considering the entire goal of the game is simply to climb to the top of each area.
The game is broken down into multiple areas: the Bay, the Canyon, and the Alps. Each of the areas is broken down into three increasing difficulties with new challenges at each turn. If you make it through those each area also has two additional unlockable levels that really crank up the difficulty as well. The Climb does a very good job at simulating the different hand holds that a real life climber would come across in a real setting. From full hand grip to precise technical grips, the people at Crytek went all out designing this game. Some grips even have poisonous plants that drain your energy or break apart if you stay in one place for more than a few seconds. This forces you to keep the game constantly moving forward.
Don’t Get Winded
As you climb a meter on your wrist shows your energy, and a wristwatch shows your heartbeat. You, as the climber, have to manage both as you climb or risk losing your grip and falling. Keeping both of your hands on grips at the same stops your energy from falling, but the moment you release one, your energy drains quickly. Another way to slow down the loss is to chalk your hands to keep them dry. The Climb also uses pressure sensitive grip holds to reduce fatigue, which is just another added real life simulation.
The Climb also has quite a few cosmetic unlockables to gain as you progress. These are acquired through a series of challenges for overall feats in each area as well. From things like climbing a certain height or falling a certain distance, there are plenty to keep you busy for quite some time. The game also has some hidden items to find like a little spaceship or hidden personal cameras. I am honestly amazed at how much replay such a small game has to offer.
Even Sometimes We Lose Grip
The Climb does have a few faults that come to light. The biggest is that the game itself is very short. The game only comes with three main areas and a couple additional unlockable ones. It’s not much to go on. However, with a game like this one, it is ripe for future DLC.
Some players may also be turned off by not being able to skill up their avatar, such as being able to lengthen their grip strength or jumping ability. Also, the speed at which you lose your grip in the game can be frustrating at times. I find this a win for the game, because it forces you to manage with what you do have. One last thing is the game is very vertigo inducing. While I enjoy The Climb’s ability to make me feel like I am high up on a cliff edge, a select few may not.
I feel that Crytek has produced a wonderful climbing simulator for those willing to take up the challenge. With many breathtaking visuals, a multitude of challenges, and lifelike feel, I think that the developers have created something very beautiful. Having gone rock climbing in real life, The Climb was able to bring back many wonderful memories. I believe with VR ever advancing forward, games like this are not only a must have, but something that needs to be shared with people who have yet to come across a good VR experience.
This review is based on an Oculus Quest copy of The Climb provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on the Oculus Rift.
The Climb
$29.99
Pros
- Beautiful scenery
- Fun Challenges
- Realistic Feel
Cons
- Limited Variety
- Acrophobics Beware
