Swarm | Oculus Quest Review

Over the past few years my favorite style of gaming has been Virtual Reality, granted it hasn’t been the same for everyone. I have been on the constant hunt for a game that would appeal to almost everyone and is a blast to play. Well, I think I have finally found an entry that, in my mind, could sell VR on its own. I present to you SWARM from the developers at Greensky Games. I have spent a large amount of time with a VR headset on and have played a wide variety of titles. So put on your headsets and let’s take a look at why SWARM might just be a game for you.

Let the Invasion Commence

First, SWARM has a fairly typical story of robots rising up and trying to destroy all of humanity. You as the player have been tasked with taking the fight to them and destroying the swarm of enemies. Though we have all heard similar stories for this type of game it works wonderfully. I will say overall, though, the story for me was just more of less a nice break in between chapters to kind of slow my brain down and relax for a moment. The story being told with comic style panels was also a fun little addition.

WHEEEEEEEEEE

Now for the gameplay. Each chapter of the game takes place in a differently themed arena, and you are swarmed with wave after wave of robot enemies. Each level in the chapter has a set of requirements to move on, whether it be to survive for a period of time or destroy a certain number of robots. There is a catch to all this mayhem: you can’t touch the ground. All movement around the level is done with grappling hooks on both of your arms. You have to grab onto platforms stationed above you around the level and use them to pull, launch, or stall yourself in the air. All the time you are doing this you also have to be firing your weapons to destroy the robot menace. It is fun, frenetic, and addicting as all get out.

Just Keep Shooting

As SWARM progresses, the enemies become faster and harder to deal with. So like any good game, new weapons and abilities are introduced to keep the play from getting stale. One of my personal favorites is a charge/zip ability to fire you across the map and smash into an enemy. It’s a crazy quick sensation that can also help get you out of some tight spots. Also my favorite weapon is a rocket launcher, because why wouldn’t you want one in a game like this?

SWARM does have one last little trick up its sleeve. At the end of each chapter is a boss fight and these are where SWARM gets insanely fun. Boss fights have been around forever in games, but in VR it is a trip to be staring down a giant robot and wonder how you’re going to survive. The battles are quite intense and on more than one occasion, I went back for a second helping to wreck them again. Each of the bosses has their own little quirks and are fun to pick apart in your quest to go further. If you can’t tell I am in love with this game because it checks all the right boxes.

You Will Be Challenged

I will say SWARM is a fun game, but it is not easy by any stretch of the imagination. There will be times that as a player you will get frustrated. But like so many Souls players tell me, it’s about finally figuring out how to overcome the obstacle. In SWARM it feels amazing when you take down that boss or achieve a higher score on replaying a level. Oh, did I forget to mention this game is also an arcade style score grab game as well? Well it is and you can, like days of the past, post a score for someone to try and beat. It is quite a feeling when you do put up an insane score and see just how far you’ve come.

Between the Lines, Becomes Clearer

I know many people also have issues with motion sickness and Greensky Games has thought of that as well. With some insane programming, the blurring effect when you move your head quickly in VR seems to have been lessened. I have played my fair share of shooters in VR and this comes out as one of the smoothest experiences. Also, since most of the levels are quick you can get in and out before the motion becomes too much for some. In the beginning, I did note a very slight hint of nausea playing this game, but it quickly went away and I became accustomed to the movements. Overall, it is a huge step in the right direction for everyone being able to enjoy VR.

Final Thoughts

SWARM caught my eye immediately when I first saw the trailer for it for one simple reason. It has such a nostalgic feel to it even with it being a modern game. SWARM feels like if you took Spider-Man and Galaga, smashed them together and then sprinkled in some elements of TRON or Star Wars for good measure. Being an 80’s kid SWARM is a dream made real for me in a sense. Growing up with the idea of good virtual reality has always been in the back of my mind since I was a kid growing up. The failures of the Virtual Boy and some of the early clunky VR arcade games always were a novelty but never a lasting thing. So, if you are looking for something fun and different to try for VR, give SWARM a shot. I think you will be blown away.

This review is based on an Oculus Quest copy of Swarm provided by Vicarious PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on Steam.