It has been a long dream of the everyday gamer to hold a bow and arrow inside of a game. With Tomb Raider and Crysis 3 playing into the hearts of these gamers, we saw the true marvel of a completely stealthy long range kill. Although, you could also use Crysis 3’s arrows to blow things up, so not entirely stealthy but nonetheless enjoyable. Now, with the rebirth of Virtual Reality, we can hold the bow and arrow in our virtual hands with Holopoint.
What is Holopoint?
Holopoint is a game where you are given access to a bow and arrow, with which you must defend yourself against an onslaught of different enemies. These enemies include block targets, ninjas, samurai, possessed demons, and a long list of other enemies. They come at you from every direction inside of the dojo and you must let loose your own personal volley of arrows to fend them off. Like many of the Virtual Reality games out right now, there’s not much of a story and it’s more about taking advantage of the virtual reality.
Graphics and Visuals Score 2/5
The graphics of the game are not bad, but not impressive either considering the enemies that you face come as holograms and not well shaped virtual models. There’s only two locations available in the game and you will quickly see the same enemies over and over. That is not to say the game isn’t great, but it definitely isn’t there to impress you with its’ graphical detail.
Hardware Requirements Score 3/5
The hardware requirements are standard compared to other virtual reality games out on the market. However, you do need to have Windows 10 in order to play this game and it is not compatible with previous Windows versions. You will need 8GB of RAM and a NVIDIA GTX 970 at the bare minimum to play this game.
Fitness Score 4/5
The fitness action is where this game truly shows its color because it pushes you to the max. The store page of the game provides a warning that you should take breaks because the game can become too intense to handle at some points. In many of the comments, the game is said to be like a training ground for the Hunger Games. While the list of opponents does become routine, the way they come at you is randomized. The block stands in the air for a moment, until you break it, and then it flies at you. Samurai come out of random corners and charge directly at you. The possessed demons will quickly fly around the room, while other enemies attack you, and send fireballs in your direction. Lastly, ninjas will drop from the ceiling directly in front or behind you. This combination of different enemies provides the player with a daunting and overwhelming amount of physical feats that must be achieved in order to survive holopoint.
Gameplay Score 4/5
Unlike most of the games out there, holopoint is not about how pretty the environment looks or how realistic the enemies are, but more about how stressful the environment can get. It truly capitalizes on the features of virtual reality by making the enemies attack you from every direction and limiting you to the bow and arrow. You may have to restart the game a few times and recalibrate your system in order to get the game to work correctly, but the game is acceptable for only $14.99.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1mIf238o90
Overall Score 3/5
While it may not be the most impressive in its category, and there’s certainly more to be added to the game, it does show the Virtual Reality audience more avenues that can be explored. This game shouldn’t be bought under the premise of wanting an entertaining story, but an entertaining workout. This game is definitely not the best, but it’s a great start.
-Tommy Mertell
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Uhh what VR game is more tiring than Holopoint?