Sairento is one of my favorite shooters in VR. Movement is fun and dynamic, but the gameplay allows me to get physical and really feel like a ninja. I can crouch and move and bend as I soar through the air and slice my way toward my goals.
New updates have given the game a bit of new life, and offer players reasons to dive in at least once a day.
New Ways to Increase Intensity
The most significant change for fitness enthusiasts is the addition of Gauntlet/Endless modes. I was able to get quite far staying active and managed to work up a small sweat in the game. Endurance is endless Survival, or a timed-based onslaught like the kind you’re probably used to from games like Holopoint. Gauntlet is infinite Purge, or Sairento’s equivalent of clear the bad guys off the map.
There’s a new currency called “Intel” which can be used to improve the potential for rewards by changing what stores have in stock. Additionally, you can earn more rewards by achieving specific tiers in endless. I’ll talk more about strategies and fitness hacks in a moment.
New Motion System
Small changes to the motion system may be valuable to new players, or those with limited space. The game has a slow-motion function known, paradoxically, as “acceleration.” This new change triggers that function every time you attempt to move. It’s now easier to stop and make better decisions about where to go and how to attack.
There is also a room rotation system that allows players to quickly adjust their orientation based on the center of their room. I use this in games like Virtual Boxing League to center my screen, but Sairento moves too fast for me to get much use from this feature. Perhaps those with limited space will find it useful.
New Items and Loot
The early game is fun for a short while before it becomes a bit of a grind. Those who stick with it unlock awesome weapons and relics that help make the game feel like less of a grind. The ones most impactful are relics that improve your slow-motion abilities, and items that force enemies to drop “Intel” currencies.
There are now daily rewards and lock boxes as well. Don’t worry; I don’t see the game showing signs of pay to win. These lockboxes contain some relics that offer minor boosts and stat changes that add up when paired with others of similar values.
Fitness Potential and Hacks
Sairento is all about being a cool cyber ninja, and cyber ninjas don’t sneak they move fast. Use wall running and high dives to come up over the tops of enemies. I opt almost exclusively for two swords because melee works my shoulders and gets my cardio going. I also optimize my room scale so I can step, fight, and dodge before teleporting to the next location.
Wait for enemies to bunch up, then jump in the center of them to do some cool guy ninja stuff. Get your heart rate up, slice up some bad guys, retreat to the walls and repeat. You can survive in the gauntlet for a long time if you are well equipped.
Sairento can be a medium intensity workout with a weighted vest and a lower squat height to slide. Set the hand height as low as you’re comfortable, then do squats every time your ninja jumps.
Final Thoughts
Sairento is a pretty solid VR title that is both fun to show off and fun to play. Over time, I’ve spent less lengthy sessions in the game, but it’s always fun to complete a few missions before moving on to my next VR experience.
The endless mode changes some of my engagement with the game, and I will find more time to work it into my routine. It’s becoming a lighter intensity experience as I get more in shape, but it’s also quite enjoyable. I can’t resist finding new items and trying to optimize for damage or mobility. I also appreciate the squat workout I get when I use the slide technique, which auto-enables slow motion for some elegant effects.
