Axe Throw is one of the only games in virtual reality that incorporates axe throwing, and it is a shame there isn’t more. The idea is perfect for virtual reality, as there is no need for movement on the feet, and requires completely on your hand, wrist, and arm movement. This is what controllers live for, and this game is perfect for a virtual reality headset. Especially with a cheap price point compared to many other virtual games, this is a perfect solution to satisfy all of your daily axing needs.
In the the game Axe Throw VR, you are going to have a few different options to throw the axes. In this in-depth game review, we will be covering all of the information you need to get from this game before you commit to spending a small $6 on it. This game isn’t perfect in any measurement, but it definitely feels like a perfectly fun game if you convince yourself to stay inside of it.
Getting Up and Running
This game is another small title, only taking up 500 MB on your computer. Because of the small download size, cheap price, and even being on Viveport Infinity, this game is perfect to clear up a little space for. Even just watching the video and seeing the pictures responsible for advertising the game, you know that the idea and concept is very simple, but it is going to be executed very well.
If you choose to get this game through the Steam Store, you are going to need to choose your download file. The game will likely be done downloading before you even try to name a location for it, so it is best to let your computer choose the local file for it in the short time it is downloading. If you get this app through Viveport, it will download directly in the app and you can launch VR through there. We have found that to be incredibly effective, fast, and useful while trying to get in and out of virtual reality often.
Type of Game
This game is categorized in two different areas, and they couldn’t be more contradicting. They are action and casual, compete opposites. If you choose to do target practice or arcade, this game is as casual as it gets. There isn’t anything more terrifying than a zombie with an axe chasing you. It gets even more scary when you go into “hard” mode and you can’t block the zombies axe and you have to dodge it. If you are looking for the casual side of the game, stay away from all zombies.
Axe throwing isn’t necessarily a real sport, but it certainly feels that way when you are playing inside of virtual reality. This game even notes in the main menu that if you go into hard mode for the zombies, you are sure to get a good workout in. You clearly won’t have the added weight of axe throwing in virtual reality that you get in real life, but you certainly will start to feel it in your arms if you are inside of this game for just a few long minutes.
This game doesn’t feature any gameplay that is exclusive to one type of game, as it covers plenty of ground on its own. It is an impressive game, so let’s dive into the different areas of the game and see how it is going to score.
Player Perspective
Most virtual reality games are in the first-person format, and that doesn’t change here with the axe throwing game from PsychicParrot. You aren’t a human in this game though, unless you know a number of humans with abnormally large green hands. So our theory is that you are either The Hulk in a post-apocalyptic world, or you are a zombie. Chances are you are a zombie, but a different color from the rest, but we don’t mind the Hulk idea. You see your hands in this game, and where your feet should be, but nothing else. This is the classic first person you are going to find inside of any VR game.
Theme and Story – Score: 6/10
There is no story in this game, but the theme is strong and prominent. You are in either a medieval time frame or a dungeon deep in the depths of Germany in modern day. The menu is in a stone basement, which shares the setting with the practice mode as well as the arcade mode. The Zombie Mode is located above the ground at a graveyard, so the theme sticks. The score will reflect the lack of story, but the theme sticks in your head enough to carry some weight in this area.
Controls – Score: 5/10
Outside of the menu, this game has one control. You grab the ax from your back and release it to throw it. It is important to note that we played this game on the Valve Index with 2.0 Base Trackers, so we were covered head to toe in tracking. If you are going to play this game on the Rift S or the Cosmos, headsets with inside-out tracking, you will be having a hard time having the controls being tracked all the way to the back of your head. It is something that is given up with that style of tracking, but the simple controls in this game make it easy for every controller and headset to thrive with this game. The controls were simple and easy, but the lack of variety and the exclusiveness of grabbing your ax with an inside-out style headset is going to knock the score down.
Music and Sound – Score: 6/10
There is no music in this game, but I wish there was for the arcade and practice mode. Inside of the zombie mode, there is no room to even focus on any music. The sound effects are incredibly important to know where the zombies are spawning from, so listening carefully takes the need for music away. We had background music playing while we were in the arcade and practice mode, but it had to be silenced while we were taking down the zombies at the graveyard.
Player Movement – Score: 7/10
There was no movement engine in this game, and that is the way it should be. Although the score will slightly be dinged for not incorporating one, there was no real need for it. You are only standing when you are practicing your axe throwing and in arcade, and adding movement to the zombie mode would’ve made it far too difficult. You see where your feet should go, but that is it. You can dodge the axes with your head, but that is embedded in the game and not really made by the developer. When you threw the axes in the game, they seemed to be represented a little lighter in the game as in real life. Obviously we don’t expect the controller to gain weight, but we certainly don’t expect the axe to gain velocity and height as it gets further away from us.
Kinetosis – Score: 8/10
This game doesn’t make you feel sick in the slightest. You could strap this on a 10 year-old kid with no experience with dealing with motion sickness and he would never say he felt sick. The developer of this game did a fantastic job of making sure this game wasn’t going to be one that you hoped to forget about. Even though it won’t have a long life in your library, it is still fun for the time you have it.
Environment and Immersion – Score: 7/10
The itself was tough to get used to at the start, but it was manageable to the point of great immersion. During the zombie modes, I was fully convinced I was in a life or death situation. The game had realist sounds for what the axes would sound like. For someone that has some experience ax throwing, this simulation is a pretty good representation of what it feels like. It isn’t perfect, but it is as close as you could get from a game inside of a virtual headset.
Overall – Score: 6.5/10
This game is a fun one, even though it is hard to want to come back to play multiple times. It is only $6 on the Steam Store, and it is also in the Viveport Infinity subscription. It is easy to justify the $6 on this, as the zombie mode has some good replay-ability. If you have the Viveport Infinity subscription, we high recommend giving this game a shot, as it can provide a real workout and give some new fun twists to your regular afternoon inside of virtual reality.
