Doom VFR (Virtual ‘Effing’ Reality) is a virtual reality version of the original hit game Doom. Doom was first released back in 2016 on the PC, Play Station 4, and the Xbox One. The first-person shooter was highly rated by hundreds of reviewing sites, but the gore was always something that many said would keep a certain audience away. The gameplay has, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been moving units in the mass.
In our in-depth game reviews, we cover everything you need to know about a virtual reality game before you go out and buy or try one of the top games on the market. From how well your virtual guns are going to fire in Doom, to the impressive VR locomotion system they have incorporated, this review will have everything you need to know about this game. Doom VFR isn’t for those who get lightheaded at the site of blood, but you’ll never know how much you love it until you try. Killing demons has never been so fun and easy, so let’s jump into Doom VFR and see what this version of the game is all about.
Getting Up and Running
It is important to note that before you can even visit this game on the Steam Store, you will need to enter in your birthday to verify that you can see the mature images. The blood and gore is not great for many, so this is a smart move by Steam. You can buy Doom VFR on Steam for $29.99 on the Steam Store, and because this game is still selling so well, you will not be able to find this game on any of the VR gaming subscriptions.
This is one of the larger virtual reality titles you are going to be interested in. It requires you to have at least 17 GB of free storage on your computer. It is going to run more smoothly if you have more for in-game storage, but this is the minimum. If you have a fast internet connection, this is still going to take about 20 minutes to download. If you are connected to some slower internet speeds, this game could take up to two hours to download. This isn’t ideal, but you won’t be disappointed once this game gets onto your computer.
Type of Game
This is a first-person shooter game that is going to get your blood pumping by seeing others spill. This game could very well be one of the most violent you are going to get inside of your virtual reality headset. The game Gorn is bloody, but it doesn’t go into detail like this game does. WW2 games don’t even do gore like this, and that is saying something.
You won’t be playing a long campaign mode in this version of Doom, but you will be using a lot of the iconic weapons that you see yourself use in the first few versions of Doom. Doom VFR was released a full year after the first version, so you can expect some new animations with your guns and some fun ways to interact with your demons you come face to face with. The best way to understand what type of game this is, is to jump in and play for yourself.
Player Perspective
This game is played at the first-person perspective. You will be playing with a weapon in both of your hands, so seeing the rest of your body in this game isn’t going to be a priority for you as you get away from demons and try to shoot them with everything you have. Once you are immersed in this game and understand your objective with the demons, the last thing you will be focused on is seeing your shoulder move perfectly when you whip your head around.
Theme and Story – Score: 9/10
The theme and story in this game are both elite. Not only are they strong once you hop into the game for the first time, but it is easy to follow along and it stays the same throughout the gameplay you find yourself playing. The theme is what is pulling the score here, but the story is consistent not only in this game, but in the entire series as well.
Controls – Score: 8/10
Switching weapons, firing the weapons, and using your controllers to interact with the virtual world is as easy as ever inside of Doom VFR. This game is saying it is optimized with the Valve controllers, but after a few hours of gameplay, it was clear it wasn’t. Once the game is able to give all headsets and their inputs more attention to detail, this game will be walking away with a perfect 10 out of 10 here. It seem like they are one simple update away.
Music and Sound – Score: 9/10
Until you jump in this game and play on your own, you won’t be sure why this game is getting a near perfect score. Each room presents itself with its own original soundtrack, each gun has its own sound, and every demon seems like it is dying in its own unique and sad way. The music picks up pace when you do, making this game even more immersive than you would think it would be, thanks to the awesome sound effects and music used by the developers.
Player Movement – Score: 8/10
The player movement in this game surprised us as well as impressed us. It is a teleportation way of moving, but you are also able to move in tight positions. We are constantly trying to find the game that will allow us to move to the tight spots around us while still maintaining the ability to move far distances quickly. Doom VFR found the happy medium, and they nearly did it perfectly. It isn’t the most smooth, but the engine is there and the idea is nearly flawless.
Kinetosis – Score: 7/10
For a game that moves with you in the real world, moves with your joystick in close short movements, and with the teleportation, we would never think we would give it a 7. If you told us how we would be moving in this game, we would think it would be a nauseous nightmare. This game did a great job of not letting that be the case. The secret to the ease of movement? You cannot change your orientation in the game at any point. If you teleport, you will land facing the same way you launched. If you move to the left, right, up, or back, your face will looking the same way. The only way you can change your orientation is with the real movement of your body. It seems frustrating when you are tethered, but your stomach ultimately thanks you.
Environment and Immersion – Score: 10/10
From the perfect music in this game to the immersive locomotion system, the developers of Doom VFR do everything they can to ensure that this game immerses you and gives you an unforgettable experience in the game. Now, this isn’t going to be an environment you are going to be daydreaming about, but it is one that is going to keep you interested and intrigued throughout your gameplay. Doom VFR is the best we have seen yet in this area.
Overall – Score: 8.5/10
Doom VFR is walking out with the highest score we have yet to give any VR game, but we give it with a slight warning. If you are sensitive to blood and gore, you will not be a big fan of this game. It clearly knocks the socks off of the basic reviews, but the gameplay itself is something you will want to watch before purchasing this game. It is only available on Steam, but we believe it is worth the $30 they are asking for the game download.
