Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded (Virtual Reality)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): February 1, 2023
- Release Date (EU): February 1, 2023
- Publisher: Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR)
- Developer: XR Games
- Genres: Shooter
- Official Store: https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10005906
Game Features:
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is a virtual reality FPS developed by XR Games and published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality. The game is set in the world of the Zombieland film franchise in which players must take on hordes of zombies in a post-apocalyptic world. What you make overlook as a quick movie tie-in cash grab may surprise you, beneath the veneer of the movie license lies a fun and well polished arcade style VR shooter.
The gameplay is reminiscent of classic light gun games from the past such as The House of the Dead and Virtua Cop. It's an on rails fast paced, score based shooter with a focus on speed and accuracy. The main hook here is the adrenaline system that rewards accuracy by slowing down time after consecutive successful shots, allowing for chained combos, bonus targets and more importantly - higher scores. The game features multiple levels and locations, shooting galleries, unlockable weapons, challenges and a leaderboard system.
I previously enjoyed Zombieland on the Meta Quest 2. Granted it's not a system seller nor a powerhouse of a showcase title, what it is however is a game that is perfect for quick pick up and play sessions when you don't want anything that's too in-depth. It's also a perfect title to introduce new players into VR as the mechanics are simple and intuitive while the on rails nature of the game removes the hurdle of locomotion and allows for fast paced and linear, arcade style gameplay. Locomotion is handled by simply looking in the correct direction after clearing an area - all you have to do is point and shoot.
Gameplay
Gunplay is accurate and satisfying, with a good weight behind shots and enemies that aren't too bullet spongey. Before heading out, you are able to select two weapons - a main shooter such as a pistol that has unlimited ammo and a secondary weapon such as a shotgun with limited ammo that is best reserved for tougher enemies. There are also environmental elements such as barrels that help mix things up. The PS5's adaptive triggers and haptics are supported to take advantage of the new Sense controllers which help to give each weapon in the game a distinct feel, from the snappy trigger pull of the pistol to the crunchy pull of the shotgun.
While there is not much to the gameplay besides the shooting and reloading - the level design, tongue in cheek commentary, enemy placement and variety in scenery make for the perfect arcade-like experience. I would have liked to have seen more enemy types however. You are also on the lookout for hidden collectables and toilet paper - the in-game currency (which is a little too relatable), which enemies can drop, that you can exchange for extra perks and weapon upgrades etc.
If you're looking for a realistic shooter with involved mechanics, you're not going to find it here as compared to most other VR shooters Zombieland simplifies this in a way that suits its arcade style gameplay. Reloading a weapon is done by a quick flick downwards of the analogue stick that ejects the ammo from the gun you're holding, allowing you to move the gun into position of the waiting floating replacement ammo near your hip. It's a satisfying approach that works, although I found reloading the shotgun somewhat cumbersome due to mismatched angles of the replacement shells and the guns chamber, but you get used to it.
PSVR 2 upgrades
The PlayStation VR 2 port of Zombieland VR is not a direct port of the existing releases, it features a new story level, new remixed levels and a completely overhauled engine that now delivers cel-shaded visuals that look crisper and more detailed over the previous Quest 2 port and added haptics and resistive triggers as mentioned previously. The colours and lighting are noticeably richer and the level of geometry and texture quality is miles ahead of the Quest versions. The PSVR 2 version also runs at 90hz without reprojection at a 4K resolution according to the developer.
Verdict
- Fast-paced arcade action
- Addictive "one more go" feeling gameplay
- Weapons feel punchy and reactive
- New cel shaded art style
- Reloading some weapons can be finicky
- Levels are quite short
- Limited enemy types
- Voice acting is passable
