VAR: Exterminate Review Summary

Fun and addictive gameplay with an engaging upgrade system and nice art, but one-handed play, performance and FPS issues, and grinding hold it back.

Fun and addictive gameplay: Many reviewers find the game fun and addictive, with simple yet exciting mechanics that keep them engaged. The gameplay loop is frequently praised as enjoyable despite its simplicity.

Engaging upgrade system: The upgrade system, including mutations, chips, drones, and weapon leveling, is frequently praised as deep and rewarding. Players enjoy the variety of choices and the sense of progression.

Nice graphics and art: Reviewers consistently compliment the graphics and art style, describing them as beautiful and well-designed. The visual quality enhances the overall experience.

Satisfying zombie shooting: Players derive great satisfaction from mowing down zombies, with the shooting mechanics feeling impactful and enjoyable. The act of blasting zombies is a highlight for many.

One of the best wave shooters: Reviewers frequently compare it favorably to other wave shooters, calling it one of the best in its category with a strong arcade feel. This praise comes from players experienced with the genre.

One-handed gameplay limitation: The game is designed for one-handed play only, ignoring the second controller entirely. The left hand is unused and dual-wielding is not possible, making gameplay feel incomplete.

Performance and FPS issues: The game runs at 30-45 FPS regardless of graphics settings, with stuttering even on high-end hardware like RTX 3090. Significant lag occurs at various settings and during intensive moments.

Grinding and progression issues: Grinding money is exhausting, and progression requires replaying the same levels repeatedly to upgrade weapons or collect stars. Later levels are nearly impossible without sufficient upgrades.

Insufficient weapon variety: There are only a few weapon types, with three guns (pistol, SMG, grenade launcher, energy pistol) and no rifles or dual-wielding options. This severely limits build variety and replayability.

Insufficient build variety: Skill variety is too few and choices are not hard; weapons and equipment are chosen before the run and cannot be changed during it. Early game guns have low base damage and late-game scaling is exponential.

Wave-based zombie shooter: The game is consistently described as a wave-based shooter where players face successive waves of zombies. This core loop is central to the gameplay experience.

Roguelite elements: Roguelite mechanics such as random card selection between waves and permanent upgrades are integrated into the gameplay loop.

VR action shooter: Many reviews categorize the game as a VR shooter, often emphasizing its arcade-style action and zombie theme. VR support is a fundamental aspect of the game.

Stationary gameplay: Players remain in one spot and shoot enemies, with no locomotion required. This stationary design is a key characteristic of the game.

Permanent upgrade system: The game features a progression system where players use resources like coins and chips to permanently upgrade weapons, armor, drones, and other equipment.

Poor optimization: The game is poorly optimized, with performance noticeably worse than comparable VR titles. It requires better hardware and is heavy despite the recommended GTX 1080.

Severe framerate issues: Players report low framerates, often capped at 30 FPS or 45 FPS even on high-end hardware like RTX 2080 and i9 processors. Performance remains poor regardless of graphics settings.

High-end GPU struggles: Even top-tier GPUs like RTX 3090 and RTX 2080 experience slowdowns and variable frame rates, especially at very high settings. Only an RTX 4090 ran comfortably at 150% rendering.

Stuttering and lag: Stuttering occurs during specific moments like the final boss fight and when many builds are present. Lag is reported at both highest and lowest settings.

Demanding graphics: The graphics are demanding on the PC, requiring antialiasing to be turned off due to soapy visuals.

Good value at low price: Reviewers consider it worth the money, especially when discounted, and note good value for its cheap price. Several say it is worth buying at a discount or provides several fun evenings for a small fee.

Strong fit for shooting fans: Reviewers repeatedly recommend it to players who enjoy shooting games and action-focused VR shooters. The appeal is centered on constant shooting without extra complexity.

Great for VR beginners: Many reviewers recommend this as an ideal, affordable entry point for people new to VR or PCVR. It is frequently described as very good and cheap for first-time headset owners.

Positive overall purchase recommendation: Many reviewers give a clear recommendation to buy the game and say it should not be missed. Others strongly recommend it for VR headset owners and those seeking a satisfying VR experience.

Suitable for casual and hand-off play: It is recommended as a casual VR game that is easy to hand off to others and accessible for casual players due to a useful tracking skill. Some note it is good for small-scale games and for those who have not played many zombie wave shooters.

Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00.

Game completion: 16.0h.

Session length: 1.0h.

Endgame: 20.0h.

Players consistently describe the shooting, upgrades, and roguelite progression as immediately addictive and fun. Repetition and limited early access content are noted caveats, not a delayed onset of enjoyment.

VR Newcomer Casual Shooter: Casual wave shooting with automatic reloads and straightforward controls. Motivation: Accessible, low-friction VR gunplay and simple arcade fun. Stance: buy.

Arcade Rail-Shooter Nostalgist: Stationary wave and rail-style shooting without artificial locomotion. Motivation: Reliving classic arcade zombie shooting with a survival challenge. Stance: buy.

Build-Crafting Wave Defender: Plans ability-card builds between waves and experiments with different defensive setups. Motivation: Customizing builds and experimenting with varied playstyles between waves. Stance: buy.

Early Access status noted: Multiple reviews mention the game is in Early Access or beta, indicating incomplete content and potential for future improvements.

Only two chapters available: The game currently offers just two chapters, each with six levels, and a third chapter is not yet available.

Mixed comparisons to other VR games: The game is compared both favorably and unfavorably to titles like ZomDay, ATF, and Waves of Death, with some saying it doesn't surpass them.

Developers actively update and listen: Developers regularly update the game, accept suggestions, and fix bugs reported in reviews.

Multiple language supports: The game supports Chinese (Traditional), Spanish, and Japanese, but does not support Russian.