Info about VAR: Exterminate: Official game description: FOLLOW US ON DISCORD ==================== FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ==================== ↑↑↑↑↑↑ Click Me ↑↑↑↑↑↑ About the Game ============== VAR: Exterminate; Zombie rough-lite shooter that promises raw exhilarating horror with vast replayability. Designed exclusively for VR, immerse yourself in a post-apocalyptic city overrun by zombies Dictate your outcome -------------------- Pick one of the 3 abilities offered to you at the beginning of every wave! Form your own ability tree and take on waves of relentless zombie attacks. Immersive zombie survival ------------------------- Eliminate zombies crawling all over the city, loot the undead to get money and chips to upgrade your weapons and equipment. Rich and high-quality game content ---------------------------------- There are 12 stages built for 2 Chapters. More will be added over time for free, so check back for more maps, stages, and chapters later. Pick your style --------------- Whether you’re a gunslinging cowboy or a grenade launching trooper. Exterminate offers an array of weapons for you to take the undead out in style. Global Ranking -------------- Have what it takes to be a top dog? Challenge yourself against players over the world and fight out if you really have what it takes to be the toughest mercenary in the field! Only in VR ---------- VAR: Exterminate is a zombie shooter built exclusively for VR. Step into the midst of a zombie apocalypse and join the fight to take back what is rightfully ours! Release date: May 16, 2021 Categories: Wave-based Survival, Roguelite, VR Gameplay, First-Person Shooter, Zombie Survival, Stationary Gameplay, Permanent Upgrade System, Card-based Gameplay - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00 - Reasoning: One reviewer explicitly calls $10 USD a good deal given the current content and planned additions, while another frames the game as worth every penny at a small price. Together, these reviews suggest the community sees the fair base-game price as modest, with $10 as an acceptable upper anchor and lower prices clearly supported. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 16.0h - Story completion: N/A - Session length: 1.0h - Endgame: 20.0h - Reasoning: The 16-hour quote explicitly covers all missions and all Mutation with 3 stars, so gameCompletion is supported as 16 hours. The report of playing for more than an hour supports a sessionLength of at least 1 hour. The 20-hour quote describes maxed levels while Mutation stages remain, supporting an endgame figure of 20 hours for late-game progression. The chapter quote gives only one chapter length under 2 hours, not total story length, so storyCompletion is left null. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: 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. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: N/A - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: N/A - Unlock drivers: N/A - Conditions: Tolerance for repetitive wave-shooter gameplay; Tolerance for limited early access content; Interest in single-player arcade-style action; Veteran familiarity with the genre may reduce enjoyment - Player Archetypes: - VR Newcomer Casual Shooter (buy) - Motivation: Accessible, low-friction VR gunplay and simple arcade fun. - Playstyle: Casual wave shooting with automatic reloads and straightforward controls. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Space Pirate Trainer - Arcade Rail-Shooter Nostalgist (buy) - Motivation: Reliving classic arcade zombie shooting with a survival challenge. - Playstyle: Stationary wave and rail-style shooting without artificial locomotion. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: House of the Dead - Build-Crafting Wave Defender (buy) - Motivation: Customizing builds and experimenting with varied playstyles between waves. - Playstyle: Plans ability-card builds between waves and experiments with different defensive setups. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - VR Veteran Seeking Innovation (no buy) - Motivation: Finding fresh, distinctive VR experiences rather than familiar genre formulas. - Playstyle: Evaluates VR games through extensive prior experience and quickly rejects repetitive wave-shooter design. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: no buy - Labels: veteran player - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Fun and addictive gameplay (weight 0.89): 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 (weight 0.49): 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 (weight 0.49): 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 (weight 0.47): 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 (weight 0.43): 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. - Immersive sound design (weight 0.18): The music and surround sound create an immersive atmosphere that draws players in. The audio quality is frequently highlighted as a strong point. - Multiple playstyles available (weight 0.17): Players appreciate the variety of playstyles, allowing for different approaches to combat and strategy. This adds replay value and depth to the gameplay. - Easy and intuitive controls (weight 0.17): The controls are very easy to learn and the mechanics are simple to understand, making the game accessible to a wide audience. This simplicity does not detract from the fun. Common complaints: - One-handed gameplay limitation (weight 0.9): 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 (weight 0.77): 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 (weight 0.72): 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 (weight 0.68): 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 (weight 0.65): 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. - Repetitive and simple gameplay (weight 0.61): Gameplay is repetitive and dull, with little variety beyond standing in place and shooting. The experience lacks movement, exploration, and survival mechanics expected from a VR zombie shooter. - Limited chapters and content (weight 0.54): Only two chapters are available and the game feels very simple with little content overall. Players note that all gameplay variety can be seen within one minute. - Lack of warning for enemies (weight 0.5): There is no good warning when zombies surround the player or when fireballs approach; enemies appear abruptly and can cause sudden damage without reaction time. This includes zombies spawning too close on some stages. - Weak audio and feedback (weight 0.5): Audio is just alright with no standout soundwork, and shooting feedback is poor due to lack of vibration and cheap sound effects. Spatial audio and hit feedback need improvement. - Graphics and visual issues (weight 0.43): Graphics are not impressive, with blurry visuals, visible UV seams, and zombies that look like paper-mache with dithering textures. Anti-aliasing and post-processing effects worsen clarity. - Luck-dependent progression (weight 0.35): Luck plays too large a role in card drawing and energy bullet draws, creating a snowball effect where good luck leads to easy wins and bad luck causes constant struggle. The game balance is rough. - Hand-swapping control bug (weight 0.35): A severe bug causes the held gun to switch to the opposite hand or the right controller to stop working, forcing players to pause and change settings. This significantly impacts gameplay. - Missing dual-wielding feature (weight 0.34): Dual-wielding pistols is not possible, which is disappointing. The second hand is glued to the weapon and entirely unused. - No movement or free locomotion (weight 0.27): The player cannot move freely; gameplay is stationary stand-in-place shooting. This feels outdated and limits immersion. - Limited enemy variety (weight 0.23): There are few zombie types (walker, runner, tank, crawler, fire zombie, birds) and they lack variety. Enemies feel blocky and dated visually. - Unclear card stacking effects (weight 0.22): Card stacking effects are unclear, such as whether an x2 marker means stacking. The combo system breaks easily, reducing satisfaction. - Crows are annoying and hard to see (weight 0.2): Crows are nearly invisible against dark backgrounds, and their sounds are masked by gunfire, leading to ambush damage. This enemy type frustrates players. - Save data loss bug (weight 0.16): Save data disappeared after restarting the game, and reinstalling did not recover the save. This is a critical issue for progression. - Unbeatable mutation stages (weight 0.16): Some mutation stages are unbeatable even with all upgrades maxed, and the second level stays locked. Difficulty heavily depends on luck. Gameplay feedback: - Wave-based zombie shooter (weight 0.93): 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 (weight 0.73): Roguelite mechanics such as random card selection between waves and permanent upgrades are integrated into the gameplay loop. - VR action shooter (weight 0.65): 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 (weight 0.64): 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 (weight 0.64): The game features a progression system where players use resources like coins and chips to permanently upgrade weapons, armor, drones, and other equipment. - Card-based upgrades (weight 0.64): After each wave, players choose from a set of cards that provide various buffs and abilities, such as health boosts, damage increases, or special effects. - Zombies from four directions (weight 0.54): Zombies spawn from all around the player, often from four distinct directions. This creates a 360-degree threat that players must manage. - Three weapons available (weight 0.42): Players have access to three distinct weapons, typically a machine gun, grenade launcher, and plasma or energy weapon, each with unique characteristics. - Single-handed shooting (weight 0.37): Weapon use is limited to one hand, making the game accessible for players who prefer or require single-handed controls. - Drone companion (weight 0.3): A drone companion assists the player in combat and can be upgraded, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay. - Playable sitting or standing (weight 0.25): The game can be played either seated or standing, accommodating different player preferences and physical needs. - Online leaderboards (weight 0.18): The game includes online leaderboards that track player scores, encouraging competition. - Two chapters with missions (weight 0.17): The game is structured into two chapters, each containing multiple missions or levels, providing a sense of progression. - Single-player mode (weight 0.17): The game is designed for single-player experience only, with no multiplayer modes available. - Difficulty modes (weight 0.17): The game offers different difficulty settings, including a hard mode, to cater to varying player skill levels. - Loadout customization (weight 0.17): Players can customize their loadout with firearms, armor, drones, and upgrades, tailoring their approach to combat. Performance notes: - Poor optimization (weight 0.38): 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 (weight 0.33): 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 (weight 0.31): 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 (weight 0.26): 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 (weight 0.17): The graphics are demanding on the PC, requiring antialiasing to be turned off due to soapy visuals. - Low SteamVR resolution helps (weight 0.11): Lowering SteamVR resolution to 900 pixels is the only mitigation reported, but the game remains unplayable for some. - Quest 2 compatibility issue (weight 0.1): The game did not work on Quest 2 for one reviewer, indicating potential compatibility problems. - Extended sessions worsen problems (weight 0.09): More problems arise during extended gameplay sessions, suggesting performance degradation over time. - Menus run at 120 FPS (weight 0.09): Menus can reach up to 120 FPS, contrasting with in-game performance, indicating optimization inconsistency. - Hardware test details (weight 0.09): Performance was tested on an RTX 3060 and i5-11400, providing context for the reported issues. Recommendations: - Good value at low price (weight 0.69): 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 (weight 0.64): 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 (weight 0.45): 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 (weight 0.38): 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 (weight 0.35): 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. - Mixed to negative for some (weight 0.31): A few reviewers do not recommend it, especially at the current price, and one refunded due to lack of content and a severe bug. Others say it is only for those who have never worn a VR headset. - Not for players seeking quick sessions (weight 0.28): Reviewers warn it may not suit players who want to open the game for a few quick rounds and close it. It also does not appeal to those who want to happily shoot zombies or dislike static-position shooters. - Repetitive progression and level replay (weight 0.24): Some reviewers note a progression wall that requires replaying the same level and farming coins, though upgrades feel rewarding. It is described as an OK purchase for the price if you are prepared to grind. - Favorable for genre newcomers (weight 0.22): It is recommended for people who like this type of game, though expectations should not be too high, and the genre is cheap and accessible. One reviewer says it is good for players who haven't played many zombie wave shooters. - Not for VR veterans (weight 0.18): Advanced players who have played H3VR or Alyx are advised not to buy, as the game does not stand out for VR veterans. It is seen as too basic for experienced users. - Appeals to House of the Dead fans (weight 0.17): Reviewers recommend it to fans of old House of the Dead style zombie shooters, particularly those who do not want artificial locomotion. It is also recommended for Latino gamers seeking that style of experience. - Accessible even with poor aim (weight 0.16): A reviewer finds it reassuring for VR players who are bad at aiming, as they can clear the game with persistence. It is also recommended for players who enjoy constantly getting stronger and feeling powerful. - Not recommended for everyone (weight 0.15): A reviewer gives a thumbs up but notes it is not for everyone. Another simply does not recommend the game. - Requires compatible VR hardware (weight 0.09): One reviewer notes that players need compatible VR hardware to play. This is a basic requirement rather than a gameplay critique. - Comparable to Crashlands (weight 0.08): One reviewer states that if you like games like Crashlands, you will love this. This comparison suggests a similar appeal for fans of that game. Other player notes: - Early Access status noted (weight 0.64): Multiple reviews mention the game is in Early Access or beta, indicating incomplete content and potential for future improvements. - Only two chapters available (weight 0.42): 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 (weight 0.39): 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 (weight 0.37): Developers regularly update the game, accept suggestions, and fix bugs reported in reviews. - Multiple language supports (weight 0.35): The game supports Chinese (Traditional), Spanish, and Japanese, but does not support Russian. - Positive comparisons to wave shooters (weight 0.31): Reviewers compare the game favorably to other VR wave shooters like Space Pirate Trainer and with roguelite elements. - Short completion time (weight 0.3): Players report completing most content in about 5 hours or all missions in 16 hours, indicating a relatively short game length. - More content planned (weight 0.3): Developers plan to add more content and possibly graphics upgrades during Early Access. - High replayability and progression (weight 0.3): The game offers high replayability with upgrade levels and ability tree systems that require long-term investment. - Works on Quest via Link (weight 0.23): The game can be played on Meta Quest 2 through Link and via VirtualDesktop with Quest 3. - Positive overall rating (weight 0.17): One reviewer rated the game 7/10 and another noted 90% positive reviews at the time. - Static shooter reduces nausea (weight 0.16): Reviewers appreciate the static shooter style, which reduces VR locomotion nausea compared to games with artificial movement. - VR-only and single-player (weight 0.16): The game is designed exclusively for VR and is single-player only. - Compared to arcade and tower defense (weight 0.16): Reviewers compare the game to arcade shooters, scrolling plane games, and a tower defense simulator where the player is the tower. - Outdated bug reports (weight 0.15): Older reviews mentioning a left/right swap bug are outdated as the bug has been fixed. - Made by Taiwanese developers (weight 0.13): The game is developed by Taiwanese developers, as mentioned in a review. - No crashes during play (weight 0.09): One reviewer noted the game did not crash during their play session. - Limited content for advanced players (weight 0.09): Advanced players may find the game lacking in actions compared to titles like H3VR and Alyx. - Built on Unity engine (weight 0.08): The game runs on the Unity engine, as noted by a reviewer. Emotions: - Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players feel satisfied by the game's responsive shooting mechanics, satisfying damage feedback, and a progression loop that rewards building powerful characters. The combination of arcade action and RPG elements, along with detailed environments and realistic weapon handling, creates a fulfilling experience. Fixing bugs and providing a non-motion-sickness VR experience also contribute to overall satisfaction. - Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration stems from technical issues like low frame rates, lag, and stuttering, as well as gameplay problems such as zombies spawning too close without warning and luck-dependent progression. Losing progress after reaching the final level, stuck levels requiring specific card draws, and control issues like the right hand flipping to the left also cause frustration. - Enjoyment (weight 0.1): Players enjoy the core zombie-shooting gameplay, power progression through upgrades, and creative elements like shield fields and bonus cards. The game becomes more fun over time as deadliness increases, and features like realistic visuals, smooth play, and varied zombies enhance the experience. The addictive loop of fighting zombies and earning equipment keeps players engaged. - Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment arises from unmet promises of content, repetition in Early Access, and limited chapters and weapons. The inability to dual-wield or use the left hand, simplistic stationary gameplay, and poor optimization make the game feel not worth the price. Lack of immersion, quality-of-life features, and weapon variety further contribute to this feeling. - Fun (weight 0.08): Fun is derived from the game's simple, brutal shooting mechanics, randomized build and deck systems, and arcade wave shooter gameplay. The mix of card synergies, fast-paced action, and varied shooting outcomes provides an enjoyable experience. Graphics, sound, and gameplay all contribute to the overall fun. - Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement comes from the constant power scaling that makes players feel stronger, the addictive shooting gallery gameplay, and the variety of weapons, drones, armor, and maps. Spectacular zombie combat with strategic skill card choices and the thrill of shooting zombies in VR generate high energy and enthusiasm. - Hope (weight 0.04): Hope is fueled by the game's Early Access status and perceived potential for improvement, with players desiring more content and future updates. The developer's responsiveness and the possibility of fixing issues like hand tracking and progression extend this hope. Some also wish for a House of the Dead-style VR game in the future. - Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance is caused by small but irritating issues such as crows being hard to see and ambushing players, difficulty earning stars to unlock levels, and battery drain from single-controller use. Lack of Russian language support, trash cards polluting the card pool, and hands swapping requiring re-entry of settings also annoy players. - Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction stems from one-handed controls and missing use of the other hand, luck-dependent random card draws, and a need for many adjustments. Limited gun choices, poor shooting feedback, and cheap sound effects also contribute to a feeling that the game is not fully polished. - Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is elicited by randomized bonus cards that differ between runs, long playtime for a VR game, and the inability to use both hands. The game being surprisingly good for an Early Access wave shooter and exceeding reviewers' expectations also creates surprise. - Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom arises from gameplay that feels like a stationary tower defense simulator, with repetitive and dull mechanics. Replaying the same level over and over and having nothing to do but stand in one place and pull the trigger lead to a lack of engagement. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is driven by the engaging upgrade system, the build system that allows for huge damage numbers, and the game's suitability for VR newcomers as an arcade wave shooter. The roguelite style and replayability further fuel players' excitement and eagerness to play. - Fear (weight 0.02): Fear is induced by zombie hordes startling players when they get close, creepy atmospheres especially at night, and scary sound effects when playing alone. Zombies suddenly grabbing legs from behind also create moments of fright. - Addiction (weight 0.02): Addiction is caused by the core gameplay loop being highly engaging, with upgrading weapons and attributes providing a strong pull. The desire to retry after failure due to card randomization keeps players coming back for more. - Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion occurs when save data vanishes and reinstalling does not fix it, card stacking effects are unclear, and the first boss encounter leaves players feeling at a loss. These elements create uncertainty and a lack of clarity. - Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is maintained by high difficulty that keeps players coming back, an energetic VR zombie shooting gallery that holds attention for long periods, and an addictive roguelike structure with random card builds. These factors combine to create a compelling experience. - Tension (weight 0.01): Tension is built through relentless enemy assaults and atmospheric audio in VR, along with a post-apocalyptic zombie setting that creates a sense of unease and suspense. The combination of these elements keeps players on edge. - Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is felt for developers who are responsive to community feedback and for the game being better than other wave shooters despite genre fatigue. This recognition of effort and quality fosters gratitude among players. - Liking (weight 0.01): Liking is expressed for the ability tree system, atmospheric soundtrack, and nice graphics, as well as the game being a very good survival horror experience that is interesting even in single player. These aspects resonate positively with players. - Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion is achieved through amazing music and immersive surround sound that make players feel present in the game. The audio design enhances the overall sense of being within the game world.}