Vertigo 2 Review Summary

Top-tier VR with fun varied weapons and excellent gameplay, though overwhelming bullet-spongy enemies, unfair bosses, and repetitive stretches drag it down.

Top-tier VR experience: Reviewers consistently rank this among the best VR games available, frequently comparing it favorably to Half-Life: Alyx and Boneworks. Many describe it as one of the most original and memorable VR experiences they have had.

Fun and varied weapons: Weapons are described as well designed, unique, and satisfying to use, with a wide variety that keeps combat fresh. Gunplay specifically is called great and smooth.

Excellent overall gameplay: Feedback repeatedly calls the gameplay fun, fantastic, and very good, making it the game's most common general praise. Players find the core loop engaging even outside its VR-specific strengths.

Engaging and well-liked story: Multiple reviewers praise the story as interesting, entertaining, and surprisingly good for the genre. It is cited as a reason the game stands out among VR titles.

Great humor and comedic tone: The game's humor is widely praised, with reviewers highlighting funny signs, dialogue, and constant references to other games. Many appreciate that it does not take itself seriously.

Enemies overwhelming and bullet-spongy: Players repeatedly find enemies tedious, annoying, and excessively numerous, often requiring too much ammo. Many report enemies becoming bullet sponges unless weak points are hit, and some feel they are unfair for VR.

Unfair difficulty and boss fights: Boss fights are frequently described as frustrating, with weird pacing, extreme difficulty, and bullet-sponge bosses. Some bosses have no clear attack patterns or unfair mechanics.

Boring and repetitive gameplay: Many reviewers find the game boring after a few levels, with repetitive combat and drawn-out pacing. The game is often described as a slog with dull sections and low interactivity.

Aiming and weapon handling issues: Weapon selection is janky with aiming that feels off on some weapons. Gunplay is often criticized as unsatisfying, with weak damage, poor sights, and lack of impact.

Unfunny and off-putting humor: The game's humor is frequently described as flat, unfunny, and sometimes malicious or in bad taste. Several players specifically criticize the character Brian as egotistical and annoying.

VR shooter with hand-held weapons: The game is a virtual reality shooter where players use hand-held weapons. It is a single-player VR shooter experience.

Gunplay and item interaction: The game emphasizes gunplay mechanics and physics-based item interaction. Gun mechanics are a core part of the experience.

Teleportation movement in VR: The game supports teleportation-based movement, and some reviews specifically mention teleportation devices. Smooth locomotion is also available as an option.

Many weapons including secret ones: The game features around 18-20 weapons excluding grenades, including secret weapons that require finding and completing challenges. Weapon variety adds depth to gameplay.

Single-player VR action-adventure: The game is a single-player VR action-adventure. It is designed for an immersive solo experience.

Good overall optimization reported: Multiple players report that the game is well optimized and runs great, with one noting high frame rates well past 72 fps on their hardware. Another player confirms smooth performance without FPS drops or stuttering even on a somewhat outdated setup.

Settings tweaks improve performance: Players found that lowering settings helps: running at lowest quality works well, and turning post-processing to low while disabling anti-aliasing improved performance. Using a 500 Mbps bitrate with 90 Hz and 1.3 resolution on a 3080 Ti also gave good results.

VR performance varies by setup: The game runs without problems on Quest 3 via Virtual Desktop, but running via link cable initially performed poorly with certain settings. Performance and minor bugs can occasionally disrupt immersion.

Anti-aliasing causes stutters or jaggies: On ultra settings with 4x anti-aliasing the game stutters, while 2x anti-aliasing produces too many jaggies. This suggests anti-aliasing settings need careful tuning for smooth visuals.

Extreme motion sickness from graphics: One player reports extreme motion sickness caused by the graphics or engine, indicating a potential comfort issue for some users.

Overwhelmingly positive VR recommendation: Numerous reviewers strongly recommend the game as a must-play or must-buy for VR headset owners, often calling it one of the best VR shooters available.

Worth buying on sale: Some reviewers suggest waiting for a discount, stating the game is a must-have especially during sales or at a massive discount.

High praise for game quality: Reviewers frequently describe it as one of the best VR games or among their favorite games overall, with some giving top scores and calling it a standout title.

Mixed or negative reviews exist: A few players do not recommend the game, calling it a waste of time or saying they will never replay it, though some are more lukewarm than outright negative.

Great for PCVR users: Several reviewers highly recommend the game and the Vertigo franchise for anyone with PCVR capabilities.

Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00.

Game completion: 13.0h.

Story completion: 13.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Mixed reports: early sections feel slow or boring for several players, but one reviewer says enjoyment improves once progress reaches deeper into the reactor.

Friction: slow opening; forced waiting for gag animations and door unlocks; repetitive, unsatisfying gunplay; tedious, annoying enemies; performance issues and minor bugs; pacing and humor missteps compared with the original.

Unlock drivers: progressing deeper into the reactor.

Single-Player VR Campaign Seeker: Plays through a full single-player VR campaign and values runtime, pacing, and variety. Motivation: To experience a full-length, polished single-player VR shooter campaign comparable to Half-Life: Alyx. Stance: buy.

Solo-Dev Passion Project Supporter: Plays to experience the game's varied ideas and set pieces, and recommends supporting the developer at full price. Motivation: To reward and celebrate ambitious solo-developed VR games with original ideas and risk-taking. Stance: buy.

Comedy Action-Adventure Fan: Engages with dialogue, character designs, and weapon variety while fighting through a comedic single-player campaign. Motivation: To enjoy a comedic VR action-adventure with funny dialogue, varied weapons, and Borderlands-style humor. Stance: buy.

All three Windows VRAM cohorts show positive performance signals in the provided snippets, with reviewers recommending the game and citing strong optimization or smooth operation. No cohort has substantial negative performance evidence.

Windows <8GB VRAM: positive. A recommended 6GB VRAM reviewer reports the game is highly optimized and runs well past 72 fps.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: positive. The sole recommended snippet treats the game as an example of better VR quality than poorly optimized titles, indicating a positive performance impression.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Both included recommended reviewers on 10GB VRAM are positive, and one explicitly says the game runs great.

Solo developer achievement: Many reviewers highlight that the game was created by a single person, often expressing admiration for the passion and effort involved. This is a recurring theme and is seen as impressive given the game's scope.

Favorable Half-Life: Alyx comparisons: Numerous reviewers compare the game to Half-Life: Alyx, often favorably, noting it is as good as or even better in certain aspects. The game is frequently described as a worthy VR title in the same league as Alyx.

Long and content-rich campaign: Reviewers frequently mention the game's lengthy campaign, often citing 12-14 hours, and abundant post-game content, making it feel worth the price. The game is described as having a lot of content and replayability.

Half-Life and Portal inspired: The game is often compared to Half-Life and Portal, with reviewers noting similarities in setting, humor, and level design. Some describe it as a mix of these games with a unique twist.

Better than first game: Several reviewers who have played the original game consider this sequel to be an improvement, with better gameplay, more content, and enhanced mechanics. Some even say it surpasses the first game significantly.