Info about Vertigo 2:

Official game description:
Vertigo 2 is a single-player adventure built from the ground up for VR.  
Deep underground in the reaches of Quantum Reactor VII, you awake to finish your journey home. You’ll have to face bizarre alien flora and fauna leaking from other universes - and deadly android security forces whose job is to purge the reactor of all life. Try to determine who to trust as sinister agents lurk just out of sight.  
Key features include:  
*   Huge, bespoke world design – an incredible range of environments makes Vertigo 2 much more of an adventure than Vertigo 1.  
*   Enemy variety – dozens of creatures and robots are waiting to be discovered.  
*   Hybrid locomotion – both smooth locomotion and teleportation are viable.  
*   State of the art VR weapons – carry an arsenal of 14 weapons, all with unique reload mechanics.  
*   Fully voiced characters – a diverse cast brings the many characters of Vertigo 2 to life.  
*   Original soundtrack – hours of original songs and scoring.  
*   Intense boss fights – Vertigo is notorious for its ambitious boss encounters, and Vertigo 2 brings 10 brand new bosses.  
*   Substantial campaign – 18 chapters long, Vertigo 2’s story has many times as much content as Vertigo 1.

Release date: Mar 30, 2023

Categories: Virtual Reality, First-Person Shooter, Single-player Story, Exploration, Boss Fights, Level Editor, Humor-driven Gameplay


- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: 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.
  - Sample size: 42 (19% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 17 reports): A recommended 6GB VRAM reviewer reports the game is highly optimized and runs well past 72 fps.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 11 reports): 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, 10 reports): Both included recommended reviewers on 10GB VRAM are positive, and one explicitly says the game runs great.
  - Caveats: 42 of 219 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews reject the cited $30 price as poor value and suggest waiting for a discount, but others describe the campaign length and replayability as worth paying for. The evidence points to a fair base-game price below $30, with a reasonable community range around $15-$25.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 13.0h
  - Story completion: 13.0h
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The 12-14 hour full single-player campaign quote directly supports a story/campaign completion estimate of about 13 hours. Two separate reports of being at the end or beating the game at 13 hours corroborate main-game completion at roughly 13 hours. The 3-hour standing quote gives a concrete single-session length of 3 hours. Reviews mention DLC, NG+, and a level editor, but they provide no numeric playtime for endgame content, so endgame is left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Mixed reports: early sections feel slow or boring for several players, but one reviewer says enjoyment improves once progress reaches deeper into the reactor.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Getting deeper into the reactor
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - 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
  - Conditions: reaching deeper sections of the reactor; patience with the slow opening; tolerance for repetitive gunplay and enemies; tolerance for forced gag and door-unlock waits; performance stability for immersion
- Player Archetypes:
  - Single-Player VR Campaign Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: To experience a full-length, polished single-player VR shooter campaign comparable to Half-Life: Alyx.
    - Playstyle: Plays through a full single-player VR campaign and values runtime, pacing, and variety.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Half-Life: Alyx
  - Solo-Dev Passion Project Supporter (buy)
    - Motivation: To reward and celebrate ambitious solo-developed VR games with original ideas and risk-taking.
    - Playstyle: Plays to experience the game's varied ideas and set pieces, and recommends supporting the developer at full price.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Comedy Action-Adventure Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: To enjoy a comedic VR action-adventure with funny dialogue, varied weapons, and Borderlands-style humor.
    - Playstyle: Engages with dialogue, character designs, and weapon variety while fighting through a comedic single-player campaign.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Half-Life: Alyx; High on Life; Borderlands 2
  - Price-Conscious VR Quality Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: To avoid wasting money and time on VR games that do not meet a $30 standard.
    - Playstyle: Checks value, handling, and level quality before buying; rejects the game when those fail to justify the price.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - 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:
- Top-tier VR experience (weight 0.69): 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 (weight 0.55): 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 (weight 0.47): 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 (weight 0.46): 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 (weight 0.39): 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.
- Strong visuals and graphics (weight 0.38): Reviewers describe the graphics as beautiful, pleasant, and solid, with visuals often called amazing. Several point out that visual quality contributes significantly to immersion.
- Creative level design (weight 0.3): Level design is praised as creative and imaginative, with varied and interesting locations. Reviewers highlight the quality of the environments as a standout feature.
- Enemy and boss variety (weight 0.29): Reviewers note a rich variety of enemies and bosses, with some describing them as absurd and hilarious. The enemy roster keeps encounters feeling fresh.
- Endearing characters and dialogue (weight 0.22): Characters are described as great, endearing, and funny, with entertaining dialogue. This helps make the game's world feel lively and engaging.
- Enjoyable music and atmosphere (weight 0.16): Music is noted as enjoyable and effective at enhancing the atmosphere. It contributes to a special overall experience.
- More content than Alyx (weight 0.13): The game offers triple the gun variety and double the enemy variety compared to Half-Life: Alyx. This expanded arsenal and enemy roster is seen as a major advantage.
- Good voice acting (weight 0.12): Voice acting is praised as fantastic and good, contributing to the game's overall polish. Reviewers find the performances enjoyable.

Common complaints:
- Enemies overwhelming and bullet-spongy (weight 0.8): 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 (weight 0.77): 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 (weight 0.67): 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 (weight 0.56): 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 (weight 0.53): 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.
- Poor combat loop and encounter design (weight 0.52): The combat loop is often described as terrible, with enemies that shoot randomly and rush into melee. Large empty arenas with little cover contribute to mindless hold-and-shoot gameplay.
- Ammo belt and reload frustrations (weight 0.45): Ammo belt positions are not freely settable, often stay out of view, and move when turning the head. Retrieving spare ammo is imprecise and unintuitive, causing hesitation in combat.
- Weak weapon progression and feedback (weight 0.43): Early weapons do no damage and feel like wooden sticks, while interesting weapons only appear near the end. Many upgrades remove fun interactions, such as manual shotgun pumping.
- Locomotion and movement problems (weight 0.41): Teleportation movement is flawed, with forced hybrid locomotion that requires both smooth and teleport styles. Jumping now requires teleporting, which is forced onto the non-dominant hand.
- Inconsistent healing and save systems (weight 0.34): Healing items are placed inconsistently—sometimes too abundant, sometimes nonexistent. Save points are sometimes far apart or fail to trigger, and the game can force difficult boss sequences without saves.
- Confusing guidance and level design (weight 0.34): Player guidance is often unnatural, easily obscured, or missing, leading to confusion about where to go. Level design can be confusing and unclear.
- Progression blocked by bugs (weight 0.3): Bugs in chapters 10 and 11 can toss the player into water or stick them in ruins with invisible walls, requiring checkpoint reloads. A rail shooter section can softlock the player.
- Lack of melee and dual-wielding (weight 0.3): The game lacks a melee weapon and does not let you keep or use a crowbar. Players also miss the ability to dual-wield two guns as in the first game.
- Story and ending confusion (weight 0.29): The ending is confusing and abruptly ends, and the intro can be confusing without playing the first game. The story is hard to understand and sometimes underdeveloped.
- Unsatisfying upgrade system (weight 0.24): The upgrade system removes some of the fun of the game by automating weapon interactions. Many upgrades eliminate the need for manual actions like pumping the shotgun.
- Steep learning curve for VR newcomers (weight 0.22): The game assumes the player is a VR veteran with no margin for error for new players. The high pace and motion sickness issues make it difficult for newcomers.
- Fragile player and weak hit feedback (weight 0.21): The player is described as fragile, and enemies have weak hit feedback. Normal robot enemies can knock off a big chunk of health quickly.
- Inconsistent art style and visuals (weight 0.2): The art style is half-realistic, half-cartoon, with characters that feel too cartoonish and out of place. Some also note low-quality graphics and jaggies.
- Localization and subtitle issues (weight 0.07): Several players report missing subtitles and mixed English, Japanese, and Korean text. This localization problem affects story comprehension.
- Terrifying underwater sections (weight 0.06): The game contains terrifying underwater sections with large creatures that may be distressing for players with relevant fears.

Gameplay feedback:
- VR shooter with hand-held weapons (weight 0.32): 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 (weight 0.31): The game emphasizes gunplay mechanics and physics-based item interaction. Gun mechanics are a core part of the experience.
- Teleportation movement in VR (weight 0.27): 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 (weight 0.23): 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 (weight 0.22): The game is a single-player VR action-adventure. It is designed for an immersive solo experience.
- Limited ammo with regeneration (weight 0.18): Ammo is limited but regenerates over time. This mechanic encourages careful resource management during combat.
- Durable bosses and boss battles (weight 0.18): Bosses are significantly more durable than regular enemies, and boss fights are a central element. These encounters require strategy and sustained firepower.
- Combat and exploration focus (weight 0.18): The game focuses on combat and exploration, with some puzzles also present. The core loop involves fighting enemies and discovering new areas.
- Multiple difficulty settings (weight 0.17): Players can choose from multiple difficulty levels, including normal, easy, and a story-focused difficulty. This allows for accessibility and varied challenge.
- Multiple endings and story paths (weight 0.17): The game may feature multiple endings and different ways to play through the story. This adds replay value and narrative branching.
- Chapter-based structure and story (weight 0.12): The game is structured in chapters and includes voice acting and a story. This provides a clear progression framework.
- Reloading mechanic near hip (weight 0.12): There is a reloading mechanic where ammo is positioned near the hip. This adds a physical action to reloading in VR.
- New Game+ mode (weight 0.12): A New Game+ mode is available, allowing players to replay with carried-over progress or increased difficulty. This extends replayability.
- Includes achievements (weight 0.11): The game includes achievements for players to unlock. This adds optional goals and replay incentives.
- God mode cheat available (weight 0.1): A God Mode cheat option is available. This allows players to experience the game with reduced difficulty or for testing purposes.

Performance notes:
- Good overall optimization reported (weight 0.28): 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 (weight 0.17): 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 (weight 0.16): 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 (weight 0.12): 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 (weight 0.06): One player reports extreme motion sickness caused by the graphics or engine, indicating a potential comfort issue for some users.

Recommendations:
- Overwhelmingly positive VR recommendation (weight 0.97): 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 (weight 0.33): 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 (weight 0.31): 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 (weight 0.24): 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 (weight 0.22): Several reviewers highly recommend the game and the Vertigo franchise for anyone with PCVR capabilities.
- Play the first game first (weight 0.21): Reviewers recommend playing the first game before this one since it is a direct continuation, and both are worth playing.
- Difficulty recommendations (weight 0.16): Several reviewers advise playing on easy or 'story' difficulty for sanity, and one suggests it is only for masochists who enjoy suffering.
- Persist through initial boredom (weight 0.11): Reviewers advise keeping playing even if bored at first, as it becomes one of their favorite VR games.
- Not for aquaphobes (weight 0.07): Players with a fear of deep water or large underwater creatures are warned to skip the game or get help through terrifying sections.
- Motion sickness warning (weight 0.07): The game is not recommended for players who rely on teleportation movement to avoid motion sickness.
- Good for groups or kids (weight 0.06): The game might be suitable for playing with company or children, but is not recommended for solo play.
- Aimed at experienced VR users (weight 0.06): The game is intended for people with VR experience, and newcomers should try the first game or other VR shooters first.
- Go in blind (weight 0.06): One reviewer recommends experiencing the game without prior knowledge for the best experience.
- DLC is worthwhile (weight 0.06): A reviewer states that the DLC is worth getting.

Other player notes:
- Solo developer achievement (weight 0.8): 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 (weight 0.7): 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 (weight 0.53): 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 (weight 0.48): 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 (weight 0.42): 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.
- Direct sequel story continuation (weight 0.29): The story is a direct continuation of the first game, and while playing the first is not strictly required, it enhances the experience. Some reviewers mention that the intro may be confusing without prior knowledge.
- Level editor and custom content (weight 0.26): Many reviewers appreciate the inclusion of a level editor and support for user-created content, which adds significant replay value and extends the game's lifespan.
- DLC adds fitting conclusion (weight 0.2): The DLC, Into The Aether, is mentioned as short but providing a satisfying conclusion to the story, and it adds new weapons and content.
- High replayability with mods (weight 0.17): The game offers replayability through modifications, mutators, and the ability to play as other characters, which adds to its long-term appeal.
- Rick and Morty humor style (weight 0.13): Reviewers often compare the humor and tone to Rick and Morty, describing it as wacky and absurd, which appeals to fans of that style.
- Inclusive and family-friendly content (weight 0.11): The game is described as kind, fun, inclusive, and suitable for teens and adults, with no sexual content, making it broadly appealing.
- Absurdly long playtime (weight 0.07): Some reviewers humorously note the game is absurdly long, with playtime described as 'to infinity and beyond', emphasizing its extensive content.
- Positive VR GOTY consideration (weight 0.06): One reviewer questions why the game did not win VR Game of the Year in 2023, highlighting its high quality and impact.
- Bold experiment in VR gameplay (weight 0.06): Compared to Half-Life: Alyx, which is seen as conservative, this game is viewed as a bold experiment that pushes VR gameplay boundaries.
- Basic graphics noted (weight 0.06): A few reviewers mention that the graphics are fairly basic, though this does not detract significantly from the overall experience.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Players report frustration due to bullet sponge enemies, unfair boss fights, and weak weapons that make combat feel tedious. Technical issues like flawed teleportation, poorly placed save points, softlocks, and janky controls further compound the difficulty. Excessive enemy spawns, slow ammo regeneration, and confusing level design force difficulty drops and repeated retries.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment stems from the game failing to meet expectations, especially compared to Half-Life: Alyx, with tedious enemies, an abrupt ending, and a lack of charm in the sequel. Many feel the gunplay, humor, and enemy design are poor, and that the game is not worth the price. Lost VR features, weak early weapons, and low interactivity contribute to a drawn-out and unsatisfying experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Enjoyment comes from fast-paced combat, a variety of enemy types, and memorable gameplay that remains fun throughout every chapter. The humorous adventure, good VR interactivity, interesting landscapes, and a wealth of content keep players entertained. Fun campaign, great guns, charming ridiculousness, and a solid upgrade system further enhance the experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): Admiration is driven by the game being one of the most original VR titles with Half-Life: Alyx-level quality, especially considering it was made by one person. The beautiful wide landscapes, excellent level design, and natural gunplay and item interaction showcase remarkable achievement. The fact that it was nearly solo-developed by a high schooler adds to the impressive polish of the VR campaign.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.05): Enthusiasm is fueled by the game being fantastic and one of the best campaign shooters for VR, with an unpredictable story and great comedy. Reviewers praise it as the best VR experience with great humor, varied weapons, strange enemies, and multiverse scenery. Polished gunplay and physics, along with great characters and music, make it a highly recommended adventure.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement arises from the game being so much fun that players cannot wait to play more, and anticipation for the creator's next release. Dynamic gameplay with self-replenishing ammo, interesting bosses, and crossover content like Portal references and an Ultrakill boss keep players engaged. Obtaining new weapons and using them in firefights, along with eagerness to 100% the game and start NG+, drive excitement.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): Amusement is primarily caused by the game's humor, including the crowbar pun referencing Gordon Freeman, entertaining characters and dialogues, and absurd enemies and bosses. Levels described as a fever dream provide many moments of laughter, and the goofy secrets and endearing, funny characters add to the comedic experience. The humor is often so extreme it can kill a Victorian child.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction comes from the game running very well and being a really good game with a story that does not get boring and multiple endings. Unique weapons, weird enemies, an amazing story, good runtime, and collectibles provide a fulfilling experience. Getting good at the high-paced gameplay offers great satisfaction, and level variety, design, boss fights, and music are all greatly improved.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by tedious enemies that remain annoying even after lowering difficulty, and upgrades that remove weapon interactions making the game feel like it plays itself. Unnatural reloading, enemies rushing into melee, and VR arm flailing add to the irritation. The boss fight with General Shinto requires remembering to press the trigger when using the sword, and teleport on the left stick constantly interferes.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom results from being forced to wait for dialogue to unlock doors and a middle section of the game that is extremely drawn out. Playing through three levels felt boring with very little fun, and the game has dull parts. Overall, the game is simply boring to play for some.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Amazement is driven by the game being the best VR game ever played and made by one person, with tons of levels, amazing designs, enemies, bosses, voice acting, and visuals. The quality of gun-play, lively world, and crafted monsters and environments feel impossible for one person to make. The plot, locations, and visuals are amazing, creating a cool VR experience with cool weapons and characters.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation stems from the game being a great sequel to an amazing game, with remarkable scale and creativity for a single developer. Great gameplay and style despite lower-quality graphics, and it being a very good VR game with Half-Life inspirations and humor, contribute to this feeling.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed because the game stands out among VR titles, with combat, story, enemy variety, levels, and visuals all praised. It ranks among the best VR games the reviewer has played and surpasses the first Vertigo in every way. It expands a lot more on the Vertigo story line and adds cool new features.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love is caused by the immersive world, characters, and music that make the game special. Beating the game and experiencing weapon designs, combat, dialogue, and character designs further endears it. The game blends many enjoyable elements into a pleasing whole, making it amazing.
- Fear (weight 0.02): Fear is triggered by underwater sections with large creatures, the chapter 23 boss that is scary because it has no attack patterns, and the Centipod being the most terrifying thing ever seen.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.02): Mild frustration is caused by bosses being extreme bullet sponges compared to other enemies, early mobs being rather difficult, and occasional performance issues, minor bugs, and repetitive combat encounters. Also, the inability to manually calibrate height with the current option adds to the frustration.
- Relief (weight 0.02): Relief comes from discovering cheats for reloading and dying that prevent having to give up, and from realizing that pressing the trigger button makes the sword work, making the fight less bad. Rebinding teleport to left trigger also solved an issue.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness arises from knowing that one day they will finish the game and never experience it again, and from the game having lost its magic with the reviewer fearing not being able to finish it.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is simply due to the game being an incredibly fun VR shooter that provides the most fun in VR the reviewer has had in years.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise is caused by learning that this was an indie title and by weird humanoid creatures popping up behind you.}