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Have you ever wondered what it feels like to float around beyond the limits of gravity? What about taking that zero-gravity feeling and injecting jetpacks, swords, guns, shields, and enemies in a battle to the death? This is exactly what you get in Space Junkies, a galactic, arena-style shooter, once lost deep in space that has finally emerged on planet VR. Your childhood dreams of becoming a space-cowboy have finally come true. Here’s whats in store for you:

Gameplay

The first thing I noticed and was pleasantly shocked by was how finely tuned the games mechanics are. Space Junkies gives you full 360-degree range of movement around its arenas with buttery smooth locomotion in zero-gravity space, meaning you freely control your character to move in any direction you want at any given moment in real time. This is where Space Junkies sets itself apart from other VR shooters I’ve played because you aren’t stuck to the ground, and you aren’t teleporting around (like Robo Recall which slows time down as you choose where to teleport). This adds a layer of immersion and strategy when battling enemies below or above you, creating remarkably unique and intense gun battles unlike anything I have ever played. Furthermore, the movement mechanics are extremely fluid and easy to get used to, which is a breath of fresh air considering other VR titles are clunkier and harder to maneuver/get used to. I was dodging enemies and winning gun battles after having only played 2 rounds, which for a VR game is quite impressive.

Another great aspect of the game was its equipment and weaponry. Each player comes equipped with a sword and shield by default, making for interesting strategies in battle. The shield isn’t so big as to cover players’ entire bodies, meaning you could still land shots on them depending on if they were covering their head or feet. Blocking incoming shots while shooting around your shield and racking in kills was also extremely satisfying. The sword deals one hit kill damage, so it is perfect for ambushing enemies, or saving yourself inthose crucial CQC kill or be killed moments. The weapon selection was straightforward which made for a nicely balanced experience. There is a standard shotgun, mini gun, assault rifle, blaster pistol, sniper rifle, rocket launcher, and, a grenade launching sling shot. The sling shot was especially unique because in order to use it you actually had to launch it like you would a sling shot in the non-virtual world. You can also dual wield most weapons and various combinations of them, completely melting enemies if you are accurate enough.

The map design in Space Junkies is one of its greatest strengths, but not due to any breathtaking galactic worlds that are fantastical to look at. The strength is actually derived from the pragmatic approach the developers tookto create layouts that work in tandem with the games unique zero gravity movement. Objects in the map are meticulously placed in the well realized 3-D arenas so that skilled traversal becomes a weapon of its own once mastered. Figuring out the quickest routes that provide the most cover to health, armor and weapons is essential for survival, while manipulating those same routes to ambush and get the drop on enemies is a surefire strategy for victory. This in itself adds a layer of strategy and immersion that makes the game that much more real and satisfying. The three map layouts harbor claustrophobic areas perfect for intense close quarters gun battles, and wide open areas advantageous for ambushing enemies or engaging in drawn out shootouts. My only concern is that the maps might become stale after a while which could result in the game getting boring. More maps to master in future updates are essential to keeping this games momentum going.

Space Junkies is solely PVP and does not offer any game modes against AI like horde mode. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking new games modes to the PVP FPS genre, the games premise on its own is groundbreaking enough that it doesn’t need to. The traditional deathmatch, team deathmatch, and king of the hill game modes are all here and that’s all it really needs. I had no trouble finding games, and all the players I met were cool and non-toxic, so that was a plus. The game also features perks and characters that are unlockable which gives you something extra to work towards which are nice little bonuses, but not essential to the game at its core.

Comfort

Being a zero gravity locomotion controlled VR game, it’d be safe to assume you’d get crazy motion sickness playing Space Junkies. That wasn’t the case for me, and during my entire experience with the game I actually felt no motion sickness whatsoever. I think that is due to the fact that you are standing in place the entire time you are playing. However, there are two orientation options to play with: full 360 degree or half 180 degree range of motion. If you choose 360 degree that means in order to look behind you, you have to turn all the way around. I played with the 180 degree option, meaning I didn’t have to turn around, which could have been the reason why I didn’t get motion sickness. I’d recommend playing on the 180 degree option anyway, as it would probably difficult to maneuver around the annoying cable attached to most VR headsets.

Verdict

Space Junkies certainly is not a title you want to miss if you’ve been looking for an amazing FPS experience for VR. Ubisoft Montpellier really nailed it in terms of bringing an immensely unique VR experience with fluid zero gravity movement mechanics, solid gunplay, and layers of depth that will keep you playing for hours. These attributes really put it in a league of its own, and no VR FPS on the market right now comes close to it. At $39.99, it’s hard to beat a deal this sweet on a game that has finally shown the potential of VR.

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