A mixed bag that leaves you wanting more
Just a couple of hours ago I was skiing down a mountain at speed, with gun wielding zombies chasing me on snowmobiles and explosions happening all around me. OK not for real but on my Quest 3, but today we are reviewing Fracked. The game has just been ported to the system, is it worth your money?
Fracked originally launched in 2021 for the PSVR, this adrenaline-pumping game has now made its way to standalone headsets, bringing with it a mix of intense firefights and exhilarating skiing sections.
From the moment you boot up Fracked, you’re thrown into the action as a reluctant hero thrust into a last-ditch effort to save your planet. The premise is simple, stop the fracking that’s tearing your world apart while fending off an army of inter-dimensional enemies. Both on foot and in action packed skiing sections.
Gameplay
Fracked excels in its skiing sections, which are, without a doubt, the highlight of the game. You remember that scene in Inception when Tom Hardy is skiing down a mountain in the middle of a firefight? It feels a little bit like that. There’s something incredibly satisfying about speeding down a mountain, dodging obstacles, and taking out enemies in high octane firefights.
These moments are where the game truly shines, giving you a real sense of speed and control that feels fantastic. The only downside? They’re a bit too far and few between. These awesome sections only last for 3-5 minutes before the game pulls you back into the shooter segments.
The gunplay itself is enjoyable, it is also a bit of a mixed bag. At times it does a good job of making you feel like John Wick. While at times it all feels great, I can’t help but think the enemies are too bullet spongey, with one type in particular requiring ridiculous amounts of bullets to kill.
The game does suffer from some repetitiveness as it features only three main enemy types, after a while, it starts to feel like you’re mowing down the same enemies over and over. it can feel a bit stale by the end of the short 3-4 hour campaign.
However if there is one thing that Fracked does really well, it is its cover system. Instead of simply ducking behind cover, you physically grab onto your surroundings with your free hand and pull yourself around as if you’re climbing. This mechanic is incredibly intuitive, it’s one of those VR-specific features that should definitely be implemented in more games.
While Fracked nails some aspects, it falters in others. The game doesn’t use a full VR system for holstering weapons, instead, you press a button to spawn your gun. This might not seem like a big deal, but it does break the immersion, especially when compared to other VR titles that let you physically reach for your weapons.
Additionally, the lack of dual wielding is a missed opportunity. Being able to use two guns would have improved the gameplay, and the restriction feels forced.
Additionally, the weapon variety isn’t great. You have access to a pistol and a submachine gun as your main weapons. On occasion you can pick up a shotgun, grenade launcher or revolver, but these are single use only so they act more as powerups.
Graphics and Performance
You just know this is the type of game where if you come back to it in 10 years time, you will say to yourself “wow, this still looks really good”.
Visually, Fracked adopts a bold, comic book-inspired art style that works well with the Meta Quest hardware. The game’s environments are vibrant and the characters are distinct, with the art direction doing a great job of masking any potential graphical shortcomings.
While it’s not the most graphically impressive VR game out there, it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The stylized visuals ensure that everything looks clean and sharp, even during the most hectic moments.
On the performance side, Fracked for the most part runs smoothly on the Meta Quest 3, with only a single noticeable frame drop during my playthrough, and that wasn’t even during a large set piece. So overall Fracked does run very well, on the Quest 3 at least (I haven’t tried the Quest 2 version).
More concerning however, was that I did experience a crash at one point, which was particularly frustrating as I was in the last five minutes of the game and had to restart the entire level.
Audio
The audio design in Fracked complements the high-octane action perfectly. The music ramps up during gunfights, adding an extra layer of intensity that keeps you on your toes.
Voice acting is solid, with performances that are believable enough to keep you engaged in the story, even if the narrative itself isn’t particularly memorable.
Is Fracked worth buying?
If you are looking for a well executed short VR shooter, there are much worse choices than Fracked. The innovative cover mechanics, enjoyable gunplay, and slick skiing sequences make it worth checking out. Just don’t expect it to be a game you keep coming back to, and it does not last long.
Fracked is ultimately a fun ride but could have been so much more. This is a game that delivers on its promise of fast-paced action and thrilling skiing segments. It’s fun, it’s frantic, and it’s a great way to spend a few hours if you’re looking for an adrenaline rush in VR. However, it’s not without its flaws.
The skiing sections are awesome and adrenaline pumping, however the shooter sections can become repetitive, the lack of enemy variety is noticeable, and the immersion is occasionally broken by some design choices.
Pros:
- Exciting Skiing Sections: High-octane skiing sequences are the game’s standout moments, delivering a real sense of speed and thrill.
- Innovative Cover System: The intuitive VR cover mechanics add a unique layer of immersion and should be adopted by more VR games.
- Stylized Graphics: The comic book-inspired visuals are vibrant and sharp, maintaining a consistent, appealing aesthetic.
- Smooth Performance: The game runs well on the Meta Quest 3, with minimal frame drops and solid overall performance.
Cons:
- Repetitive Gameplay: Limited enemy variety and repetitive shooter sections can make the game feel stale by the end.
- Short Campaign: The game is on the shorter side, offering around 3-4 hours of gameplay.
- Immersion Breaks: The lack of a full VR weapon system and absence of dual-wielding options hinder immersion.
- Unmemorable Story: While serviceable, the narrative isn’t particularly compelling or memorable.
Score 7/10
