Most VR video games are handled as a extra private first-person expression of a pancake sport — or one that you just play solely on a flat display screen — usually integrating the identical forms of digital motion into the management scheme. However VR wasn’t at all times like this, and Eye of the Temple proves that, with the correct degree design, it would not at all times need to be going ahead.
Eye of the Temple is a bodily motion puzzle sport at coronary heart. Consider strolling simulators like Firewatch or The Witness, the place you stroll round fixing puzzles that match right into a sure narrative, and you will start to grasp how Eye of the Temple is designed. Possibly the most important distinction — other than being in VR, after all —is that you’re going to be bodily strolling round your room always whereas taking part in as a substitute of pushing a joystick.
This bodily motion idea is one thing we have not seen a lot for the reason that early days of the HTC Vive when roomscale VR was a brand new idea. Gamers want a 2m x 2m (6.5 x 6.5ft) house to play Eye of the Temple, as there is no solution to nearly transfer your character. It is a distinctive solution to play that makes it one of many greatest Quest 2 video games (opens in new tab) ever, though some people with motion difficulties could have hassle taking part in it.
This assessment was initially revealed on October 14, 2021 and was up to date on April 23, 2023 utilizing the native Quest 2 (opens in new tab) construct of the sport.
Belief your Guardian
A lot as you may anticipate from an Indiana Jones sport, Eye of the Temple units gamers on a quest to search out hidden treasure in a temple, armed solely with a torch and a whip. The whip itself has correct physics utilized, so you will really feel such as you’re cracking an precise whip while you sling it at enemies or seize levers from afar.
The principle schtick of Eye of the Temple is that you’re going to be utilizing precise strolling actions inside your roomscale boundaries. Which means you will bodily be strolling from platform to platform, balancing on beams, and strolling backward to make sure you do not fall off rolling platforms.
You will always really feel such as you’re about to run right into a wall or fall again into your furnishings, but, you by no means will, due to the ingenious degree design that matches completely right into a 2m x 2m house. In different phrases, you will really want to belief the Guardian you arrange in your Quest as a substitute of worrying about operating into one thing.
Shifting blocks will transport you throughout the digital world of Eye of the Temple. All you want to do is step on them, and so they’ll take you to the following level. Stepping off of a block will end in failure and trigger you to start out again on the earlier checkpoint, however these aren’t normally too far again.
There is not any digital joystick motion or teleporting right here. You will be doing every part with your personal two toes.
As you may anticipate from any sport, what begins out as a easy train of strolling from transferring block to transferring block evolves right into a tougher job the additional you get into the sport. Rolling blocks require you to stroll backward with a purpose to keep on prime of them. Rotating statues spew hearth and require you to duck.
Minecarts, rolling boulders, and timed ceilings that compress you into oblivion additionally match proper into the anticipated themes and obstacles that lay in your path to the temple.
As you progress, you will accumulate small rubies that may be traded in for bigger emerald-like crystals, which open the pathway to the temple. Eye of the Temple is mild on story however, nonetheless, presents an intriguing story of why these crystals are wanted for development.
The bottom mechanics of Eye of the Temple are such an absolute pleasure to get accustomed to. Throughout my time with the sport, one in every of my son’s buddies was over, and so they have been watching me play. The preliminary “why do you must transfer like that” questions shortly became “oh my gosh, this sport is superior” inside just some seconds of play.
One thing is mesmerizing and intriguing about bodily transferring your physique by a online game, and it is a novelty that does not appear to put on off within the a number of hours it should take you to make it to the temple.
The puzzles are sometimes intelligent, however you will need to be intelligent about the way to transfer about them to achieve success.
The puzzles have been difficult sufficient, and I obtained caught a number of occasions all through the sport, particularly within the sections the place you want to time your actions with the actions of crushing blocks or different harmful obstacles. The actual ability of the sport is transferring your self the correct manner fairly than the puzzles themselves, in my expertise.
When you full the sport, a number of collectibles might be garnered by additional exploring the temple. As you acquire new talents, you will have that “eureka!” second that’ll take you again by already-explored areas to search out misplaced treasures. I at all times take pleasure in this Metroidvania-esque kind of degree design, and I think about anybody else who does can even take pleasure in how Eye of the Temple is devised.
Given that you’re going to be standing all the time, it is probably that longer play periods will not be widespread. Fortunately, Eye of the Temple makes use of a terrific checkpoint system that by no means appears to put you too far again.
There’s one thing mesmerizing and intriguing about bodily transferring your physique by a online game, a novelty that does not appear to put on off even after a number of hours.
Motion is the toughest half
The puzzles in Eye of the Temple are repeatedly attention-grabbing and get your noodle considering, however the actual problem all through everything of the sport is transferring your physique as a online game character would.
Roomscale VR is at all times a bit difficult as a result of, whereas it is extremely distinctive and cannot be skilled some other manner than by a VR headset, it is also a bit limiting for some gamers.
The developer, Rune, has taken nice care within the degree design and obstacles for Eye of the Temple, guaranteeing that they don’t seem to be too bodily difficult and, but, nonetheless match correctly in an actual 2m x 2m house. However that does not imply everybody goes to search out these actions straightforward.
Roomscale VR is at all times a bit difficult as a result of, whereas it is extremely distinctive and cannot be skilled some other manner than by a VR headset, it is also a bit limiting for a number of gamers. Do you have got sufficient house to maneuver round in? Are you able to bodily transfer with sufficient velocity or agility to finish the puzzles?
A lot of accessibility choices are current for gamers who may expertise illness whereas standing on transferring blocks, however with out digital motion of any form, some gamers will merely be shut out of the expertise. I miss roomscale-only experiences and wish to see extra, however I additionally acknowledge that it limits the viewers that desires to play them.
I do not need this to be a grievance as a result of I completely take pleasure in roomscale-only video games. That is merely an statement of actuality with sure bodily house and motion necessities.
On the brilliant facet, now that it is natively on Quest, there is no worrying about getting tousled in a cable such as you would have on most PC VR headsets.
The whip, like its real-life counterpart, might be awkward to make use of at occasions.
Throughout gameplay, you will be utilizing your whip for a shocking variety of actions. Typically you will use it as an extension of your hand to succeed in in any other case unreachable switches. Different occasions, you will mild it on hearth to set a pyre ablaze or to wack enemies out of the air. The whip feels a bit awkward always, however, no less than in my very restricted expertise, that is additionally the case with them in actual life.
Must you play it?
In case you’ve obtained a Quest 2 and no less than 2m x 2m of roomscale house, Eye of the Temple provides you with a singular expertise like no different. It is a type of video games that solely is sensible in VR and makes much more sense utilizing a standalone headset with no wire tethering it to a PC.
As there’s fairly a little bit of world traversal over the hours you will be taking part in it, I can see individuals getting fatigued or perhaps even uninterested in the idea after some time. A lot of the areas are sufficiently small that you just will not spend greater than 20 minutes or so in every, main you to always marvel what’s across the subsequent nook. In case you’re a puzzle fanatic and love the thought of strolling for actual in a digital house, that is going to be the most effective $20 you will spend on a sport this 12 months.
