School is almost out, and winter break is upon us. What better way to spend your weeks of free time than with a brand new, action-packed video game to pass the time?
This past November, Twisted Pixel Games collaborated with Marvel Games to release Deadpool VR, a much-anticipated game among fans of Batman: Arkham Origins. After almost 4 years of development, it is now available to play on Meta Quest 3 and 3S VR headsets. The game is creative, witty, and entertaining if you are looking for something new.
Deadpool VR gameplay
Deadpool VR is a brawler video game in the first-person perspective in which you get to play as Deadpool. You are tasked with saving a portion of the Helicarrier that was hijacked by Flag-Smasher, one of the Marvel villains. All of a sudden, you are captured by Mojo, the main supervillain, and enlisted to compete in a deadly gameshow with several other villains.
Deadpool VR is animated in a colorful comic style and utilizes a combination of melee and weapon-based combat. Your arsenal is stocked full of unique guns and weapons, such as katanas and grappling hooks, that you can unlock as you progress through the game. In true chaotic Deadpool fashion, you can also use your enemies’ own severed limbs to beat them up.
It’s about a ten-hour playthrough, but there is also an option to replay the levels as different versions of Deadpool, such as Lady Deadpool or Kidpool.
Why VR?
Phil Therien, the lead design manager on Marvel’s Deadpool VR, explains why inserting Deadpool into a virtual reality setting is so effective. “Deadpool is such an interesting character,” he says in an interview with Meta. “The way he fights changes all the time.” That’s true — at multiple points throughout the game, Deadpool alternates between throwing weapons, doing martial arts, or even dancing as he takes out enemies.
Therien remarks that in traditional video games, it’s very expensive to include such variety in the game’s animation and systems. However, “In VR,” he clarifies, “the player effectively provides a lot of these animations because you are moving your own arms and combining moves in a way that feels natural to you.”
In virtual reality, players are free to do what they want and be creative. This can create a more immersive experience. Additionally, it fits with Deadpool as a character because he is so impulsive. A flexible narrative structure allows his quirks to shine.
Additionally, there is something unique about sharing the same head as the main character in a VR game. Sometimes, Deadpool might talk to the player because he knows the player is controlling him. Therien comments, “There are moments in the game where Deadpool will leave his body and turn around and talk to you. He’ll be like, I need you to do this right now because otherwise I’ll be really annoyed.” That is a fun relationship dynamic that can only happen in virtual reality.
What people are saying
Deadpool is the epitome of chatterboxes. He constantly cracks vulgar jokes and makes snarky comments, which people either love or hate. In a Game Informer review, Kyle Hilliard remarks that the amount of dialogue in the game can be overwhelming, and some of the jokes just don’t land. The ones that do, he says, are often pop culture references, jokes about the game design, or references to other Marvel characters.
People are satisfied with how perfectly the game captures the Deadpool spirit of the movies, which feature many fourth-wall breaks. Gabriel Moss explains in an IGN review that “the jokes are typically more three-dimensional than just playing off tropes.”
Deadpool constantly breaks the fourth wall, poking fun at the way he knows he’s in a video game. One instance of this is when Deadpool laments having to fight Ultimo because the game developers couldn’t afford to include Ultron, a sequence Moss thought was charming.
The combat in Deadpool VR is incredibly unique and in line with the typical Deadpool humor. At certain points, Deadpool can lose his limbs in combat, leading to many memorable encounters where you then have to wait for them to regrow. In the opening fight sequence, Deadpool accidentally decapitates himself when he crashes his vehicle into the Helicarrier. You then have to figure out — quite comedically — how to get your body to walk back to your head.
“That’s what Deadpool VR is all about: kinetic movement through dynamic environments, creative kills, and irreverent goofs.”
Gabriel Moss
The game also has a stellar soundtrack, some users say. A review by Gamertag states that the 90s music is very reminiscent of the final scene in Deadpool & Wolverine, which features the song “Like a Prayer” by Madonna.
While Deadpool VR was generally well-received, some people find its combat and dialogue repetitive. Even if you replay the game as a different character, the story and mechanics don’t change. Further, there is no option to skip dialogue portions that you have seen before.
Final thoughts on Deadpool VR
If you are a Marvel fan with a sense of humor and taste for chaos, this game is for you. Deadpool has always been a deranged character, and that carries through to this game.
But, if the gore and the swearing ever get to be too much, there are plenty of more relaxed video games that might suit your fancy.
