Fallout 4 VR

Walking through the ruins of Boston in Fallout 4 VR turns out to be a rewarding experience that makes its post-nuclear world much more authentic. While it remains evident that Fallout 4 was not designed for this, evidenced by the unsuitable Pip Boy menu system, being able to move around and defend decently remains a tantalizing proposition that Fallout lovers with a high PC. range and an HTC Vive will have all the trouble in the world to decline.

Considering the high hardware requirements to be able to run it (GeForce GTX 1070 and AMD FX 8350), it's no wonder that Fallout 4 VR's rendering is more than respectable. Unlike Skyrim on PS4, far less visual concessions have been made, and while Fallout 4 has never been a thunderbolt in terms of graphics, character models, textures and viewing distance. that slightly impacted compared to the classic version, if I believe my memories. I did have a few small slowdowns despite a setup exceeding the pre-requisites (with a GTX 1080), but these seemed limited to certain areas - like the Vault 111, which didn't give me a very good first. impression. But everything quickly returned to normal, and most of my game went off without a hitch.

The options available in the menu make this VR experience quite flexible. Teleport is on by default, with an indicator changing from blue to green when it is far enough away from you and is consuming stamina. Switching from teleportation to free movement allows you to explore these wasteland with pleasure ... if you have a good stomach. I struggled to turn smoothly, although there seemed to be a menu to adjust this, forcing me to use the gradual change of direction when I got to the end of my Vive cord.

Since the combat system is focused on the shooting phases in Fallout, picking up a gun and knocking out mole rats and raiders is still pretty fun. Not quite as efficient as in a shooter designed for VR like Robo Recall or Superhot VR, but far from bad. Ah, and you can hit your enemies with your butt too. When a swarm of savage ghouls swoop in on you, all you need to do is activate the Vault-Tec Assisted Sighting System (SVAV) to stop them, and those few auto-aim headshots are often a lifeline. If you thought the classic version of Fallout was gory, you'll quickly revisit your judgment when your enemies' blood and eyeballs literally spray you down.

That said, the feeling of immersion takes a hell of a beating in the back of the head when it comes to interacting with the surroundings. A flaw largely due to the fact that your hands are not actually modeled, unless you use them as blunt weapons. So when you reach out to grab an object and observe it, you don't see your hand grabbing it on the screen - it's floating right over your fist, weapon, or Vive controller. It is also disappointing that, like Skyrim VR on Playstation VR, it is simply impossible to carry or move corpses (or even pieces of corpses), as is the case in the classic version of Fallout. 4. I guess this sacrifice was made to avoid framerate drops when the physics engine is strained, which is understandable but disappointing.

There are quite a few interface elements reworked for VR, such as keeping your compass below your line of sight, allowing you to look around without the floating HUD showing, until whether you are looking down or staring at your hand. When you raise your left wrist, your Pip Poy deploys dramatically, and there is no need to keep your arm at sight height to view it. Details which show us that this adaptation has benefited from a certain care.

Does this apply when using the Pip Boy? Not really. You might imagine that it would use a touchscreen interface similar to that of an iPad strapped to your wrist, but you'll have to flip through its different categories and subcategories and scroll through the lists by swiping and clicking using your left touchpad, which turns out to be anything but functional. To be fair, navigating the menus in Fallout 4 using the usual controllers is far from a piece of cake, but in this VR version, the Vive's trackpads make scrolling through lists without accidentally switching categories so difficult. , that I quickly stopped raising my arm whenever I needed to change my gear. A frustrating flaw that is very detrimental to Fallout 4, given that you have to use your Pip Boy very often.

Considering the cumbersome inventory management, it is still quite incomprehensible that the action is not paused when you consult your Pip Boy, as was the case in the classic version. A really questionable design choice. This makes you much more vulnerable during the combat phases, as you cannot make use of these breaks when you want to, and remain completely dependent on the quick access menu when you need to heal yourself under enemy fire. So consider selecting a low difficulty until you have fully understood the procedure.

A few caveats before you embark on this adventure: While Fallout 4 VR runs on Oculus Rift, its controls currently make it completely unplayable, so maybe it's best to wait before succumbing. This version does not include any of the DLCs, which is quite a shame when you know that this content is over a year old, and mods are not supported - it is also impossible to transfer your Fallout 4 saves. to Fallout 4 VR, for some reason. However, the game still offers you rich and quality content, and exploring it so closely is still impressive. For more on this, check out my Fallout 4 review.