Yes, believe it or not, you can already say that there are virtual reality classics. And therefore a remake of a oldie It makes perfect sense. You see, eight years is a long time in VR as technology is evolving rapidly and users are still hungry for more and better. Arizona Sunshine Remake premieres today and the difference from the 2016 original is noticeable. It quickly became the poster child for VR in video games due to its humor, immersion and pure zombie fun, so I would probably put it in my top 5 “old” VR games that deserve a modern version.
There’s something cheesy and silly about the whole thing, something out of the Z series that turns the premise into an arcade game for all audiences (adults) rather than a horror and survival game, which, as you know, can be very intense in VR can. And this concept is now expanded with updated graphics, modern controls and a bit more accessibility.
Nostalgia may make users of the original remember “Arizona Sunshine” as something more atmospheric and a little more realistic, but the point is that this game is just as ugly, and even once was as ugly, as its own “Walking Dead.” The textures were blurry, the models were low-poly, and the set appeared fairly flat, with little to no lighting to add volume. But those were the early days of VR for PC, not to mention VR for PS4, and three years before the first Oculus Quest.
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Arizona Sunshine Remake obviously looks much better. It’s not the prettiest or most atmospheric zombie game you can play in VR in 2024, but it looks really good. However, I found it less improved than expected, having played (and spoken to the developers) on PS VR2 at Gamescom, which is the closest thing to PC VR on a powerful machine, which is a downgrade from the standalone version Meta Quest 3, which I have now used for this analysis. But aside from the lower polygon count, shaders, and resolution in the textures, it looks pretty sharp and fine, if you know what I mean. For example, there is better fidelity, the edges look sharp and clear, and the execution is smooth, which is a must in this case.
The original could also become a bug-fest, especially on PS VR, while Arizona Sunshine Remake is a much more polished experience. Almost nothing broke my immersion except for the occasional flicker of an object or an annoying bug where I got stuck in the trunk of a van looking for bullet magazines only to see a couple of Freddies scratch my face a little until I finally managed to get it moving. There are many Detail with corpses and whatnot, but it seems “natural” in the nature of the game it is.
And how modern does it feel? I liked the controls. They’re based on the still fresh Arizona Sunshine 2 and you can do and feel a lot of things that weren’t in the 2016 original. The melee weapons are satisfying, even if they’re not the most physically effective in the VR world, and now you can grab and move/throw the zombies. World elements are also much more interactive, which we take for granted in today’s VR. In addition to opening the door or drawer, break the glass, grab the can and touch that surface. And yes, you know what about the lighter, the Zippo cigarette and your own breathing? Unfortunately, as far as I know, collectible skins work the same as before: you find them nearby, they seem to be obvious secrets for completists, but they don’t seem to be taken into account, nor do they add any special effects, which would be the case nice.
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The shooting mechanics have also been improved. Maybe it was due to the lower resolution or poorer motion hardware back then, but it couldn’t aim as accurately as it can today. I also decide how I’m going to hold each weapon, whether it’s the larger two-handed rifles and the like, or one-handed pistols and revolvers (as long as I’m not wielding it with both hands like in a western movie), where I use the second hand to improve stability . The physics of the grenades and throws seem a bit exaggerated to me, but overall the gist feels great, and the modern accessibility options only add to the usability and immersion.
So all in all, it’s not the most advanced VR shooter, as it is after all an adaptation of the original, and yet I still found it better than last year’s Arizona Sunshine 2. For the same reason, it’s not particularly visually appealing, and you only get the best of both worlds if you manage to play in PC VR – but with a wireless headset. But for less than 30 dollars including all DLC, or as a 10 euro upgrade for owners of the first game, I think you can’t go wrong with VR Zombies as long as you’re not looking for depth, luxury or advanced practical actions The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, Resident Evil 4 or Village or the upcoming Metro Awakening VR.
VR is making another comeback in the final quarter of this year, one of many after another dry spell (and a disappointing performance from PS VR2), and while we know it won’t be final yet, it won’t take hold just yet The fact that we will have this updated experience, as it seemed, after Quest 2 is released to the public, it can only be good news. It hooked me, it made me laugh, it made me smoke like a ’90s movie actor while popping the heads of dozens of Freddies in the middle of a dismembered mess, and now I want it in two-player co-op continue playing mode. Now give us more, give us Metro VR, the Gundam anime, all-on-board board games and much more!
