How long can one live on the achievements of the past? Interestingly, when it comes to virtual reality, the answer is “quite a while.” Every time it’s said that VR as a concept is dead, we respond with “But what about Half-Life: Alyx?” Astrobot?” Two games that more or less determined the fate of the entire medium for too many years. While there are many good VR titles, such as Moss, Beat Saber, Tetris Effect, Superhot, etc., apart from the VR versions of existing great games, such as Skyrim, Resident Evil and No Mans Sky, there is always a lack still on authentic, dedicated great games. AAA titles with double-digit playing hours that impress with their scope, graphics and sound. And immersion, more would be missing. This deficiency is particularly pronounced in the case of Meta, as it is a standalone headset.
While Sony’s PC VR and PS VR have their two flagships to lean on, there hasn’t been a standalone headset equivalent like the Meta Quest. For the most part, they’ve had to make do with glorified technical demos like Vader Immortal, which occasionally impressed during their short runtime, but with Asgard’s Wrath 2 that changes completely. We’re not just talking about one of the biggest and best VR games of all time, but also one of the best RPG adventures I’ve ever played, regardless of format. It’s the expected Killer app of the new generation and in the long run it could also be the game that gets more developers to invest in the medium. Hopefully.
However, I was a bit at a loss when I first started the game. It was included in my Meta Quest 3 and admittedly it may seem a bit strange that they decided to release a sequel for a game that was previously only available on PC VR (Oculus Rift or Meta Quest 2 via link). So I’m probably reaching a whole new audience now, but I haven’t really had any problems. There is even a small summary at the beginning that you can click on if necessary. For him more than anything else Tradition I would say. It’s not a complicated story. Find Loki and defeat him before he destroys the universe. That’s all. I myself take on the role of a supposed cosmic guardian with the opportunity to take on four different protagonist forms, all with their own strengths, weaknesses and no less peculiarities. In order to successfully complete my noble mission, I must recruit competent warriors and help the gods Egyptians who are scattered across the country.
Playing an open-world game in ancient Egypt has been a winning factor for many game developers over the years, and Asgard’s Wrath 2 continues that trend by pitting me against gods and mythical creatures in endless, rewarding battles. There is a bit of a learning curve, as with most games, but I soon master both the sword and the bow and everything else, and I may not dance across the dunes with the most elegant and graceful steps, but I feel powerful, strong and ready for anything, and that’s what’s important here. There will be more to do by the time I face the first boss a few hours into the game. I’ve seen big bosses in VR before, but nothing like this, and there’s no way I’m getting cocky staring at an enemy so huge I don’t know where to start attacking. Honestly, I barely know where the creature begins and ends. A winged beast so close to my face I can almost feel the wind in my bangs, but I just have to try and hope for the best.
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The combat is fast and dynamic. Sure, I might miss the feeling of real weight when I swing a sword or throw an ax, but that’s not a problem with Asgard’s Wrath 2, but rather with the technology itself: it’s not quite there yet when it comes to haptic sensations, and Let’s hope, May There will be a solution for this in the future. But every duel has its own life. Partly because the different characters have their own weapons and unique playstyles, but also because I face a surprising number of enemies, although unfortunately there is some repetition in the worst parts without breaking anything.
However, throwing my Leviathan-like ax at the head of a terrible beast and then summoning it back to deal double damage never gets old. It’s just as satisfying every time, but it’s also not the only thing you can or should do. Without a doubt, attack is often the best defense, but sometimes going full throttle is tantamount to signing your own death warrant. In terms of difficulty, it doesn’t reach FromSoftware levels, but it is an undeniable challenge. By carefully studying my opponents, the chances of survival increase significantly. Parrying with the sword and blocking with the shield have often helped me when the sand on my sandaled feet has turned red. It’s also nice that I usually only encounter one or two enemies at a time and therefore don’t have to swing the weapon around wildly in the hope of hitting something. Even though the pace is fast, I have time to think and plan my attacks or defense.
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Up to this point it may sound like it’s just a long battle simulator, but nothing could be further from the truth. There’s a lot to do and discover in Asgard’s Wrath 2. It’s not a completely open game world, but a closed one, and it’s full of puzzles that I have to solve in God Mode, which is exactly what it sounds like. Me, but in divine form. Of course, there are many interesting places to explore, each with their own challenges. From caves full of scorpions to Zelda-style underwater temples. I always have my recruits with me to help me, and they are not just any recruits, they can also take other forms, although in their case they are animals. Which makes me happy as a player because I can actually drive them and it’s not only an experience in itself, but also a great way to travel through the vast desert landscape. The role-playing elements are also surprisingly deep. I can fish, cook, find treasures and materials to improve my weapons and armor, and when I get my hard-earned experience points, I invest them in various skills that I want to improve. I can also upgrade my companions to make them even more useful, and on the other hand, there are community events that you can take part in if you feel like it.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 is an extraordinary experience, but it has to be experienced first hand. You have to be there with the virtual sword in your hand and see it with your own eyes. There’s no way to explain exactly how great it is, no matter how many superlatives you use. It’s the biggest VR game yet, with 60 glorious hours of main story and at least double that if you want to do it all, and you will. In fact, once I was forced back into the real world, I just wanted to dive back in. Immediately. I don’t want to be there with the alarm clock, the time to turn on the washing machine, the Tupperware, the mortgage payments, and the snow removal. No, give me the sword, the bow and the ax and I could stay forever. Of course it’s not a perfect game. There are repetitive sequences and some graphical elements don’t hold up, but as a VR game it’s unparalleled and I can’t imagine how good it would have been if it had been released fully optimized for Quest 3 and its performance (please, Sanzaru, do it now).
