Boneworks (2019)

I don't think this lauded game is all that good. Perhaps is that it's showing its age in the fast-moving VR scene, but the physics are kind of wonky and the shooting is not good. The inventory system is a mess, as I was always failing to grab my weapons or grabbing the wrong ones. Reloading is a PITA, especially when couching IRL and my real body gets in the way of my virtual hand to grab a new clip.

The game has also no story or motivation to move forward. I never really knew what I was moving towards, so everything felt too perfunctory. I guess I was moving forward just because it's a game and that's what you do.

I had been a while since I played this one. I took the Oculus to my mom's and the larger space made it more enjoyable. My main point, however, is that I don't think this lauded game is all that good. Perhaps is that it's showing its age in the fast-moving VR scene, but the physics are kind of wonky and the shooting is not good. I'm constantly failing to grab my weapons or grabbing the wrong one and reloading is a PITA, especially when I'm couching IRL and my real body makes it hard for my virtual hand to grab a new clip.

There's also no story or motivation. I don't really know what I'm moving towards 100% of the time, so everything feels too perfunctory. Like I'm moving forward just because it's a game and that's what you do.

I bought this game a few months ago and was very put off by the lack of a save feature. I couldn't play the game because I would be too nauseated after about 40 minutes. Fortunately, that has been mostly resolved now with the introduction of checkpoints. If you are making reasonable progress then you can find a checkpoint every 20 to 30 minutes; this is much better than only getting to save every hour or two.

The gun-play is very fun, and I think most people would find this to be the highlight of Boneworks, especially when combined with the amazing physics. That said, the physics are brought down a peg or two by the fully physical body. A lot of the puzzles can be very tedious with the physical body, and so I often see the physical body as an obstacle to overcome, rather than a feature of the game. Also, climbing is extremely nauseating. There is a section towards the end with some climbing and its just really janky. I made it to the top and fell and just quit because my stomach wouldn't let me do it a second time. I think with more work, a physical body could be made more enjoyable, but as of right now I don't find it very amusing. This is made very apparent when I try to bring a gun out from my shoulder, and it gets caught on the body, or when I'm holding on the handles of a lift, and then the arm gets stuck inside the grip.

Overall, I'm having a great time with the game, and I highly recommend it to anyone with a VR headset. The game-play is very fun outside of what I mentioned above.

There is so much I love about this game that it pains me to give it such a critical rating. The character, the awesome tutorial and overall physics, the fun music and atmosphere inherent in the world building. This game channels a lot of Half Life and Portal vibes. And I really, really enjoyed that.

But boy did this game piss me off. The design of many aspects just doesn’t work consistently. I was constantly dropping items, including my weapons. Cocking weapons was often a huge pain. It took me multiple play sessions before I got over the nausea. The story is pretty thinly veiled; while it contains awesome ideas and world design, it also doesn’t really explain itself well and there are no real characters. The campaign is fun and often impressive but it doesn’t really make much use of all the cool physics the tutorial shows off.

I really enjoyed this game. But the truth is that I’m glad I’ll never have to play it again.