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WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR Review—A VR Shooter That Shines…Until It Doesn’t
Team Beef is renowned for transforming classic shooters into virtual reality experiences, so when they partnered with Flat2VR Studios to create an official VR port of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin, I was eager to dive in. With such an impressive modding team working on this boomer shooter, I had high hopes regarding what they could accomplish.
Barebones Plot, Brutal Combat
With WRATH: Aeon of Ruin being a contemporary game that pays homage to the classic boomer shooters, the narrative is quite minimal – it primarily serves as a backdrop for your objectives in the game. You play as an Outlander, who finds themselves on the shores of a land beset by the Guardians of the Old World, your main targets to eliminate. Armed with just enough information to guide you through the game, your mission is to defeat these Guardians. Therefore, if you prefer a game with an intricate storyline, this may not be the right choice for you.
When Gameplay Clicks...and Doesn’t
When it comes to gameplay, it has been quite a peculiar experience. There are moments when I absolutely love the game, and then there are times when it struggles to keep me engaged. Don’t misunderstand me; Team Beef knows how to bring these types of shooters to VR, but certain aspects of the game and some choices felt a bit off.
As previously mentioned, Team Beef comprehends what boomer shooters require in virtual reality. The key elements are smoothness and responsiveness, and they have successfully delivered this in the VR adaptation of the game. Movement, dashing, sliding and slo-mo feel incredible, and when you combine these with a variety of weapons and your blades, it truly makes you fall in love with the game. Moreover, even when the number of enemies on screen reaches its peak, there were no performance hiccups on the Quest 3, which is essential for a shooter that relies on quick reflexes.
It checks all the boxes for boomer shooter levels. You will navigate through tunnels, corridors, and smaller open areas. These levels are all atmospheric and feature the classic boomer shooter settings like graveyards, catacombs, ancient ruins, and forests, which are typical in this genre. They are also filled with hidden areas and secret items to discover while engaging in battles with enemies. You are equipped with a solid arsenal of weapons that can be dual-wielded or held with both hands for enhanced accuracy in this virtual reality version of the game.
However, there are certain aspects in the same areas that made it difficult for me to remain engaged at times, particularly the tropes found in boomer shooters, which become even more pronounced in virtual reality. To begin with, most levels are designed around key hunts through corridors and spaces, causing the environment to quickly blend together as everything starts to appear similar. While searching for keys, you find yourself opening doors and flipping switches in these indistinguishable areas – which means that if you need to return to a locked door after acquiring the necessary key, you may struggle to retrace your steps and feel as though you are wandering aimlessly. The game does provide a button to highlight the path you should take, but its effectiveness is inconsistent, often becoming more of a hindrance than a help. At times, it would direct me to another area only to lead me back to where I started or simply stop in a random location. This can leave you feeling even more disoriented, prompting thoughts of quitting and returning later with a clearer mind.
This leads to the next concern regarding saving your progress in the game. To save, you must locate an item that is quite rare. Once found, you have to place one of these items down, which means if you die, you will re-spawn at that point. However, you have no way of knowing what dangers might be lurking just around the corner, and since these items are so valuable, you hesitate to place one down – often resulting in frustrating losses of progress. Even with the addition of three difficulty levels by the developers, the game remains challenging, even on the easiest setting, as one would expect from boomer shooters.
Adding to the frustrations of saving, playing a game like this in virtual reality can lead to some elements not transferring over. In WRATH: Aeon of Ruin, the speed and number of enemies can make it challenging to keep track of everything happening, resulting in deaths that feel beyond your control. While combat can be incredibly satisfying when chaining actions together, in situations where you can’t keep up, you may find yourself needing to eliminate enemies slowly from a distance. This requires the extra accuracy of holding a weapon with both hands around corners, which detracts from the fast-paced, continuous movement combat that defines boomer shooters.
Boomer Shooter Done Right… Almost
WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR has maintained the same aesthetic as its flatscreen counterpart, which set a precedent by utilising Quake-1 technology as its base, making it both visually and experientially reminiscent of the classics in this genre. This leads to the game’s retro appearance, which translates effectively into virtual reality. Additionally, this design choice contributes to the game’s fluid performance on the Quest 3, as it alleviates some of the strain that more graphically intensive games impose, allowing for a greater number of enemies to appear on screen simultaneously. Even with its vintage visual style, this approach works remarkably well in VR and does not detract from the immersive experience the game offers.
Similarly, the audio design features the classic sound of stomping feet that varies depending on the type of surface you tread upon – yet it consistently retains that satisfying stomp. The weapon sounds are impressive, enemies burst with explosive effects, and the atmosphere is both immersive and heavy as you traverse through tunnels, corridors, and more expansive areas, which is exactly what you expect from a boomer shooter.
However, I believe a significant oversight has occurred regarding the sound design, specifically the absence of energetic metal music that typically injects vitality into these types of games. This absence can make exploration feel somewhat hollow and occasionally too quiet. It also diminishes the intensity of larger battles, as it is often the pounding music that elevates these moments and provides that additional adrenaline boost.
Comfort
Verdict
WRATH: Aeon of Ruin VR has proven to be a peculiar game to review. There have been moments when I truly enjoyed it, yet just as many instances where it failed to captivate me. When it shines, it really shines, but its imperfections detract from the overall experience. The buttery smoothness and responsiveness essential for a boomer shooter are definitely present, and Team Beef has excelled in this area. When you combine various movement styles, slow-motion, and a mix of guns and blades, it captures that boomer shooter excellence, which is further enhanced by VR. However, with so much action happening at once, it can be challenging to keep that pace in VR. You may find yourself resorting to using both hands to hold a weapon for more accuracy and taking out enemies from a distance, which contradicts the constant movement you want in a boomer shooter. Additionally, the game makes a significant misstep by not including the energetic music that is vital to the spirit of boomer shooters. It’s a difficult situation because, technically, what Team Beef has achieved with the VR version of the game is impressive, but its flaws do detract from the overall enjoyment.
Release Date: April 9th 2026
Developer: Team Beef, Flat2VR Studios
Publisher: Flat2VR Studios, 3D Realms
Price: £15.99 / $19.99 USD
Reviewed On: Meta Quest 3
* Access Provided For Review *
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Copyright / Virtual Grip (formally The VR Realm) / 2016 -
