Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable – Early Access on Meta Quest 3

Anyone looking for some heart-pounding virtual reality action, or a fan of the hit anime and manga series, will find “Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable” to be a tempting proposition. The game aims to recreate the intense thrill of taking down titans, in VR on Meta Quest 3. “Unbreakable” developed by UNIVRS, focuses on the thrilling, fast-paced fighting that the series is famous for. Does it, however, provide the complete, adrenaline-pumping adventure we anticipate? It’s time to use our ODM and jump right in!

Setting the Stage: Humanity’s Last Stand

If you’re unfamiliar, “Attack on Titan” takes place in a dystopian future where giant humanoid monsters called Titans lurk outside the city walls, terrifying any would-be humans who dare to venture out. The Scout Regiment, also known as the Survey Corps, is the last line of defence against the Titans. Their Omni-Directional Mobility (ODM) gear transforms them into airborne warriors who can slice through the Titans’ only vulnerable spot—the nape of their necks—by allowing them to swing through the air with dual grappling hooks.

Playing “Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable” puts you in the shoes of a fresh recruit to the Survey Corps. Prior knowledge of the hit Tv series is preferable but not necessary as the in-game opening scenes get you up to speed with everything you need to know. In a nutshell, you must protect the city from the Titan threat using your twin swords and ODM gear. This simple premise makes it an ideal fit for VR.

Gameplay: Aerial Acrobatics and Titan Slaying

“Unbreakable” is all about its one-of-a-kind combat system, which is centred around your ODM gear. Intense, thrilling sensations abound as you soar through the sky, dart from building to building, and unleash lightning-fast attacks on Titans. The game does an excellent job with this fundamental mechanic, transporting you to the role of a lethal missile whizzing through the air with incredible accuracy. At first, I thought maybe this fast paced aerial combat might lead to some ‘up chuck’ but I was pleasantly surprised. The movement through the air at speed is surprisingly smooth and doesn’t disorientate the user. I had zero motion sickness while playing even for long periods of time.

You can direct your movement by aiming and shooting grappling hooks at nearby surfaces, accelerating forward, and adjusting your trajectory with bursts of gas. Because of this, the movement style feels both fluid and dynamic. Even though Spider-Man locomotion games aren’t exactly unique, “Unbreakable” stands out thanks to its satisfying mix of sword combat, your ability to change directions mid-air, and the double jump feature.

The combat in the game takes a stylish anime approach with sword attacks. Although it seems strange at first, the delayed damage eventually becomes a natural part of the combat rhythm. For example, when you slice through a Titan’s neck, the damage effect doesn’t appear until a moment later. When you’re going at top speed, you’ll swing past a Titan, and then you’ll look back and see it fall to its knees, its head flying off in a cloud of blood. Gripping and gory, it captures the tv series’ sense of style.

Learning the Ropes: The Importance of Mastery

Among Unbreakable’s notable features is its intricate movement system. There’s a learning curve, but the game pays off for players who put in the effort to become experts with their ODM gear. You really need to take advantage of the tutorial, which provides a safe space to hone your swings, grapples, and slashes before diving headfirst into combat. Normally I like to skip straight into the action but trust me, mastering your skills in the tutorial section really pays off in the main game.

The movement mechanics of the game are surprisingly complex. If you want to target the back of a Titan’s neck, for instance, you can use the thumb stick to tilt to one side and hook onto a single point with both grapples to swing around objects. Flailing your arms to deal massive damage just doesn’t work in Attack on Titan which I was glad to see. Learning to strike and move is paramount to not getting grabbed by the beasts. With a little practice, you’ll feel pretty bad ass being able to take down multiple Titans in quick succession.

New swords with varied stats will become available to you as you level up, letting you tailor your loadout to your preferred playstyle. Some swords have more durability or a longer reach, while others sacrifice these features for more powerful attacks. While this early access build does not include all weapons, the variety does offer enough options to keep things interesting.

Mission Structure: A Repetitive Grind

Early access gives us two chapters with five mission in each to play around with. The missions are fairly standard fair and get a little repetitive. Mission types include taking down Titans, grabbing supplies and tower defence. Although there is some variety in the objectives presented in each mission, they can become tedious due to their repetitive nature, particularly as the difficulty increases.

Your performance in each mission is evaluated using a five-star system, and achieving a perfect score can be an enticing goal. Having a limited amount of time to complete each mission can be frustrating, particularly when you’re learning how to control the character. The intensity of the game is enhanced by this pressure to perform, but it can also be frustrating at times.

Visuals and Immersion: A Mixed Bag

“Unbreakable” is aesthetically inconsistent. A little over a year ago, UNIVRS released a concept trailer (see below) which is far from what we’ve ended up with. The graphics and lighting effects have been significantly scaled back and I’m really hoping that beyond early access, UNVRS work hard to improve. It’s not all negative though. One positive aspect is the high quality of the character models used for famous characters such as Mikasa, Armin, and Levi.

Aside from character design though, there is a lot of room for improvement in the environmental art. The visual quality isn’t always consistent, and some of the textures look dull and low res. It’s disappointing considering the Quest 3’s hardware potential.

The Titans are suitably hideous, mirroring the disturbing aesthetic of the anime versions. Those canny valley eyes and elongated smiles will haunt your dreams! There is a real sense of danger as you watch them stomp through the city, destroying buildings and smiling maniacally. But the performance problems, such as noticeable framerate drops when multiple Titans are on screen, can ruin immersion just when you need it most.

The game’s seamless incorporation of story elements is truly impressive, keeping the pace just right. Animatics in the style of manga present crucial plot points, allowing viewers to stay engaged with the action while still getting the background information that series fans crave. If you’ve never watched the tv series, the game still manages to do a good job of giving you the rundown without drowning you in backstory.

Unfinished Potential: The Early Access Experience

“Unbreakable” is clearly still in the early access phase. At the moment, there are two chapters available in the game, and finishing each one takes around an hour. Replaying missions to get better scores is entertaining, but the game’s content is somewhat lacking. The developers have promised future updates later this year which include additional chapters and a co-op mode, which is exciting!

The possibility of working together with friends could add a lot of replay value here. The game’s movement and combat mechanics appear to be perfect for cooperative play, and the idea of battling Titans alongside friends could greatly enhance the experience. The current lack of substantial interaction with non-playable characters like Levi, Mikasa, and Eren makes “Unbreakable” feel a little bit lonely at the moment.

Final Verdict: A Work in Progress

“Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable” gives us a sneak peek at a virtual reality experience that could be absolutely mind-blowing. Few adaptations are able to capture the series’ essence as well as this one does, thanks to its exciting and unique core mechanics, especially the ODM gear. The flying battles are fun, the controls are responsive, and once you get the hang of the game’s mechanics, you’ll feel like you can kick ass!

Still, it’s hard to turn a blind eye to the game’s present flaws. Overall, it’s not very enjoyable due to the repetitive mission structure, mediocre graphics, and rare performance problems. Being in early access also gives the impression that the game is unfinished and has a lot of unrealized potential.

Though flawed, “Unbreakable” is still worth a look for “Attack on Titan” fans and VR game enthusiasts seeking a new challenge. And at only five bucks, it’s definitely worth the low-price tag. A somewhat middling start for the game but hopefully the developers continue to improve the visuals and add content which could allow Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable to reach its full potential and become a must play VR title in the near future.