When we reviewed the Meta Quest 3, we were impressed with the tech behind Meta’s third-generation VR headset but acknowledged that it still needed a killer app. Now, that killer app has arrived.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 is everything that VR games aspire to - an immersive thrill ride that puts the player in control of characters performing extraordinary actions. It’s a substantial offering that doesn’t skimp when it comes to delivering an experience that feels on par with today’s action games. And most importantly, it’s the type of game that should be an instant system seller for the Quest 3.
The sequel picks up after the events of the first title, which saw Loki betray Asgard's Wrath’s playable main character god and ascend to power. Once again, this god must enlist the help of fellow gods (this time from the Egyptian pantheon) and mortals to stop Loki’s plan.
It’s a setup that is instantly appealing and Asgard’s Wrath 2 does well to blend the mythologies of Egyptian gods with its own narrative. Players will meet familiar names like Horus and Ptah, while doing battle against the likes of Sobek and Sekhmet. Story oftentimes is either a driving force or takes a backseat in VR games, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 smartly weaves its narrative into its action. For fans of Egyptian mythology it will be a real treat, and it does have some similarities to God of War, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 working on a pure story level is what helps give it momentum.
As the playable god is on his quest to stop Loki, it ends up working with Horus to collect a series of stones – the MacGuffin of Asgard’s Wrath 2. These stones are not particularly important but they help segment the experience into digestible sagas and allow the game to keep things varied. Players will spend most of their time in Egyptian locales but there is a clear hero’s journey at play and it helps make Asgard’s Wrath 2 feel like a substantial and cohesive video game rather than a series of VR vignettes.
The core conceit of Asgard’s Wrath’s gameplay continues in the sequel, where the god enlists the help and possesses mortals while helping them along the way. Character action is a typical format for VR games but Asgard’s Wrath 2 nails it with a steady stream of upgrades and abilities that expand the experience of controlling each mortal. For example, the first playable character, Abraxas, starts out with a sword and throwable axe (that returns like Kratos’ Leviathan Axe by pulling the controller back toward you), but he eventually gets a shield and a series of abilities that make him more and more formidable. In turn, the combat encounters become more challenging, as enemies use different tactics to disarm the player.
At the end of the day, the combat is still about dodging, blocking, and attacking during openings, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 smartly paces out new enemy types and encounters to keep things feeling fresh. It also doesn’t feel like developer Sanzaru Games is pulling any punches – combat can be fast and frenetic and it feels extremely satisfying with the haptics on the Quest 3’s controllers. Sometimes that can work against the game, where the VR controllers just slightly missregister a block or a swing, but for the most part, the game welcomes a lot of experimentation even if there are obvious answers to most combat scenarios.
While Abraxas is a more tried and true combat archetype, Asgard’s Wrath 2 has a total of four playable mortals who all mix up combat. There is still an overarching melee-plus-range template, but the game ensures that no two characters play exactly the same. Again, it all goes back to how deep this game is and how hard the devs worked to avoid the traps of familiarity or repetition that can plague many VR games.
Combat may be the main focus of Asgard’s Wrath 2 but it incorporates some light traversal (most of which is fairly automatic) and some very clever puzzle solving. Usually, the puzzle solving involves the playable god manifesting in a larger space and helping the mortal by doing things like blocking waterfalls with a hammer and nail or placing platforms to climb. Switching between mortal and god during these sequences creates a fun interplay that is easily a highlight in Asgard’s Wrath 2. It calls to mind the great dungeon puzzles of Zelda or God of War and has a genuine sense of accomplishment when you figure it out. On top of that, the puzzles make great use of the supernatural powers at play in the game, allowing the god to do more than just open doors.
These individual puzzle sections and combat arenas are all enveloped by open areas with lots of opportunities to break from the critical path or just explore. It may seem a little silly to acknowledge a game for its ability to expand beyond a linear path, but VR games so often try to guide the player from point A to point B without a lot of freedom. Asgard’s Wrath 2 encourages exploration and features systems that are found in any action game or RPG. There are mounts to help make that traversal easier and gear and materials to collect along the way. Companion characters to assist in battle and add their abilities to puzzles. Skill trees to upgrade for more combat efficiency. And repeatable combat arenas that function like a roguelike side mode.
There is so much in Asgard’s Wrath 2 that it can be overwhelming, but it also helps broaden what VR games are capable of. That being said, because this is a Quest 3 game and not a tethered experience, the graphics are not of the highest fidelity like some contemporaries. Next to some other PC VR games, it may not look as good but that is the obvious tradeoff for a wireless headset. Still, the art direction in the game is bursting with character and the environments are replete with detail. Sanzaru clearly knows how to create spaces that fit virtual reality and encourages poking one’s head in every nook and cranny.
Asgard's Wrath 2 has a rogue-like mode called Uncharted Rifts that sees the player trying to advance as far as they can through a series of combat encounters. It's a great way to collect currency and loot to further kit out one's character.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 is without a doubt one of the best VR games and a surefire system seller for Quest 3. It presents an engaging character action experience that leverages the power of Meta’s new VR headset and tech to ensure fast and fluid combat, a rich set of environments, and a scope that is consistently jaw-dropping. Some precision quirks with the combat and the lower fidelity graphics are small gripes but they ultimately do little to hold the game back from being a compelling adventure that is hard to put down. If there is a game to showcase how VR can match the scope and the scale of games like God of War and Zelda, Asgard’s Wrath 2 makes the strongest case yet.
Asgard's Wrath 2
- Released
- December 15, 2023
- ESRB
- M // Blood and Gore, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Travel across vast realms inhabited by the gods in pursuit of the Trickster God Loki, who threatens to undo the threads of the universe. It’s up to you to battle gods and monsters alike as you take on one of the biggest and most epic scale Action RPGs ever experienced in VR. Alongside legendary Egyptian gods, you’ll fight deadly warriors and awe-inspiring mythical creatures through physics-based, visceral combat with unique weapons and playstyles. Possess unique mortal heroes and convert loyal animals into your own warrior followers as you explore a massive, free-roaming and living world and solve mind-bending god-scale puzzles.
- Impressive depth
- Gameplay is always evolving
- Fun exploration of mythology
- Graphics could be better
- Small tracking quirks with VR
Asgard's Wrath 2 releases December 15, 2023 for the Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro. The Best War Games was provided a code for this review and played on Quest 3.