TEST Metal Hellsinger VR: the fast FPS that unleashes your senses on Meta Quest 3!

Headbang, shoot, headbang, shoot!

Metal Hellsinger is a title initially released in September 2022 on PC and home consoles (PlayStation And Xbox). The game made a strong impression upon its release, and for good reason, he proposed neither more nor less fragger of the demon in cadence, thus managing to link two a priori distant genres that are the FPS and musical rhythm game. If the connection with the nervousness of a Doom Eternal is inevitable (which also contains metal sounds and its share of hideous monsters), the studio title The Outsiders manages to distinguish itself from it, notably by anchoring the soundtrack in the gameplay. The presentations being made, what is this game worth now in virtual reality?

Spoiler alert: the game succeeds with flying colors!

Paradoxically, when launching the game, the disappointment is immediate : we are faced with a low resolution rendering, riddled withaliasing. It seems that the developers did not take care to properly optimize the Meta Quest 3 versionwhich looks in every way like a Quest 2 version, obviously far from the editions PSVR 2 And PCVR. On the other hand, this pixelated side gives a retro side which can make any player who has known the FPS of yesteryear (Quake, Painkiller, Doom…). Despite the technical rendering, the soft is no less stingy in contemplative moments, notably thanks to an absolutely prodigious artistic direction, which alone enhances the entire title. Whether it’s enemies, statues, structures, landscape, loreof gameplaysoundtrack or level designeach element fits together perfectly. Metal folklore is faithfully represented there, testifying to a true work of art.

When the music is good!

The adventure begins in the most beautiful way with an introductory menu which immerses us in a universe dark fantasyreminiscent of the aesthetic of metal band album covers. In the hub main, on the left, are the weapons unlocked during our progress. Behind us, the game’s options are represented by grimoires, while in front, the different levels appear in the form of album covers, and the game’s music, in the form of vinyls. It’s as classy as it is coherent. Faithful to the metal universe, the game highlights iconic groups such as Arch Enemy, System of a Down, Trivium… Fun detail: When you select a vinyl or album cover, flaming particle effects unfold from the record, providing a stunning visual spectacle. To continue to amaze your eyes, each mission begins with a cutscene, projected on a screen perfectly integrated into the decor. Once completed, a vortex visually impressive takes over, and we must admit that it looks amazing!

However, like the graphic rendering of the version Quest 3level gameplayour first impressions are not much better. We start the tutorial with a sword, then we cut our first demons without the slightest difficulty, but also and above all without the slightest satisfaction. The physics and the feeling of cutting into the real thing are clearly not there. The difficulty of responding in rhythm with our weapon also creates a feeling of incompleteness, incomprehension and disappointment. Fortunately, when we access the first nasty weapon of the game: the shotgunthe game begins to take off. At this point we really start to play in rhythm, the bet is held!

Enemies explode under our fire, Rest In Pieces style.

Each level follows the same pattern : introduction, corridor, arena, corridor, arena… Boss. Despite everything, each map has its own identity and a change of scenery is requiredwhich allows you not to feel too much the repetitive side of the gameplay. It still needs to be remembered, the entire game universe is based on music and rhythm. If at first it is necessary to shoot in rhythm according to the visual indications (symbolized by chevrons), the developers had the good idea to integrate everything that could be integrated to tell us when to shoot : music, vibrations in the controllers, the movement of your opponents, flames, and even those of weapons and others power-up. So, all your senses are alert to avoid missing out at all costs, it’s smart. You will have understood it, like a Super Mario Bros Wonder, all the elements of the game seem to dance in unison.

The more your shots are in sync with the beat, the more damage you deal, and the higher the damage, the better the music will be. Indeed, at the start of your runonly a few notes are heard, after a few fragsnew instruments are added. A few more eliminations and guttural voices roar in your ears, encouraging you to maintain the rhythm to enjoy this sonic debauchery as long as possible. The symbiosis is simply incredibleto the point of wondering if metal would not have been invented with the sole aim, 60 years later, of blending wonderfully into this experience.

Ultra Vomit?

People subject to motion-sickness (kinetosis) are not forgotten and the developers offer countless comfort options in the menus. But if you are used to feeling sick on other titles despite having these anti-nausea options enabled, given the frenetic nature of the soft in question, caution remains in order. And frenzy, the game has it in spades, in terms of movements, everything is there : double jump, quick half turn, forward dash, back dash, side dash, 2-in-1 dash.

Fatalities and weapon reloads break the rhythm!

First downside: fatalities. When an enemy no longer has many life points, we have the possibility, by pressing the appropriate button, to automatically advance towards him to deliver the final blow (and recover life). In fact, everything is done automatically. Gold, it would have been fashionable (and moreover in VR) to perform a slow motion which would have allowed the player to carry out a proper decapitation himself, it’s a shame. Also, regarding a Fast FPSand what’s more a rhythm game, it would have been nice (which may seem paradoxical in VR) to have automatic reloading, if only to let us concentrate on the action and the rhythm. Added to this is the fact that we can only reload our weapon if the magazine is completely empty, which forces the player to fire a few bullets into the void and reload before venturing further into the level.

Still on the subject of weapons, they are few in number, nevertheless effective, and not as classic as they suggest. If the skull resembles a simple pistol, if the shotgun and the two revolvers keep their respective (classical) properties, the surprise lies in the crossbow, paradoxically the most annoying weapon in the game. In fact, it is more like a grenade launcher, which, if it generates a lot of basic damage, will be all the more difficult to handle, if only to keep up the pace. Finally, boomerangs are anecdotal, far too fast when thrown to feel the impact on the enemy.

You will have understood it, each weapon has flaws and advantagesthe more maneuverable your weapon is, the less damage it will do, but the easier it will be for you to keep up and vice versa. To complete the picture, a gauge is present, it will increase even more as you follow the pace, when it is full, you just need to press the two grips to trigger the ultimate attackwhich will be specific to the weapon you will be using at that time. The bestiary is not the most extensive, but it is sufficiently diverse to force us to use strategiesif only to bring them down as efficiently and quickly as possible.

Metal Hellsinger VR brilliantly shows what virtual reality can offer: an immersion in a universe completely opposite to ours, where the player can finally abandon themselves to pure release.

The adventure is carried out in eight chapters, allow four to six hours to see the end. It’s not much, but the game is so fun that replayability is de facto guaranteed! Yes, because it is not through its staging and its scenario that this title catches the eye. Although it fits perfectly with the world of the game and its gameplaynamely that we embody a demon who must find his voice by crossing the many circles of hell, you will not come across any NPC, no acolytes lending you a helping hand. Brief, THE pitch starting point is present only to justify the principle of the gameit’s a shame.

And this famous “it’s a shame” is what emerges overall from the experience. This feeling that the title could be perfect, and with very little adjustment, is literally frustrating. An optimization Meta Quest 3 which is worthy, a few additional levels, a bullet time for fatalities, automatic reloading and off you go! But let’s not be choosy, because the title, as it stands, constantly manages to make us smile smugly, and that’s already a lot.