8089: The Next Action RPG

About

8089: The Next Action RPG is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Phr00t's Software and was released on November 5, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

"8089: The Next Action RPG" is a fully featured, open-world VR game with traditional gameplay support. The game features randomly generated items, customizable weapons, and various skills to focus on. With unique loot properties and specialized armor abilities, players can engage in a vibrant, wacky world filled with bug-like aliens. Additionally, players can customize equipment through programmable module slots for weapons and armor.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 52 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

grinding11 negative mentions

The game runs beautifully on the Steam Deck and offers a fun core gameplay loop of quests and character progression.
The graphics and music have improved significantly, creating an engaging atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The developer, Phr00t, is highly responsive to player feedback and continuously works on improving the game, making it a worthwhile investment.

The spawner and quest systems are confusing and grindy, making progression feel tedious and frustrating.
Movement feels slow and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience, especially in comparison to its predecessor, 5089.
Many design choices, such as the lack of a minimap and inconsistent gun mechanics, lead to a less polished and enjoyable experience.

story
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
80%
10%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its grindy quest system, where players often struggle to obtain spawn activators and face tedious, repetitive missions that lack variety and engagement. Many quests are described as frustrating, with poor AI and design choices that hinder progress, leading to a sense of exhaustion before any meaningful narrative unfolds. While the core gameplay loop of upgrading and progressing through areas is appreciated, the overall quest experience detracts significantly from the storytelling potential.
- “My favorite part of 8089 is the gameplay loop it provides the player - complete quests for money, use that money to upgrade stats and gear, use your upgraded character to access higher level areas with greater quest rewards, etc...”
- “If you've played 5089, it's a similar format - journey outwards upgrading stats and equipment which get harder the further you go, while progressing the story missions.”
- “The systems in the game are great; I do enjoy picking up quests and looking through the stores.”
- “I progressed maybe 1 level an hour and by the time any semblance of story starts at level 6, I was pretty much worn out from navigating around walls, doing the same quests, and seeing the same things, just different colors, all just so I could feel like I could do decent amounts of damage and not die super fast while I attempt to progress.”
- “Some quests are also just plain bad.”
- “Getting quests is a needlessly annoying process with bad quality of life, making you cycle through every quest type in the game to get the type you're after, including those that your build is extremely poorly suited for, and then you have to just hope that the reward it offers isn't terrible.”
gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
58%
10%
The gameplay in this title is characterized by a rewarding core loop of completing quests to earn upgrades, which allows players to progress through increasingly challenging areas. While many appreciate the unique mechanics and smooth controls, some find the pacing slow and certain mechanics frustrating. Overall, the game offers a complex and engaging experience, particularly for fans of VR RPGs, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its specific style and design choices.
- “The core gameplay loop of starting off weak in an area, spending time there doing quests and getting stronger weapon and armor parts in order to move forward onto the next area is very fun to do.”
- “Completely original gameplay that is addicting and fun.”
- “My favorite part of 8089 is the gameplay loop it provides the player - complete quests for money, use that money to upgrade stats and gear, use your upgraded character to access higher level areas with greater quest rewards, etc...”
- “The game is really slow, and a lot of the mechanics are frustrating.”
- “It never felt like it was a risk vs. reward mechanic; it was only a hindrance and nuisance.”
- “However, just as you have firmly stated that you don't want to make mobility too easy, I am firmly stating that walking around walls is not my idea of gameplay.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics in the game have seen significant improvements compared to previous versions, featuring a charming and colorful aesthetic reminiscent of children's shows like Sesame Street. While some players find the visuals simplistic or "potato-like," they ultimately contribute to the game's unique charm and enjoyable experience. Overall, the graphics are described as pleasing and fitting well within the context of the gameplay, despite not being the main focus for many players.
- “The graphics are much improved over previous offerings.”
- “A glorious return to the xxx9 series, 8089 feels like a natural progression, modding weapons and gear is greatly expanded, the lifeforms are a lot of fun and the graphics retain that certain charm.”
- “Aesthetically it's all very pleasing.”
- “- The overall aesthetic reminds me of Sesame Street or Muppets.”
- “Don't let the graphics keep you from playing this game if it seems interesting to you, because once you get used to it, the potato-looking bad guys' reactions start to give it a certain charm.”
- “The graphics may look simplistic, but the game mechanics at its core are complex enough to rival a strategy guide.”
grinding
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often hindered by a lack of quality-of-life features and overly complex mechanics, such as protecting NPCs and navigating toxic gas areas. While grinding is acknowledged as a core part of the gameplay loop, many feel that the reliance on RNG for essential items and the repetitive nature of quests detracts from the overall experience. Comparatively, the predecessor offers a more streamlined approach, reducing the grind and allowing for more varied progression methods.
- “The biggest issue with this game is a shocking lack of quality of life in many areas and how tedious a lot of things are.”
- “Don't get me wrong, grinding is part of the appeal and game loop, but grinding for the exact same piece of gear every 2-3 levels is not a fun use of RNG.”
- “Even just getting into cities is tedious because of how tall the walls are and how many times I've struggled to find an entrance; there are items you can use to get over walls, but you won't always have them and the experience really suffers from those times.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is highly praised, with many users noting that the epic soundtrack enhances the overall experience, especially while exploring the open world. The inclusion of combat music further adds to the excitement, making the audio a standout feature.
- “The soundtrack kind of ties everything together.”
- “It legitimately feels awesome running around the open world with that epic soundtrack blasting.”
- “Music is amazing, I really like it a lot.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a surreal and immersive quality, enhanced by dynamic weather effects such as fog, rain, and meteor storms. Players appreciate the alien environment that adds depth to various activities, from raiding strongholds to simply enjoying the scenery.
- “Whether you are raiding an enemy stronghold, sheltering from a meteor shower, or simply standing beneath a tree watching the rain, the game has a surreal atmosphere that really appeals to me.”
- “I enjoy the alien atmosphere.”
- “There's weather, atmospheric effects like fog clouds and regular clouds, and meteor storms.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, particularly in VR, with users noting its solid performance and well-crafted design. While there are some quirky bugs with enemies and friends, they are generally viewed as endearing rather than detrimental to the experience.
- “Good game, runs great in VR, very well made and clearly a passion project from the developers.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “There are numerous bugs that cause the game to freeze, forcing me to restart.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game offers strong replayability through its procedural RPG elements and extensive customization options, making it an engaging experience for players. Its complex gameplay and VR implementation further enhance the replay value, despite some concerns about the graphics.
- “If the idea of a replayable, procedural RPG made for VR with near infinite customizability sounds cool, then you shouldn't be disappointed.”
- “Best gameplay, complex mechanics, and great replayability make this a standout experience.”
- “The game's procedural elements ensure that no two playthroughs are the same, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making each playthrough feel repetitive and dull.”
- “Once you've experienced the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
- “The procedural generation feels shallow, leading to a lack of variety in subsequent runs.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky, amusing characters that initially evoke nostalgia for other titles, but players quickly adapt to the comedic tone as they engage in gameplay that involves eliminating these humorous figures.
- “I first thought of Vangers when I saw the funny characters speak, but it's something you get used to when you blast them out of existence.”