Arizona Sunshine 2

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,140 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Arizona Sunshine 2 Game Cover
An absolute blast from start to finish, Arizona Sunshine 2 outdoes its predecessor in every way, and that’s high praise indeed.
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"Arizona Sunshine® 2: Deluxe Edition is a violent VR game set in a post-apocalyptic world, where you play as a dark-humored protagonist searching for answers while battling hordes of zombies with an array of weapons.The Deluxe Edition comes with an exclusive Undead Buddy Companion, a four-legged friend turned zombie-killing machine.Co-op mode also makes a return, allowing you to survive the apocalypse with a friend."

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,140 reviews
story147 positive mentions
stability37 negative mentions
  • The game features a delightful dog companion, Buddy, who adds emotional depth and gameplay mechanics.
  • Improved graphics and gunplay compared to the original, with satisfying shooting mechanics and a variety of weapons.
  • The campaign offers a fun and engaging story, with humorous dialogue and memorable moments.
  • The game is relatively short, with many players completing it in around 4-6 hours, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with weapon handling, reloading mechanics, and AI behavior.
  • The game can feel repetitive, with some players noting a lack of enemy variety and linear level design.
  • story348 mentions

    The story in "Arizona Sunshine 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and character development, particularly the bond with the dog companion, Buddy. While some found the plot predictable and the pacing uneven, others praised its emotional depth and humor, noting that it offers a more polished experience compared to the first installment. Overall, the game is seen as a solid continuation of the series, though some players felt it could benefit from a longer campaign and more intricate storytelling.

    • “The story and the locations are amazing; it’s well thought out, and every weapon has a great feel to it with the firing and sounds.”
    • “The story was a well-written masterpiece, and the weapons were outstanding.”
    • “The story is amazing and the plot connects to the first game, so play that first if you want.”
    • “The story is non-existent; it's a corridor-based, linear shooter, but you have a dog buddy, which is cool at first but eventually you yearn for another human character to accompany you, or to talk with.”
    • “The story is forgettable, the dialogue is garbage, the dog is more of a hindrance than anything else because it likes to steal your guns when you try to holster them, the game doesn't give you enough ammo at some points throughout, and the enemies kill you in 2-3 hits on normal difficulty so letting them get close to you is pretty much a one-way ticket back to a loading screen.”
    • “The only complaint I have is that the game just kind of ends, and the story just slams to a halt with no real conclusion.”
  • gameplay185 mentions

    The gameplay of "Arizona Sunshine 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players enjoying the shooting mechanics and the addition of a dog companion, which enhances the experience. However, criticisms focus on the clunky reloading mechanics, linear gameplay, and a lack of innovation compared to its predecessor, leading some to feel it falls short of expectations for a modern VR title. Overall, while the game offers fun moments and solid gunplay, it suffers from dated mechanics and a relatively short campaign.

    • “The addition of the dog companion is great and really enhances the gameplay.”
    • “This game has really fun and polished mechanics, a huge variety of weapons, and a great story and dog companion system.”
    • “Great gameplay, super immersive, fun and funny.”
    • “The gameplay of backpedaling while shooting an unreasonably sized horde of zombies is so, so tiresome by now.”
    • “The reload mechanic is a tedious nightmare and the checkpoint system is far too sparse.”
    • “The mechanics of reloading the gun are extremely wonky and definitely do not work properly.”
  • graphics153 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception. Many players appreciate the improvements over the original, noting the detailed environments and character models, while some feel the visuals do not reach the heights of other VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx. Performance is often praised, with smooth gameplay on various hardware setups, although a few users reported occasional stutters and optimization issues.

    • “The graphics and details of the game are very nice, and the gameplay is smooth as well.”
    • “The graphics are the best VR graphics I have ever seen, and the story is really good featuring a dog who is very chill.”
    • “The graphics are great, and it runs very smoothly.”
    • “It is too similar to the first in visual aesthetics, somewhat lowering the rationale to buy it at the current price of $40.”
    • “I see no improvements in engine, graphics, gun handling, object handling or melee handling that warrants this being 'a new game'.”
    • “The graphics are terrible, with dark corridors, and searching for door keys in complete darkness is infuriating.”
  • humor67 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark comedy with absurdity, particularly through the quirky main character and his interactions with a pet dog. Players appreciate the well-written jokes and the lighthearted tone that contrasts with the game's zombie apocalypse setting, although some find the humor hit-or-miss or overly crude. Overall, the comedic elements enhance the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and memorable.

    • “In this hilarious culinary adventure, players take on the role of a chef who’s tasked with turning the undead into the most flavorful meal possible.”
    • “The game blends over-the-top combat with absurd cooking mechanics as you chop, sauté, and season zombies with a side of dark humor.”
    • “Sure, it’s grotesque, but it’s also a hilarious reminder that the apocalypse might not be so bad if you have a good sense of humor and a trusty meat cleaver.”
    • “The constantly annoying, tear-your-hair-out unfunny moron alcoholic, yet fake, personality of the protagonist trying to be funny all the time.”
    • “Let me rephrase: what kind of constantly annoying, tear-your-hair-out unfunny moron alcoholic trying to be funny all the time, do you have to be to come up with a story like that?”
  • stability39 mentions

    The game exhibits a range of stability issues, including frequent bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes and during interactions like climbing and reloading. While some players report smooth performance and minimal crashes, many others highlight significant inconsistencies, such as softlocks, animation glitches, and problems with object interactions. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, its stability remains a concern that developers need to address through patches.

    • “This might just be one of the best VR games I've ever played. The guns feel punchy and the gore is great. Let's not forget about the gorgeous graphics; even on lower settings, the game runs great. I played on my GTX 970 and only recall it lagging once, which I actually think was something going on with my headset. Overall, an amazing game!”
    • “The game looks great, sounds great, runs great.”
    • “Multiplayer is a buggy mess that frequently softlocks on you and lacks basic features such as saving the inventory of the second player.”
    • “Bugs such as the second player losing all of their ammo and materials between loading screens and when dying, some areas are not able to be completed unless the host is alive, a ton of animation glitches, almost all of the cosmetics are not placed correctly on the other player, there are way more bugs than this.”
    • “Rather than immersing myself in the game world, most of my time has been spent troubleshooting various issues, from guns glitching out to bugs forcing us to restart the lobby repeatedly.”
  • optimization37 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews. While some players report smooth performance and good graphics on high settings, others experience significant issues such as stuttering, FPS drops, and memory leaks, particularly on certain VR setups. The game's performance can vary widely depending on hardware and specific gameplay scenarios, indicating that optimization may still require further refinement.

    • “No performance issues on a 3060 laptop with high graphics settings and foveated rendering injected using the VR performance toolkit.”
    • “In my opinion at launch, it's a very clean and well-optimized game with great graphics.”
    • “This game has great graphics and fun fact it runs perfectly on an under-spec PC, GTX 1070 (8GB VRAM), 24GB of RAM DDR3, i7 4770T, Samsung QVO SATA SSD and HP Reverb G2 headset with 2K resolution upscaling via Windows settings to its 4K resolution.”
    • “During my game, I was constantly getting stuttering and FPS drops.”
    • “Also noticed the optimization is terrible in this game.”
    • “There is also some sort of terrible memory leak, which makes game reloads increase in time significantly and also affects performance.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, ranging from laughter to tears, particularly through the bond with the character Buddy and impactful story moments. Players noted the game's blend of humor and heartfelt scenes, with significant emotional weight during pivotal events, such as Buddy's struggles and eventual triumphs. Overall, the narrative depth and character connections contribute to a memorable emotional experience, making it a standout in the VR genre.

    • “I've never cried to a VR game, and this one made me cry during the scene where Buddy is in the lab getting injected with whatever is in that thing.”
    • “The emotional value: this game went from really funny to really sad with the story. Seeing 'Fred' is us and Buddy being Patient 0, and Fred wanting us to kill Buddy was really sad. Seeing Buddy flatline and then come back as a super dog was so satisfying.”
    • “The voice acting is amazing, and there are a couple of really hard-hitting emotional moments, which I honestly didn't expect from the game.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability, with many players expressing disappointment in its length and lack of diverse content. While the horde mode offers some extended play, it doesn't compensate for the main campaign's shortcomings, leading to mixed feelings about its value, especially given its price point. Players suggest that additional features, such as more open areas and co-op specific events, could enhance replay value significantly.

    • “It offers hours of zombie-killing enjoyment and shenanigans, with the horde mode extending its replayability beyond the main campaign.”
    • “I wish it had more replayability :)”
    • “To many sewers, weapon mods would be nice, more open areas, some co-op specific events or areas, some choices on routes to make for some replay value perhaps, a bit more polish on the co-op.”
    • “Overall a pretty good game with some technical issues and questions about replayability and overall length.”
    • “I wish it had more replayability.”
    • “Although I will admit it's a bit overpriced, maybe a $40 price tag would be better since there really isn't any replay value.”
  • grinding9 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, primarily due to frustrating mechanics like clunky weapon reloading and sparse save points that force them to replay large sections. The repetitive nature of enemy waves and control issues further contribute to a sense of grind, making the experience feel laborious for many. Overall, the enjoyment of grinding seems to depend heavily on individual player preferences.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “It depends on how much you enjoy grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The save points in this game are just terrible, forcing you to play large sections all over again, and that gets tedious after a while.”
    • “The waves can become tedious, particularly when they spawn from multiple directions, leading to unavoidable deaths.”
    • “The reload mechanic is a tedious nightmare and the checkpoint system is far too sparse; it needs fixing.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews; while some find it bland and uninteresting, others praise it as phenomenal, especially for fans of the original. The presence of humor and a helpful canine companion enhances the experience, and players note that the atmosphere can be particularly tense in single-player mode.

    • “But the atmosphere is phenomenal; if you liked the first game, you'll love it.”
    • “That same great atmosphere and humor the original had, and your trusty canine is very helpful.”
    • “The atmosphere and writing are bland and just not interesting.”
    • “I definitely want to play it singleplayer too, because I guess the atmosphere is really tense when you are alone.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game received a score of 7/10, with users noting it as one of the few polished aspects amidst a generally lackluster experience. However, the overall gameplay mechanics, particularly weapon handling and item swapping, detracted from the enjoyment of the music.

    • “The music adds a unique layer to the gameplay experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is engaging and complements the game's atmosphere well.”
    • “The sound design enhances the overall immersion and enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The lack of polish on just about everything except music and audio just adds to the letdown.”
    • “It has strange weapon handling, finicky grabbing mechanics, and idiotic 'musical chair' gun swapping that just felt really cumbersome.”
    • “You can't drop them; they just trade places like a game of musical holsters.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally praised, with notable growth for the protagonist and a sweet relationship with a dog that adds depth. Overall, players find the character arcs engaging and well-executed.

    • “The character development is really great, and the shooting feels really good!”
    • “The dog relationship is sweet, and there is a little character development for the protagonist.”
    • “Character development is good.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonist.”
    • “I expected more growth from the characters, but they remain static throughout the game.”
    • “The relationships between characters are underdeveloped, leaving their motivations and arcs feeling unfulfilled.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, leveraging the popularity of the Arizona Sunshine name without delivering substantial value. Reviewers have expressed disappointment in the marketing tactics, likening them to other poorly received titles that prioritize profit over quality.

    • “This is just a shameless cash grab, capitalizing on the Arizona Sunshine name.”
    • “I was convinced that it was a clear cash grab based on the name of the first, like Walking Dead 2.”
    • “The marketing was very distasteful, like Ghostbusters; that one was another cheap cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

Buy Arizona Sunshine 2

Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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