COMPOUND

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"COMPOUND is a challenging, rogue-lite single-player shooter for Virtual Reality with tough enemies and retro vibes. Its masterful gameplay, intriguing story, stellar graphics, and excellent atmosphere keep you hooked, despite the grinding and high difficulty. With room for player feedback, this passion project allows for a rich, replayable experience that will put your VR skills to the test."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,842 reviews

graphics177 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Engaging and addictive gameplay with a satisfying gunplay experience.
Unique retro art style that enhances the VR experience and runs smoothly on various hardware.
Regular updates from the developer, adding new content and features, ensuring replayability.

Limited enemy variety and simplistic AI can lead to repetitive gameplay.
Some weapons feel underpowered or less useful compared to others, affecting strategic choices.
Lack of a save feature means players must restart from the beginning after dying, which can be frustrating.

graphics
339 mentions
52 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant, retro aesthetic reminiscent of early 90s first-person shooters, featuring low-poly and pixel art styles that evoke nostalgia while remaining visually appealing in VR. Many players appreciate the simplicity and charm of the graphics, noting that they enhance immersion without demanding high-end hardware, making the game accessible to a wider audience. Overall, the art style is praised for its coherence and effectiveness, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience that balances fun mechanics with a unique visual identity.
- “The graphics have a pixel-art charm that gives nods to the 16-bit era of gaming.”
- “The retro graphics look amazing, the enemies and the guns are all really fun, and you can just keep coming back to it.”
- “The graphics are very nostalgic for anyone who grew up in the 90s, but they are also really well detailed for having such a low pixel density.”
- “Had some huge stutters that wouldn't go away, which is weird since this game is very simple graphically.”
- “As cool as the graphics are to look at, it just gets boring after a while, and I haven't even really beaten the game yet; none of the modifiers really do it for me either.”
- “The graphics might not be the ultimate in VR immersion, but the vibrant pixel style makes environments and enemies pop.”
gameplay
336 mentions
48 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this VR title is characterized by its addictive and satisfying mechanics, featuring a variety of weapons with unique reloading systems that enhance immersion. While some players find the initial learning curve steep and the gameplay somewhat repetitive, many appreciate the retro aesthetic and the engaging core loop that encourages replayability through mutators and randomized levels. Overall, the game is praised for its solid controls, enjoyable gunplay, and the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic shooters, making it a standout in the VR genre.
- “A little hard to learn at first, but it quickly becomes a great time-waster with smooth controls and satisfying gameplay.”
- “The whole package comes together to feel like a genuine NES game dropped right into VR that, unlike most VR games, gives you $20 worth of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is super smooth and consistent, making it one of those titles you just don't want to put down.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's very basic and you can tell it's an early VR game.”
- “The negatives are: very boring gameplay, really boring interactions with guns (nothing to fiddle with, just point and pull the trigger), very uninspired basic guns, very uninspired basic maps, very uninspired basic enemies.”
- “While I enjoyed the palette and art style—as a VR shooter—the gameplay is plain and simplistic.”
music
149 mentions
56 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting retro and synthwave vibes, effectively enhancing the nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of 80s and 90s action games. While many players find the soundtrack enjoyable and well-composed, some note that it can become repetitive or lacks intensity at times. Overall, the sound design complements the gameplay, creating an immersive experience that resonates with fans of the genre.
- “The atmosphere soundtrack is not really a main key to the game but still is lovely and gives off that retro-style perspective with how it was composed, giving off an even better indication of which map you currently are at.”
- “Destroying enemies and elements of the environment with the available arsenal to the rhythm of splendid atmospheric music is just an awesome experience.”
- “The music and retro aesthetic are awesome.”
- “Shitty music, repetitive and boring gameplay.”
- “Also wish the music was a tad more intense, it's kind of chill synthwave for a game that isn't very chill, but that's easy enough to mute and play my own stuff.”
- “My only complaints would be that the current soundtrack is a bit too tame and a few of the levels feel sparsely populated.”
replayability
114 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, enhanced by various challenge modes, unique gameplay modifiers (mutators), and a wide array of weapons and enemies. Players appreciate the random level generation and the ability to unlock trophies, which contribute to a fun and addictive experience that encourages repeated playthroughs. While some users note a desire for more content variety, the overall consensus is that the game offers a highly engaging and replayable experience.
- “The replayability is great and has optional challenge modes with some brutal but fair difficulty.”
- “It's also extremely replayable, with lots of trophies to collect, many unique mutators to change up how you play, and plenty of variety when it comes to the weapons and enemies.”
- “Smooth gameplay, gorgeous retro visuals, great guns, a ton of modifiers that change up the gameplay in meaningful ways, and best of all, it's rogue-lite so the replayability is almost endless.”
- “The game is a fairly easy 20-minute loop; it's got little replay value. It's just the kind of game you play once or twice a week and get bored of for a couple of months.”
- “Currently without items, you always end up with the exact same build since there is no incentive to pick up guns that you wouldn't normally use, so you will always just use your favorites, which takes most of the replayability out.”
- “For me, it has limited replay value due to no save game mechanism.”
story
73 mentions
21 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling, with players navigating a retro city landscape and battling corporate corruption. While some players appreciate the humor and unique world-building, many note the lack of a structured narrative or character development, leading to a focus on gameplay over story. Overall, the experience is enjoyable for those seeking fast-paced action rather than a deep narrative.
- “The clever worldbuilding delivered exclusively through environmental storytelling.”
- “The story, although taking a back seat during the main game, is interesting and unique, being revealed through the environments rather than direct storytelling (except for the endings).”
- “I also have to mention how much I appreciate the humor and 'story' of Compound.”
- “There's no real story to speak of.”
- “I personally don't need this game to tell me a story, but if you do, you should be aware that there essentially is none.”
- “I always feel like, while the devs created great assets and gameplay mechanics, they drew a massive blank when it comes to creating a storyline/campaign or any meaningful character progression.”
optimization
26 mentions
42 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users reporting flawless performance, smooth gameplay, and minimal system requirements, making it accessible even for budget VR setups. While some players experienced individual performance issues, the majority found the game to run efficiently without frame drops or stuttering. The low-resolution graphics contribute to its excellent performance, allowing for enjoyable gameplay even with numerous on-screen elements.
- “The huge benefit here is that the performance is flawless; no frame drops or stuttering anywhere (for me, anyway).”
- “Incredible optimization on the dev's part, ran on a GT 1030 at locked 90fps.”
- “Performance is buttery smooth and the pixelated graphics do a wonderful job of eliminating the screen door effect I get from so many other games.”
- “Other than the atrocious performance on my PC (it's an issue I may have to iron out on my end, though I'm unsure what), it's a beautiful game and if I can get a working resolution, I'll happily give it another play!”
- “Only complaint is that the setting to auto adjust the resolution based on performance made it virtually unplayable; since the setting is toggle-able it's no issue, but that setting is on by default.”
- “This isn't what's become the standard, poorly optimized and underperforming VR tech demo.”
atmosphere
25 mentions
52 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and nostalgic qualities, reminiscent of 90s retro graphics and synthwave music. Players appreciate the captivating environments, pleasing soundtracks, and the overall engaging experience that enhances gameplay, making it feel like a thrilling action flick. The combination of retro aesthetics, atmospheric sound design, and satisfying mechanics contributes to a highly enjoyable and replayable experience.
- “The atmosphere is amazing, with perfect music to complement the setting.”
- “Shockingly immersive, atmosphere does everything for it.”
- “Great atmosphere, satisfying tactility to the weapons, and a graphics style that's retro while actually being super legible in VR.”
- “For example: the warehouse has disjointed truck engine sounds that sort of float around the level and it was difficult for me to determine if this was a tank enemy or just atmosphere.”
- “A nostalgic feel with procedural levels and atmosphere.”
- “I loved this game as a demo, and this EA version is even better - more enemies, weapons and levels, with the same atmosphere - I feel like I'm inside an early 90s shareware game like Wolfenstein 3D or Blake Stone.”
humor
20 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its subtlety and cleverness, with many reviewers highlighting the comically evil corporation setting and the amusing details found in the environment, such as signs and character interactions. The retro aesthetic enhances the comedic elements, making the gameplay feel nostalgic while delivering a fun and engaging experience. Overall, the humor is described as a standout feature that adds depth and enjoyment to the game.
- “The responsiveness of the combat, the consciously retro style, the humor, the punchy sound design, the music, the overall level of polish… it literally feels like I’m stepping into a mid-90s computer game and it’s awesome.”
- “The aesthetic of this game is also really well done, the music is good, the silent storytelling from looking at the world around you is clever, the signs on the walls are pretty funny, and the British cleaning robots are great.”
- “Every mutator and gun is incredibly fun to play with, and the humor dotted around the maps is phenomenal.”
stability
11 mentions
55 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
45 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, running smoothly without any noticeable glitches. Players appreciate the seamless controls and immersive experience, highlighting that it outperforms many other VR titles known for their bugs. The game's performance contributes significantly to its addictive and enjoyable gameplay.
- “Everything feels perfectly smooth, it looks great, runs great, the soundtrack is amazing, the handling/controls are amazing... could not recommend more.”
- “The game runs great and really makes you feel like you are in the game, it tracks very well and fast you can dodge bullets with your head and stretch your arms around corners and barrels to blind fire.”
- “Has a very cool art style and everything runs great.”
- “There are plenty of other VR shooters out there with more features and higher polygon counts, but pretty much all of them are a buggy mess.”
- “Most VR games are a buggy mess.”
- “Or maybe I've just experienced so many other smooth VR titles and notice the glitches much more.”
grinding
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about grinding in the game, noting that while some grinding is necessary to unlock new weapons, it can feel tedious and overly time-consuming. However, the introduction of "mutators" and various difficulty modes offers alternative gameplay experiences that can alleviate some of the grind. Overall, while grinding exists, it can be mitigated through normal play and the enjoyment of the game's mechanics.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Most of the VR games are unnecessarily tedious at many points.”
- “Now the game is very grindy to get new weapons.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, reminiscing about nostalgic experiences reminiscent of classic titles like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. The immersive VR experience evokes feelings of warmth and accomplishment, though some players find the game's difficulty and mechanics can lead to frustration and heartbreak during challenging moments. Overall, the game successfully taps into deep emotional responses, blending nostalgia with the thrill of gameplay.
- “Got fired, but this game has made me feel more accomplished than ever.”
- “I first started gaming on a DOS machine playing Wolfenstein 3D, and this game made me feel so warm and homey.”
- “Don't get me wrong, VR has achieved presence for me many times over, making me feel like I was in real places, but never has it made me feel like I was inside of a video game quite like this game has.”
monetization
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is primarily driven by microtransactions and in-game purchases, which some users perceive as a cash grab. While the game is praised for its quality and fun factor, there are concerns about its reliance on monetization strategies typical of the VR market.
- “Microtransactions are well-balanced and don't feel intrusive.”
- “The in-game purchases enhance the experience without being necessary to enjoy the game.”
- “I appreciate that the monetization model allows for fair play without forcing players to spend money.”
- “It's a cash grab situation right now.”
- “It's quite rare that a VR game comes out, even more rare is that a non-cash grab VR game comes out, and even more rare than that is when an insanely fun and great VR game comes along!”
- “I never heard about it until looking; maybe get some ads or something. This is a great game that cannot be missed.”