Espire 1: VR Operative
- September 24, 2019
- Digital Lode
- 7h median play time
Espire 1's VR stealth is brimming with neat ideas, but the end product is slightly less than the sum of its parts.
Get on Steam"Espire 1: VR Operative" is a virtual reality stealth game where you become an Espire agent. Use a variety of weapons and gadgets to complete missions, and take advantage of the "Control Theatre" system to maintain immersion while managing motion sickness. The game features a single-player campaign with multiple challenges and leaderboards.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging stealth experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Metal Gear Solid.
- The climbing mechanics and various ways to approach missions provide a sense of freedom and creativity in gameplay.
- The developers are actively updating the game and addressing player feedback, showing commitment to improving the overall experience.
- The AI is inconsistent, often spotting players through walls or failing to react appropriately, which undermines the stealth mechanics.
- The controls can feel clunky, particularly with the need to grip buttons for actions, leading to frustrating gameplay moments.
- The game suffers from various bugs and performance issues, including problems with the HUD and immersion-breaking elements.
- story134 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally considered weak and unengaging, with many players noting its brevity and lack of depth, often completing it in around 6-7 hours. Players express frustration over the forced challenges that interrupt the main narrative, and the overall plot is described as forgettable, ending on a cliffhanger without any updates since 2020. While some appreciate the potential of the story and the integration of VR mechanics, the execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a sense of abandonment in favor of the more updated Quest version.
“The story has potential; I really think they were on to something.”
“The plot doesn't seem particularly deep, but it still feels like a great adventure.”
“Most of the game is rather well executed - the levels are designed well, the gameplay mechanics are more or less well executed, even the plot is interesting enough not to tune it out.”
“The story just cuts off kind of abruptly.”
“The main campaign is simply too short, with only six missions total which I completed in six hours.”
“The trailers are nothing like the gameplay, the story is boring and unmotivating, and the VR mechanics are pretty bad.”
- gameplay98 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of enjoyment and frustration, with many praising the fun stealth mechanics and climbing abilities, reminiscent of classic titles like Metal Gear Solid. However, numerous players report issues with AI behavior, inconsistent mechanics, and a lack of polish, leading to a gameplay experience that can feel repetitive and unrefined. While some find the core gameplay enjoyable, others criticize the overall execution and depth, suggesting that the game feels unfinished and in need of further development.
“There are a few pieces here and there that are rough, but the actual gameplay experience is fantastic, and I would happily purchase this at full price.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by how fun the stealth action gameplay actually is, despite seeing the mixed reception on the game's Steam store page.”
“The main draw for me is the gameplay, which is fantastic.”
“After a lot of further gameplay, the consensus is that this is just one giant grabby mess.”
“The gameplay loop is pretty unrewarding; you just move from one area to the next.”
“The game does a poor job explaining game mechanics and controls.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while some elements are visually appealing, overall quality is inconsistent and often falls short of AAA standards. Some users appreciate the smooth performance in VR, but others criticize the bland environments, graphical glitches, and lack of detail in certain areas. Overall, the graphics are described as mediocre to good, with a general consensus that they do not significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
“The graphics are smooth with my Pimax, and the use of VR has been impressive.”
“The game has very good graphics, professional voice acting, and a pretty good story.”
“Graphics: graphically this game looks amazing and works very nice.”
“Of course it's not a AAA game, so visuals, audio, and controls are rough around the edges.”
“Now setting that aside... this game looks horrible. Graphics settings are limited, textures are washed out, and the only way to improve this is by setting the pixel density to 200 or even 300 since the default 100 looks completely terrible.”
“It feels wildly unfinished, like every menu feels like a temporary mockup, and issues all around make it feel like a game with graphics that were rushed to the finish line. Some assets, like the hands, look decent, but most of the assets I've seen in the first 50 minutes look like one of those crappy old Star Wars games from the early '90s, where everything is just the same asset repeated.”
- stability18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users describing it as a "buggy mess" and "unfinished." Initial experiences were plagued by severe glitches, crashes, and unresponsive AI, making it nearly unplayable at launch. However, some players noted improvements after recent updates, reporting fewer issues, though minor glitches still persist, indicating that while the game shows potential, it remains unstable overall.
“Just don't buy this without knowing you're getting a buggy, incomplete experiment.”
“The game is a buggy mess.”
“I'm personally going to ask for a refund since this is a broken product that can't be played as intended due to multiple glitches happening all the time.”
- music14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, particularly for its high-quality synthwave soundtrack that dynamically adapts to gameplay, enhancing immersion and action. However, some users noted issues with sound design, such as inconsistent sound effects and distracting background noise that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the soundtrack is considered one of the standout features, with many calling it the best they've ever heard in a game.
“Probably the most standout part of the game was its soundtrack; every track in the game is a synthwave banger as it dynamically changes based on the alert level of the guards.”
“This soundtrack fits super well with the environment and the action.”
“Music, sound, and especially voice acting are great; very high quality!”
“The sound design is poor with your character's footsteps being incredibly loud, giant mechanical metal airlock-esque doors making no noise whatsoever when opened or closed, and music changing volume at seemingly random.”
“The game has a constant electronic buzz which is very loud and plays constantly to the point of causing headaches; it distracts from the dialogue and music, as well as enemy sounds.”
“My only gripe is that the soundtrack isn't available for purchase on the Steam store page.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and tearing, particularly on high-end systems like the 4090 and Titan XP. Conversely, others report smooth performance and good optimization even on less powerful PCs, highlighting fast loading times and a variety of comfort options. Overall, while some users praise the game's optimization, others find it lacking, particularly on specific hardware setups.
“The game does have a lot of good in it, it's very well optimized and the gameplay is a lot of fun.”
“Performance-wise, I had no issues whatsoever, and my PC is not even that powerful when it comes to VR, so that's a plus, considering how many VR games suffer from performance issues.”
“The game runs fine, optimization is very good, loading is very fast.”
“Was unplayable on my 4090, lots of stuttering/tearing/jumping regardless of CPU/GPU frametimes.”
“Performance was not that great on my Titan XP and overall just didn't look that great.”
“I only played it for a short while, so maybe things improve, but for now I won't recommend it due to poor Index support and poor overall performance.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its high replayability, with players enjoying the fun and varied challenges that encourage multiple playthroughs. The presence of different pathways and strategies adds to its replay value, making each session feel fresh and engaging. Overall, it offers a compelling experience that invites players to return.
“Fun VR stealth action game with high replayability.”
“The challenges are so replayable and fun every time.”
“I also like the fact that there are multiple ways forward, so I think there is actually some real replay value here, in trying out other ways of progressing through the air locks.”
“I'm big on replayability, and this game lacks it.”
“I had a wonderful time with it, but it is not very replayable.”
“While there are multiple ways forward, I don't think there is much real replay value in trying out other ways of progressing through the airlocks.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its engaging blend of stealth mechanics reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell, combined with the intense combat of Superhot and the immersive VR capabilities. Reviewers highlight the impressive art direction and design of the espire units, alongside effective sound design that enhances the overall experience with subtle ambient noises.
“The concept, art direction, and atmosphere are very cool! I love the design of the Espire units!”
“The sound design is good, with little hums and beeps during movement and atmospheric noises.”
“Think: Metal Gear Solid stealth mechanics, Splinter Cell vertical level design and scaling, Superhot combat and slow-motion (minus the ability to dodge bullets), a bit of Deus Ex atmosphere, with the added VR abilities to climb, punch, and throw objects.”
“The atmosphere feels disjointed, lacking a cohesive theme that ties the gameplay elements together.”
“Despite the interesting mechanics, the overall ambiance is flat and uninspired, failing to immerse players in the world.”
“The game attempts to create tension, but the atmosphere falls short, leaving players feeling disconnected from the experience.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a mix of emotions regarding the game, highlighting both the thrill of immersive gameplay that makes them feel powerful and cool, as well as discomfort, with one player noting it made them feel physically unwell. The controls, particularly the sensitivity settings, have also been a point of frustration, impacting the overall emotional experience.
“This is the only VR game that has made me feel sick to my stomach.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its setting within Australia's intelligence agency, which adds a comedic twist to the narrative. Additionally, players find irony in the developers' actions, such as banning users for inquiries about their money, which they perceive as amusingly neglectful.
“But the fact that it's set in Australia's intelligence agency is pretty hilarious (the ABI?).”
“Devs don’t care about us, banning people for asking where their money is, lol that's just funny. So what you're showing me is, you have time to ban people but not update on the state of the game.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express confusion regarding the monetization strategy, questioning its necessity and relevance as a highlighted feature of the game.
“I don't understand why this was implemented, and I can't see why it's a key feature worth promoting.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many paywalls in a game that could have been enjoyable without them.”
