Guardians Frontline
- March 9, 2023
- VirtualAge
- 50h median play time
Get on Steam"Guardians Frontline is a Sci-Fi VR shooter that combines FPS gameplay with RTS elements, allowing players to wield a variety of weapons and command robot armies in single-player, co-op, and PvP modes. The game features a campaign, in-game level editor, and a wide range of vehicles including mechs and spaceships. With a love for classic games like Starcraft and Halo, Guardians Frontline offers a unique experience for VR enthusiasts."
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus VR
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of FPS and RTS gameplay, reminiscent of Starship Troopers, providing both action and strategy.
- The map editor allows for extensive user-generated content, enhancing replayability and community engagement.
- The developers are responsive and actively update the game, improving performance and adding new features based on player feedback.
- The AI for both allies and enemies is often criticized for being ineffective, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Many players report issues with controls, particularly with manual reloading and the responsiveness of the VR mechanics.
- The game suffers from balance issues, where defensive structures are easily destroyed, making strategic gameplay less rewarding.
- story110 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around players taking on the role of guardians of the galaxy, completing user-generated missions to fight against alien bugs and progress through ranks. While the concept of a community-driven mission editor is praised, many reviews highlight that the missions often lack depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay that feels more like filler than a cohesive narrative experience. Overall, players express a desire for a more engaging and structured storyline, as the current campaign feels generic and underdeveloped.
“The story/theme is basically on the likes of Starship Troopers.”
“The missions are fairly simplistic but are pretty fun - conquer and defense are my favorites as going out and destroying all the nests or defending a base like Starship Troopers is very fun.”
“After two full hours of gameplay, tutorials and 4 main campaign missions finished, plus a few co-op games, I have to say that the game deserves a lot, great job, keep it up!”
“I was surprised by the amount of content initially and workshop support but then realized the missions are paper thin and consist of simply killing uninspired enemy waves like something you would see in a tower defense game, magically spawning troops and defending a generator, etc. This is a problem with a lot of VR games; they have only enough content to be able to advertise something like 'x amount of levels' or 'full campaign' when it's just you shooting the same 3-5 enemy types for 5 to 10 minutes, defending an object, destroying an object, or walking somewhere for filler time.”
“Campaign is just a series of vaguely curated generic mission types.”
“The worst part of all is no one curates the maps; they're all either super small, restrictive of your loadout (which it doesn't tell you before you join the mission), or worst of all made with tons of choke points that you can't get through unless you brute force it with tanks/mechs, wasting a lot of currency while doing so.”
- gameplay56 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is dynamic and engaging, featuring a well-executed first-person shooter experience complemented by realistic weapon mechanics and a mix of real-time strategy elements. While the game offers a fun loop with various modes and tactical options, some players note that the RTS mechanics are still underdeveloped and that certain features can be buggy. Overall, the game is praised for its solid controls and enjoyable combat, making it a standout in the VR genre despite some graphical limitations.
“The gameplay is pretty dynamic, and you can make use of the many weapons and advanced items such as starships, tanks, and hoverbikes once you have earned the right to use them after accruing the necessary research points.”
“Just a few hours in, I can already tell that the game offers a fun gameplay loop, unique tactical elements, and a keen understanding of modern VR standards often lacking in other games.”
“Solid controls, silky smooth gameplay, active developers, and outstanding gameplay!”
“The RTS mechanic is where I have to admit this game isn't ready yet but shows great promise...”
“Wanted to like this game, the concept and gameplay felt solid overall but there were game-breaking bugs.”
“Gunplay mechanic can be difficult because of this.”
- graphics42 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as average to good, with some reviewers noting that while they may not be groundbreaking, they are sufficient for a VR experience. Many players appreciate the game's aesthetic and immersive environments, though some mention a need for improvement in detail and variety. Overall, the graphics perform well on various hardware, and while they may not be AAA quality, they complement the strong gameplay and content.
“The game's aesthetic and immersive environments are impressive, and the map editor is a great feature for players who want to create their own experiences.”
“Great graphics on Rift S, loaded with variety and game modes.”
“Its a cool game with very good graphics, gameplay, physics, and voice.”
“The graphics are lacking and there's some jank, but the devs listen to the community and keep updating.”
“Graphics are pretty meh, but it performs well.”
“Could use better graphics for sure, but the gameplay mostly makes up for it.”
- stability16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing frustrating glitches, particularly related to controls and weapon handling. While many acknowledge these issues as typical of a beta release, others express hope that future updates will enhance the overall polish and performance, potentially elevating it to a top-tier VR experience. Overall, while not broken, the game does require further refinement to improve user experience.
“Bought it again on Steam and it runs great.”
“Once this game is polished up and mostly bug-free, it will be one of the top VR games for sure.”
“Hope my refund goes through, though they can't give me back the hour of troubleshooting I wasted on this obviously hardly playtested game.”
“Terrible game, not user-friendly for left-hand players. Smooth turning glitches and can't change movement to right hand once you select left hand. Disappointing; will be refunding.”
“There are a few annoying glitches in the game. The left hand has a tendency to drop the gun, reloads do not always work the first time, and guns do not always fire at the same speed. Nothing broken, nothing unmanageable, and honestly, I assume this stuff will happen in beta.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, players have noted significant improvements in optimization since previous negative reviews, with acceptable loading times and performance. However, some issues remain, particularly with network code and map design, which some find lacking in detail. While the graphics are praised, there is a consensus that further enhancements are needed for a more complete experience.
“Tldr: overall noticeable improvements and optimization have been made since my negative review last year.”
“In terms of performance, it's fine.”
“Luckily the loading times and performance are alright, graphics look good, but it needs more... something, the maps look kinda empty.”
“Did not originally recommend due to performance issues I personally experienced.”
“Network code isn't optimized but still really playable.”
“Overall, noticeable improvements and optimization have been made since my negative review last year.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game boasts significant replayability, particularly for creative players, with a variety of levels, a comprehensive campaign, and the option to explore custom levels and multiplayer modes. This diverse content encourages players to return for new experiences.
“If you're creative, this game offers endless replayability.”
“Many levels, a full campaign, custom levels I didn't try, and other replayability and gameplay (multiplayer).”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, likening it to the extensive farming required in Warframe. While some appreciate the need for grinding in games, many feel that the current implementation makes progress feel like a slog, especially when relying on anything other than personal effort.
“This makes anything except doing everything yourself a frustrating tedious slog.”
“I get it, games need a grind for players who enjoy the game and such, but this is giving Warframe a run for its money in terms of farming for some kind of currency to upgrade.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise, with users highlighting its quality and effectiveness in enhancing the overall experience. Alongside good sound and voice acting, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“The sound is good, the voice acting is good, the music is good, the graphics are pretty good, and the gameplay is really well balanced with options from easy to insane.”
