HORIZON VANGUARD

About

HORIZON VANGUARD is a single player shooter game. It was developed by David "Tain" Williams and was released on June 26, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

In "Horizon Vanguard," players experience an intense FPS set in a futuristic world. As a member of the elite Vanguard squad, it's up to you to protect humanity from the threat of the deadly Nanite Wars. Featuring fast-paced action, a variety of weapons, and stunning visuals, this game will keep you on the edge of your seat. Engage in both single-player and multiplayer modes to test your mettle against the Nanite onslaught.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews

music6 positive mentions

The game captures the essence of 90s arcade shooters with its challenging gameplay and nostalgic aesthetic.
Innovative mechanics, such as the ability to switch between first-person and top-down views, enhance the gameplay experience.
The soundtrack and overall presentation are excellent, contributing to a fun and immersive arcade experience.

The game is extremely difficult, which may deter casual players and can lead to frustration due to a lack of checkpoints and shield regeneration.
Controls can be cumbersome, especially for players using older VR systems, making it hard to navigate and dodge effectively.
Some gameplay mechanics and enemy behaviors are not well explained, leading to confusion and a steep learning curve.

gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is praised for its innovative mechanics, such as the top-down view for dodging bullets and the seamless integration of shooting from both the bike and with a pistol, creating a thrilling experience. While the game runs smoothly and offers a challenging arcade-style difficulty, some players wish for clearer tutorials and additional control options to manage speed during intense moments. Overall, it delivers a high-octane, engaging shooting experience that effectively translates shmup-style gameplay into VR.
- “The mechanic of looking down on your bike to see a top-down view of the playfield to more easily dodge bullets is genius, and simultaneously blasting ground enemies with the bike and lining up pistol shots feels amazing.”
- “High-octane shooter gameplay, flawless performance, great style, super smooth blend of genres, and probably the best shooting experience I've had outside of an arcade.”
- “The gameplay is tight as I'd expect from a game like this, even looking past the crushing difficulty, and the music is a real head-banger.”
- “The tutorial could probably use to spell out some of the slightly less obvious mechanics like some enemies being immune to pistol shots, or what the colored circles around incoming shots indicate, and having shots from behind hit can be a bit annoying in a couple spots.”
- “I will say that the game is very hard, which an arcade game should be, but there is a form of difficulty settings in the options to allow slower gameplay and invincible mode (in case you actually want to see the ending without commitment).”
- “For the most part, shmup-style gameplay translates really well to VR, but having to rely on the radar in bullet-hell boss fights is kind of a bummer.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellent presentation and amazing soundtrack, which significantly enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a key factor in their decision to play, noting its alignment with the game's arcade style and its ability to complement the tight gameplay. Overall, the music is described as innovative and engaging, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “This game has an excellent presentation and an absolutely amazing soundtrack from the few tracks I heard.”
- “The soundtrack is a large part of why I decided to try this game, and I'm looking for more interesting and innovative VR titles.”
- “The game absolutely nails the art style, music, and pacing of those arcade games, with a good amount of polish.”
- “The gameplay is tight as I'd expect from a game like this, even looking past the crushing difficulty, and the music is a real head-banger.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics of the game are described as having a strong arcade aesthetic, effectively capturing the style and pacing of classic arcade games. However, some users note that the visuals can be basic and lack distinct style, resembling programmer art. Overall, while the art style is praised for its polish, there are mixed feelings about its originality and depth.
- “The game absolutely nails the art style, music, and pacing of those arcade games, with a good amount of polish.”
- “Pretty great arcade aesthetic, even down to the difficulty.”
- “The graphics are very basic, lack style, and look like programmer art.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game’s strong replayability, noting the presence of numerous challenging levels that encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “A good amount of challenging levels and a high degree of replayability.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story aspect of the game appears to be challenging, as players have expressed frustration with difficulty in completing initial missions, indicating that the narrative may be tightly intertwined with gameplay mechanics.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its flawless performance and high-octane shooter gameplay, offering a super smooth blend of genres that delivers an exceptional shooting experience reminiscent of arcade classics.
- “High-octane shooter gameplay, flawless performance, great style, super smooth blend of genres, and probably the best shooting experience I've had outside of an arcade.”