Hover Junkers
- April 5, 2016
- Stress Level Zero
- 4h median play time
Even after the free-for-all matches start to feel redundant, the punchy, full-body action in Hover Junkers remains hilarious fun.
Get on Steam"Hover Junkers" is a VR multiplayer shooter set in a desolate future, where players scavenge for scrap and fortify their customizable ships while engaging in intense combat using tracked controllers. The game thrives on physically dodging, hiding, and taking cover to claim valuable loot and defend against opponents. Experience an immersive and unique VR combat experience like no other.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Innovative gameplay that utilizes room-scale VR effectively, providing an immersive experience.
- Shooting mechanics are satisfying, with unique reloading processes that enhance engagement.
- Fun multiplayer interactions, allowing for social gameplay and teamwork.
- Currently lacks a robust player base, making multiplayer matches difficult to find.
- Game feels incomplete with limited content, including only two weapons and few maps.
- Controls can be unintuitive, and the absence of a proper tutorial can frustrate new players.
- gameplay185 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this VR title is characterized by solid mechanics, particularly in shooting and reloading, which enhance interactivity and immersion. However, the experience is significantly hindered by a lack of players in the multiplayer mode, leading to feelings of emptiness and purposelessness when attempting to engage with the game. While the mechanics are fun and innovative, the overall gameplay suffers from clunky elements and a need for better multiplayer support, making it more suitable for solo play or as a demonstration for new VR users.
“Shooting and reloading mechanics are great at showing off the increased interactivity of VR while intentionally staying more arcadey than something like H3VR.”
“Exciting gameplay mixed with fun and easy-to-learn controls, as well as decent graphics and few glitches make this one of my favorite games to play with friends.”
“Mechanics were smooth, gameplay was rich, and immersion was unreal.”
“Great concept of a game and if you're like me and catch it on sale (50% off+) it's worth it, but be aware that getting into games with other people is pretty difficult and the gameplay can feel... empty, purposeless.”
“Boring gameplay, monotonous graphics, too few players, high latency... can't recommend it at all.”
“Aiming, the core mechanic of gameplay, is completely broken!”
- graphics71 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the solid design and enjoyable art style reminiscent of Borderlands, while others criticize the dated visuals and glitches. Many users note that while the graphics may not be top-tier, they do not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience. Overall, there is a consensus that improvements are needed, particularly in visual fidelity and options.
“Super cool game with graphics that remind me of Borderlands.”
“Graphics - the design of the environment, models, objects, and graphics in general were well done and polished.”
“That feeling of quality you get when you turn on a game from devs who pay attention to detail in visuals.”
“First, the graphics are dated already.”
“The graphics are way worse than they look in screenshots. This game would have been much better if they didn't go for the almost realistic look; if it was more like TF2 or Blizzard's art style, it would have felt a lot better.”
“Boring gameplay, monotonous graphics, too few players, high latency... can't recommend it at all.”
- humor29 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with players finding the chaotic and absurd elements—like using "clown guns" and engaging in silly hand gestures—hilariously entertaining. The multiplayer experience, particularly the emotive avatars and the amusing struggles of new players, adds to the comedic atmosphere, making for a fun and engaging environment despite some repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with action, keeping players laughing throughout their experience.
“It's all so well done, and funny to boot.”
“Reloading your guns manually while steering your hover junker out of the way of enemy fire is a surprisingly hectic and funny experience.”
“This is hilariously awesome!”
- stability22 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting frequent bugs, lags, and crashes, particularly in the lobby and tutorial systems. While some users find these issues detract from the overall experience, others feel that the gameplay remains enjoyable despite the glitches. Overall, the game appears to be a blend of polished elements and significant stability concerns.
“What is there is pretty polished and bug-free.”
“Too buggy and incomplete for the price.”
“Game is buggy, lags, and crashes a lot.”
“Everything from the buggy lobby with the robot spinning around the entire place when you first begin to after a match when everyone is stuck within a foot of each other, crowding the area.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some users citing limited replay value and issues like desync and low player counts, while others praise the game as one of the most polished and immersive VR titles with high replayability, particularly in multiplayer settings. Overall, the game's replayability is seen as highly variable, depending on player engagement and the social elements it offers.
“It is among the most polished and complete titles for the Vive with a large amount of replayability.”
“Insanely addictive, the most polished and replayable Vive title today.”
“Fantastic fun, the priciest but most replayable VR title right now, being a multiplayer VR game.”
“Not enough people in the game, poor replayability... waste of money in my opinion.”
“Price is a bit high for the amount of content and replayability.”
“Like most Vive-compatible games, the replayability of this game is very low.”
- story18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is severely lacking, with players expressing frustration over the absence of a promised single-player mode and narrative content. Many describe it as feeling like an early access title, highlighting the need for more depth and lore to enhance the overall experience. While the multiplayer component is enjoyable, the lack of a compelling story detracts from the game's potential.
“When I did play it, the multiplayer was fun, but I still wanted the story.”
“Short story: really cool concept with moving platforms.”
“It's practically an early access game because they still haven't released the story mode they promised.”
“No story and no one is online.”
“Lack of depth in combat and no story/lore.”
- optimization16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including crashes and poor in-game performance, particularly on certain processor types. While a few users reported smooth gameplay, the overall sentiment suggests that the game is not well-optimized for multiplayer and has critical shortcomings that hinder its playability. Additionally, the lack of essential features like individual mute or vote to kick further detracts from the multiplayer experience.
“Runs smoothly”
“As for performance, this game actually ran surprisingly great for me.”
“I'll start with performance and networking issues.”
“I don't see why individual mute or vote to kick isn't an option that's even on the roadmap, and the recent performance issues also make this game unplayable since the last update.”
“Between constant crashes, poor in-game performance, lack of quality players for online, lack of weapons and equipment, this isn't a game that should have been released yet.”
“The game is badly optimized for processors in the i5-k range.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's music and sound design effectively enhance the immersive experience, with a well-curated jukebox that complements the game's aesthetic. However, some players note that the soundtrack can be repetitive, despite the overall coolness of the music and sound effects.
“The game world is well presented and the attention to looks, style, sound, and music from the jukebox in the shack, which is the center from where you head out into the other parts of the game, puts you right into this well-imagined world.”
“Cool music and sound effects.”
“The game world is well presented and the attention to looks, style, sound, and music from the jukebox in the shack, which is the center from where you head out into the other parts of the game, puts you right into this well-imagined world.”
“- repetitive soundtrack”
“- repetitive soundtrack”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a mixed emotional experience with the game, initially feeling VR sickness due to the motion mechanics, but eventually finding enjoyment as they acclimate. However, technical issues, such as a malfunctioning robot, detract from the overall experience, leaving some users frustrated.
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its impressive visuals and engaging art style, reminiscent of Borderlands, blending humor with a post-apocalyptic setting. However, some players feel that the overall experience is diminished by subpar menus and mechanics, despite the strong physical feel of weapons and intuitive gameplay.
“It never ceases to amaze me how VR games that look so good and have such amazing atmosphere are let down by terrible menus and mechanics.”
“The art style and general atmosphere are very reminiscent of a Borderlands-style game, with similar humor mixed with post-apocalyptic junk.”
“[Physical feel of weapons, simple but intuitive gameplay, cartoonish atmosphere].”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as being exploitative, with users labeling it as a series of poorly executed cash grabs.
“They continue to make sloppy cash grabs.”
“They continue to make sloppy cash grabs.”
Critic Reviews
Hover Junkers review
Even after the free-for-all matches start to feel redundant, the punchy, full-body action in Hover Junkers remains hilarious fun.
82%Guns blazing: Hover Junkers review
Hover Junkers is a good game markedly improved by its VR components, utilizing room-scale tracking and motion sensors to craft physical, engaging shootouts. If there was any killer app for the Vive, it’s Hover Junkers.
80%
