Into the Radius

About

"Into the Radius" is a single-player horror shooter for premium VR headsets, featuring a dense atmosphere and realistic weapon handling in an open-world post-apocalyptic zone inspired by the "Roadside Picnic" novel. The game offers a wholesome story, physics-based interaction, and replayability, but it can be quite grinding, buggy, and contains both humor and scary moments. In 1987, the Pechorsk Event transformed a Soviet mining town, and by 2002, the UNPSC still administers the exclusion zone.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,503 reviews

story252 positive mentions

optimization39 negative mentions

Incredible atmosphere and immersive gameplay that keeps players on edge.
Realistic gun mechanics, including manual loading of magazines and weapon maintenance.
Engaging survival elements that require careful planning and resource management.

Some players experience technical issues, such as bugs with item interactions and performance drops.
Enemy AI can be frustrating, with some enemies having aimbot-like accuracy.
The game can feel repetitive with certain missions and lacks variety in enemy types.

story
1,609 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
80%
4%
The story in "Into the Radius" is described as minimal and often delivered through environmental storytelling, such as notes and audio logs, rather than through direct narrative. Players find the missions to be repetitive, primarily consisting of fetch quests, which can detract from the overall engagement with the plot. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and the intrigue surrounding the mysterious world, many feel that the story lacks depth and clarity, making it secondary to the gameplay experience. Overall, the game offers a compelling survival experience, but the narrative could benefit from further development and variety.
- “The story is also fantastic and always leaves you intrigued to press further onwards.”
- “The world is sufficiently mysterious and the story is interesting enough that I'm compelled to explore it to find out what happened and why.”
- “The story is mysterious as you would expect from a stalker style game.”
- “The story is very minimally explained which helps encourage exploration to find notes and clues.”
- “The missions are seemingly randomly generated, and most of them require you to go into the radius (hah.) and find some artifacts.”
- “The story is not a straight forward go here and go there, the difference of the story and main missions is a wonderful addition to how the game works and is done in a way were you can progress the story by doing the main missions but you still need to go a bit out of your way to fully understand the world around you.”
gameplay
1,047 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The gameplay of "Into the Radius" is characterized by its immersive mechanics, including detailed gun handling, weapon maintenance, and a unique inventory system that enhances the survival experience. Players appreciate the tension created by the game's atmosphere and the need for strategic planning, as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world filled with dangers. While some mechanics can feel clunky or overly complex, the overall gameplay loop of scavenging, completing missions, and managing resources is engaging and rewarding, making it a standout title in the VR survival genre.
- “The game, with its exhilarating gameplay, is a true standout in the realm of gaming, offering a singularly thrilling and immersive experience.”
- “The gameplay is slow and tense - most of the time it's just you and the warped landscape, which you scout little by little while completing the game's progressive missions.”
- “The realistic gun mechanics, including gun maintenance and customization, are incredibly engaging and immersive once you get the hang of things.”
- “The actual gameplay is incredibly repetitive.”
- “The gameplay can get repetitive since you’re visiting the same area over and over again until you decide to do that one quest that sends you to the next area.”
- “The most difficult part of the game is not the gameplay/combat, it's constantly fighting the game's buggy mechanics and world space which seriously detract from being able to enjoy it.”
atmosphere
686 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
The atmosphere in "Into the Radius" is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, drawing strong comparisons to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. Players describe it as thick, terrifying, and filled with tension, particularly during nighttime exploration, which enhances the survival horror experience. The combination of sound design, environmental details, and gameplay mechanics contributes to a uniquely unsettling atmosphere that keeps players on edge and deeply engaged.
- “The atmosphere is creepy and even worse if you're still out at nightfall!”
- “The atmosphere is dark and spooky, with a simple but engaging soundscape.”
- “The atmosphere is chilling, wonder-inducing, and immersive.”
- “The game seems poorly optimized which fits in with my previous claim of 'jankiness.' Also, I saw many comments praising the atmosphere of the game for being frightening and leaving the players 'on edge' for the duration of their play session, but to me the atmosphere seems plain, boring, dull, uneventful, gray, shallow, etc.”
- “The lighting and atmosphere completely ruin the experience as well as uninspired enemies.”
- “The atmosphere can be oppressive and I die easily.”
graphics
408 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
56%
13%
The graphics in "Into the Radius" receive mixed feedback from players, with many praising the immersive atmosphere and attention to detail, particularly in weapon design and environmental effects. However, several reviews highlight issues with optimization, performance, and dated visuals, suggesting that while the graphics are decent for a VR title, they fall short of AAA standards and can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game's aesthetic successfully conveys a haunting and eerie atmosphere, even if the graphical fidelity is not consistently high.
- “The graphics are stunning and the attention to detail in the world-building is impressive.”
- “The ambience, the visuals, truly make you feel isolated in the radius.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and the story sounded like it would be interesting if you can get around that so it would be fun but I am not good with this type of game.”
- “The graphics are terrible for a game that seems to only update its graphics and nothing else.”
- “On the one hand, the graphics look at least 10 years out of date.”
- “The graphics aren't the best, and some of the enemies are a little bland, but the atmosphere and the gun gameplay are some of the best I have ever played in a long time.”
optimization
199 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
65%
20%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users, with many noting significant performance issues such as stuttering and frame drops, particularly in demanding areas. While some players have experienced improvements with recent updates and optimizations, others still find the game poorly optimized, especially on lower-end hardware. Overall, while there are signs of progress, further optimization is needed to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The game is well optimized for a VR game and is the most immersive game I have played.”
- “The developers really have this game thought out and thoroughly optimized.”
- “Performance is much better compared to 1.0.”
- “Performance is frustrating; some areas are fine with no issues on high settings, while other areas stutter on low to mid settings.”
- “The only real issue I have with this game is that it could for sure be more optimized.”
- “Performance is terrible, especially after the 'overhaul' update where they changed lots of things.”
stability
161 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these problems, others describe it as a "buggy mess" that requires significant polishing and optimization. Overall, while the game shows potential, its current state is marred by instability that can hinder gameplay.
- “One of the best VR games I have ever played. Amazing gameplay, bug-free, and the best gunplay in VR.”
- “Exploring is fun, the game looks and runs great, the guns are fun to use, and it's one of the few difficult VR games I've played.”
- “It runs great on a Rift S/1070 laptop at high settings.”
- “I have never played a game more buggy and unenjoyable as this pile of smoldering potential.”
- “The most difficult part of the game is not the gameplay/combat, it's constantly fighting the game's buggy mechanics and world space which seriously detract from being able to enjoy it.”
- “This game is buggy as hell, and it confuses hardcore gameplay with shitty mechanics.”
grinding
85 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
4%
92%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While some find the meticulous inventory management and weapon maintenance to be immersive and satisfying, others view it as tedious and repetitive, particularly when it comes to farming resources and completing missions. Overall, the grinding can enhance the survival experience for some, but may feel like busywork for others, especially in the later stages of the game.
- “The landscapes are amazing, combat is great though not the best idea to go loud without knowing what you might lure with unsuppressed fire, and just enough survival mechanics to make the game challenging but not tedious.”
- “The world is pretty well detailed despite the lower graphics because of hardware limitations of VR, the enemies are a fun challenge that get harder as you progress and are pretty scary. The voice acting is pretty darn good despite being an indie-like game. Almost all game mechanics function the way they are supposed to, the progression system is fun and not too tedious but keeps you busy, and it has infinite replayability because of the wave system that resets the map every in-game week.”
- “It's not really grindy even, no matter how many supplies you sell or whatnot.”
- “Only complaint is the gun cleaning mechanic which is needlessly tedious and precise, not allowing you to increase the condition of the gun until you've scrubbed every single molecule of rust off the weapon in every conceivable nook and cranny.”
- “The downside is that packing your bag and repairing the weapon can get tedious, as you're literally packing your bag of items and cleaning your gun.”
- “It becomes tedious to have to clear the same routes over and over again.”
music
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The music in the game is described as haunting and atmospheric, enhancing the overall immersive experience, though it is often sparse and primarily delivered through found audio tapes. While some players appreciate the eerie ambiance and the ability to play their own music, others criticize the default music volume for drowning out important audio cues and express a desire for more consistent musical elements, such as a radio feature. Overall, the sound design is praised for its contribution to the game's tension and atmosphere, despite some inconsistencies in the execution.
- “The sounds and music seem up to par and generally add to the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is perfectly crafted visually, and the soundtrack only enhances it.”
- “The music, atmosphere, sound design, and interaction mechanics are all on point.”
- “The game music drowns out most of the audible warning sounds made by the enemies and environmental hazards.”
- “Tapes are extremely loud compared to the rest of the game; almost the scariest part of this game is being able to hear nothing else but the tapes, and I came across one that played distorted music that sounded terrible and deafening through my Oculus Rift S. I was desperate to turn that one off.”
- “The world lacks life, animals, birds, anything besides humming atmospheric music and the cackling of anomalies amongst the wind. Though this matches with the story, the game unfolds as you reach out to Katya and do top priority missions; it does it no service to the world as it could have been beautiful and given Stalker a true run for its money.”
replayability
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
47%
8%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the dynamic mission system, randomized loot, and various challenges that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some users express a desire for more mission variation and updates, the general consensus is that the game offers a rich and immersive experience that keeps players engaged for hours. The potential for mod support is also seen as a promising factor for enhancing replay value in the future.
- “The game also has good replayability over multiple playthroughs, along with offering different challenges and difficulties to improve over multiple games.”
- “The gameplay loop with the tide randomizing the contents of the world every few days is a really fun dynamic and combined with the dynamic mission system gives the game a huge amount of replayability.”
- “This game has so much potential and already has so much content it blows 90% of VR games away, there are many options for equipment, weapons, and weapon attachments as well as the health and durability systems give this game so much replayability.”
- “Great atmosphere, good gunplay, only gripe is there needs to be more mission variation for replayability.”
- “No replayability.”
- “I have not beaten it yet, I'm taking my time, but there is clearly replayability.”
emotional
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a profound emotional experience while engaging with the game, describing feelings of fear, tension, and immersion that evoke physical reactions such as shivers and tears. The atmospheric design, combined with intense gameplay moments, creates a sense of vulnerability and dread that resonates deeply, making it one of the most emotionally impactful VR titles available. Many users express a strong connection to the game, likening their experiences to those of other emotionally charged games, and highlight the developers' success in crafting a hauntingly immersive environment.
- “This is the most immersive and scary game yet; I still love it. I'm not a horror fanatic, but this is different. It reminds me of how Subnautica made me feel when I first played that.”
- “I don't have words to describe the full extent of the emotional range you will experience playing this game, and that's just from the atmospheric gameplay, not even considering the plot.”
- “Absolutely nails the atmosphere; I took my headset off a few times from sheer terror and how tense the environment made me feel.”
humor
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the game is a blend of intentional comedic elements and unintentional glitches, creating a unique experience that elicits both laughter and frustration. Players appreciate the absurdity of certain enemy designs and the hilariously flawed VR controls, which often lead to amusing situations. Overall, the game successfully combines horror and humor, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.
- “Its a fantastic mix of horror and dumb fun, being scared to death by a baseball spider and then laughing your ass off as it hits a car and gives itself brain damage.”
- “The funny anomalies make me do an amusing squeak as I drop 5 fully loaded mags in a firefight.”
- “Bizarre and sometimes hilarious glitches occur regularly.”
- “While climbing a crane in the game, I fell off so many times because my arms kept getting stuck under a bar. It was not funny, especially considering my slight fear of heights, which was already nerve-wracking. If it weren't for the arm problem, I think it would have been much more enjoyable.”
monetization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
The monetization model is primarily free-to-play with in-game microtransactions, and players appreciate that the developers seem committed to creating a quality survival game rather than pursuing a cash grab approach. However, there are criticisms regarding the implementation of ads, particularly in aiming mechanics, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game offers a fair free-to-play model, allowing players to enjoy most content without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “Microtransactions are optional and do not hinder gameplay, making it accessible for everyone.”
- “I appreciate that the monetization system is transparent and doesn't exploit players, providing a balanced experience.”
- “The bad: ads (aim down sight) is kind of garbage, at least with the attachments, based on the holo-sight/red-dot and what I assumed was supposed to be a scope you get in the tutorial phase; iron sights were fine.”
- “Loading clips feels fine, switching safety on/off feels alright, but holy moly, the aim down sights just isn't great.”
- “You can tell that the devs have a passion for making a good survival game that works, and it isn't a cash grab like a lot of games nowadays.”

Buy Into the Radius

Into the Radius VR EU Steam CD Key
$10.75
See offer on Kinguin

15h Median play time

73h Average play time

5-46h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 59 analyzed playthroughs

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