IronWolf VR

About

IronWolf VR is a single player and multiplayer simulation game with a warfare theme. It was developed by Ionized Studios and was released on April 12, 2022. It received very positive reviews from players.

"IronWolf VR" is a virtual reality submarine thriller where players operate a submarine and defend it from enemy attacks. Players can customize their submarine and engage in tactical combat while exploring the depths of the ocean. The game supports both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing players to work together to complete missions and survive.

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,001 reviews

story16 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Incredibly immersive experience that captures the feeling of being in a submarine, with great attention to detail in controls and environment.
Fun and engaging multiplayer gameplay that encourages teamwork and communication, making it a blast to play with friends.
The game is actively developed with frequent updates, showing a commitment to improving and expanding the experience.

Currently lacks a larger player base, making it difficult to find multiplayer games without friends.
Some gameplay mechanics feel simplistic or arcadey, lacking the depth and realism that hardcore submarine simulation fans might expect.
The game is still in early access, meaning it has limited content and some bugs that need to be addressed.

story
149 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
87%
2%
The game's story aspect is minimal, with players noting a lack of narrative depth and only six missions available, which are often described as short and basic. While the missions can be engaging, the open-world feature is highlighted as a more enjoyable aspect, allowing for upgrades and exploration. Overall, players express a desire for more content and a richer storyline to enhance the experience.
- “The game has both scripted missions and an open world; the open world alone is worth the price of admission.”
- “Ironwolf VR nails the harsh and hardcore tension of a real sub mission. It rewards good tactics and strategic thinking, and there's enough interaction to keep you thinking.”
- “The missions are intense and have a high skill ceiling, but the learning curve is not so steep that beginners can't complete them.”
- “The one major downside is the emphasis on speed for getting medals for missions.”
- “Never thought I'd play and enjoy a sub simulator, the graphics and controls are nicely put together, good level of realism, on the other hand the missions are impossible to do in the time frames that are given, and the open world is not an open world, it's set missions on a map, you cannot just go for a cruise, disappointing; more thought should have been put into the idea of open world.”
- “But big problem is - no missions, almost empty world map.”
gameplay
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun and immersive cooperative experience, particularly in multiplayer settings, with mechanics that are easy to learn yet challenging to master. However, some players note issues with clunky controls, repetitive gameplay loops, and a lack of player base, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game shows promise with its submarine simulation and engaging mechanics, it requires balancing and further development to enhance tactical depth and player interaction.
- “The mechanics of piloting the sub, firing and guiding the torpedoes as well as manning the machine guns or deck gun up top all come together in a nice package that is pretty easy to learn and time-consuming to master.”
- “Gameplay is engaging and physical with great usage of room scale: if you like handling machinery in VR, you will definitely like this.”
- “The gameplay is open-ended with the newly added open-world mode, and the stories that emerge are gripping.”
- “The core submarine simulation is promising, but the gameplay is clunky and glitched without VR and even more clunky and glitched with VR.”
- “All the work to watch the same, packaged up, repeated 'sinking' play out is a big let down, and it really takes the interaction for the player out of the moment, and a more interactive and realistic sinking mechanic should be worked out based on the ship type and where the torpedo hits occurred on the hull.”
- “The game breaker for me is the gameplay mechanics; once you realize that there is no reason to ever not be at periscope depth, the experience is spoiled.”
graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
26%
5%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the immersive visuals and detailed environments, particularly inside the submarine, while others criticize the outdated graphics for a 2022 release and the poor quality of exterior visuals. Overall, many users appreciate the game's atmosphere and the level of detail, though there are calls for improvements, especially regarding surface graphics and performance optimization.
- “The environment is very immersive, the visuals are great and the sounds are pretty good.”
- “Fantastic game, great graphics and sound, you can read everything really well and the design is very very good.”
- “The graphics are sharp, the sense of being in a vulnerable tin can is well executed, and the fear of drowning is ever present.”
- “The graphics are terrible.”
- “The graphics on the store are very misleading.”
- “Work on those surface graphics!”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and claustrophobic qualities, enhanced by realistic textures, spatial sound, and effective use of VR technology. Players appreciate the attention to detail that creates a convincing submarine environment, making multiplayer experiences particularly chaotic and engaging. Overall, the game successfully evokes a tense and authentic feeling of being part of a submarine crew, contributing to its status as one of the most atmospheric VR titles available.
- “The whole experience is very atmospheric thanks to realistic textures inside the submarine and spatial sound.”
- “It successfully creates a very immersive and tense atmosphere and really makes you think about what it must have been like to be part of a German U-boat crew or similar in one of the world wars.”
- “With that being said, it is very atmospheric, claustrophobic, and has a 'submarine' feel to it that is magnified by the fact it is a VR game.”
- “The immersion and tense atmosphere when you are in the heat of a multiplayer battle with friendly random strangers.”
- “Very polished atmosphere makes you feel like you're really in the U-boat.”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from the chaotic and clueless experiences players have while navigating a submarine, often leading to hilarious moments, especially in co-op play. Players find joy in the absurdity of their situations, such as using a seemingly useless deck gun and the comedic reactions of friends who are equally inexperienced. Overall, the game delivers a lighthearted and entertaining experience that thrives on the unpredictability of multiplayer interactions.
- “Of course we recorded because three girlfriends using a submarine with zero idea of what to do was the most hilarious experience I had so far in VR.”
- “The sub also has a deck gun, but it's hilariously useless.”
- “Co-op play with friends is a blast; it's hilarious jumping in for the first time, being mostly clueless about stuff.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly and offers great visuals and controls, users report occasional bugs and glitches, particularly on the Oculus Quest 2 and Rift Touch. Some players experienced frustrating issues, such as screen freezes and control delays, but overall, the enjoyment of the game outweighs these stability concerns.
- “Runs great, looks great, controls great.”
- “Not bug-free but fun with friends!”
- “This game via an Oculus Quest 2 is extraordinarily buggy.”
- “It's totally underwhelming when you send off that torpedo, and before you can even see it, the screen freezes up, and you reappear at the sub-pen start screen. It's a bummer, and it would be nice to have the choice to enjoy the sinking and savor the moment.”
- “Controls are buggy on the Oculus Rift Touch; loading the main gun takes ages as the ammo is floating everywhere.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its impressive optimization, delivering flawless performance even on average setups, with smooth controls and great graphics. Users report that it runs well on various hardware configurations, making it accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of players. Overall, the optimization contributes significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the immersive experience.
- “Flawless performance for average setup.”
- “Great looking graphics, nice detail and good performance.”
- “All the controls are butter smooth and performance even on 1.6ss is great on a [email protected] with an EVGA 1080!”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a deeply emotional experience, particularly highlighting a powerful and immersive death scene that stands out as one of the most impactful in gaming. However, some feel that the lack of realistic sound effects during critical moments, such as a sinking ship, detracts from the overall emotional immersion, suggesting that enhancing audio elements could significantly elevate the emotional depth of the game.
- “10/10 I had the most immersive and emotional death in a video game ever.”
- “The community is really nice and wholesome.”
- “Sinking ship sounds would add to the overall player immersion and emotional aspect of the game's main goal.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Overall, the game is praised for its high immersion and significant replayability, though some users express uncertainty about its long-term replay value. Many feel that it offers enough content to warrant multiple playthroughs, with potential for future updates to enhance this aspect further.
- “God tier immersion and replayability.”
- “Lots of replayability.”
- “It doesn't feel like a tech demo, and there is some replay value with more to come.”
- “- not sure how much replayability it will have long term.”
- “(basically, it doesn't feel like a tech demo, and there is some replay value with more to come.)”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players feel that grinding in the game is essential for immersion, particularly in submarine interactions, where the absence of sound effects detracts from the experience. While grinding is necessary, it is not perceived as tedious or annoying, suggesting a balance between engagement and enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Ramming/sea bed collision needs a grinding metal sound for that interaction, not just a silent camera shake and sudden leaks everywhere; a very necessary sound effect in a submarine game.”
- “It makes the game much more immersive, yet it doesn't make the game more annoying or tedious.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The monetization aspect of the game primarily revolves around microtransactions and downloadable content (DLC), which have been integrated into its structure. While some users appreciate the added features, there is a sentiment that the game's true value lies in the experience itself, rather than in video advertisements or additional purchases.
- “The microtransactions in the game are well-balanced and do not feel intrusive, allowing players to enjoy the experience without feeling pressured to spend money.”
- “The DLC content is reasonably priced and adds significant value to the game, enhancing the overall experience without being a cash grab.”
- “I appreciate how the monetization model respects players' time and investment, offering optional purchases that truly enhance gameplay rather than being necessary to progress.”
- “The monetization strategy heavily relies on microtransactions and DLC, which feels exploitative.”
- “The game's structure has changed significantly, with new sections added for multiplayer, mods, and microtransactions, making it feel less like a complete experience.”
- “This is a game to be experienced, but the constant video advertising detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Users express a strong appreciation for the game's music, often referencing iconic tracks like the theme from "Hunt for Red October" and the Titanic song, which enhance the immersive experience during gameplay. There are suggestions for incorporating more cinematic music to further enrich the atmosphere.
- “All I can say is load up a mission, crank the theme music from 'Hunt for Red October,' and have at it.”
- “I highly suggest the implementation of the Titanic song trailer.”
- “This guy was playing the Titanic song every time he went outside his sub.”
- “Highly suggest implementation of Titanic song trailer.”