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Kayak VR: Mirage

Kayak VR: Mirage Game Cover
80%Game Brain Score
graphics, story
stability, replayability
81% User Score Based on 668 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

PCOculus RiftPlaystation 5Windows Mixed RealityVirtual RealityOculus VRWindowsPlayStationPlayStation VR2
Kayak VR: Mirage Game Cover

About

Kayak VR: Mirage is a single player and multiplayer casual racing game. It was developed by Better Than Life and was released on July 12, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Kayak VR: Mirage" is a virtual reality game that offers a realistic kayaking experience. Paddle through various environments, from calm lakes to rushing rivers, and enjoy the tranquility of nature. The game features realistic kayak physics and a variety of customizable settings to suit your skill level and preferences. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals and natural sounds for a truly serene escape.

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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 668 reviews
graphics171 positive mentions
stability9 negative mentions

  • Stunning graphics and immersive environments that create a breathtaking experience.
  • Realistic kayaking physics that enhance the feeling of being on the water.
  • Great for relaxation and exploration, with a variety of maps and weather conditions.
  • Limited content with only a few maps, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
  • Some players experience motion sickness due to the kayak's movement mechanics.
  • Lack of multiplayer options and additional activities beyond paddling and racing.
  • graphics
    275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in this VR kayaking game are widely praised as some of the best in the industry, with many users highlighting their stunning realism and immersive quality. Players report breathtaking visuals, particularly in water physics and environmental details, making it a standout experience for showcasing VR capabilities. However, some users note that achieving optimal graphics settings can be challenging, and performance may vary depending on hardware specifications.

    • “The graphics are spectacular!”
    • “The graphics are incredible.”
    • “The visuals in this game are absolutely breathtaking as well as the environments which all feel alive and immersive.”
    • “Oh yeah and: even with settings turned to the max, I could get it with a 4060, it still looked really compressed even if the basic graphic settings were all on 'cinematic'.”
    • “My only complaint is that I wish there were more interesting things to see, and when we do get them (animals like penguins for example), the movement and graphics are so unrealistic as to be a negative to immersion.”
    • “The graphics quality even on 'cinematic' is meh.”
  • story
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth, with many users noting that it features no campaign, narrative, or engaging objectives. While some players found the emotional elements of the storyline compelling, the overall consensus is that the game feels more like a visual experience than a story-driven adventure, leaving many wishing for a more substantial narrative to enhance gameplay.

    • “The storyline was gripping.”
    • “This game has great guns and a very emotional storyline filled with tales of revenge, guns, and trauma.”
    • “It wasn't much, but you could (in fact, had to) get out of your kayak to continue an exploration story.”
    • “But it lacks purpose and you can only race and explore, no story or anything.”
    • “If something like this was incorporated into an actual game, with a story, objectives, and just anything else that would make you want to boot it up more than once, it would be a great buy.”
    • “The game has no campaign, no story, no NPCs, no survival element... it looks good but the content is not there.”
  • optimization
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed reviews. While many players praise its beautiful graphics and solid performance, some report significant stuttering issues, particularly when turning the kayak, which can lead to motion sickness. Despite these concerns, several users note that the game runs well on various hardware configurations, with options like DLSS and extensive graphics settings available to enhance performance.

    • “So overall with this experience I rate this game 10/10, everything is perfect there: optimization, graphics quality, physics. If you narrow your eyes a bit, you feel like you're really on some islands or somewhere in Norway. I have to say, I was motivated to buy a VR headset and a powerful PC by this game, and it was worth it.”
    • “The game feels nice, has the best performance out there to be honest. I had everything on cinematic and didn't notice a single bit of lag or stutter.”
    • “Pretty well optimized too – kudos to the dev for adding DLSS, Fidelity FX, resolution scaling, sharpening sliders, and lots of other genuinely useful graphics settings.”
    • “Performance on the new DLC map is noticeably worse and very inconsistent (low FPS near water drops).”
    • “The game is not optimized at all.”
    • “Glitchy and laggy at times, not really optimized at the moment.”
  • gameplay
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many praising the realistic kayaking mechanics and immersive graphics, while others find it lacking in depth and variety. While the paddling mechanics are intuitive and enjoyable, some players feel that the overall experience is more about visual immersion than engaging gameplay, leading to a sense of monotony after initial excitement. Additionally, technical issues such as crashes and graphical glitches detract from the overall experience, despite the game's potential for fun and competitive play.

    • “The immersion is really good, the mechanics are very realistic.”
    • “The mechanics feel good to me and personally I found controlling the kayak rather intuitive and fun.”
    • “This isn't just a gimmick VR experience; the gameplay from the races is super competitive and actually lends to a gameplay loop that you want to repeat, to shave off a couple seconds on the leaderboards or just get some more 'sea miles' for new kayak colors and stuff.”
    • “I've never even written a review for a game before, but I was so mad at the mechanics and execution of this that I had to come here and tell you to not waste your money on this DLC.”
    • “There is no gameplay except the paddling, which is interesting and fun for about 1 or 2 hours.”
    • “Was very excited for this and had it in my wishlist; to be honest, I just experienced awe the first 5 minutes because of the graphics, but to be honest, I found the gameplay very boring unfortunately.”
  • music
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and ambient qualities, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion. Many players appreciate the diverse soundtracks that align well with different environments, although some feel that certain tracks can be bland. Overall, the sound design, including music and effects, is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's tranquil aesthetic.

    • “Music and ambient audio really sets the mood!”
    • “The graphics are insane, the sound is great, the music is soothing and relaxing, the birds, fish, dolphins, penguins, whales, dog and inflatable characters to find and rescue just totally top this game off.”
    • “The entire aesthetic of the game is super tranquil; the stunning environments and rhythmic ambient music work extremely well together.”
    • “It's not as much of a scam as the €2 songs sold on Beat Saber, though it still feels like a scam.”
    • “The ambient sounds could also be improved, and the music seemed a bit bland - I turned it off almost immediately.”
    • “I do wish I could listen to my own music.”
  • stability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing significant issues such as frequent crashes, freezes, and graphical glitches, particularly on certain maps. While a few players report smooth performance on higher-end systems, many others find the game to be buggy and laggy, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game's stability appears to be inconsistent, heavily dependent on the hardware used.

    • “It runs great on my mid-level rig with a 2080 Ti and is probably one of the best looking VR experiences I have tried.”
    • “Runs great on Quest 2 Air Link on a 3080 setup, even on max graphics!”
    • “Runs great on a 2060 RTX.”
    • “Basically, the game runs only in the pool and is smooth, but whatever map I pick, there is just a black screen and eventually crashes and freezes. I've run VR games way more demanding than this.”
    • “In about 20 minutes of gameplay, I crashed about 4 times. I get tons of graphical glitches even when lowering the graphic settings.”
    • “Mirage hangs, the view freezes in the HMD, and SteamVR sometimes suggests a restart.”
  • atmosphere
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the experience is widely praised for its immersive and soothing qualities, with users highlighting the beautiful details and natural interactions that enhance the overall ambiance. Many find it a relaxing escape, particularly enjoying the serene environment while kayaking or simply taking in the surroundings, though some feel the price may be steep for just the atmospheric experience.

    • “If you're looking for a great example of immersive atmospherics to showcase VR, this is it.”
    • “The free roam is very relaxing and feels really natural both in atmosphere and interaction.”
    • “My favorite part is just casually paddling or sitting in the kayak and soaking in the atmosphere.”
    • “$20 for an atmosphere is a lot.”
    • “I was excited for the atmosphere and music to go along with this experience.”
    • “The atmosphere is soothing!”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features a deeply emotional storyline centered on themes of revenge and trauma, complemented by stunning graphics that enhance immersion. Players report feeling a strong emotional connection during interactions with wildlife, such as kayaking near whales and penguins, though some also experience physical discomfort from the gameplay mechanics. Overall, the emotional impact is significant, but there is a desire for more diverse wildlife to enrich the experience further.

    • “This game has great guns and a very emotional storyline filled with tales of revenge, guns, and trauma.”
    • “Speaking of immersive: kayaking right next to a giant whale is an awesome experience which actually made me feel a little bit queasy.”
    • “Also, being able to get so close to penguins made me emotional; just one thing to improve is to have more wildlife, like having seals, whales jumping around, orcas, dolphins, etc. But after all, it's a perfect experience.”
  • replayability
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is generally viewed as impressive, with some users noting it exceeds initial expectations. However, there are concerns about its longevity, particularly for those who don't frequently engage with VR, suggesting that while it offers enjoyable experiences, its replay value may be limited for some players.

    • “Not a ton here to enjoy, but the replayability is great.”
    • “At first I thought that it might not have a lot of replay value, but it absolutely does.”
    • “Overall: quite impressive with some room for improvement, but it's just not for me because I don't use VR that often, and when you don't, there's no real replayability (at least not for me).”
    • “Overall, it's a great looking VR game and definitely worth it to support the developers, although I don't know how much replayability it has.”
    • “The current price seems fair for what you get, even if the replay value might be limited.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like one would need a second life to fully engage with it.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find humor in the game's quirks, such as the amusing sight of ghosts getting stuck in the environment and the unexpected performance improvements when adjusting graphical settings. These moments contribute to a lighthearted and entertaining experience.

    • “It's funny to see ghosts struggling wildly in the rocks and stuff like that.”
    • “The funny part is once I loaded into the world, I was able to put all the graphical settings back up to what they were on (epic) and the game worked perfectly fine.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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3h Median play time
3h Average play time
1-3h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Kayak VR: Mirage is a casual racing game.

Kayak VR: Mirage is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Virtual Reality, Windows and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Kayak VR: Mirage.

Kayak VR: Mirage was released on July 12, 2022.

Kayak VR: Mirage was developed by Better Than Life.

Kayak VR: Mirage has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its stability.

Kayak VR: Mirage is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Fishing: Barents Sea, Call of the Wild: The Angler, The Gallery - Episode 1: Call of the Starseed, Lushfoil Photography Sim, Derail Valley and others.