MENTAL
- February 20, 2020
- VR-CONNECTED
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"MENTAL" is an action-packed game with a deep story and over 150 side missions. Take down rival gangs, dismantle their bases, and climb or wall-run to explore every part of the city. Unlock, upgrade, and customize over 25 guns, and beware of the ever-watchful cops as you navigate the world of "Carbide" and rise to the top.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and fun open-world VR experience reminiscent of Grand Theft Auto, with a variety of gameplay mechanics.
- The developers are responsive and actively working on fixing bugs and improving the game, showing dedication to its growth.
- The combat mechanics, including gunplay and parkour, are engaging and provide a satisfying experience once players adapt to the controls.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including long loading times and lag, which can significantly hinder gameplay.
- Controls are overly complicated and unintuitive, making movement and actions frustrating for players, especially on certain VR systems.
- Many players have reported issues with the game's AI and enemy interactions, leading to a lack of satisfying feedback during combat.
- gameplay16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by an open-world experience filled with humor, random missions, and a variety of ambitious mechanics, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate indie games over AAA titles. While some players found the gameplay initially challenging, many reported a satisfying experience once they adapted, despite acknowledging bugs and the need for further polish. Overall, the game offers unique mechanics and fun interactions, though some critics noted that the core gameplay could feel lacking in depth and intuitive design.
“Open world Grand Theft Auto in VR, complete with random scattered missions, fun humor, and a huge variety of ambitious gameplay mechanics.”
“For an early access game, this game has tons of unique game mechanics I haven't really seen before.”
“After giving it an honest try, I have to say they nailed a lot of the mechanics.”
“The gameplay isn't that great, and a big sandbox that gives you lots of things is only good if there's a lot of stuff to do with them (H3 VR is a good example of lots of stuff, little to do).”
“Hopefully they will polish and work on mechanics before adding more weapons and stuff.”
“I would recommend everyone who cares about gameplay and action, not about story and a polished feel.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as surprisingly engaging, featuring challenging boss battles and a mix of main and side missions that enhance gameplay. While some players appreciate the humor and ambitious mechanics in an open-world setting, others note that the narrative is not the primary focus, with some even claiming a lack of a coherent story. Overall, the game is seen as fun and enjoyable, particularly for those who prioritize action over a polished narrative experience.
“Has a surprisingly cool story mode with bosses that will for sure kick your ass the first time you fight them (unless you're dual wielding LMGs or using the auto-shotgun, then they become pushovers).”
“After playing through the main story missions multiple times, and speaking with the devs about their ideas for the future of this game, I believe this game is top of the list for its type/genre.”
“There is a main story, and sometimes you need to fulfill side missions to earn enough money to buy a specific weapon which is required for the next main story mission.”
“I would recommend everyone who cares about gameplay and action, not about story and a polished feel.”
“There is no story and kind of like b&s there are arenas.”
“Ill be short and sweet, the game has many issues and support is terrible. The devs gave wrong info to resolve the first issue (black screen on loading game) which I resolved after hours on forums. The second issue is that 8 minutes into the game (during the second tutorial mission to learn to climb), the game just breaks and ends there.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both childish and vile, yet it effectively elicits laughter, particularly due to strong voice acting. Players appreciate the funny and entertaining open-world experience, highlighting amusing gameplay elements and clever item choices, despite some minor bugs. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's enjoyment and is a key reason for its recommendation.
“The humor is childish and vile, but I still get a laugh from the shockingly competent voice acting.”
“Open world Grand Theft Auto in VR, complete with random scattered missions, fun humor, and a huge variety of ambitious gameplay mechanics.”
“The game is funny and entertaining; I highly recommend it, and encourage everyone to join the Discord and leave feedback and ideas for the devs.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a consistent art style and optimized performance, appealing to fans of indie titles despite lacking AAA quality. While the realistic gun and bullet physics enhance the experience, users note that improvements in lighting and overall visuals are needed for a more polished look. Additionally, some players have reported performance issues, particularly during gunplay, suggesting that further optimization is required.
“It feels like it was made by a rather small indie team, and for sure it is not a AAA title, but it has a consistent art style and there is a lot to do and discover in this open and vivid world.”
“So if you don't need AAA gameplay and graphics, but can enjoy indie games with lots of details and freedom, it is worth a try.”
“I love the stick figure action, but with better graphics, this game can seriously blow up.”
“Also, I think the game would really benefit from better lighting and visuals.”
“The gunplay could be a me issue, but every time I fire a gun, the game lags, which doesn't happen in Boneworks, Pavlov, or any other game. My computer is of high quality: i7-7700k CPU, 1080 graphics card, etc.”
“It feels like it was made by a rather small indie team and for sure it is not a AAA title, but it has a consistent art style and there is a lot to do and discover in this open and vivid world.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it features impressive graphics and realistic physics, many users report severe performance issues, including stuttering and lag, even in low-demand scenarios. The controls are also criticized for being overly complicated, contributing to an overall negative experience. Despite its potential, the poor optimization has led some players to abandon the game entirely.
“The graphics are optimized, providing a visually stunning experience while maintaining smooth performance.”
“The realistic gun and bullet physics enhance the gameplay, making every shot feel impactful and engaging.”
“Wide headset support allows for an immersive experience, ensuring that players can fully enjoy the optimized audio and visual elements.”
“I tried to at least see what was there, and it seems like it has potential, but the performance was truly heinously terrible.”
“Things were stuttering or laggy, the game was chugging horribly even without rendering any NPCs.”
“The game is poorly optimized; the controls for jumping are overcomplicated, and the running is downright bad.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is often praised as a "godly soundtrack" that perfectly complements the gameplay, particularly with its energetic metal tracks that enhance the combat experience. However, some users note issues with the sound design, including a lack of ambient sounds and the music being excessively loud, which can detract from the overall experience.
“The soundtrack, the godly soundtrack that just fits this type of game unlike others that are similar to it.”
“The nice metal soundtrack that just makes you want to destroy any opponent that comes your way!”
“There is almost no sound in the game, which when you turn the music off, because it's really blaring, the tutorial was silent up until the point you break the walls.”
“Sounds are not amazing and music starts way too loud.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the developers' efforts in addressing glitches and improving stability over time, though some issues, such as buggy wall jumping, still persist. The game's progress in stability has been positively noted by beta testers.
“Wall jumping is super buggy.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I experienced multiple freezes during gameplay, which ruined the experience.”
