Reaping Rewards
- June 9, 2017
- Limitless Ltd
Get on SteamReaping Rewards is an interactive VR short narrative where you will make emotional choices using motion controllers to engage with the story. Directed by Matthew Ward (cinematics director at Bungie), with music by Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket. Reaping Rewards was built in VR using the Limitless VR Creative Environment and produced by Limitless Ltd, the team behind the interactive VR …
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and poignant narrative experience that can evoke strong emotions in players.
- The graphics and art style are well-executed, reminiscent of recent animated films, enhancing the overall experience.
- As a free title, it offers a brief but interesting exploration of life and death themes, making it worth a try.
- The experience is very short, lasting only about 5-8 minutes, which limits emotional engagement and character development.
- Players have reported a lack of meaningful choices, making the narrative feel linear and somewhat unsatisfying.
- Some found the game to be superficial and lacking depth, with a confusing ending that detracted from the overall impact.
- emotional23 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players feeling that the short duration (around 6-10 minutes) prevents any meaningful emotional connection to the characters or choices. While some found moments of genuine emotion, particularly in relation to personal experiences, others criticized the narrative as superficial and manipulative, lacking the depth needed to evoke a true emotional response. Overall, the game's potential for a heartfelt story is overshadowed by its brevity and a focus on technical execution over emotional engagement.
“Amazing game! It really is an emotional roller coaster; in all my years of gaming, I have never in my life had a game make me just burst into tears.”
“Lovely and touching experience.”
“I found it rather unique and was struck emotionally.”
- story13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received for its heartwarming and emotional themes, engaging players through interactive choices in a brief VR narrative. However, many reviewers express disappointment over its short duration and superficiality, feeling that it lacks the depth and impact expected from a story centered on significant themes like death. Overall, while the experience is enjoyable, there is a consensus that it could have benefited from a more developed narrative.
“The story is pretty good and is worth the download.”
“Heartwarming little story.”
“This game 100% deserves a reward for how amazing its short story is; even if it is brief, it was an amazing experience nonetheless.”
“However, I am quite disappointed it is so short... it could be so much more if they added more to the story rather than just visiting the 3 people.”
“When there was so much potential for an emotional story here, the creators have opted to spend most of their development time on technically dazzling but mindless VR interactions.”
“They describe this as, 'an interactive VR narrative where you will make emotional choices using motion controllers to engage with the story.'”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their decent quality and appealing art style, reminiscent of recent Pixar films, making them enjoyable in a VR setting. However, some users noted issues with scale and felt that the overall experience, while visually appealing, lacked emotional depth and was disappointingly short.
“The graphics are decent and you can tell a lot of work went into this.”
“It's worthwhile to talk about the graphics here, which are extremely close to any recent Pixar animated film.”
“The art style was really good and some of the sounds, I guess, but it lasts about 5 minutes.”
“The graphics are decent, and you can tell a lot of work went into this.”
“The art style is lacking.”
“Graphics were okay, but the scale felt off; everything was too big.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as straightforward but ultimately lacks depth, with a mechanical and repetitive feel that can become tiresome. Players engage in a simple mechanic of guiding characters to their demise, but the overall experience is short and uninspired compared to the promotional material.
“The gameplay in reaping rewards is simple enough; to take a life, gamers must take the ill-fated characters by the hand until they breathe their last breath.”
“The experience is short, mechanical, and tiresome with the store page's press release exhibiting more energy.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its quality and fittingness, enhancing the overall experience and complementing the gameplay effectively. Users appreciate how the soundtrack aligns with the game's themes, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with players.
“The animation is very nice, as is the music, and the controls work as designed.”
“The gameplay, on top of the chosen music, makes me feel the developers really hit the nail on the head with this one.”
“Be forced to murder random people for no reason by touching their hands, then turn into an angel by touching a door, thereby saving a kid that's apparently not deathly ill, and then listen to a country song about angels.”
