Sentenced VR
- July 2, 2019
- Samuel Gordon
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Sentenced VR" is a narrative-driven virtual reality experience that places you in the role of an executioner in a fictional early-modern European city. Over the course of multiple scenarios, you will be tasked with carrying out punishments on those who have broken the laws of the realm, while also grappling with personal conscience and obedience to authority. The game features realistic beheading sequences and is designed to make you confront the power structures and institutionalized violence within the system.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Rift
Reviews
- Unique and interesting concept of stepping into the role of a medieval executioner, providing a fresh perspective in VR gaming.
- Great voice acting and engaging narrative that adds depth to the experience, along with historical insights about executions.
- Visually striking art style and attention to detail, making the game immersive despite its short length.
- Gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, with limited choices that often lead to game over if not executed properly.
- Controls are poorly implemented, leading to frustrating experiences with movement and object interaction.
- The game is very short, lasting about an hour, which may not justify the price for many players.
- story19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as slow and repetitive, with a unique premise of playing as an executioner in early European times, but it lacks depth and player agency, leading to a mediocre experience. While some players appreciate the moral dilemmas presented, others find the execution mechanics limiting and the overall narrative unsatisfying. Despite its potential, many reviewers suggest that the story may not hold players' interest beyond the initial hour.
“Interesting story overall, just wish there were more options with disobeying executions.”
“Starting with the good, this game has a fairly unique concept, you are an executioner (in VR, duh), and your job is to behead prisoners who have been sentenced to death. It's fairly straightforward, has a good plot line, and you can see how morals would play into the game.”
“If you haven't played the game yet, the intro sequence to the story is you meet the beadle, who goes on a rather long spiel about justice and your role as the executioner. What feels like an age-long speech (which is probably more like 2-3 minutes of him talking), he wraps up talking about your first convict to execute, and tells you to sign the paper.”
“The story is slow and very, very repetitive.”
“If you really want to play the story, then sure go ahead and get this game, but after 1 hour, you will regret it.”
“There's no reason for me not to execute someone to advance the story when doing so would just end the game and force me to restart from the beginning.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful and striking art style, while others note a lack of smoothness and basic visuals. Although the visuals can be immersive and evoke nostalgia, there are criticisms regarding the user interface and the absence of gore in a gruesome context. Overall, while the graphics are serviceable, there is hope for future improvements.
“The visuals are beautiful, bold, and striking.”
“The art style is very striking, and the voice work really brings the characters to life.”
“From the visuals to the custom voice acting, that has some real gems in it for such a small project; it is really worth your time.”
“A bit lack of smoothness in graphics and movements, although a curious example of immersion experience along with some historical facts.”
“Hope the graphics will be improved sometime.”
“The visuals are very basic and the UI is quite ugly.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally criticized for being slow, repetitive, and lacking depth, with minimal VR interactions and poor controls. While some players appreciated the simple mechanics and enjoyed aspects like voice acting and historical tidbits, the overall experience is deemed unengaging, making it hard to recommend at full price. It may be worth a try on sale for those looking for a brief, uncomplicated experience.
“The gameplay is interesting, with some especially neat stats at the end of the game from other players.”
“I can have indulgence with that, as it is an indie game and all; it is not really for the gameplay/action you play this game either.”
“The gameplay is minimal and VR interactions are poor.”
“That said, the gameplay wasn't fun enough to make me want to play more, at least not with the painfully bad controls.”
“However, the gameplay will be very repetitive.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its low replayability, with players noting that it consists of repetitive execution scenes and offers little incentive to revisit after completion. Many users express that, despite its short length, the experience does not warrant a second playthrough.
“No replay value.”
“It is a very repetitive slog through 10-11 execution scenes with little replay value.”
“Having finished the game now, I'm unlikely to play again, as it's a very short but not very replayable experience.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its artistic style and immersive experience, though some players find certain gameplay frustrations can detract from this ambiance. Overall, while the game is short, it offers a unique atmospheric experience that resonates with many, despite occasional setbacks.
“The atmosphere is captivating, with an artistic style that enhances the overall experience. It's a short game, but it feels more like an immersive journey than just gameplay.”
“The ambiance is incredibly well-crafted, drawing players into a unique world that feels alive and engaging.”
“The game's atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, creating a sense of wonder and intrigue that lingers long after playing.”
“I was pretty frustrated, and this may seem minor to some, but for me, this completely ruined the atmosphere of the game. I was about 15 minutes into playtime and was about to give up when I had one last idea: rebooting once more and filling the paper with ink during the beadle's speech.”
“The lack of immersive sound design really detracted from the overall atmosphere, making it feel flat and unengaging.”
“The visuals were stunning, but the atmosphere felt lifeless and disconnected, leaving me feeling more like a spectator than a participant.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful, often presenting challenging moral dilemmas that evoke strong feelings, making it more emotionally engaging than many other titles.
“Some moments were difficult to experience, presenting emotional and moral challenges that most games have never put me through.”
“The emotional depth of the story left a lasting impact on me, making me reflect on my own values and choices.”
“I found myself deeply connected to the characters, feeling their pain and joy as if it were my own.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, particularly on the Oculus platform, with users experiencing various bugs.
“This game is buggy, at least on the Oculus.”
