Spice and Wolf VR
- June 3, 2019
- SpicyTails
Get on Steam"Spice and Wolf VR" is a visual novel game that brings the beloved characters of Holo and Kraft Lawrence to virtual reality. Players can enjoy conversations with Holo in a variety of environments and communicate with her through voice commands. The game also includes minigames such as baking and firewood collecting. This immersive experience allows fans to become even more connected to the world of "Spice and Wolf".
Nintendo Switch
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Oculus VR
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
Reviews
- The animation and voice acting are high quality, capturing the charm of the original Spice and Wolf series.
- Fans of the series will enjoy the cute interactions with Holo, including the ability to pet her and experience her character in VR.
- The game provides a nostalgic experience for long-time fans, allowing them to revisit beloved characters in a new format.
- The game is very short, with the main story lasting only about 30 minutes, which many players feel does not justify the price.
- Limited interactivity in the story mode and a lack of diverse environments make the experience feel constrained.
- Technical issues, particularly with controller support and gameplay mechanics, detract from the overall experience.
- story122 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story in "Spice & Wolf VR" is generally described as very short, lasting around 20 to 30 minutes, and lacking significant depth or interactivity, often feeling more like a tech demo than a fully realized narrative. While some players appreciate the cute interactions and character banter, many express disappointment over the brevity and minimal engagement, suggesting that the experience is best suited for dedicated fans of the franchise rather than newcomers. Overall, the game offers a charming but limited glimpse into the world of "Spice & Wolf," leaving players wanting more substantial content.
“The story and interactions are true to the nature of the characters in the anime and novels, and it is an enjoyable experience overall.”
“The animations are very fluid, the story reminds me a lot of the short stories of the novels, and the voice acting is also on point.”
“I really enjoyed the story and the banter between Holo and Lawrence was good.”
“Not only did it take me less than one anime episode's worth of time to get through the entire story, there's barely any story here at all.”
“The 'story mode' is completely non-interactive, and simply plays out as a dialogue between Kraft and Holo that adds nothing to either character, simply repeating the well-worn beats of the main story.”
“The story is like 30 minutes long, so what are people doing for the rest of 7 hours and 30 minutes?”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and nostalgic dialogue, particularly between the characters Holo and Lawrence, which evokes strong feelings of joy and cuteness. Players express that the experience is both wholesome and touching, often leading to tears of joy, making it a memorable and artistic journey that resonates deeply with fans of the series. Overall, it is praised for its ability to create an emotional connection, despite its short length.
“I won't lie, I cried a couple of times under my headset.”
“Very emotional, very beautiful.”
“It just works on its own as an emotional, artistic experience, and I think that modern games should be heading that direction to support the gameplay, or as in the case of Spice & Wolf, be completely symbiotic, to create unforgettable games.”
- graphics13 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their impressive quality and smooth animations, effectively capturing the anime aesthetic and enhancing the immersive experience. While some users noted that the visuals are decent and well-executed, opinions vary on the overall artistic style, with a few expressing that it could have been improved. Overall, the combination of strong visuals and excellent voice acting contributes to a rich gaming experience, despite some critiques regarding the game's length and personal preferences in art style.
“The visuals, as you can see from the screenshots, are amazing, VR or not.”
“The animation quality is incredible, the voice acting is great, and the graphics are nice.”
“Neither recommend nor ignore this game because this game has very clear graphics, and the models, as well as their motion, emotion, and voices, are done so well that it feels like you are in the anime.”
“The graphics could've been better.”
“My only issues with this are the length of it (short, very short) and the style/look/art of the models wasn't my thing; however, the latter is my own personal problem. They were still made well despite the aesthetic.”
“Neither recommend nor ignore this game because this game has a very clear graphic and the models, as well as their motion, emotion, and voices, were done so well that it feels like you are in the anime.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title is criticized for being extremely short, with users reporting less than 30 minutes of actual playtime, leading to dissatisfaction. While some appreciate its artistic and emotional experience, many feel it lacks substantial gameplay elements and is only recommended for hardcore fans of the franchise. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game does not offer enough value compared to other titles at a similar price point.
“I do agree that the gameplay is rather short and non-VR users may have quite limited use out of this game, but buying it is rather a way of supporting the creators and opening the possibilities for more software in the future.”
“The ambient is okay and some shadows are not rendering that well, but it doesn't impact the gameplay.”
“It just works on its own as an emotional, artistic experience, and I think that modern games should be heading that direction to support the gameplay, or as in the case of Spice & Wolf, be completely symbiotic, to create unforgettable games.”
“This game gives you less than 30 minutes of gameplay, leaving you dissatisfied and your wallet empty.”
“0.4 hours of real gameplay (~5 hours to get all cards to drop).”
“That would be fine if there was any gameplay, but it doesn't really have any of that either.”
- music5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere, with standout moments like a beautiful end credits song. Reviewers appreciate its quality and contribution to the storytelling, making it a memorable aspect of the experience.
“The song used during the end credits was beautiful.”
“The music is fantastic, the motion capture animation is great if a bit theatrical, and it leaves you wanting so much more than just 3 short chapters.”
“The music and sounds are significant parts of the atmosphere.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the witty and heartwarming dialogue between the characters Holo and Lawrence, which consistently elicits laughter and smirks from players. Their engaging banter adds a delightful charm to the overall experience.
“The dialogue between Holo and Lawrence was funny and heartwarming.”
“I found myself laughing and smirking at a lot of their banter.”
“Unlike others, I just want to say that once because it's funny.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is viewed as lacking, with users suggesting it feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized experience. While the use of mocap and 3D audio is appreciated, the difficulty in following the performance while reading subtitles detracts from immersion. Additionally, the character portrayal is criticized for feeling generic and less mature compared to the original anime, impacting the overall enjoyment.
“The whole thing, being heightened by the talented voice actors and their performance, was especially fun considering it was the same voice actors that voiced the characters in the anime a few years ago.”
“The optimization in this game is severely lacking; the frame rate drops are frequent and make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I was really disappointed with the optimization. The game crashes often and the loading times are unbearable.”
“Despite the interesting concept, the optimization issues ruin the experience. It feels like the game was rushed and not properly tested.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its faithful recreation of the anime's essence, featuring near-perfect 3D rendering and a strong, immersive ambiance. The integration of music and sound further enhances the overall experience, contributing significantly to the game's captivating atmosphere.
“The atmosphere from the anime is carried over almost perfectly, and the 3D rendering is near perfection.”
“The atmosphere is stunningly strong and solid.”
“The music and sounds are significant parts of the atmosphere.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers a relatively short experience, with main stories lasting around 30 minutes and an additional interactive mode adding 10-15 minutes, but it lacks significant replayability.
“Although it's somewhat short (around 30 minutes for the stories, and the interactive mode adds about 10-15 minutes more with little replayability), it's well done in my opinion.”
