Swordsman VR
- September 24, 2020
- Sinn Studio Inc.
- 6h median play time
Swordsman VR is a room-scale sword fighting game that transports you to a fantasy world. With realistic melee combat mechanics and a variety of enemies to face, it provides an immersive and challenging experience. Use your motion controls to wield an array of weapons, unlock new abilities, and climb the leaderboards.
Reviews
- The game features a variety of weapons and armor, providing players with options for customization.
- The AI is better than in many similar games, offering a more challenging combat experience.
- The game provides a good workout, requiring players to physically engage in sword fighting.
- Combat mechanics are inconsistent, with hit detection issues causing attacks to not register properly.
- The gameplay can become repetitive, as many fights feel similar and lack variety in enemy behavior.
- The game lacks a compelling story, with the campaign primarily consisting of wave-based battles.
- story69 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, often described as merely a series of arena battles with little to no narrative progression. While some players appreciate the combat mechanics and potential for future development, many express disappointment over the absence of a cohesive storyline, with most gameplay feeling like repetitive enemy waves rather than a true story mode. Overall, the consensus is that the game falls short of delivering a compelling narrative experience, despite its promise of being "story-driven."
“The game offers a story mode that stretches across four different fighting areas.”
“The story is a bit limited, but the developer seems dedicated to evolving and growing this game even more than they already have.”
“I was hoping that the story that was promised would have been more of an adventure, through different rooms of a dungeon with dialogue and loot, but I do like the fact that this isn't just mindless fighting and you are aiming for something (mega boss at the end).”
“A lot of people like to say this game is a 'story mode Blade and Sorcery' but there is no story.”
“The 'campaign'/story mode seems to just be arena fights, with enemy options preset for you, so that's really a misnomer.”
“Overall a bit disappointing as I was expecting more from the 'story driven' element of the game; however, the 'story' seems to be no more than the occasional boss fight at the end of a series of very similar arena style fights.”
- gameplay47 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking in depth and polish. While some appreciate the unique swordplay mechanics and physics-based combat, others criticize the dated mechanics, poor AI, and repetitive combat patterns that lead to a quick sense of boredom. Overall, the game offers potential but suffers from inconsistencies and a lack of engaging content, making it feel more like a basic experience rather than a fully realized game.
“Gameplay is unique, challenging, and stunning.”
“Great game, fantastic gameplay, brilliant graphics and really makes you feel like a swordsman.”
“Swordsman won't be for everyone, but I can't stress just how much fun it is once you learn the mechanics and the rules of the game world.”
“The mechanics do feel very dated, especially after being spoiled by a game like Blade and Sorcery in 2024.”
“Content-wise there is enough in here, but all that content does not mean anything if the core gameplay is not good.”
“It doesn't take more than ten minutes of gameplay to realize 'oh, if I stab them in the head, they die instantly' and 'oh, every enemy has the exact same attack pattern so I can just space out their first attack and then get a free hit', which inevitably leads to every fight playing out the exact same way.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, with many players noting that they are impressive for a VR title, offering a good level of detail and realism. However, some users feel that the graphics could benefit from additional polish and settings, as well as improvements in certain areas like lighting and texture quality. Overall, while the visuals are appreciated, they are not considered groundbreaking, and there is room for enhancement.
“The graphics are pretty good for a VR game, and the fighting is very satisfying.”
“Great game, fantastic gameplay, brilliant graphics and really makes you feel like a swordsman.”
“Mechanics are great and the graphics are better than most VR games I have played on PS and PC.”
“I really want to like this game but I can't; for me so far it has been a 3/10... the graphics are beautiful and it has many good ideas. Honestly, this game could go up to an 8/10 or even a 10/10 relatively easily.”
“(Also, please increase the graphical fidelity. This game is on PC VR; for God's sake, why is it so ugly and flat?)”
“- Graphics could use a bit more shine.”
- stability13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and unresponsive AI that detract from the overall experience. Many players have noted that combat feels inconsistent due to buggy physics and hitboxes, leading to frustration rather than skill-based gameplay. While some updates have aimed to address these issues, the game still suffers from significant stability problems, particularly on certain platforms like Oculus.
“After reporting different bugs, the devs told me that the Oculus version is buggy and it's better to have it on Steam.”
“The game felt like a buggy mess when I played it.”
“Entire combat feels extremely buggy.”
- music13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising the soundtrack for enhancing the gameplay experience and setting the right mood. While some found the sound effects and music to be excellent, others noted issues with volume levels and described the music as decent but not particularly memorable. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game, though opinions on its impact vary.
“Excellent game and music.”
“I loved the soundtrack as well; it really puts you in the mood to continue playing the game.”
“Plus, great music and sound effects as well.”
“Some of the music is decent.”
“When it's not blasting your ears out before you turn it down, the music is actually pretty well done.”
“Music is serviceable but definitely isn't memorable or really effective in getting you any more pumped up.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with excellent performance and good graphics, particularly due to its use of Unreal Engine. However, some users report issues such as weapon handling and lack of feedback during combat, which may detract from the overall experience.
“The presentation is simple, performance is excellent, very optimized; obviously it would be, it's using Unreal.”
“+ Graphics and visuals are good, with optimization in place.”
“Performance is better than a lot of other similar games I've tried, but the lack of feedback when you swing or thrust is just very unsatisfying.”
“Presentation and performance issues detract from the overall experience.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's strong replayability due to multiple factors, including various difficulty levels, diverse game modes, and a range of characters and events. The attention to detail further enhances the experience, encouraging players to revisit the game.
“I think those three add a lot to the game, allowing for a ton of replayability.”
“It has replayability since there is a harder difficulty you can play.”
“The attention to detail is great; game modes, different characters, and events give the game replayability.”
“I think those three add a lot to the game, allowing for a ton of replayability.”
“The attention to detail is great; game modes and the different characters and events give the game replayability.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the absurdity of the hardest boss, the Gobi Desert boss, whose ineffective yet damaging crab walk attacks create a mix of frustration and amusement for players. This quirky design choice adds a layer of comedic charm, making the experience both entertaining and perplexing.
“I find it both equally funny and frustrating that the game's hardest boss is the Gobi Desert boss.”
“His moveset is so bad it's hilarious: all he does are these weird crab walk attacks where he ducks down so low that he hardly ever actually lands anything, but when he does land a blow, it does like 140 some-odd damage.”
“This isn't exactly important, kind of just funny, and I wonder how I bugged the game like this.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is initially captivating, resembling an immersive cutscene in VR, which sets a strong tone for the story campaign. Players appreciate the overall ambiance, finding it conducive for practicing combat moves against various weapons.
“After an initially atmospheric experience that can only be described as a cutscene (but in VR), you're presented with a menu for a story campaign.”
“The whole atmosphere of the game is very nice and it's a really good tool for me to practice the moves that I've learned against all kinds of weapons!”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players often feel the need to engage in extensive stat grinding to prepare for boss encounters, indicating a desire to avoid the potential frustration of facing challenges unprepared. This suggests that grinding is seen as a necessary step for success in the game.
“I find myself avoiding bosses for a while in my playthrough until I've absolutely mastered my 'stat grinding' to avoid the shock and disappointment of that first encounter.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I wish there was a better balance; the grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the story and exploration.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the emotional depth of the game, noting intimate moments that create a strong connection between characters, such as a poignant interaction that begins with a nose touch, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy for the game includes a store page featuring in-game purchases, and while there are ads present, the developers actively engage with the community on forums to discuss the game's physics-based combat, suggesting a focus on enhancing player experience alongside monetization efforts.