Vox Machinae
The long awaited release of Vox Machinae! No longer just a teaser demo on Oculus DK2!
Get on SteamIn "Vox Machinae" , pilot a massive mining machine in the Serus System and protect your company's resources from a hostile force. Customize your Grinder with various weaponry and engage in an immersive single-player campaign or seamless multiplayer action. This tactical VR simulator boasts responsive action and is built for a seamless VR experience.
PC
Steam Deck
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Rift
Windows Mixed Reality
Reviews
- Incredible immersion and controls that make you feel like you're piloting a giant mech.
- Variety of mechs and weapons, allowing for different playstyles and strategies.
- Active community and responsive developers, with regular updates and improvements.
- Small player base, making it difficult to find multiplayer matches at times.
- Lack of single-player campaign or meaningful offline content.
- AI can be simplistic and unchallenging, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- story194 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 77 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the character interactions and voice acting, while others find the narrative dull and the dialogue tedious. Many players enjoy the combat missions but feel that the segments between missions, which involve exploring the ship and interacting with crew members, slow down the pacing and detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the story has potential, it often feels underdeveloped and repetitive, leading to a desire for a more engaging and streamlined narrative.
“The story had my attention the whole way through, and I felt as though I really got to know each character of the crew.”
“The story is not made for adults, but for young teenagers - probably for the quest kids, but it's still fun to play.”
“This game's campaign has a reasonably well-written story, unique NPCs with great voice acting, and even has a pretty satisfying ending (much better than most games in my opinion).”
“The story is mind-numbing and infuriatingly stupid at times.”
“Another huge issue is the game essentially turns a solid 6-hour game into a stretched-out 12-hour one because between every mission you have to go back to the ship to talk to the most boring and unlikable cast of characters I've seen in a long time that won't shut the hell up.”
“The story mode so far has been very, very meh.”
- gameplay145 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its solid mechanics, immersive controls, and fun combat, particularly for mech enthusiasts. However, some players find the gameplay to be slow, simplistic, and lacking in variety, with issues such as clunky AI and repetitive missions. Overall, while the core gameplay is engaging and polished, there are calls for more depth, customization options, and variety to enhance the experience further.
“The gameplay foundation is solid enough with mechanics that have enough skill ceiling and depth to make up for the lack of graphics in spades.”
“Incredibly fun gameplay, a player base that isn't toxic or frustrating to deal with, and just an all-around good romp.”
“The core gameplay loop is satisfying and full bot support for all game modes is always a great feature.”
“But the overall combat mechanics are clunky and the AI is often unsatisfactory.”
“The gameplay is slow and mundane, and every match feels the same.”
“Unfortunately right now there isn't a lot of variety in the scenery or gameplay which I hope will change over time.”
- graphics112 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the impressive visuals, immersive cockpit details, and smooth performance, particularly in VR settings. However, others criticize the graphics as outdated or simplistic, comparing them unfavorably to other titles in the genre. Overall, while many appreciate the artistic style and optimization, there is a consensus that improvements could still be made.
“The graphics style is cool, sort of cartoon meets gritty realism, very appropriate for the genre which was always a bit over the top on all accounts.”
“The graphics are very good, especially the levels themselves; there is no doubt that the creators are both talented and passionate about this game.”
“The graphics are amazing, and it does a good job of making you feel like you're actually in a mech.”
“The graphics look like a game from 20-25 years ago and it is inferior to MechWarrior Online in every possible way.”
“Overall graphics are just way too simple.”
“Graphics are also very poor compared to MechWarrior Online and although the game seems to be a copy of MWO it doesn't come close to it in playability.”
- optimization21 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is highly praised for its optimization, running smoothly even on low-end machines without performance issues such as stuttering or crashes. Players appreciate the balance between graphics quality and performance, noting excellent responsiveness and immersive controls. The consistent updates and lack of bugs further enhance the game's polished experience.
“It's a good compromise of quality and performance in my opinion.”
“Very well made and optimized, motion controls, constantly updated plus you can pull a cable to sound a horn in the mech.”
“Absolutely no performance issues, looks beautiful, feels responsive, and the sitting position with the control scheme makes driving the mech very natural and ridiculously immersive.”
“One of my issues with the game is the fact that the campaign ship hub before missions tanks in performance.”
“The only way to get this in early access is optimization.”
“Good on space bullet for not releasing unoptimized crap that plagues early access.”
- music18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack as iconic and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience, while others find the ambient music mismatched with the gameplay. Players express a desire for more customization options, such as the ability to import their own music, and suggest that a more dynamic soundtrack could elevate the game's immersive qualities. Overall, while the sound design is generally well-received, opinions on the music itself vary significantly.
“The mechs are deliciously physical, the action is heavy, the soundtrack is iconic.”
“The audio is impressive and the music is fantastic.”
“The sound and music really bring that added atmosphere and finally the tactical paced mech combat really feels satisfying (even if you have to eject).”
“Ambient music really doesn't match the gameplay.”
“The music is dreadful, however.”
“I think the game's general visual aesthetic, music, and female computerized voice would really fit nicely with a single-player campaign.”
- stability16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is highly praised, with many users reporting smooth performance, no crashes, and minimal glitches across various hardware setups. While some minor visual issues were noted, the game runs well even on lower-end systems, providing a seamless experience in both VR and flatscreen modes. Players appreciate the solid netcode and consistent gameplay, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
“No glitches, stuttering, clipping, never stuck loading, no crashes, no issues.”
“The game looks great, runs great and the netcode is working flawlessly but the truly bright spot in Vox Machinae is its near-perfect gameplay.”
“Awesome fun and runs great even on potato PC, plays in both VR and flatscreen mode.”
“After four hours of mostly troubleshooting, I think I gave the game a fair shot.”
“There are a few visual glitches with this game as well.”
“I won't play buggy games.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Vox Machinae is widely praised, with players highlighting its charming campaign, immersive writing, and hilarious voice acting. While some character interactions may fall flat, the game's comedic elements, including funny robot voiceovers and amusing player antics in VR, contribute to an overall entertaining experience. Many reviewers express appreciation for the developers' ability to blend humor with engaging gameplay, making it a standout mech game.
“The writing and voice acting is immersive and hilarious.”
“That feeling of outmaneuvering and gunning down other mechs really is exciting, but quickly reaching down to eject from the mech only to double-hand slam punch yourself squarely in the junk is both crippling and hilarious (wasn't planning on kids anyway).”
“This is a very approachable mech game with pleasing visuals that not only offers crossplay, but also has some really neat touches such as humorous robot voiceovers.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of nostalgia and empowerment, particularly through its 80s aesthetic and immersive gameplay. The experience is described as wholesome and engaging, making users feel like they are truly in control of their mech, despite initial hesitations about the unconventional controls.
“This is one of the games that made me feel like my VR headset was a worthy purchase.”
“The game made me feel like a total badass, and I love the 80's aesthetic of the acid map.”
“Also, my first online match was very wholesome.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the missions are enjoyable and varied, the journey to battles can feel tedious and slow, particularly during certain boss fights. However, the game does not require grinding or microtransactions, which is a positive note for many users. Overall, the immersion of piloting a large war machine is appreciated, despite some repetitive elements.
“This game seems to require no grinding or microtransactions once you own it.”
“The story is meh with 2 boss fights; one is fighting a worm that's so tedious and boring that I wanted to put a revolver to my temple.”
“Some of the voices sound bored and tired, and the dialogue is slow and tedious.”
“Getting to the battle can be a bit tedious, but it definitely adds to the immersion of piloting such a giant war machine.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, with smooth gameplay and immersive environments contributing to its appeal. While some users note that many VR games struggle with replay value, this title manages to provide enough engaging mechanics and enjoyable experiences to encourage multiple playthroughs.
“I love the gameplay, environments, sound, music, and voice -- every aspect comes together perfectly for many hours of replay value.”
“But what is there is smooth, tactical, and replayable.”
“Immersion is very high, gameplay is good, mechanics are great, and replayability is fair.”
“Most VR games have very low replayability.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its fantastic and immersive atmosphere, enhanced by effective sound and music that complement the comedic elements. The tactical mech combat adds to the overall experience, creating a satisfying and engaging environment for players.
“This gives the game a fantastic atmosphere.”
“Very atmospheric.”
“The sound and music really bring that added atmosphere, and the tactical-paced mech combat really feels satisfying (even if you have to eject).”
“Atmosphere and comedy?”
“The sound and music really bring that added atmosphere, but the overall experience feels lacking.”
“The game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the game's free-to-play model with cosmetic monetization, highlighting its rarity as a multiplayer mech game that avoids intrusive microtransactions. This approach is seen as a significant positive, making the game accessible and enjoyable for players, even those without VR equipment.
“Make it free-to-play with cosmetic monetization, and people will flock to it.”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't hinder gameplay, allowing everyone to enjoy the game.”
“I appreciate that the game offers optional purchases without pressuring players to spend money.”
“Make it free-to-play with cosmetic monetization and people will flow.”
“A real multiplayer mech game like this is very rare to see, especially when it's devoid of microtransactions and other nonsense. It's worth getting for that, even if you don't have VR equipment.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a desire for character development that aligns more closely with modern anime aesthetics, suggesting that incorporating customizable or trendy designs could enhance player engagement. While the current character design resonates with nostalgic fans of classic mech anime, there is a call for more contemporary options to attract a broader audience.
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices that affect character growth; it feels like the characters are on a predetermined path.”
“The dialogue options are limited, which restricts the ability to develop relationships with other characters in a meaningful way.”
