VTOL VR
- August 3, 2017
- Boundless Dynamics, LLC
- 11h median play time
VTOL VR is a virtual reality simulation game that allows players to experience flying a highly-maneuverable fighter jet. Perform challenging maneuvers, execute air-to-ground and air-to-air strikes, and land on aircraft carriers while immersed in a realistic 3D cockpit. With realistic flight physics and intense combat, VTOL VR offers a thrilling and authentic flight experience.
Reviews
- story1,363 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game "VTOL VR" lacks a traditional narrative structure, with users noting that it primarily focuses on mission-based gameplay rather than a cohesive story. Players can engage in a variety of missions, including combat and logistical tasks, with many community-created scenarios available through the Steam Workshop, enhancing replayability. While the built-in missions provide some challenge, the overall experience is enriched by the extensive user-generated content, allowing for endless possibilities in mission design and execution.
“The game's diverse mission scenarios and campaign mode present players with a variety of challenging and dynamic objectives, ranging from combat missions to reconnaissance and transportation tasks.”
“With its attention to detail, diverse mission scenarios, and intuitive VR controls, VTOL VR offers players a captivating and challenging flight simulation experience that showcases the complexities and excitement of modern VTOL operations within a dynamic and engaging virtual reality environment.”
“The missions are satisfyingly challenging and the simulated systems are just the right balance of fun and realism.”
“☑ no story”
“The biggest downside in the long term is the lack of quality missions and maps.”
“The missions people make on the workshop are fucking stupid.”
- graphics678 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in *VTOL VR* are generally described as simplistic and not on par with high-end flight simulators like DCS or Microsoft Flight Simulator, often compared to a cartoonish or low-fi aesthetic. However, many players appreciate this design choice as it allows for smoother performance, especially in VR, and enhances immersion without overwhelming lower-end hardware. While some users express a desire for improved visuals, they often note that the engaging gameplay and realistic flight mechanics more than compensate for the graphical limitations.
“The graphics are quite pretty, night flying is a rush, NVG is simulated, targeting works well and kills are rewarding. If you love high fidelity military flight simulators and are open to planes that aren't 1:1 replicas of real life planes, this game will fill your niche.”
“Graphically, VTOL VR strikes a balance between visual fidelity and performance optimization, crucial for VR experiences.”
“The graphics are simple yet great, and the flight and combat is super accessible to new players while still having depth.”
“The graphics are pretty bad, but they help improve performance tremendously.”
“The graphics do leave something to be desired, but everything else is done extremely well.”
“The graphics are simple but effective for VR.”
- gameplay501 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *VTOL VR* is widely praised for its engaging and immersive mechanics, striking a balance between accessibility and depth, making it suitable for both newcomers and experienced flight sim enthusiasts. While the graphics may not be top-tier, the realistic flight dynamics, intuitive controls, and a variety of missions keep players invested and challenged. However, some users noted a steep learning curve and a desire for more comprehensive tutorials to fully grasp the game's complex systems.
“The sense of immersion is further enhanced by the detailed cockpits and realistic flight mechanics, making each flight a unique and thrilling experience.”
“Its blend of immersive gameplay, realistic mechanics, and varied missions makes it a standout title in the VR landscape.”
“The gameplay in VTOL VR is fantastic, offering a variety of missions that range from basic training to intense combat missions.”
“However, I'm not sure if it's good for people who are looking for a relaxed/peaceful VR flight simulator, because the gameplay is almost exclusively oriented toward combat.”
“The gameplay can be very trial and error based, but it would usually take me only a few runs to get it right, although mid-air refueling is still something I occasionally struggle with.”
“The game is a bit expensive for its small amount of gameplay.”
- optimization138 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game is well-received, with many users noting that it runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, making it accessible for a wide range of players. While some players experience occasional stuttering or frame drops, the game's balance between visual fidelity and performance is praised, particularly for VR experiences. However, there are calls for further improvements in terrain detail and overall graphical quality to enhance immersion without sacrificing performance.
“Graphically, *VTOL VR* strikes a balance between visual fidelity and performance optimization, crucial for VR experiences.”
“The game runs smoothly and has enough detail to keep long-term players interested but is simple enough to be picked up by first-time simmers.”
“The graphics are not photorealistic but very clean, which probably accounts for the fast frame rates and stellar system performance.”
“This, along with some stuttering and bugs, makes it tedious.”
“I would love to play it more, but I currently only have a gaming laptop and the performance suffers.”
“Performance is sometimes janky - expect dropped frames in various situations which can be slightly nauseating depending on how many frames are dropped.”
- music99 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is highly praised for its customizable features, allowing players to import their own MP3 files into an in-game music player, which significantly enhances the immersive flying experience. Many users enjoy blasting their favorite tracks, including nostalgic soundtracks like "Top Gun," while engaging in aerial maneuvers, making the gameplay feel more dynamic and personal. However, some players express a desire for a larger selection of built-in music options and features like shuffle play.
“The graphics are fine, even better with the new update. A morning storm with a relaxing flight hits differently with the right music.”
“You can even put your own music into the cockpit mp3 player and have 'Top Gun' music blaring out as you buzz the tower.”
“It's so immersive, and the feeling of blasting music while flying through the city at breakneck speeds is the best experience I've had in VR.”
“The only thing that could make it even better is if the music was shared in the cockpit.”
“I can't tell if I'm stalling because my five 'evasive' maneuvers completely depleted my airspeed or because the missile that popped behind me took out the engines; I can't hear what the warning system is saying over my music.”
“My only issue is the music options.”
- humor81 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is a standout feature, with players frequently laughing at the absurdity of their in-game actions, such as crashing planes and engaging in chaotic multiplayer antics. The community adds to the fun, with hilarious voice acting and playful interactions that enhance the overall experience. Many users find the game to be a lighthearted alternative to more serious flight simulators, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive play.
“It is an awesome game; it is super immersive and fun. The community is also so awesome and funny.”
“Or the AH-94, which is hilarious to repeatedly crash, or even the EF-24G, a super tomcat that also has advanced ECM while keeping the same 1970s era AIM-54s (which maneuver like a truck, but have the range of a small child after consuming a very large amount of sugary beverages).”
“I was hooting and laughing throughout the whole first flight.”
“This was a very unfunny joke.”
“Online would be nice and funny.”
- grinding67 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, often requiring significant time investment to master various systems and mechanics. While some appreciate the realism and complexity that comes with this grinding, many express frustration with the repetitive nature and the need for extensive practice, likening it to needing "a second life" to fully engage with the game. Despite these challenges, some players still find enjoyment in the process, particularly in mastering the intricacies of flight simulation.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Fun and realistic, but not tedious.”
“You'll need a second (and possibly third) life for grinding.”
“Within about 15 minutes, I realized this was going to be an incredibly tedious (realistic) flight simulator where you have to press 15 buttons just to turn on the engines.”
“Not too hard to get the basic flight stuff down, but anything more complex than simple flight is a bit tedious to learn.”
- replayability59 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its robust mission editor and extensive Steam Workshop support, allowing players to create and share an endless variety of custom missions. Many users highlight the fun of multiplayer experiences and the game's balance of accessibility and complexity, which encourages repeated play. Overall, players find the combination of user-generated content and diverse gameplay mechanics results in near-infinite replay value.
“The mission editor also allows you to create and share custom missions, adding limitless replayability.”
“Overall, this is hands down, the best VR flying experience available, it's stable, runs great, has virtually unlimited replayability, a high skill ceiling, yet is easy to get started and flying.”
“The replayability is literally endless, as the Steam Workshop and community around this game allows for infinite user-generated content and a plethora of skills to build upon.”
“There are simply so many scenarios and missions to run and play in different ways that it offers extreme replay value.”
“I admit it was frustrating at first (mostly because I sucked, especially with combat) but I came to love the game, even with its so far limited aircraft (3) and story mode missions (7?), but the fact that it has Steam Workshop enabled makes its replayability value high.”
- stability47 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 53 % negative mentions
Overall, the stability of the game is a mixed bag. While many users report smooth performance and minimal bugs, particularly on capable hardware, others experience significant issues such as crashes, lag, and buggy multiplayer experiences. The game is generally praised for its immersive gameplay and responsiveness, but some players have encountered frustrating glitches that detract from the overall experience.
“Overall, this is hands down, the best VR flying experience available. It's stable, runs great, has virtually unlimited replayability, a high skill ceiling, yet is easy to get started and flying. Controls feel natural with very few keybinds to remember due to the clickable cockpits, and is a must-have for any VR enthusiast who wants to play combat flight sims without the hassle.”
“The game is essentially bug-free, which I love, but I do wish the dev cycle was a little faster.”
“Although an early access game, it is very impressive. The cockpit is excellent and the hand controls too. The flight feels very realistic, and the weapons and onboard systems work perfectly. At this stage in development, it is awesome to see an almost bug-free game.”
“Never loads, and when it does it only lags and glitches to the point where you cannot see anything and have to close it out.”
“Weeks of troubleshooting yet the game still runs poorly; a year ago this game ran great.”
“In the few times I have played the game it has been amazing, but these last few days have been frustrating because after around 7-10 seconds my screen freezes and crashes the game.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly during intense moments like the loss of a wingman, which evokes feelings of nostalgia and immersion in the pilot experience. The virtual reality aspect enhances this emotional engagement, making players feel like they are truly piloting a military aircraft, despite some minor frustrations with controls. Overall, the game successfully elicits a sense of excitement and nostalgia, reminiscent of childhood experiences with flight simulators.
“I get emotional when Jamal gets shot down (my wingman in battle).”
“A game hasn't made me feel that way in a while.”
“It isn't as intensive as DCS, nor is it as pretty as some other flight sims on the market, but this is the first game that truly made me feel like I was piloting a multi-million dollar military aircraft without the use of a HOTAS system.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere for its stunning graphics and realistic environments, highlighting the impressive attention to detail in the cockpit and overall immersive experience. The combination of high-quality visuals and engaging gameplay contributes to a captivating and believable atmosphere that enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.
“Extremely great game, the graphics, atmosphere, etc., all are great. It feels extremely realistic and looks super nice.”
“The controls, cockpit atmosphere, and attention to detail is nothing short of mind-blowing.”
“I hope the developer will hire someone and make a space/atmospheric sim similar to this game; it would be so cool.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization in the game has been criticized for being excessive, leading some players to perceive it as a cash grab, which detracts from their overall enjoyment and willingness to recommend it.
“I understand they need some monetization.”
“I would like to recommend this game, but the over-monetization is concerning.”
“I would like to recommend this game, but the excessive monetization is concerning.”
“This game feels like a cash grab.”