War Remains
- May 21, 2020
- Flight School Studio
Get on Steam"War Remains" is a historical VR experience by Dan Carlin, not a game. It immerses viewers in the Western Front of WWI, providing a soldier's perspective on the nightmare of modern warfare. This thought-provoking, visceral experience brings the annihilation of innocence and emergence of modern warfare during the First World War to life.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Rift
Reviews
- Intense and immersive storytelling that effectively conveys the horrors of World War I.
- Excellent sound design and narration by Dan Carlin, enhancing the emotional impact of the experience.
- A unique use of VR to bring historical events to life, making it a valuable educational tool.
- The experience is very short, lasting only about 15 minutes, leaving players wanting more.
- Lack of interactivity and limited environments detract from the overall immersion and engagement.
- Visual quality is inconsistent, with some textures appearing muddy and scenes being too dark to fully appreciate.
- graphics18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some users appreciating the good lighting and sound effects, while others criticized the visuals as mediocre and lacking realism. Many felt that the textures were muddy and the overall visual experience did not enhance immersion, particularly in a VR context. Overall, while the graphics were deemed acceptable, they fell short of expectations for a more engaging and intense experience.
“This is great, great visuals and frankly a great host.”
“Let me also tell you this, the graphics and the sound effects are amazing and they paint an accurate picture of what WWI was really like.”
“A short intense graphical display of the World War I fronts narrated by Dan Carlin, although short (15 minutes) it's very humbling and gives a great perspective into the trenches and its horrors.”
“When it tried to simulate an actual event, the lackluster graphics took away from the immersion.”
“The visuals make or break a VR experience, and they were frankly terrible even through a lens of artistic choice.”
“Very little action, very few scenes, and the visuals aren't good enough to be particularly immersive.”
- story7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its short yet intense and immersive narrative, effectively conveying a meaningful message despite its brevity. Users recommend experiencing it with quality headphones for optimal audio immersion, and express hope for more VR storytelling experiences in the future. However, some found the length shorter than expected, which may impact overall satisfaction.
“Short, intense immersive storytelling.”
“This is the future of storytelling.”
“I do appreciate the message and goal and hope that others utilize the capability of VR for experiences and storytelling such as this.”
“I would recommend this, but it is a short story. Personally, I was expecting about 30 minutes to an hour, if not longer, but it was shorter. I still appreciate this because it tells a message.”
“I do appreciate the message and goal, and hope that others utilize the capability of VR for experiences and storytelling such as this.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is largely absent, resembling more of a VR movie experience where the narrative overshadows player interaction. While it attempts to convey the horrors of WW1 through curated scenarios, the pacing feels rushed and the emotional impact is diminished, leaving players wanting more engagement.
“No gameplay whatsoever, it's like watching a VR movie where the narrator does most of the work and the VR visuals and sound effects supplement.”
“No gameplay, just a handful of situations designed to hammer home how terrible war is and the unique horrors that World War I added to the mix.”
“It goes a bit too fast and is trying a bit too hard to make a point, without really giving me the right feeling in gameplay.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its dark and gloomy atmosphere, which can evoke strong feelings in players, particularly in VR where immersion enhances the experience. While some may find the intensity overwhelming or even unsettling, the ability to be an active participant in the narrative fosters a deeper emotional connection that traditional gaming may not achieve.
“The good: it's dark, it's gloomy, and it's emotional.”
“One of the advantages of VR over regular games is that by putting you in the game/experience, you are not simply watching something; you are part of it, and it triggers an emotional response you couldn't have otherwise.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its thrilling and immersive quality, comparable to that of "1943 Berlin Blitz," despite limited visibility. Reviewers express a desire for longer experiences and opportunities to explore the environments further, but overall, the decisive presentation creates a fantastic VR experience.
“I would have loved for it to be longer or to be able to explore the environments afterwards, but its decisive presentation and atmosphere are fantastic and great to show anyone trying out VR.”
“In terms of atmosphere, it's on par with 1943 Berlin Blitz: you can barely see anything, but it feels very thrilling.”
“The atmosphere is so dull and lifeless that it makes exploring the world feel like a chore.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is flat and uninspired, lacking any sense of immersion.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game scores poorly on replayability, rated just 1/10, due to its short length and lack of engaging environments, which limits players' motivation to revisit the experience.
“Replayability: 1/10 (the only thing to miss is killing another brain cell)”
“It is also exceptionally short, and because of the few and bland environments, there is no replayability (whereas other experiences out there have a lot of replayability because of numerous and engaging environments).”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is criticized as feeling like a cheap cash grab, especially given its short duration and poor visibility, leading to a negative perception among users.
“It's barely 15 minutes long, it's so dark you can barely see anything, and to be honest, it feels like a cheap cash grab to release this on Steam.”
