Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot
- July 26, 2019
- Arkane Studios
- 2h median play time
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is a short shallow experience that doesn't do anything new and isn't required playing for fans of the series.
In "Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot," a VR game from MachineGames, players assume the role of a hacker in 1980s Paris, commandeering Nazi war machines to aid the French resistance. Gameplay involves wreaking havoc and destroying enemies, providing an action-packed experience in a richly detailed cyberpunk setting. The immersive VR perspective allows players to feel the power of operating intimidating military hardware while fighting against oppressive forces.
Reviews
- Fun and engaging VR experience with enjoyable mech gameplay.
- Creative mechanics and variety in controlling different machines.
- Great for a short play session, especially if purchased on sale.
- Extremely short gameplay, averaging around 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Graphics are often blurry and performance issues lead to motion sickness.
- Repetitive gameplay with unskippable dialogue and tedious mechanics.
- story48 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally criticized for being minimal and unengaging, with many players noting that it feels rushed and lacks depth. While some appreciate the simple premise of piloting mechs within the Wolfenstein universe, the overall narrative is described as boring and often overshadowed by tedious gameplay elements, such as lengthy unskippable dialogue and uninspired missions. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, contributing to a lackluster gaming experience.
“The story helps the pace along.”
“It has a simple story that can be finished in almost 2 hours, and with that, it's a fun game to pass time while piloting mechs.”
“There is a good story to it to make you feel like you are doing something.”
“The story's nothing to write home about.”
“If you do however, then give us an actual game to play, something with a proper story that isn't finished after 4 levels and 2 hours.”
“But this comes in under 2 hours, and over half an hour of it is boring dialogue scenes and minor, rudimentary VR interaction experiences that don't even develop story, and are unskippable while you wait for the actual levels to begin.”
- graphics42 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting issues such as low resolution, blurriness, and graphical glitches, even on high settings. While some users appreciate the visuals and find them decent after adjusting settings, others criticize them as sub-par and lacking clarity compared to other engines. Overall, the consensus suggests that while there are moments of impressive graphics, significant technical issues detract from the experience.
“The graphics for this game are pretty sweet, but there's some issues with this game that I couldn't ignore.”
“The graphics are actually decent, despite what a lot of the reviews say here; you just need to increase the settings, because the default ones are horribly low.”
“The combat is fantastic and fun, the graphics are great, and the game is designed in such a way that it feels extremely real.”
“I also noticed a lot of graphical glitches and flickers, despite using updated graphics drivers.”
“Graphics look low res on the ultra graphics settings.”
“The graphics are a crapshow.”
- gameplay29 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the creative mechanics and fun moments, while others criticize it for being repetitive, shallow, and plagued by technical issues like motion sickness and crashes. Many feel that the game lacks depth and fails to justify its price, offering only a short experience that often feels more like a series of mechanics rather than a cohesive game. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, the execution leaves much to be desired.
“What I do like is that none of the game mechanics are excessively reused, nor does it ever get boring.”
“There was creative, entertaining, and thoughtful design put into this, and I can say that the gameplay is fun and rewarding.”
“The gameplay is straightforward, kind of arcadey and on a rail, but I had a great time.”
“I wouldn't mind if it was some kind of fan-made and free game, but it costs $19.99 for about 1-1.5 hours of gameplay, and it was made by renowned companies.”
“Everything is blurry from 5 feet away, manages to give me a splitting headache and motion sickness. The gameplay is boring and enemies are way too easy to kill with bad AI, very short and not justifying the price tag.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive and unsatisfying; killing enemies isn't very hard, and the animations and lack of any sound to them leaves something to be desired.”
- optimization11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 45 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering and blurriness, particularly in VR, which can lead to motion sickness. Others report smoother gameplay on higher settings, suggesting that performance may vary widely depending on individual hardware configurations. Overall, many users find the game poorly optimized and unplayable at times, while a few have managed to achieve satisfactory performance.
“Adjust the graphics to your performance liking, after that.”
“I can't speak for others' performance issues, but the game runs buttery smooth for me on ultra settings at 60fps.”
“On high settings, they look a lot better, and I did not suffer any of the performance problems some of the other reviewers are describing, even with a mid-range VR system.”
“Even then, the performance leaves a bit to be desired, and in VR, poor performance means motion sickness.”
“I also had lots of stuttering in my Rift S (which doesn't come across in my video), and no matter what settings I tried, I still had stutter.”
“Seems like a fun VR game with some 'mechanic sim' type parts as well as some good mech combat, but I can't recommend it right now due to the unplayable stuttering.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous graphical glitches, stuttering, and crashes, regardless of their hardware specifications. While some players experience smooth performance, the overall consensus highlights significant bugs and issues that detract from the gaming experience.
“It runs great for me, 8700K & 1070 Ti.”
“The game has been incredibly stable since the last update.”
“I've experienced no crashes or major bugs during my playtime.”
“The game is incredibly buggy.”
“Game stutters, hangs, crashes, and is basically a buggy mess... I've got an RTX 2080, 32GB of RAM, i7 9700K, and am running it off of an NVMe drive... how is it struggling?”
“I also noticed a lot of graphical glitches and flickers, despite using updated graphics drivers.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with numerous sections requiring monotonous tasks such as fixing devices and flipping switches. This leads to frustration, particularly when the game's mechanics hinder comfortable gameplay, such as awkward positioning during these segments.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“However, I didn't find a way to reset my position to a seated level, and ended up with my head in my chest during the particularly tedious sections.”
“There's a part where you tediously flip switches, move joysticks and levers, and push ridiculously large red buttons.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, with some experiencing significant discomfort and nausea, even among seasoned VR players. This intense physical reaction highlights the game's immersive qualities, though it may detract from the overall experience for some.
“I'm not a VR novice, but this was the only game that made me feel that way.”
“The first and only VR title that made me feel so sick I had to lay down after playing it.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability due to its short length and lack of engaging content, making it less appealing for players seeking to revisit it multiple times.
“If you're looking for replay value, you'll definitely find it here.”
“The game offers a variety of choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
“With multiple endings and different character paths, I can't wait to dive back in!”
“If you're looking for replay value, you'll probably get that out of 1.”
“However, given how short the game is and the lack of replayability, it's hard to justify multiple playthroughs.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy employed by Bethesda for their VR development has been met with skepticism, as many users feel it was unnecessary and appeared questionable; however, some believe it was not merely a cash grab, suggesting a genuine investment in the technology.
“The monetization in this game feels excessive and intrusive, making it hard to enjoy the experience without being constantly bombarded by offers.”
“I can't believe how many features are locked behind paywalls; it feels like the game was designed to squeeze money out of players rather than provide a fair experience.”
“The in-game purchases are so aggressive that it ruins the overall enjoyment, turning what could be a fun game into a frustrating money pit.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere, highlighting its impressive immersion and the engaging premise of interacting with robots, which enhances the overall experience.
“The premise of handling robots was cool, and they did an amazing job on the immersion and atmosphere.”
“The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of this unique world.”
“Every detail contributes to a captivating atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by a cybernetic style, blending electronic elements that enhance the futuristic atmosphere and immersive experience. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the gameplay, adding to the overall intensity and engagement.
“The cyber music in this game creates an immersive atmosphere that perfectly complements the gameplay.”
“I love how the music evolves with the game, enhancing every moment and making each level feel unique.”
“The soundtrack is a perfect blend of electronic beats and ambient sounds, making it a joy to listen to while playing.”
Critic Reviews
Wolfenstein Cyberpilot Review
Aside from some brief fun to be had with the three machines, Wolfenstein Cyberpilot is hugely disappointing. What could have been a perfect way of getting a different perspective on Wolfenstein’s world is actually a tedious action game with a severe lack of content and none of what makes the series great.
40%Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Review – A Dressed-Up Tech Demo
There is some fun to be had piloting the robots in Cyberpilot, but the mission brevity and padding really dampens the experience and steals away control right as you’re settling into a groove. There are worse ways to spend a few hours of your day, but there are much better ones too.
50%Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Review
A brief, but memorable experience is at the core of Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot. Downright stunning environments serve as a backdrop to exploring the streets of 80s infused France. Between the solid performance level and the fluid controls, this is Bethesda’s best excursion into virtual reality. Given how well the title succeeds at pretty much everything it sets out to do, we hope that this is step one to a fully fledged Wolfenstein VR title down the road.
70%