Eagle Flight, one of Ubisoft games designed for virtual reality has just been released. And based on the initial reviews from the gaming community, the first-person VR shooter has a capability to leave a player thoroughly spellbound.
Gameplay Experience
In Eagle Flight, the player commandeers an eagle over the skies of Paris in a bid to build a nest atop the highest point it can reach.
"It earns that title through adrenaline packed dog eagle fights, tightly tuned flight mechanics, and memorable exploration," gushed UploadVR's Joe Durbin.
Mashable's Adam Rosenberg was also so impressed, that he immediately concluded that the game is the first VR game ever to leave him breathless.
These gameplay reviews can be attributed to the manner by which the game truly capitalizes on the strength of virtual reality and proceeds on implementing them in two of the most appropriate VR setting: flying and flying over Paris with the city's spectacular sights.
"Flying through series' of rings in the skies above Paris or the streets and catacombs below it is exhilarating in a way that no other video game — VR or otherwise — has quite nailed," confirmed Rosenberg.
Controls
An emerging narrative in the bulk of Eagle Flight hands-on reviews involves the way this game is both easy and fun to play. Destructoid's Chris Carter captured this effectively by noting how the game successfully controlled movement by a mere tilt of the head, with the controller merely reinforcing the experience through ancillary actions.
"My brain never truly believes that the minor twitches of my thumbs on a gamepad are enough to pilot a massive spaceship or a WWII-era fighter plane," Durbin noted.
Even those averse to virtual reality games due to its tendency to induce nausea actually had fun.
"I'm susceptible to virtual reality motion sickness and can gladly say that I felt completely comfortable," Gamespot's Jimmy Thang said. "It feels pretty intuitive."
Flaws
At this stage, it is really not surprising to find a dearth of negative comments or critical evaluations for Eagle Flight. One can just say that the game, the gaming community and VR technology are within the honeymoon stage where everything is novel and spectacular.
Some reviews did find weaknesses. For example, Gamespot noticed some challenges such as how to maneuver sharp turns. Carter was also left wanting more after long gameplay period, suggesting that the game narrative and the breadth of locations covered need to be expanded.
"After a few hours there really is nothing to do, and I found myself wanting more locations that weren't just extensions of Paris," the Carter said.
Some players also experienced minor technical problems such as errors when logging in, authenticating users or determining compatibility with different Oculus accounts.
At this point, Eagle Flight is still a proof of concept but has been reportedly past the demo stage. It is now available for preorder and costs $44.
