The action-adventure genre is one of the kinds of games best-suited for VR experiences, with the original Asgard’s Wrath being an early Oculus staple. After going through part of Asgard’s Wrath 2, it feels like Sanzaru may be building even further on the original while incorporating staples from console action-adventure and action-RPG staples.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 begins shortly after the first game, but in such a way that it invites newcomers into the adventure. Loki, as the god often does throughout many forms of media, betrayed the player and sought power on his own. After breaking out of the tavern where they were trapped, the player character is attacked by what looks like a griffin with Egyptian ornaments and is picked up by the Weavers. (Think of the three as being like the Norns in Greek mythology.) After dubbing the player a Cosmic Guardian, they send you out to track down Loki again.
It’s then that the story begins in earnest and I was able to really get an idea of what challenges Asgard’s Wrath 2 would present. I watched as a tomb raider named Abraxas broke into the Temple of Atum, encountered the imposing goddess Sakhmet, and fell low. It’s then that I was able to essentially possess him and step into his shoes, escaping the temple with him and starting the journey to find Loki together.
I suppose one of the things that first really impressed me about Asgard’s Wrath 2 is its dynamic nature. A lot of this isn’t all that much of a shock. The first game did a lot to really be active and immerse players, and we’ve seen games like Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR feature a lot of exploration and movement. But even the initial looks at the Temple of Atum, before our escape alongside Abraxas, help establish a level of motion, exploration, and puzzle-solving along the lines of a Tomb Raider or God of War game.
Especially the moments when I’d step outside myself. I didn’t expect to suddenly stop possessing Abraxas early on and then step into my more godly role to solve a puzzle. But this extra degree of inventiveness showed how Sanzaru is willing to incorporate different sorts of VR experiences and elements into what would otherwise feel like a more traditional action-RPG and adventure. The godscale moments felt like a chance to play around, and I felt it was almost like a fourth-wall-breaking moment when such chances would happen.
Likewise, the combat early on impressed me and left me feeling more like I was going through a Skyrim sort of affair than a typical, detached VR “experience” in the best sort of way. Your weapons are easily accessible either via pulling them from your waist or by heading into the menu. Since Abraxas was my host at the outset, I could wield a sword and a throwing axe. While tossing it around involved a bit of a learning curve with regards to aiming, the actual combat was just easy to get into in the first few hours. With the exception of an early boss-type encounter with set patterns, I could just dash up to standard enemies and start attacking or throwing the axe at them, not waiting for their reactions. If there were unholy, humanoid minions and wasp-like enemies around at the same time, I could dodge so the wasp’s poison would hit the humanoid enemies and harm them. It really felt like I could experiment and play around within the confines of the “rules.”
Also important is that Asgard’s Wrath 2 almost immediately helps you find the comfort level that works for you in terms of accessibility and controls. It allows you to set up attacking, movement, and visual options to ensure you don’t encounter any motion-sickness and it is easy to play for extended sessions. When going through more dynamic moments, perhaps involving a ladder or rope, you can touch certain items to immediately trigger the movement from different positions. There were also multiple points that “saved” my progress and where I was, in the event my Quest 3 battery failed me.
It really feels like Asgard’s Wrath 2 could be the sort of game that gets referred to on the same level as other action-RPG adventures, rather than a VR adventure with setpiece moments that happens to have the same sort of approach as a God of War or Skyrim. It feels like Sanzaru could really be branching out and trying something with the game, and I’m curious to see how the rest of the adventure goes.
Asgard’s Wrath 2 will come to the Meta Quest 2 and 3 on December 15, 2023.
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