The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners VR

Zombies have fallen out of vogue in the last few years, but there are still a few franchises that have kept the undead party alive. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR is one stunning example of how satisfying gameplay and a palpable atmosphere can make for an exceptionally fun experience. Playing as a survivor stuck in New Orleans after a zombie apocalypse ravages the globe, it's your job to scavenge for supplies and fend off both human and undead foes as you search for a legendary supply of resources to save the day. While there are a few flaws here and there, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR is one of the best virtual reality action games around.

Main Game Features

• Slay hordes of zombies in stunning VR
• Set in the popular Walking Dead universe
• Collect items to craft new weapons and supplies

Story

The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR is set in the same universe as The Walking Dead television show, but is separate from other games based on the franchise including The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct and The Walking Dead: A New Frontier. In this original story, you play as a survivor simply known as “The Tourist” who arrives in New Orleans after the zombie apocalypse is underway. After meeting a local guide named Henri, the Tourist takes up safety in a broken bus and starts to build up their resources. Using their radio, they make contact with other survivors in the nearby area, including an ally named Casey who is trapped in a valuable resource bunker known as the Reserve.

Most of your time in The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR is spent fortifying both your safehouse and your arsenal of weapons, often by slaying zombies and collecting goodies. There's a decent story between the action, but the gameplay always stays at the forefront of the experience. The main character doesn't have much personality and there are only a handful of characters to meet, but the world itself feels fleshed out enough to make up for it. The story has branching paths depending on some choices you'll make, but for the most part, it's a linear adventure that's interesting enough to keep things moving.

Gameplay

As expected from a virtual reality game, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR plays from a first-person perspective, putting you directly into the action. Similar to other VR games like Blood & Truth, you'll explore different areas as you progress through the story at a steady pace. However, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR features a somewhat open-world map, with multiple areas branching off of the main city hub. In the main hub you can visit your safehouse bus, where you'll pick up new missions, gather your resources, and craft unique gear. Of course, the world outside of your base is exceptionally dangerous and packed with hundreds of zombies who want to eat your brains.

Thankfully, after a bit of scavenging, you'll be well-equipped to deal with the undead threat. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR features both ranged and melee combat, with an emphasis on player control and brutal kills. It can be slightly tough to nail precise shots with ranged weapons, but there's nothing quite like stabbing a zombie in the head with a machete or incapacitating them with targeted shots to the limbs. Additional game modes like the wave-based “Trials” and endgame “Aftershocks” content provide more replayability for players who want to keep slaying zombies for hours on end.

Conclusion

Virtual reality games can be hit and miss, but luckily The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners VR knocks it out of the park. While it doesn't feature many recognizable characters from the television show, this creepy title creates a tense atmosphere and utilizes the brand well. Slashing and shooting through hordes of zombies has never felt so good and the sense of progression you earn from completing missions is fantastic.

Pros

• Combat is visceral and fun
• Unique weapons that feel good to use
• Supremely satisfying gameplay loop

Cons

• Occasional game crashes
• Weapons can be imprecise
• Not fully open-world