Virtual reality video games are growing, both in terms of complexity and scale of the visions that designers have for them. Singularity 5 is a fairly recent game to come from developers and publishers Monochrome Paris. Released on the 21st December last year, Singularity 5 is on the Steam store for £7.19 (at the time of writing this review), and let me tell you, for that price this game delivers in spades. Let me tell you why.
The Premise
Starting with the basics, the story. It’s pretty much your run of the mill story, a nasty A.I. has taken over the world, and it’s your job to save it. You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, yeah, seen it, done it, got the t-shirt.” But, underneath this initial outlay, you’re met with a world that is genuinely jaw dropping in its scope and graphical fidelity. Be warned, this game is so big that you forget where you are in the real world (I have the bruises from hitting the wardrobe and a broken lamp to prove it).
Yes, Singularity 5 is a wave shooter, and you can’t move around like you can in, let’s say, Skyrim VR. I’m thankful for this as motion sickness is still a thing for me when walking for less than 5 minutes. Being fixed to the spot is advantageous as you begin to fight off waves of enemies from all directions.
Gameplay
Singularity 5 is extremely fun. I’m not just saying that frivolously. I was in hysterics and was shattered when I finished my first level. The pure adrenaline of trying to stay alive whilst defeating waves of enemies is something that will keep you on your toes. If you’re not ready, it will catch you off-guard and grind you into the floor whilst laughing at you. (Well, not literally, but you get the idea), This had me trying again and again until I eventually managed to push through. Each new section you get to is harder than the last. Now, I did try this game on normal mode, which it turns out is quite tough. There is an easy mode for the more casual experience, so you can ease yourself into the game without destroying your surroundings. Like I did (my ceiling lampshade also has a dent in it, whoops).
Visuals
Going back to my earlier point of this title looking really nice, I can say that I’ve never been in a virtual space that looks so polished and jaw-dropping. The aesthetics are on point with a distinctive colour palette achieved. Colours that are used are of the white, gold, chrome and black colours. This selection of colour is used in every aspect, from the buildings you see down to the guns you hold in your hands. But, this also can be a bad point as sometimes when looking for enemies, they can blend into the backgrounds if you aren’t paying close attention.
Gun Play
To paraphrase my significant other, “If you want to look like Kung-Fu Panda training to be Spider-Man while feeling like Lara Croft crossed with the Terminator in the Matrix, then this is the game for you. That’s just level one!” This is what it felt like when trying this game for the first time. I was caught unawares of the complexity needed to be able to stay alive. Enemies fly from all directions and can easily surround you. You’ll begin to shoot frantically in all directions hoping you’ll hit something, only for it to be futile as more enemies will swarm in from another direction because you’ve spent too long on one enemy whom you just can’t seem to hit because of debris.
Get Your Friends In
Singularity 5 will be one of my go-to titles when I have friends over. Seeing my first attempts back on recordings, I was in stitches, and this can be good for a night in. A few friends, a few laughs, and fun times to be had. Just make sure you have a big enough space to play, otherwise a few bruises will be had due to flailing arms and gun play antics. The next big night in I’ll be having will definitely feature this game. That’s how much enjoyment I got from it. Now, there are a few minor points to mention. The biggest one is the space. Now, that’s not a developer fault, it’s more of an issue from the consumer’s perspective. Not everyone has a big room/space to play in, and thus, some can find it difficult to play safely.
Another point is the difficulty. Now, I’m not criticising it as such, but for most players, normal mode is the go-to mode. You’ll choose this difficulty level thinking, “It won’t be so bad,” then it will throw you in the deep end. The learning curve is a gradual climb as tutorials do explain a lot to you before you start playing the main bulk of Singularity 5. That’s about all the minor negative points I can find with this game. So all in all, for anyone who owns a VR headset, this title will fit nicely into your collection, and it won’t break the bank either. I would definitely recommend this game for anyone who wants to feel like John Wick in real life.
P.S= The partner has since forgiven me for the broken lamp and dented lampshade as when she had a go, she knocked that dent out while somehow nearly knocking me out at the same time…memo to self: duck.
Developer: Monochrome Paris
Publisher: Monochrome Paris
Platforms: PC
Release Date: 21st December 2018