Occasionally here at Player2.net.au, we will play something that deserves your attention but probably doesn’t need a full review written for it. Be it DLC for the latest AAA title, a little indie game or even an Android/iOS title. We play these titles for a blockbusting amount of time (2 – 5 hours) and report back to you the reader on what we found. So grab your popcorn and settle in for the latest episode of Blockbuster Gaming.
Blockbuster Gaming – Fruit Ninja VR
By now if you’re not familiar with Fruit Ninja then you’ve probably been living under a rock for the better part of seven years. The game, originally an iOS game has been a global phenomenon and was a major part of the mobile gaming revolution, it has since made its way to numerous platforms over the years following its initial release. It’s been on phones, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS Vita and now in its most recent form, the game has arrived on Virtual Reality platforms, this particular review was based upon the PSVR version of the game.
Fruit Ninja is known for how it has adapted over the years. Expansions and changes that have been made over the years include Achievements, Online Multiplayer, Leaderboards and much much more, but the biggest jump they’ve taken is the VR leap, and it’s paid off immensely. My first experience with the game was, of course, the ideal way to play the game – drunken. This most recent New Years saw the celebration move indoors at one stage and it wasn’t long after that Fruit Ninja had found its way on screen. The game was an incredible hit and my PSVR was in use for many hours both that night and by a number of hungover guests the next morning. It’s because the difficulty curve, no matter what mode you play, is perfect for any player, regardless of their level of experience. As you begin to grow more accustomed to the reach you have in the game, and adjust to looking everywhere within 180degrees in front of you, you’ll find your Personal Best scores constantly creeping north.
In the day’s post New Year, and in a far more sober state. I’ve returned to the game and learned that it wasn’t the alcohol talking – the game is a genuine blast to play. I’d done my time with Fruit Ninja years ago and had well and truly moved on, but the fun elicited from slicing and dicing fruit that is shooting up from the ground below you in a faux real life, is unlike anything I’ve gleaned from a VR game yet. Zen, Classic, Arcade and Survival modes all return and impress, but the biggest game-changer in Fruit Ninja VR is the ability to use your two handheld controllers (for me the PS Move Controllers) to slice with both hands in multiple directions. The ability to dual wield, ensures that the game is never easy and always chaotic, it also ensures that the player has to balance their aggression, and manage their enthusiasm, lest they strike a bomb that emerges in the bottom left or right corner of the screen.
Motion sickness has been a frequently discussed concern about any and all VR games, but given that in Fruit Ninja VR, you’re rooted to the ground, and the only movement is determined by your head swivelling left to right, you won’t need to worry about Fruit Ninja VR inducing motion inspired vomiting. Given that the player is often wildly swinging his/her arm about slicing fruit, sufficient space needs to be cleared to ensure the safety of anyone else near the player. Fruit Ninja VR is far more active than most VR games so safety for the player and all of those around them is critically important.
Fruit Ninja VR is a party game for everyone. No matter your level of gaming experience or proficiency, every player will feel as though they’re improving and that hitting their next goal is only one good round away. It’s rare that I find myself so driven to push up a leaderboard but in the case of Fruit Ninja VR I just couldn’t help myself, and this VR iteration of the game engages in a way that the core version simply neve could. If you have the means to play it, then you’ll not be disappointed by Fruit Ninja VR.
Paul James
