Spuds Unearthed

It surely offers quirky and fun gameplay but Spuds Unearthed is held back by its simple structure that doesn't really go the extra mile.

Spuds Unleashed was not a bad game, in fact, I grew to somewhat enjoy it. I just feel it took too long to get to grips with the controls and the aiming was sometimes too inaccurate to be enjoyable. If you persevere you can get over this issue, I just feel most people will be put off well before then.

Spuds Unearthed is a charming game with a lot of heart. It is a joy to toss soldiers around the map and take enemies out with the massive gun turrets, but these aspects of the game are hindered when the controls and mechanics are fighting against the player. Developer Gamedust will need to make several bug fixes before Spuds Unearthed plays the way it should.

While you have to give credit to Spuds Unearthed for trying to be bold and merging two genres into the VR perspective, the execution does not work well. The dodgy controls make a poor impression on those trying out VR for the first time, and the lack of a narrative makes it all feel pointless. The lack of proper explanation for anything is what dooms the game, as it takes loads of unnecessary trial and error to figure things out, from initiating multiplayer to how to set up for fights, let alone how to make yourself useful in the skirmishes. While Spuds Unearthed isn't the worst VR experience out there, it is certainly one to avoid.

There’s a core gameplay loop that could have some substance, but it’s surrounded by a confused interface, a simply awful tutorial, with surface-level complexity that needn’t exist.

VR titles are meant to entice new audiences to experience gaming, for beginners to take delight in the interactivity offered and ensure that a new gamer is made for life. Even ignoring this demographic, seasoned gamers should find pleasure in even the simplest of VR activities. Spuds Unearthed ultimately fails in all respects. There is very little amount of fun to be had here, with overcomplicated tutorials which feel unjustified, and a difficulty spike that is so high and frustrating that there is little to no incentive to continue past the first few attempts. Real time strategy titles could really shine in a VR environment, with simple deployments and issuing of orders, until then, this attempt is best shelved and forgotten.

Overall while enjoyment can be found in Spuds Unearthed, it is a game that is very much better in small doses than extended playthroughs. While there are limited environments the ones present are colourful and look cool in VR. It is just a shame that the lack of information and the lack of evolution to the battles as you progress holds the game back from being truly fun.