Arizona Sunshine Remake, at first glance, might seem like an unnecessary regurgitation of the original, but if you’re like me and you thoroughly enjoyed your time with Arizona Sunshine 2, you may have wanted to go back and experience the first title, which thanks to the stellar sequel can be quite jarring.
Vertigo Games has then taken their now nearly decade-old release and transformed it into a modern VR title that masterfully aligns the game with its sequel. Brand new assets, game mechanics, such as the gore and mutilation system, DLC content packs, and all the QoL improvements from the sequel are now present in Arizona Sunshine Remake.
Playing the game on my Meta Quest 3 via Steam, Arizona Sunshine Remake now weighs around 38 GB, dwarfing the original’s roughly 12GB install. The heftier file size brings with it a complete overhaul of the graphics, including every zombie and other asset in the game, now featuring a higher polygon count. Arizona Sunshine Remake’s graphics approximate and, in some instances, outshine the visual fidelity of even the second game.
“The leap in graphic fidelity in Arizona Sunshine Remake cannot be understated, making the game feel like a proper console-quality experience.”
Visual improvements are one thing, but for a still-burgeoning platform such as Virtual Reality, the leap in graphic fidelity in Arizona Sunshine Remake cannot be understated. The game now feels like a proper console-quality experience.
Outside of graphical improvements, Arizona Sunshine Remake now features a gameplay loop closer to its sequel, with weapons capable of inflicting more precise damage to the zombie horde, adding to the immersion and fun. Additionally, the move to much more capable hardware brings with it not only better visuals but rock-solid performance that runs buttery smooth, which should alleviate any motion sickness issues that often come with VR gaming.
On the topic of comfort, Arizona Sunshine Remake offers a healthy number of comfort settings and the ability to align your holster anywhere on your person, making it easy if accessibility is a concern. This is something that I greatly appreciate as a wheelchair VR enthusiast.
“Arizona Sunshine Remake feels closer to a full-fat AAA zombie game that just happens to be a VR exclusive rather than a simple VR shooting gallery.”
Arizona Sunshine Remake also features a fair amount of checkpoints throughout its campaign, making it effortless to jump in and out of a play session without the game feeling too broken up into isolated chapters or vignettes, something that is often the case with VR titles. In other words, Arizona Sunshine Remake feels closer to a full-fat AAA zombie game that just happens to be a VR exclusive rather than a simple VR shooting gallery.
For the uninitiated, Arizona Sunshine Remake’s narrative is relatively lighthearted, mixing humour with its otherwise gory and over-the-top depictions of pulpy violence. If you’re a fan of the Dead Island series, Arizona Sunshine Remake will be right up your alley. It’s a solid mix of humour and intense action, combined with its zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic setting, offers an exhilarating and unique adventure that keeps you wanting to see what happens next.
As someone who craves meatier VR experiences, Arizona Sunshine Remake adds to the list of quality virtual reality titles that take advantage of the medium in a way that feels like a proper game and not just a proof of concept or VR-only demo.
