Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is a mouthful. Like its long-winded namesake, this VR exclusive is chock full of good stuff that elevates what was already a great early VR title into a must-play for those into FPS experiences in virtual reality. That makes it everything but a cheap off-cut filled wiener that deserves to be tossed out with other freezer-burned VR duds.
I’ll be the first to admit it, I haven’t heard of Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 or its predecessor, but after getting the opportunity to check out the sequel, I went back and played some of the first game to properly immerse myself in the world of the sequel. I’m happy to report that, outside of some technical bugs that I’m sure will get ironed out, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is a fantastic VR shooter and one of the best games on the Meta Quest 3 platform.
When it comes to VR gaming, I tend to naturally gravitate towards FPS titles, particularly remasters or ports and mods of older games that benefit from the immersion afforded by virtual reality. That said, I usually prefer simple reloading mechanics that favour ease of use over immersion. Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 has changed my mind on that matter, as one of its key selling points is the crazy amount of love and attention that RUST LTD have put into making every weapon in the game feel fully realized.
“Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is a fantastic VR shooter and one of the best games on the Meta Quest 3 platform.”
From handguns to revolvers, shotguns and bayonets, every weapon in Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 features manual reloading, which at first, admittedly, took some time to get used to, but once I did, it became an immensely satisfying and tactile experience that changed how I approached every encounter. There is something truly visceral with having to inspect and find out how each weapon operates, from removing the safety to changing the magazine.
The game even goes as far as to give the player agency over individual bullets inside a magazine or cartridge, something I haven’t seen before in a game and an element that made just toying around with different guns almost as fun as surviving the gauntlet of enemy encounters. Speaking of enemies, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 features the same tubular onslaught of sausages and mystery meat as its predecessor, but with a much more advanced physics and object deformation system.
Hot dog enemies react to damage, be it via melee weapons or a firearm, in a way that feels realistic, with chunks of processed nitrate-filled guts and spongy bits of bologna flaying off and exploding in dramatic ways that cleverly allude to ultra violence while keeping things comedic and approachable.
For those unfamiliar with the property, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is a roguelike VR FPS title, with the majority of the game taking place inside a massive, sprawling testing building known simply as The Facility. Players assume the role of Handy, a much more fleshed-out player avatar that feels more tangible inside the game world, with NPCs and enemies reacting to your interactions and violence in fun and comical ways.
In other words, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 feels like a proper game instead of just a tech demo or series of levels that give players a sandbox to muck around in within a VR context. The basic gameplay loop in Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is that of a roguelike, giving players randomly generated levels in which they must reach the exit, killing or avoiding enemies as they see fit. Engaging in combat is a risk-versus-reward scenario, as early on, the game can be quite tough as players come to grips with its various mechanics, including learning how to operate guns as they discover them.
Ripping through a pack of hot dogs like a ravenous dog or drunkard at a BBQ is incredibly fun and rewarding. Often, it literally rewards players with loot and access to special rooms with extra ammunition and other gear that can make the difference between life and death. Ammo and other resources can be scarce, but between levels, players can discover rest areas that have special kiosks that allow for item recycling, granting players resources they can then use to buy new guns, ammo, and other upgrades that can keep them alive for the remainder of their run.
“Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 feels like a proper game instead of just a tech demo or series of levels that give players a sandbox to muck around in within a VR context.”
Players can also stealthily snatch weapons and melee gear off of unsuspecting enemies and NPCs, an element that can allow for some clutch moments when low on their own resources. I played Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 on my Meta Quest 3, and I must say, as someone who primarily plays PCVR titles, I was impressed with the visual quality of the game, despite its somewhat simple aesthetics.
Unfortunately, I did notice a few quirks during my time with the game: one being that I would occasionally be unable to uncrouch myself, while others, I’d find myself in rooms with unusual black voids that would result in death, both of which are fairly severe issues, but ones I only ran into briefly and hopefully can be addressed once the game launches.
At the end of the day, Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades 2 is a fantastic VR shooter and one that is worth keeping on your own radar if you’re itching to pull that trigger in a truly immersive and silly shooting roguelike experience.
