In the realm of virtual reality gaming, expectations run high as players seek immersive experiences that transport them to new worlds and challenge their skills. Stride: Fates, a VR game with aspirations of greatness, unfortunately, falls short of the mark. While its trailers offer moments of excitement and adrenaline-fueled gameplay, it ultimately fails to deliver a truly captivating experience. Lackluster mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues hamper the overall enjoyment.
At its core, Stride: Fates is a parkour-inspired VR game that challenges players to navigate urban environments with speed and precision. Mixing this with the potential of fast and fluid gunplay could create a really solid premise here. While this concept holds promise, the execution leaves much to be desired. The gameplay becomes a chore almost immediately. One of the primary issues with the gameplay is its lack of variety.
Despite offering multiple levels and environments to explore, each feels disappointingly similar, and while the parkour mechanics don’t even come out swinging, it very quickly becomes a bore. I found myself performing the same maneuvers ad nauseam, and because of how the mechanics don’t work all that well with collision being off, sometimes causing my in-game hands to go in wildly different directions, it made me actually nauseous—multiple times. Without meaningful mechanics and poor implementation, I was left feeling disengaged and uninterested in the world of Stride: Fates.
“Lackluster mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues hamper the overall enjoyment.”
One of the cornerstones of any VR experience is its control scheme, and unfortunately, Stride: Fates falls short in this regard as well. While the game attempts to emulate the feeling of fluid, acrobatic movement, the controls often feel clunky and imprecise. Navigating the environment is a constant struggle, frequently grappling with unresponsive inputs and awkward movements. Simple actions such as jumping or grabbing onto ledges can be frustratingly difficult to execute, leading to frequent moments of frustration and annoyance.
Combat mechanics suffer from similar issues, with attacks feeling out of sync with player inputs. This lack of responsiveness makes combat encounters feel more like a chore than a thrilling challenge, further detracting from the game’s overall enjoyment. It doesn’t help that there is no choice for manually setting your height or movement type, meaning if the base sync doesn’t feel right, you are kind of just stuck with it.
In addition to its lacklustre gameplay and controls, Stride: Fates also falls short in the storytelling department. While the game attempts to weave a narrative around its parkour-centric gameplay, the story feels thin and forgettable, failing to engage or invest them in the world. Dialogue is bland and uninspired, with little in the way of memorable moments or emotional depth.
“Without a compelling story to drive the gameplay forward, players are left feeling disconnected from the world of Stride: Fates, robbing the game of any sense of immersion or investment.”
The overarching plot feels disjointed and poorly paced, with events unfolding in a haphazard manner that leaves players confused rather than intrigued. Without a compelling story to drive the gameplay forward, players are left feeling disconnected from the world of Stride: Fates, robbing the game of any sense of immersion or investment.
In conclusion, Stride: Fates fails to live up to its immersive gameplay and captivating storytelling promises. With lacklustre mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and technical issues hampering the overall experience, the game struggles to leave a lasting impression on players. For those seeking a genuinely engaging VR experience, Stride Fates is best avoided in favour of more polished and compelling titles.
