Deep Cuts is a fascinating addition to the VR landscape that succeeds more often than it stumbles
In an era where VR games often try to play it safe, Deep Cuts dares to be different by throwing you into a wonderfully bizarre world of movie magic gone wrong. This physics-driven adventure from Scythe Dev Team puts you in the shoes of Elise, a film producer at the struggling Lights, Camera, Faction studio, as she searches for her missing partner Malcolm through various movie sets using an experimental technology called Neurareel.
The world of Deep Cuts has a delightfully twisted undertone. The actors you encounter are actually robotic creatures covered in decomposing flesh, creating an unsettling atmosphere that somehow works within the game's B-movie aesthetic. Even the horror elements never become truly terrifying, instead maintaining a campy charm that fits perfectly with the overall tone.
At its core, Deep Cuts is a physics-based sandbox that revels in giving you the freedom to interact with nearly everything in your environment. Want to grab that chair and use it as an improvised weapon? Go ahead. Fancy using a movie prop as a makeshift shield? The game encourages this kind of experimentation. The physics engine, while not perfect, creates moments of pure joy when everything clicks together.
The game's foundation lies in its physics-driven interactions, where objects have weight and momentum that feel surprisingly natural most of the time. Throwing items, wielding weapons, and engaging in combat all benefit from this system, creating satisfying feedback when you successfully land a hit or execute a particularly creative takedown.
What sets Deep Cuts apart is its clever use of movie sets as both setting and gameplay mechanic. Each film you enter through the Neurareel technology represents a different genre, from westerns to horror, sci-fi to film noir. These aren't just aesthetic changes – each movie brings its own unique challenges and gameplay opportunities.
The variety in scenarios is impressive. One moment you might be engaged in an intense shootout at a saloon, complete with shattering bottles and flipping tables for cover. The next, you could find yourself in a bizarrely entertaining hot dog eating contest that somehow manages to be both ridiculous and engaging. These rapid shifts in tone and gameplay keep the experience fresh throughout.
The boss encounters in Deep Cuts represent both the game's creative heights and its occasional frustrations. These battles often present unique scenarios – fighting a giant mechanical creature while on a moving train, or facing off against a kaiju-sized sloth destroying a city. While visually impressive and clever in concept, these fights can drag on longer than necessary, sometimes turning exciting confrontations into tests of endurance rather than skill. Like the boss fight against the weird creature on the moving train, I felt like I was throwing explosive barrels towards it for like 30 minutes straight and that didn't feel nice. Just go for the tried and true "3 hits and it's dead" approach for boss fights.
Where Deep Cuts truly shines is in its sandbox elements. The game gives you an impressive toolkit and lets you approach situations however you want. Want to complete a mission stealthily? Go for it. Prefer to cause maximum chaos with explosives and futuristic weapons? That's equally valid. This freedom to experiment leads to some of the game's most memorable moments, often arising from unscripted chaos rather than planned sequences.
The Bodegun, your constant companion, is what allows you all of this creative freedom. This device lets you spawn weapons, ammo, and even enemies using credits found throughout the game. As you progress, you unlock more items to play with, essentially turning each movie set into your personal playground. So you want to bring a laser gun to a western standoff? The game not only allows it but practically encourages such chaos.
Playing on the Quest 3, Deep Cuts showcases some impressive visuals despite occasional quirks. The environments are detailed and varied, with each movie set having its own distinct visual identity. The lighting effects, particularly in the noir and horror sections, help create atmospheric scenes that pull you into each film's world.
However, like many physics-based VR games, Deep Cuts has its share of technical hiccups. The climbing mechanics can be frustrating, particularly when trying to dismount ladders. The weapon holstering system occasionally fights against you, with items not quite sliding into place as intended. Also not being able to move the holsters position is a bit of a pain. Gun handling and aiming also feels inconsistent at times, with some weapons feeling more precise than others. For example, I can easily aim down the sights with the pistol and hit my target, but when I tried to do the same with the crossbow, I couldn't hit anything. Again, having options to change the gun position in your hand would be nice.
Deep Cuts is a fascinating addition to the VR landscape that succeeds more often than it stumbles. Its creative blend of physics-based gameplay with movie-set shenanigans creates an experience that feels unique in the current VR market. While some technical issues and overlong boss fights occasionally dampen the experience, the core gameplay loop of exploring, experimenting, and creating chaos across various movie genres remains consistently entertaining.
The game's greatest strength lies in its commitment to player freedom, both in how you approach objectives and how you interact with the world. Yes, there's jank – climbing can be awkward, some weapons feel off, and physics interactions don't always work as intended. However, these imperfections almost add to the B-movie charm that permeates the entire experience. I do recommend this game. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 via a promo copy provided by the developer. Deep Cuts is available on Meta Quest.
