The formula remains a straightforward rail-shooter, but Gazzlers' unfaltering energy and style had me continually coming back for more crazed combat on the Gazzlers Express
Taking a ride on the Gazzlers Express in VR is one crazy but extremely fun journey. As soon as I strapped on my Quest 3 headset and loaded up Gazzlers, I was struck by the charming Borderlands-inspired visuals. The chunky, colorful art style really pops in VR and the animations of the mischievous Gazzler enemies are hilariously animated. Waving my gun around trying to ward off the never-ending attacks felt visceral and oddly satisfying in VR.
The gameplay of Gazzlers is refreshing in its simplicity - just blast Gazzlers and protect the train. However, there's a real arcade thrill to the constant onslaught of waves that had me on the edge of my seat. Aiming and blasting Gazzlers with a squeeze of the trigger feels deeply satisfying. Meanwhile, holding up my shield to block incoming projectiles with my other hand feels genuinely tense.
It feels absolutely incredible to dismantle incoming vehicles and watch the particles erupt. Navigating this delicate balance of offense and defense is a constant thrill as the challenges ramp up with each new wave.
Between waves, choosing upgrades adds replayability and strategy to keep runs interesting. Do I buff my firepower for more destruction or choose defenses to stay alive longer? There's no right or wrong answer and different choices can lead to very different outcomes, fueling the desire to collect more scrap for permanent perks.
Small boosts like more starting health or damage may not sound like much, but they made a noticeable impact on survivability. Over time, my character felt genuinely more powerful with bonuses to health and damage.
The different locales look gorgeous and change up enemy behaviors just enough to keep things feeling fresh. Massive end of area bosses provided a real highlight too even though you still you just aim and shoot, while avoiding the incoming attacks.
The formula remains a straightforward rail-shooter, but Gazzlers' unfaltering energy and style had me continually coming back for more crazed combat on the Gazzlers Express. If you're looking for some pure, unbridled VR shooting thrills, this ride is unmissable and very recommended. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 using a review copy provided by PR. Gazzlers is out now on Meta Quest, Pico and SteamVR with a PSVR2 version coming soon.
