The world's intricate details and the gratifying loop of progression and discovery weave an irresistible spell, ensuring an engrossing experience even when the narrative threads temporarily loosen their grip
After years of anticipation, I finally got to play the enhanced Quest 3 version of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. And after completing it, I am so happy to say that Saints & Sinners is one of the longest, most in-depth VR titles available making it the perfect showcase for what the Quest platform, or more specific the Quest 3 is capable of.
You play as The Tourist, an outsider who arrives in New Orleans seeking the fabled weapons stash known as The Reserve. What you find instead is a city torn apart by warring factions and overrun with walkers. Scavenging supplies during the day and holing up at night becomes a tense routine as you explore the ruins, helping or hindering the various groups as you slowly uncover the secrets of the city.
Saints & Sinners wastes no time throwing you into its dangerous world. The tutorial does an excellent job teaching gameplay mechanics like weapon durability, braining zombies, health management, and crafting through trial by fire. Before long you'll be fending off crowds of walkers with whatever tools you can find. Melee combat in particular shines as stabbing and slashing both walkers and humans feels devastatingly visceral. Ranged weapons have a satisfying kick and require precision aiming. Finding the right weapon for each situation makes combat engaging throughout even though after I got Rick's signature "The Sheriff" revolver I was pretty much set for the rest of the game.
Resource management plays a big role, from inventory space to limited daylight hours. Scavenging runs become a balance of pushing your luck vs stocking up safely. Every supply gathered and enemy killed feels meaningful thanks to the ticking clock hovering over each in-game "day". Death relegates you to the start of the current area with only one chance to reclaim your dropped loot, adding serious stakes.
In terms of progression, I would have liked some more variance or player choice. Yes, you will find different blueprients for gear and weapons throughout the world which then you can craft while at The Resting Place, but that's about it. There's no real skill tree where for example I could spend points to become more of a tank character or focus on stealth. You don't really get to make that sort of choice and I really wish you could do that as it would really increase the replay value of the game.
Saints & Sinners portrays its narrative through character interactions and faction quests. Choices shape allegiances and consequences, giving your Tourist personality beyond your actions. However, story moments boil down to just standing around and listening to dialog and which some, myself included, may find tedious in VR. Still, I really liked that I had the freedom to act however I wanted and the game kinda adapted to my choice.
Technically, Saints & Sinners on Quest 3 is a tour de force. While I have played better looking games on my Quest 3, Saints & Sinners still remains an impressive title. New Orleans is hauntingly brought to life with impressively detailed environments. Wandering city streets feels oppressively isolated, while abandoned buildings hide secrets and dangers around every corner. Though divided into discrete maps, the interconnected areas come together to form a cohesive ruin.
Character models are very stylized and yet somehow the walkers still ooze menace right up until you remove their skulls. Performance holds steady without drops even in dense scenes with lots of walkers and other human enemies. Yeah, as I said, it's an impressive standalone title.
Lasting over 15 hours with multiple endings, Saints & Sinners sets a new bar for Quest 3 games. Every element complements tight gameplay in a way few other VR titles achieve. The world's intricate details and the gratifying loop of progression and discovery weave an irresistible spell, ensuring an engrossing experience even when the narrative threads temporarily loosen their grip. This definitive version demonstrates how far standalone VR has come. This is an essential title for any Quest 3 owner. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 via a bought copy. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is available on Meta Quest, PSVR and PCVR.
