Its charming cast, brilliant animation recreation, and ease of accessibility make it a perfect pick for players of all ages
Wallace and Gromit, the beloved British inventor and his canine companion, are icons of British pop culture. For over 30 years, their charming stop-motion shorts and films have delighted audiences worldwide with their wacky antics and heartwarming friendship. Now, fans both new and old can experience Wallace and Gromit's hijinks like never before in Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway, a new VR adventure exclusively for Meta Quest.
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The Grand Getaway perfectly captures the essence of what makes Wallace and Gromit so memorable. You take on the role of Gromit or Wallace's robotic invention, the Auto-Caddy, as the gang finds themselves unexpectedly stranded on Mars. With the help of their intelligent radio companion Beryl, it's up to you to assist the ever-optimistic but clumsy Wallace by solving puzzles and finding parts to repair their rocket ship.
From the moment you arrive at Wallace's home, 62 West Wallaby Street, you can't help but smile at the familiar sights and sounds that perfectly emulate the classic shorts. Stop-motion animation has been recreated in VR, giving characters and environments an endearingly jerky yet detailed plasticine look. Voice acting is fantastic and the original score also makes a return, transporting you straight into the zany world of Wallace and Gromit.
Gameplay has you interacting with objects, grabbing and throwing them, slotting different things into places, you know the usual stuff of the early static VR games. As Gromit or the Auto-Caddy, you assist Wallace through light puzzle solving that ranges from whacking space meteors to creating zero-gravity toast and jam. Puzzles are basic yet fun distractions tailored just right for the accessible appeal of Wallace and Gromit.
There are a few issues though like the controls or better say grabbing and throwing objects feel very inconsistent. Often even when you are holding the grip button on the controller, Gromit or Auto-Caddy will just let go of the thing they were holding. Objects tend to fall of the map or clip into other objects or the environment and when that happens, it is also followed by a terrible sound glitching. It is indeed rough, but what The Grand Getaway lacks in technical polish it makes up for with heaping amounts of charm.
If you are looking to spend an afternoon escaping into some lighthearted and low-stress VR fun, Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway delivers wholeheartedly. Its charming cast, brilliant animation recreation, and ease of accessibility make it a perfect pick for players of all ages. While not revolutionary from a gaming standpoint and has a fair amount of jank, The Grand Getaway is a true success in translating what makes Wallace and Gromit so special to the interactive virtual medium. With love, humor and heart, it proves some classics were simply meant for VR. I do recommend this game. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a Quest 3 using a review copy provided by the developer.Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway is available now exclusively on Meta Quest.
