Classic Shooting, Brought Back in VR
Back in 2020, I recognized the potential for many classic franchises to be remade in VR and subsequently tweeted about it. Classics like Silent Scope, Virtua Cop, Time Crisis, Point Blank, and more could easily find a new home in VR. Fast forward to now, and my wish has come true… at least with one of these franchises.
While not a literal rebirth of Point Blank from Bandai Namco, On Point VR comes to us from Aussie developer Actuator Digital, who have developed all sorts of handy solutions for a variety of needs, such as an Uber-style app for security patrols, a social app for mariners, tech for Star Wars products, and even Grand Theft Auto 5 mods. They’re industrious and ambitious problem-solvers, and after some time with On Point VR, I feel I can safely say they’re well on their way to solving yet another problem (a lack of classic light gun action in VR).
A Promising Premise
On Point at this stage is very basic, but still manages to deliver engaging gameplay. Actuator Digital aren’t even trying to hide their inspiration for the game, as everything from its visual and sound design to the gameplay and mini-games themselves are all extremely reminiscent of Bandai Namco’s arcade classic. None of this is a bad thing, mind you.
Upon starting the game, you’re presented with the title screen and the choice between a variety of difficulties. Being a VR game, it’s understandable that the option for multiplayer is currently missing (especially as the game is only launching in Early Access), though I do hope this gets added in a future update. I have a handful of friends who also have VR headsets and adore co-op and competitive light gun games. We’d definitely be up for a friendly rivalry playing On Point VR.
The mini-games are presented in groups of four, with a timer selecting one at random, though you can just pick one by shooting it. You are then shown your objectives for that mini-game, as well as the win and loss conditions. Again, these are very similar to Point Blank, and if you’re familiar with it, you can almost certainly guess mini-games from On Point VR. Keeping an empty tin can airborne, shearing a sheep by shooting sections of its wool off, and, of course, shooting various colored targets while avoiding shooting nearby bombs.
You have 3 lives when you start the game; shoot a bomb and you’ll lose one. Fail an objective and you’ll lose a heart as well. It’s a fair system. I will say, though, that playing on the highest difficulty really is a huge leap in terms of said difficulty. I found myself losing all my hearts very quickly as the demands or time limits felt a tad harsh. I’m sure that with practice, I will fare better, but as it stands, I’m stuck being too good at the middle difficulty and struggling to play the harder difficulty.
A Winning Combination of Light-guns and VR
On Point VR could have simply aped Point Blank and called it a day; however, it feels like more than that. For one thing, the addition of a 3D space really helps ramp up the experience in a number of ways. Some mini-games are given an impressive sense of scale, whereas Point Blank would’ve kept things smaller because of the limitations of the 2D plane. Instead of moving your gun around a flat screen and firing from a much more direct angle, On Point VR allows players to move around a little within the 3D space and better use firing angles. The fact that you can look at your next target before you’ve even finished firing at your current one allows you to save valuable seconds in a challenge as well. Heck, I’ll just come out and say it: playing a shooting gallery-style light gun game in virtual reality is far more intuitive and enjoyable than traditional light gun games. The space is bigger, the game more immersive, and the gunplay is more intuitive – what’s not to like?
A Few Gripes
Not to nitpick, but I only have a few gripes with On Point VR. One is the obvious inclusion of some slight aim assist. I found the game a little too forgiving when it came to some shots, but it may be necessary for players to become acclimatized to the game. The second is the current amount of content. At the time of writing, I’m unsure of On Point’s price point. While I’m sure the game will grow with updates and upon finding its fanbase (and it will find its fanbase), right now the joy I experienced as a kid discovering new mini-games in Point Blank is absent, as there were only one or two new games that managed to pop up. For the record, there are 30 mini-games in total. Unlocking them isn’t required; it’s just luck of the draw if they make an appearance. Thankfully, we do have a variety of games that test a varied shooting skill set. We’ve got the one-shot challenges, where you only have a single bullet to hit a small target. There’s the rapid-fire hit-as-many-targets-as-you-can or clear a room of targets challenges, and we’ve got the puzzle element challenges, such as shooting numbered sections on a pillar in order.
It’s also a small complaint that the game lacks when it comes to personality. Point Blank had its two mascots, Dr. Dan and Dr. Don. On Point has one, but she only appears in one mini-game so far. This also extends to the menu and some of the game’s environments. The action in front of the player is definitely the real draw, though.
Conclusion
Overall, On Point VR is shaping up to be a must-have title for newcomers as well as light-gun game veterans. While its influences are obvious, that doesn’t detract from the engaging and accessible fun that is on offer. Here’s hoping that more classic mini-games and multiplayer modes make their way to the game in due time. Right now, however, I still recommend checking the game out as is.
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