Augmented Empire Review – VR/MR Turn Based Combat

Augmented Empire Review
Augmented Empire from game developer, CoatSink, previously saw life on the Oculus Go back in 2018. Coatsink is launching an updated version of the game this coming November 19th. VR Gamers that own a Quest 2, 3, & 3S will now be able to experience this turn-based, VR/MR, RPG Strategy game.

The year is 2058 and takes place in the dystopic city of New Savannah. Savannah is a divided city. As the mysterious X, you direct a team of criminals and misfits in an attempt to overthrow the authoritarian government. You do this from your secluded hideout via the use of augmented reality.

This augmented reality gives you a tabletop view of the city. The game now utilizes the MR capabilities of the Quest headsets, thanks to a recent update. The game allows you to set up the game world as a resizable diorama that you can place in your real world. So you can place the game on a coffee table or other piece of furniture. Or if you prefer, you can have the game world float directly in front of you, floating in the air. Personally, I prefer my VR games to be totally in VR. Thankfully, there is a VR/MR setting that allows you to choose between the two.

Further to the MR aspect of the game, you can forgo the use of controllers and play the game via hand tracking. It makes sense for Coatsink to leverage the latest features of the Quest headsets to make the game more attractive to prospective new players.

Look Ma, No Controllers
Also, hand tracking is an interesting VR utility. In theory, one would believe the removal for the need to use controllers to interact with a game would increase immersion. For myself, the opposite holds true. While it is cool to see your hands tracked accurately in a VR space, the lack of tactility is disconcerting. Controllers may not be able to capture the dexterity of a person’s hands and fingers, but they do provide tactile feedback. Even if it is just a simple rumble. It’s an illusion but one, for me, that surpasses seeing one’s hands in a VR world.

The artwork of Augmented Empires is excellent. There are 60 cyberpunk environments that range from street sections to bars to subway cars to junkyards to docks to museums and so much more. The creators meticulously crafted each of these cyberpunk environments. Some of my favorites are the museum and the bar. As with all the environments, they have a lot of little touches specific to their locale.

The museum has items on display, both on the floor and the walls. The bar has, of course, the bartender area with all the drinks and a big mirror behind. There is a stage protruding out onto the floor. Off in the corner is a piano with a player. Patrons sit at tables scattered throughout the bar. Each area is lit in a manner appropriate to their purpose. The lighting in the museum is brighter than the dimly lit bar.

The map of the city of New Savannah is a three-dimensional model from which you can choose destinations to travel to. This allows you to choose the order in which you progress the story. Very much a choose your adventure. The further you get into the story, the more destinations that become available. Once you reach a destination, you can choose two views. One is a more distant table top view. The other is a closer, three quarters isometric view.

Augmented Empire Has Colorful Characters
Character models are too small to make out facial details, but each is unique in appearance. Their clothing is unique and each of them has individual touches that reflect their personality. My favorite touch is the feather which Archi, one of the fighter class characters sports from his hat.

You begin the game as Willa, a disillusioned young woman from high society. Disillusioned, not because of the authoritarian government, but because of her strained relationship with her mother. Willa discovers that her mother has not been intentionally ignoring her because of work. No, her mother led a resistance movement. Shocked, Willa ends up carrying on her mother’s crusade.

Willa’s backstory and relationship with her mother highlights the core strength of the game. Each character that comes into the story has personality. Especially those that end up joining the team. As the story unfolds, the missions necessitate gaining new skills to complete them successfully. Willa is a fighter and is good with weapons. Joining Willa is Archi, a grizzled and grumpy veteran who is also a fighter whose sniper skills complement Willa’s.

Another aspect of the game which really makes the characters stand out is the voice acting. The cast of this game is top-notch. You have Jennifer English, Kate Mulgrew, Nick Frost, Garrick Hagon, and Chris Jarman, to name a few. They all deserve top props for the work done. They all really make each character come to life.

It’s All About Teamwork
Overall, the team consists of six characters who have talents as runners, programmers and thieves. Together, your team will face up to ten hours of gameplay over twenty-six missions. The missions cover a variety of objectives, from recruiting new members, stealing items, and gathering information. To complete missions, you must choose the proper team members and equip them with the proper perks and equipment.

When you complete missions, your characters level up, which opens up more abilities for each character in their skill tree. The turn based combat is the least unique thing about the game. Combat takes place on a line-of-sight basis. You will use the cover provided to plot your defensive and offensive strategies. On the plus side, the VR UI is intuitive and easy to navigate. As it would have to be in order to support hand tracking. The game difficulty is not too high. The game’s hints are well-designed, guiding you clearly through the next steps.

Augmented Empire is a solid game that is worthy of exposure to a larger audience than when it was first released. If turn based strategy games with great production values and an intriguing story and characters sounds enticing, then you should definitely check out Augmented Empires.

***A Meta key was provided by the publisher***

The Good

Gorgeous, detailed environments
Great story and characters
Slick VR controls

82

The Bad

Limited replay value