Also On: SteamVR, Meta Quest
Publisher: Vertigo Games
Developer: Vertigo Games
Medium: Digital
Players: 1
Online: Yes
ESRB: M
When I first played Arizona Sunshine on the original PlayStation VR, I actually did not have the best time. While it was a decent game, I was not in love with the way you controlled everything and the lack of comfort options available. These issues were addressed in subsequent patches and some good DLC packs that really made the game feel a lot better. The updated gameplay and visuals were overhauled even more with the excellent sequel that I also reviewed for the PlayStation VR2 recently. Vertigo Games has now taken everything they have learned with the first game and the sequel and have remade the original game, and it pleases me to say that they did a wonderful job.
For those who have not experienced the world of Arizona Sunshine, You play a survivor of an apparent Zombie Apocalypse and live on the land, scavenging, barricading and fighting off Zombies when the need arises. You playfully have named all of the Zombies “Fred” and when Fred gets to close to you, you have no choice but to defend yourself. One morning you hear a flash of a human voice on the radio, you realize there might be survivors out there and you set out to find them. Armed with your survival instinct, the weapons and ammo you find scattered throughout your journey, you venture off to find anyone out there that isn’t “Fred”.
The original game only allowed for teleport movement and a snap look system that was very disorienting. This was fixed in subsequent updates and more movement options became available. All of these options and updates have carried over with this remake and you feel like you have total control right from the start. You can play this game standing or you can play it seated for a more comfortable experience, you just have to set your ammo belt to an area where you can reach it easily, because you will be reaching for ammo and guns A LOT.
Because everything is now running smoother and the targeting system from Arizona Sunshine 2 is present, you can easily pull off headshots smoothly and take down Freds with one bullet. This helps you save ammo, so you will have more when a hoard of Freds comes at you. Conserving ammo is the name of the game since you have to scavenge for extra around the deserted desert as you progress. You can also find other guns, grenades, and food that will help you heal from damage. Everything in this game can be controlled simply or can be as involved as you like. For example you can actually climb ladders and walls by grabbing with your left and right hands as you would in real life, or if this is difficult to master, you can skip climbing and have the game complete it for you. I personally could never get the hand of climbing in Arizona Sunshine 2, and since the system used there is the same, it was beneficial for me to turn it off.
Reloading can also be set to quick, or it can be set to use both hands like a real gun. You can really get into a jam with two handed reload sometimes, but this definitely gets your adrenaline pumping as you try to reload while being surrounded. One thing that does get a little troublesome is the quick look behind feature by flicking the stick on the right hand controller down. This is a little sensitive and can happen when you don’t want it do. There was no way to make this better, so I simply had to adapt and try not to flick the controller when turning my head.
The visuals in Arizona Sunshine Remake are stunning. Nothing looks like it did before, as everything from the smallest sign to the largest rock formation has been given a super overhaul. There is was more blood splatter, and more way more gory detail in all of the Freds you encounter. Your field of view has also increased dramatically, as even the most far away object is recognizable with ease. I spent a little too much time just picking up random things I found like books or bottles and admiring them closely, until I used it as a projectile on a nearby Fred sneaking behind me. On occasion, you may find an odd texture, or some clipping here and there with some things, and while it can take you out of the experience a little, it doesn’t effect the gameplay.
Which brings be to the audio. It is almost vital that you wear headphones during play since you can now hear everything around you with great clarity. It is unsettling when you throw a switch, or unlock a door, only to hear multiple Freds moaning and shuffling in the distance about to surround you. You can hear some nasty ghouls try and sneak up on you occasionally which got me to verbally scream more than once. I swear I could almost feel them behind be as well. I’m telling you the audio is that good!
Vertigo Games has made a fantastic remake here. All of the updates, DLC packs and fixes found in the sequel are all here in one great package, and I wish my original experience was more like this when I played the first release. I was unable to revisit the original due to not having a PSVR system when they finally decided to patch things up. I am so glad I was able to check Arizona Sunshine Remake out as it has completely erased my original experience. This is a great title for the PlayStation VR2 (and other VR platforms) and should more definitely be in your library alongside the fantastic sequel. Get downloading now and start bringing down those Freds!
Note: Vertigo Games provided us with a code for review purposes.
