Grim preview on Meta Quest: A VR survival shooter treat awaits us
I played Grim, the upcoming VR survival shooter from Combat Waffle Studios, at Gamescom. Here is my first impression.
At this year's Gamescom, I had the opportunity to play the Meta Quest version of Grim, the new survival title from Combat Waffle Studios. As a big fan of the studio, which already impressed me with Ghosts of Tabor, I was especially looking forward to their new title.
Grim is a survival game that borrows heavily from Rust. If you're not familiar with Rust, you start out as a survivor with the task of gathering resources, building a base, and standing up to other players and NPCs. All of these aspects are present in Grim, which, as a long-time survival gamer, definitely made me curious.
First of all, I didn't have the opportunity to compete with other players in the demo. I was only able to try out the various features of the game on my own. That's why I can't give you any impressions about the multiplayer part, which is a big part of the game.
Content
Alone in the vastness of Mars
I started my Grim demo with a few simple tools in the middle of the barren Martian landscape. Surrounded by red mountains and rocks, I familiarized myself with the inventory system. I immediately realized that my oxygen reserves were limited and would only last for about twenty minutes. Enough time to explore the environment and collect my first resources.
In addition to stones and ores, I also found some tree trunks from which I can harvest wood. As usual, I used a pickaxe or an axe, but I had to keep a certain rhythm to not cut everything down too fast. I also discovered scattered barrels and crates, which reveal various items when destroyed. After collecting a few resources, I made my way to one of the large domes scattered throughout the game world.
The surface of Mars in Grim is very dull. | Image: Combat Waffle
Exploring the dome
Following one of the paths on the ground, I reached the next dome. In front of the imposing structure was a device where I could recharge my oxygen supply. I then entered the dome through a large gate.
A surprising sight awaited me: Green meadows, wandering animals and some central buildings - almost like on Earth. I immediately started picking mushrooms, which not only quenched my hunger, but my thirst as well. Although raw mushrooms are not the best choice, they are better than nothing.
Next, I explored the abandoned buildings, including a small warehouse, a command center, and a radar tower. The latter piqued my interest, so I purposefully walked to the ladder to climb the tower. As I climbed up, however, I started thinking about how I was going to get back down safely.
In contrast to the surface, there is a lot of life in the domes. | Image: Combat Waffle
Ladders — my old enemies
From the top of the radar tower, I had a great view of the entire dome. I could also open some crates with rarer loot. Although I had hoped to find a weapon, my luck only brought me more resources. To get back to the ladder, I had to be extremely careful, as one misstep would inevitably mean my death.
After a few near-falls, I managed to reach the ladder with some difficulty. Now I had to grope backwards, grab the rungs and carefully descend. Of course, I failed and fell several meters. Fortunately, a railing on the tower broke my fall, and I was able to grab the ladder again.
This dicey situation brought back memories of fatal encounters with ladders in games like DayZ, which probably cost not only me my virtual life. Despite the incident, I eventually made it back to the ground alive. There, I briefly explored the remaining buildings, but without taking a close look at every nook and cranny, as my time in this demo was running out.
Ladders are definitely dangerous in Grim, at least when descending. | Image: Combat Waffle
Building houses on Mars
When I left the dome, I was pulled back out into the inhospitable Martian environment. There was still one feature I really wanted to try out: the construction system. I needed more raw materials, so I tracked down logs and collected wood in the area. I then created a blueprint to produce the desired components. Up to this point, the building process is not much different from Grim's spiritual role model, Rust.
However, the numerous key combinations required to select and place the correct components are somewhat sobering. Outside of VR, this is much more intuitive. However, once I had the first foundation in place, I was able to snap all the other elements into place with relative ease. This allowed me to build a small house in a short amount of time with the resources I had collected. Fortunately, I was able to make the lock for my front door myself to keep my belongings reasonably secure.
Just as I was installing the door, the damage began. My thirst seemed to have gotten the better of me, as I still had no shortage of oxygen. With no mushrooms left, I only had a few seconds to live. After my vision turned red and then black, my time with the Gamescom demo was over.
My first little house in Grim. | Image: Combat Waffle
My first impression of Grim
I spent about 45 minutes with Grim. The new title from the experienced studio impressed me across the board, which is probably due to the fact that I like survival games just as much as extraction shooters.
Graphically, especially the interactive objects, stand out and are really impressive for a Quest game. The rest of the atmosphere and the visuals are also on a high level, although you shouldn't be put off by the sparse Martian environment. Of course, there are not many details to be found here.
The sounds are also harmonious throughout, although I certainly haven't heard all the soundscapes in the game. In terms of technology and controls, Grim does almost everything right. There are only a few minor weaknesses when it comes to climbing and building, but these are hardly noticeable.
It is not yet known when Grim will be released. Combat Waffle has only revealed the target platforms, PSVR 2, PC-VR, Meta Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro. You can find more information in this article.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
