Path of Fury on Meta Quest Preview: This 80s revenge thriller will make you sweat like Beat Saber
I was able to play the new VR game from the Trek to Yomi maker on Meta Quest 3 and worked up quite a sweat.
Leonard Menchiari, who gave us the playable love letter to 1950s Samurai movies, Trek to Yomi, is back with his next game. While Trek to Yomi was all about atmospheric black-and-white cinematography and Japanese voice acting, Path of Fury takes a different swing at retro Asian cinema — this time in VR.
Trading swords for fists
The game follows familiar revenge-story territory, but swaps out the samurai sword for bare-knuckle fighting from a first-person perspective. It opens in a dimly lit high-rise, where I'm interrogating a bound suspect. After some persuasion, he talks — then attacks me when I free him, promptly finding himself sailing through a window. This sets up my journey to Tetsuo's Tower, where my target awaits.
The coarse film grain may seem like low resolution at first glance, but it is a deliberate stylistic device. | Image: Abonico Game Works
Two things become immediately clear: this game has a distinct visual style, and it's going to leave you drenched in sweat.
VHS aesthetics meet Virtual Reality
Menchiari has created something that feels like a playable 80s Kung Fu movie crossed with early 2000s action games. The visuals strongly resemble 2023's El Paso, Elsewhere, featuring pixelated 3D graphics and deliberately blurred faces that ooze retro charm.
Path of Fury tells a revenge story that is typical of 80s genre cinema. | Image: Abonico Game Works
The heavy film grain effect might look like poor resolution at first glance, but it's intentional — perfectly capturing that old VHS tape quality. While this aesthetic choice won't appeal to everyone, it's a treat for those who appreciate unconventional VR visuals.
Kung Fu fighting on rails
The gameplay moves you automatically between fixed positions — no artificial locomotion here. Enemies line up in front of you, and like Batman: Arkham Shadow, the game highlights specific strike zones. Timing is crucial.
The colored markings indicate where my next strike should go. | Image: Abonico Game Works
Hit zones shrink the longer you wait, and you need to nail both the timing and angle. A color-coding system indicates required force: white for quick jabs, blue for medium strikes, and red for full-power hits.
My preview covered the first two levels, taking about 30 minutes. That was enough time to completely soak through my shirt.
My first impressions on Path of Fury
Path of Fury combines the intensity of a VR fitness workout with the atmosphere of an 80s revenge thriller. Each floor introduces new enemy types or groups, mini-bosses, and retro-styled environments. The big question is whether the combat will stay engaging across its estimated 4-5 hour runtime. Trek to Yomi, while visually stunning, lost steam in its later stages. I'm curious to see how Path of Fury holds up in its later levels.
Path of Fury launches March 13 for Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Quest 2, priced at around $10.
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