Spuds Unearthed

Spuds Unearthed has a lot of cool elements, but they unfortunately don’t add up to a very compelling game. Plagued by overly complex interface elements and a very flimsy structure, the core gameplay just isn’t interesting enough to keep players coming back for more.

Spuds Unleashed was not a bad game, in fact, I grew to somewhat enjoy it. I just feel it took too long to get to grips with the controls and the aiming was sometimes too inaccurate to be enjoyable. If you persevere you can get over this issue, I just feel most people will be put off well before then.

There's a fun game buried away inside Spuds Unearthed's needlessly complicated exterior but even when you figure out what's going on, a chronic lack of challenge kills the game before it ever really gets going.

While you have to give credit to Spuds Unearthed for trying to be bold and merging two genres into the VR perspective, the execution does not work well. The dodgy controls make a poor impression on those trying out VR for the first time, and the lack of a narrative makes it all feel pointless. The lack of proper explanation for anything is what dooms the game, as it takes loads of unnecessary trial and error to figure things out, from initiating multiplayer to how to set up for fights, let alone how to make yourself useful in the skirmishes. While Spuds Unearthed isn't the worst VR experience out there, it is certainly one to avoid.

There’s a core gameplay loop that could have some substance, but it’s surrounded by a confused interface, a simply awful tutorial, with surface-level complexity that needn’t exist.