The Art of Fight

Review

Okay, before I start, I will just say this: yes! The game is meant to be spelt “The Art of Fight” and while I feel that the title could probably do with another “the” to make sure it actually makes sense; I’m not the developer so I don’t have that sort of power. Now, moving on from that little query and onto the game itself!

The Art of Fight is a VR-based first person shooter, but one that has decided to focus more on the fast paced nature of it all, rather than the gritty realism some people might be looking for. Currently, the game is in Early Access on Steam, so it does mean that the game is far from being complete, leading to potential issues and lack of content here and there, but providing it’s not completely game breaking, then it’s excusable.

I would mention that the game has the same playstyle as any other FPS game, but that should already seem pretty clear from the description of first person shooter. Obviously, with a focus on the VR aspect of things, the game is doing its very best to throw you into the line of combat as quick as possible to give you a fast paced and incredibly fun experience; which the game most certainly manages to do. To add that extra level of enjoyment, the game has a focus on 4v4 multiplayer, so you’re going to be pitting each other’s skills to the test to see who the best badass is!

With FPS games, reactions are absolutely key and in this game it is more so than most when it comes to that particular rule - it takes an extra amount of skill to be able to point and shoot at your opponent in real time with your VR headset and handheld controllers, rather than the mouse. After playing through a few games and getting the controls down, you’ll be enjoying your time with the game immensely.

There is something interesting that The Art of Fight has implemented into their game, which I can’t personally test for myself, due to the fact that I don’t experience motion sickness when I play games - with or without VR. They’ve implemented a camera system that “supposedly” prevents motion sickness, which for some individuals is a really big issue when it comes to FPS games; especially so with VR games. To determine on whether the way the camera works is something you can stomach, I’d recommend watching a trailer on the game and see if anything in the trailer gives you cause for concern. Even though it’s a condition I don’t ever find myself suffering from, I appreciate the developer’s inclusion of the mechanic; presuming it does work as it is intended.
 One big factor of FPS games are the controls, and while The Art of Fight does manage to have a pretty comprehensive control scheme; when you first pick up the game the controls aren’t exactly the easiest to grasp and it could easily take about an hour or two to finally figure them out properly. Once you have figured them out appropriately, they play great, but it’s the initial learning curve of it all that makes you feel like you’re being held back from the fun part of the game until you have a general understanding of them.

In terms of visuals and aesthetics, the game reminds me of both Superhot and Mirror’s Edge, due to the simple and white background design that oozes simplicity. While some added colour might not go amiss, the visual style actually works perfectly well for the game and with the lack of colour it makes it a lot easier to not be distracted when an enemy pops around the corner.

The Art of Fight may have a bizarre name that I wish was partially changed, the overall gameplay of the game is incredibly strong and should be on anyone’s library of VR games; especially so for those of you who enjoy FPS games. Don’t be put off by the controls, even if they do take a little bit of time to get the hang of - once you’ve figured it out you won’t be complaining. Aesthetically the game does look a bit plain at times, but it suits the overall design of the game and for that I can’t really complain. I’m sure many sufferers of motion sickness will appreciate the camera that is designed to prevent this at all costs; but providing it works exactly as intended is another matter.

Again, the game is currently in Early Access, so content is regularly being updated into the game and there are going to be an assortment of bugs here and there until the game gets its final release. Even with all of that in consideration, regardless of whether you decide to buy the game now or later, you won’t be regretting a single essence of your purchase.