I Am Iron Man (in VR)
By: Joshua Gad
Tags: Gaming, Features, Marvel, PlayStation, VR

I Am Iron Man (in VR)

Step into Iron Man’s shoes on PlayStation VR

Iron Man VR, one of Playstation VR’s exclusive titles, was released last Friday on July 3rd. Developed by Camoflaj, creator of République and it’s VR counterpart. Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Iron Man VR seeks to bring the Marvel superhero suit to your home. Much like Insomniac’s 2018 Spider-Man, which was praised for putting you in the mind of Spider-Man, this VR title really ‘makes you feel like’ Iron Man.

Since the early days of VR, one of my dreams has been to ‘suit up,’ look at the futuristic heads-up-display that is so prominent in the Iron Man movies, and fly around, shoot robots, and punch things. One of my first ever VR pitches was just that, and I’m sure many others had a similar idea, and for a good reason. Nonetheless this game will hold a unique spot in just about anyone’s VR collection.

From the moment the game starts you’re already thinking ‘I am Iron Man.’ The HUD boots up, and although the flying controls feel a little floaty, when you get down to the combat of the game, dodging and maneuvering around enemies captures the dream of having a high tech battle / flight suit.

Thrusting to dodge incoming enemy attacks, shooting oncoming debris, and switching from hand cannons to missiles is an empowering experience. In open spaces where you’re free to move around, the combat mechanics and versatility shine. The enemies are all diverse and require you to dodge their attacks and hit them in different ways. Yes, there are occasional times in combat where you have to pick something up, or fix a machine to save people, but it’s more there for narrative purposes and as a way to break from combat.

Speaking of the narrative, the game contains an opening, 12 missions, and some bonus content. The story sets the stage nicely and it does introduce new and old characters with decent dialogue, events, and familiar places. The main villain of the game, Ghost, is perfect for this VR experience. She can create clones of herself, turn invisible, and shoot laser spears. She also has some scary moments for her namesake, but the boss fights themselves are challenging and satisfying. Her setup and story arc are well thought out and she is able to set the mood for each mission with ease.

Outside of missions though, the hub that is Tony Stark’s mansion contains the level select screen and is filled with a lot of neat interactions. The main event, outside the combat, is the upgrades. There are a good number of upgrades and slots available for your suit. You have thrusters, hand cannons, missile options, and more. I found myself using the rail guns, but there are smart bombs, charged hand cannons, and a lot of fun tools to play with. You can even change the look of your suit with bonus skins that are unlocked for completing optional challenges.

My biggest complaint is that this game pushes the Playstation to its limits — loading screens were often just a little too long. But since the game is an Iron Man combat flight simulator, I can forgive it.

For every Marvel or PSVR enthusiast, this game is as close as it gets to being Iron Man. It does a solid job providing the effects, the aesthetics, and the gameplay experience that players have been waiting for since the early days of VR.