It’s a beautiful day in Eversong Woods and we’re following the questline to prove ourselves worthy of defending Silvermoon. But let’s be honest: we’ve got better things to do. We’re elf hunters, which means that our bow is for wimpy elves only, not boss mobs like the one stopping us from going further on this quest.
“Tsk, so it’s come to this,” we think as we kneel in front of the beast and whisper a few spells under our breath. The monster is no match for us and before you know it, he’s lying on the ground – dead – just like that.
The Elven Assassin is a short, easy to learn and play but difficult to master title where the player takes control of an archer elf, taking part in virtual tournaments by sniping enemies from afar. The game includes a variety of levels that offer its own challenges and environments. It’s a first-person title that uses the Touch controllers for navigation and includes Move support as well.
The game performs like a dream with no hiccups whatsoever. Everything runs smoothly, which is especially good given how intense the gameplay can get at times (the end of levels 1-4 comes to mind).
If you’re getting the impression from this review that Elven Assassin is extremely simple and straightforward, well…you’re right. But what’s surprising about it is just how good a little game like this can be in spite of its apparent lack of depth or mechanics.
And let’s be honest here: the concept behind the game is extremely simple, bordering on being a gimmick. The player takes control of an elf archer, who fires arrows at enemies in first person view until they are killed or out of arrows – there are no other mechanics involved. There are no plot twists or hidden secrets that turn the game into a monumental quest.
What makes Elven Assassin good is how it takes advantage of its simplicity, providing a variety of tightly designed levels that make players feel like they’re actually taking part in a virtual archery tournament where they compete for score and accuracy by sniping enemies from afar. The controls are responsive and work well with the Oculus Touch controllers.
The game is also pleasantly clear and easy to understand, with its simple instructions and tutorials teaching gamers how to play without leaving them confused or bored. Its mechanics are easy to learn but difficult to master, making it a good choice for those looking for something fun they can immediately jump into and play at will. Its gameplay is also short enough to allow players to play several matches in the same sitting without getting tired of it.
The level design is well thought out, giving players a variety of different combat situations to test their archery skills on. From wide open fields with little cover where enemies come at you from all directions to more narrow and closed-in areas where you have to be careful with your actions lest you end up hitting a rock or wall instead of the enemy. There’s also some good variety in the enemies themselves, which forces players to adapt their style of play at a moment’s notice as circumstances change.
Elven Assassin is a simple but fun game that’s actually a lot better than many of the overpriced VR titles you can get nowadays.
If there’s one thing I didn’t like about it, it would be that the environments are a little too open and barren for my tastes. But this is just nitpicking on my part because the game’s biggest asset is its wide-open level design.
Bottom line, I think it’s a pretty good bang for the buck. It won’t win any awards or be considered a zeitgeist-defining masterpiece of virtual reality gaming but it will give you an enjoyable experience that’s sure to brighten up your day.
If you like archery or FPS games, I’d say this is a must buy. You can find it on the Oculus Store for ten bucks and trust me when I say that you won’t be disappointed with what you get out of this one. I give it a solid 8.5/10.