Gadgeteer is a physics-based VR puzzle game where you build chain reaction machines to solve fun, intricate puzzles. Your machines will use gadgets to launch, bump, twist, and turn-creating chain reactions that may even end up tearing apart the fabric of space-time. Gadgeteer has two modes: Puzzle Mode and Maker Mode.
In Puzzle Mode, you will solve 60 physics-based puzzles in endless ways. You can clear each level by completing the goal of the puzzle or find your own solutions
In Maker Mode, you break all the rules and build your dream machine without any of the objectives. When you’re done building, you can share it with your friends or experience the engineering aspects such as weight, center of mass and balance. Gadgeteer brings VR-based gadgets and physics to life in ways never before possible.
The main menu is a little bit confusing at first. It shows you how many puzzles there are, but not the number of levels within those puzzles – forcing you to tap on “play” just to see what comes next
After that initial confusion, the game seems to offer much in terms of content. Three modes give you plenty of reason to come back, and having all three available right away is a nice touch
The visuals are clean and crisp without any noticeable hitches or slowdowns – though it’s clear that Gadgeteer wasn’t designed with visuals in mind
Gadgeteer is a game that tasks you with building Rube Goldberg machines, but instead of the usual trapping balls or hitting switches, your Gadgets are used to propel other objects. This sounds fairly simple on paper, but there are many puzzle nuances that make Gadgeteer extremely complex
Tracking problems are another potential issue I ran into – though mostly when using the Quest’s controllers alone. This is an issue that will likely be rectified if the Quest ever gets Oculus Touch support because there are many gadgets that rely on you being able to aim them at specific parts of your environment
The game also offers up tons of content, with 60 levels for puzzle mode and endless possibilities in maker mode. There’s no way you can beat everything this game has to offer in a single playthrough, which also helps extend the life of the game.
The graphics of Gadgeteer are really nice and detailed with vibrant colors that meld together well. The visual style is simple yet effective with a cartoonish look to it. Since you can build some pretty complicated things in this game, some might find the physics a little off but I personally didn’t have any problems with it. The music and sound effects of Gadgeteer are pretty good because they aid in the overall gameplay experience.
Gadgeteer is an interesting VR game that lets you create chain reaction machines to solve fun, intricate puzzles. The physics can be a bit challenging to get used to but once you get the hang of it, it becomes fun to experiment around with. Gadgeteer is a game that is worth checking out if you are looking for something different in VR.