AVICII Invector: Encore Edition [Quest 2] | REVIEW

The music of the late Tim Bergling and rhythm-based gameplay are a REALLY good match, which is something that the teams at Hello There Games and Wired Productions proved when they launched AVICII Invector back in 2019. It was a hit for gamers, and after a successful release across both PC and consoles, it has now made its virtual reality debut on the Quest 2 in the form of AVICII Invector: Encore Edition.

It’s the perfect fit for the platform thanks to its dazzling visuals and addictive gameplay loop, and whilst it might not always be as accessible as similar releases on the platform, it’s definitely worth taking a look at if you’re a Quest 2 owner.

Check out a gallery of screenshots down below:

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AVICII Invector: Encore Edition’s gameplay revolves around leading a spaceship across a sprawling neon-lit track, with timed-button inputs having to be hit accurately as you switch between lanes, flip the track to fly across all angles, and even soar through the skies and fly through rings. It makes for a really enjoyable experience that keeps players on their toes thanks to its everchanging gameplay loop, with each song you play through always demanding more of the player than simply pressing the right button at the right time. It’s really good fun and certainly sits up there with some of the rhythm-based gameplay greats, whilst moving up in difficulty and mastering the harder tracks is super rewarding.

The soundtrack is outstanding. If you’re a fan of AVICII’s music, you’ll be really happy with the track list, which features his top hits as well as those which players might not be so familiar with. It felt like a touching tribute being able to play through the songs in such a thrilling fashion in-game, especially when you hit your favourite (That’s ‘Without You’ for me) and nail it. The game might not necessarily bring the musical variety seen in other titles, but you know exactly what you’re getting and it comes together really well.

Everything looks wonderful in the Quest 2 headset too, with each level packed to the brim with colour and fanciful sequences that make the whole experience a treat on the eyes. It’s a real tour de force of visual pizzazz and it all looks brilliant in virtual reality, with the soaring lights and slick effects certainly complementing the immersion offered by the headset.

“If you’re a fan of AVICII’s music, you’ll be really happy with the track list, which features his top hits as well as those which players might not be so familiar with.”

It’s clear then that AVICII Invector: Encore Edition works really well in virtual reality, though it does have its flaws that weren’t as obvious on other platforms.

For one (and this might be more of a personal issue), I’m WAY less familiar with the Quest 2’s controller’s button layout. I originally played AVICII Invector on the PlayStation 4 and appreciated that I knew exactly where I could find the buttons that were displayed on the screen from muscle-memory alone, but I’m used to simply wagging my hands around and hitting the trigger buttons when playing on the Quest 2 – when the button inputs were popping up, my fingers were all over the place. It’s something I got better with the longer I played (and it might not be such an issue for everyone else), but it’s definitely a lot less accessible on the platform when compared to the likes of Beat Saber or Pistol Whip, especially since its not as convenient to take a quick glance down at the buttons.

There are a lot of instances where you’ll watch cinematic sequences of the game play as a flatscreen cutscene too, which is a shame. A lot of the game’s strengths lie with how attractive it is visually, so not getting to see some of those moments in their most immersive virtual reality form was a little disappointing.

It’s quite a static experience when compared to other virtual reality rhythm-based games too, with the player never having to move around fully but instead just sit there with the controllers in hand. Again, other titles have had players jolting their arms all over the place or keeping up with the action with their body, but that sort of excitement wasn’t present here. It just emphasised the fact that the game wasn’t designed for VR headsets, but was instead brought over a few years later. That’s not a problem and it doesn’t stop the game from being a whole lot of fun to play, but it does mean it’s a little less accessible and immersive than the rhythm games that were built from the ground-up for the platform.

Developer: Hello There Games
Publisher: Wired Productions
Platforms(s): Quest 2 (Reviewed)
Website: https://invectorgame.com/