Arizona Sunshine Remake [Quest 3] | REVIEW

Arizona Sunshine was one of the first virtual reality titles that really wowed me, with its action-packed zombie-killing romp standing out as one of the best titles on the platform back in 2016. Now, with Arizona Sunshine Remake, it’s back in a new and improved form, with the greatly improved visuals and refined gameplay mechanics ensuring that it still manages to stand out as a virtual reality great.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Much like the original game, Arizona Sunshine Remake once again sees players waking up in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, with one aim in mind: to find survivors and make their way to safety, with an incoming radio message sparking hope that there are others out there. The game does keep things relatively simple with its storytelling, but with plenty of trials and tribulations to face throughout the adventure, it just about does enough to keep players invested in their plight.

When it comes to the gameplay, a lot of Arizona Sunshine Remake will feel familiar if you played the original game, with this pretty much sticking to the exact formula. You’ll shoot your way through linear levels where it’s always clear where you need to go, but you’ll often find yourself facing obstacles you need to overcome. Generally, this typically boils down to finding the relevant item needed to progress, but with set pieces aplenty (as well as huge hordes of zombies to kill), it’s a constantly exciting experience.

And believe me, when I say they’re huge hordes, I mean it. Arizona Sunshine Remake fills the screen with zombies at times, with different varieties swaying their way towards you that often require a specific approach to deal with. Armoured zombies will take some well-placed shots to take down effectively, whilst the faster zombies always need to be prioritised just to keep them off your back, and that’s all whilst dealing with the typical staggering variety which always seem to be lurking around every corner… yeah, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed, but it all adds to the tension of the experience. Arizona Sunshine Remake can be tough, so it’s easy to find yourself punished if you miss shots or are ill-prepared with ammo. You know what, though? It makes it so much more thrilling to play, with that added sense of tension complementing the light-hearted horror of the experience.

“Arizona Sunshine Remake isn’t as good as its sequel, but the improved visuals and refined mechanics ensure that it’s still a blast to play.”

It’s when facing off against these zombies that one of the main improvements of this remake is shown off, with the gore, exploding body parts, and leftover limbs of zombies looking better than ever… you know… in a horrifying kind of way. The visual upgrade of Arizona Sunshine Remake is really impressive, with the game more in line with its sequel with its graphical prowess. Everything looks sharper and more detailed throughout thanks to the improved textures, whilst things like the enhanced lighting adds a greater sense of atmosphere – especially in the levels where you’re dealing with a lot of darkness.

The game also brings over the advanced reloading mechanics from Arizona Sunshine 2, which sees players manually inserting clips and cocking their gun back as opposed to simply bringing their gun to their chest. It makes for a more immersive experience that’s more realistic in design, though given that plenty of other virtual reality shooters have been doing that for years now, it feels like more of a surprise omission from the original game as opposed to a revolutionary reinvention of the formula. But hey, there’s no denying that it’s really cool, whilst it makes the more frantic moments when you’re facing off against enemies more dramatic when you find yourself rushing your reload to stop an incoming zombie from taking a bite out of you.

Oh, and if you do run out of ammo and can’t reload? There are melee weapons on offer this time around, which aren’t only satisfying to use but also really demonstrate just how gory this remake can be.

The main campaign still offers an exciting romp with plenty of variety, whilst both DLC campaigns and the horde mode are included in the meaty package too. You can also play through the entire game in online co-op, which adds a tantalising (and often more forgiving) twist to the adventure. Players might also notice some small refinements across the adventure, and whilst Arizona Sunshine Remake doesn’t completely reinvent itself in a similar vein to other remakes, returning players will appreciate the little changes that help make for a more improved and enjoyable experience.

Check out some screenshots down below:

However, it could be argued that it could have done a little bit more. Don’t get me wrong, Arizona Sunshine Remake is still a blast to play and I really enjoyed my time with the game, but it’s clear throughout that it plays second fiddle to its more superior sequel. Whilst I can appreciate it might have been difficult to implement features such as having a dog companion, the lack of interactivity and variety within the world design, its enemies, and its set pieces is a lot more noticeable when comparing the game to its sequel. Is this a problem? No, but it does make me wish that a few more design elements of Arizona Sunshine 2 were brought over to really help this remake feel more fresh and innovative.

It’s hard to be too critical though because Arizona Sunshine Remake still brings plenty of improvements to ensure that it stands out as a worthwhile and substantial remake. I actually went back to the original game just to refresh myself on how it used to be, and honestly, the differences are night-and-day, with Arizona Sunshine Remake bringing improvements to just about every aspect of the experience. It can also be purchased as an upgrade for owners of the original game for just $10, which makes re-visiting the game will all of its enhancements all the more alluring.

Developer: Vertigo Games
Publisher: Vertigo Games
Platform(s): Meta Quest 3 (Reviewed), PlayStation VR 2, PC VR
Website: https://www.arizona-sunshine.com/