Mr. PSVR-2
Ancient Amuletor by Time of VR finally releases on PlayStation VR, and that is a very good thing. Some have classified this as a wave shooter or a tower defense type of game, and to me, it’s an awesome combination mixed in with a Gauntlet-type play. You have four classes to select from: archer, gunslinger, mage, and puppet master. With the two move controllers and you using the archer, you are shooting arrows as you would a bow and arrow. The Gunslinger gives you a gun in each hand. The Mage has you with a book in one hand as you cast and throw your spells, and probably my favorite is the Puppet Master, which allows you to throw your puppet down towards the enemies, as throwing and punching allows your puppet to follow your actions.
Each character will play differently, and you will have to find the one that fits your style. To get around, you teleport to any one of the pillars to stop swarms of enemies from attacking. A welcome addition is the ability to switch between the classes on the fly. For example, Katie the Gunslinger is better for close range, while Lia the Archer is better suited for distance. Harry the Mage is for when the groups are small, and Park the Puppeteer is for the larger groups of enemies.
Now, even though you do have waves of enemies coming at you in an environment that is very immersive, it’s not your typical wave-shooter game, and for that, I respect and admire it. With enemies coming all around, I am very thankful to be able to teleport to get a different view that you may not find in other shooters, and that adds to the experience and seems like a different game every time I play. The move controllers do very well here, and there is no DualShock 4 controller support, and I am kind of glad, as I think that might lose some of the immersion that Time of VR and Ancient Amuletor are going for here.
As of now, there are only four levels that include boss battles, and I will say that facing a giant sphinx in VR is something that needs to be experienced. Now, keep in mind there are talks of DLC that would be added at a later date, but as of now, I am happy to take Ancient Amuletor for what it is. A fun, immersive shooter that, with the two Move controllers, allows you to escape and defend. But who says you have to go at this alone? You can play co-op with up to three other players in the same arena, which not only allows you to take down the enemies but also to see who can outdo each other for the MVP of the match, and that is also something I very much appreciated for bringing to the table.
Ancient Amuletor and Time of VR succeed here by not following the pack but instead setting a boundary of having fun, being immersive, having a very enjoyable atmosphere, and being competitive. Ancient Amuletor should honestly be part of your PlayStation VR arsenal.
A review copy was provided. Ancient Amuletor comes out on June 27, 2017, on the PlayStation Store and will update once it is live, but to get that taste that will have you wanting more, please try the demo that is available now. To learn more about Time of VR and to see what amazing things they will come up with next, please follow them @TimeofVR.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I have to see if I can play this on the hardest setting, but I may need to play some more co-op and see who I can beat.
