In 2023 we have so many fantastic VR Rhythm games to chose from. Take on the way of the Jedi with Beat Saber, unleash your inner Viking with Ragnarock or become a K-Pop star with Audio Trip. Another game in this genre is OhShape, developed by Odders Lab. In this game, you have to move through carved-out walls, dodge or break obstacles, and follow the beat of the music. While it may be classified as a VR rhythm game, it has a different gameplay that requires the movement of the whole body (although, not really). In this review, we’ll take a closer look at OhShape and see how it fares as a VR rhythm game.
Verdict
Table of Contents
About OhShape
| Rating on Oculus store with # of reviews | 4/5 (801 Ratings) |
| Rating on Steam store with # of reviews | 80% (270) |
| Release Date | 14 Dec, 2019 |
| Genre | Casual, Music & Rhythm |
| Time to beat main story | NA |
| Replayability | Medium |
Gameplay
OhShape’s gameplay involves dodging or breaking obstacles that come towards the player through carved-out walls while following the beat of the music. The game is played only by moving each part of the body to the exact position required by the game. The walls are semi-transparent, allowing the player to anticipate what is coming next. While the gameplay is unique and requires full-body movement, it can feel repetitive and frustrating at times.
For players that are just getting into OhShpae it is highly recommended to turn the accuracy down to 0.8 and select the no fail option. This will allow you to progress through the levels without having to restart as you get use to the game mechanics.
Fitness Intensity
According to a study VR Institute of Health and Fitness, OhShape can burn around 4-6 calories per minute, making it a moderate workout. The game is designed to get the player moving and sweating, but the gameplay can feel monotonous after a while, which may cause players to lose interest in the game as a fitness tool.
Audience Score
Looking at the reviews on Steam and Oculus Store, OhShape received mixed reviews from its audience. Steam users gave it a 7/10, while Oculus users rated it 4/5 stars. Players praised the unique concept of the game and those that put in the effort to get up to expert difficulty complimented it on being a great work out. However, many were disappointed with the lack of content, tracking issues and replayability.
Immersion
The graphics and audio in OhShape are decent and in a recent update they look even better, but the game fails to fully immerse the player into the game. While game’s concept is interesting, but the overall experience feels uninspired and underwhelming to me. Time perception can also be an issue while playing the game, especially when trying to hit objects that are coming at you at a fast pace.
This is not a dig at the developers Odders, they produced one the best fitness VR games of all time – Les Mills Body Combat. I far prefer punching orbs or slashing boxes compared to making strange shapes with my body.
Replayability
The 47 handcrafted songs in OhShape come with 4 different difficulty levels, providing a challenge for players of all experience levels.
If you’re a solo player, one of the major drawbacks of OhShape is its low replayability factor. Once you’ve a played a few of the levels, there’s not much incentive to come back and play the game again. They do have a custom song support but the tracking of the body can be punishing when trying to reach global high scores. This issue was also highlighted by players in their reviews.
Conclusion
Is OhShape Worth It?
OhShape is an interesting concept that fails to live up to expectations. While the unique gameplay and moderate workout it provides are a plus, the lack of content and replayability leaves players feeling unfulfilled. The game's time perception issues also take away from the overall experience. While it may be worth trying out for VR enthusiasts, it's not a game that will have a lasting impact on the VR rhythm game genre.
Price: $19.99
Operating System: Pico 4, Quest, PCVR
6.8
Pros
- Unique gameplay that feels like it requires full-body movement
- Moderate workout - gets better as you get better
- Good concept
Cons
- Lack of content and replayability
- Repetitive gameplay
- Tracking issues which cause you to fail obstacles