DISCLAIMER: This may be considered a somewhat biased review as I know the Devs personally, however, this is my honest feedback on the game, so I figured I would share.
As a quick-to-pickup and play game (which is also quick to put away), Camp Grizzly is an amazing game to showcase to a small group what VR is all about. We run a summer tech-camp, Smart Start Camp (https://www.smartstartcamp.ca/), in conjunction with Blackmith Studios (they teach kids age 7-15 how to develop games as a part of the camp, quite literally the best camp ever) and Camp Grizzly is the perfect fit for our camp. Campers were even able to participate in the testing and debugging during launch, which was certainly an experience they will never forget!
The game is kid friendly, while maintaining playability for all ages, with some humor intertwined in the achievements that you can earn throughout the game. We have literally had kids play this game all day, and we have had people in their 20s on our staff not want to get off the system, especially the ones that love a good challenge and want to get the high score. I lasted for almost 10-minutes, let’s see if you can top that! (DISCLAIMER: it was actually an 11-year old camper playing with my account signed in that got on a hot streak, so I can’t really take credit for that one, he tried for a few days to get that score).
Do you get frustrated that you keep dying to quickly and can’t seem to get a handle on balancing all the tasks to stay alive? Then this situational survival game might not be for you, or you may want to just try it a few more times and see if you can get a system down to stay alive longer. I know if it wasn’t for the fact that the campers were playing under my account, I would not have made it past a couple minutes, you need to stay focussed and that is hard to do that when you are running the camp too.
There is some room for improvement, but I know the devs will keep enhancing the game wherever they see an opportunity to improve gameplay. I know there were a couple bugs when it first released, and I noticed some of the problems that others commented about with some of the health states not being as clear as would be desirable, seeming to die out of nowhere, etc, but I watched as the devs fixed it right before my eyes as soon as they became aware by the community feedback. Within the day all known bugs/experience enhancement opportunities were fixed/implemented, and what really let’s you know that these devs care about the community, not just the players, but the next generation of devs too, they took the time to involve the camp in the testing and debugging of all the improvements, this team is a real class act (literally teaching classes too).
From our experience of a game designed to be entertaining for all ages, especially one that can be used in an arcade-style pickup-and-go setting, this worked really well for us, and was a hit with the campers. They also really liked Show Me What You Got, another pickup-and-go game developed by Blacksmith Studios just prior to Camp Grizzly (mind you not everyone at camp could figure out how to juggle, but they had fun losing all the same).
Looking for a complex game you can play uninterrupted for hours on end? This isn’t the game for you. But if you have some family, friends, or a camp to entertain or really anytime you want to show off your VR system, Camp Grizzly certainly hits the spot. For those that want a game that’s fun to play and does not take too long, with infinite replayability and the constant challenge to be the best, this is also for you. (those that liked to see how many times you could volley the ball back and forth in a rally over the net to see if you could get to 1,000 reps, this will feel like you are right where you are supposed to be all afternoon)
Anyhow, that’s my two-cents, and I hope that it helps you determine if this is a game you would like to try. Even if you only play it once, it’s a really cool VR experience that I recommend that everyone try!
