ESPER

[code][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]Follow our curator page: IndieGems[/url] for more reviews.[/code] [b]ESPER[/b] is a VR physics-based puzzle. It is a seated experience that takes place in a single room. The game can be played with either a regular controller or motion controllers. You have special psychic abilities and because of this, you have been recruited by the government to take part in a series of tests. The game features narration that reminded me of “The Stanley Parable”. The narrator presents all the puzzles to you and comments on your actions in a funny way. Puzzles themselves are simple, yet can offer some challenge because you are interacting with the objects from a distance using your telekinetic powers. The goal is to guide an object (or multiple objects) through a series of obstacles. Some puzzles require not just logic but quick reaction time as well. [b]ESPER[/b] is a short game and it should take you about an hour to complete all 6 chapters of the story. There are plenty of missable achievements so it will take you longer if you want to get 100%. You can replay any chapter from the main menu once you unlock them. [h1]Verdict[/h1] I wish [b]ESPER[/b] was longer and had room scale puzzles but it is still a good and inexpensive VR game. It is very much worth playing if you like physics-based puzzles and Portal-like humor. Here is me playing through the first few chapters of the game: https://youtu.be/32yfvI6dtqs [code]Disclaimer: A copy of the game was provided by the publisher, however, it did not influence my opinion in any way.[/code] [h1]PC Specs[/h1] [table] [tr] [th][u]Hardware[/u][/th] [th][u]Type[/u][/th] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]VR[/b][/td] [td]Oculus Rift (CV1)[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]CPU[/b][/td] [td]Intel Core i7 5820K 3.30GHz[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]GPU[/b][/td] [td]Nvidia GeForce GTX 970[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]RAM[/b][/td] [td]16GB DDR4[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td][b]OS[/b][/td] [td]Windows 10 PRO[/td] [/tr] [/table]

[h1]TL;DR – If this game was free or only a dollar or two it’d get a recommendation. Otherwise, it’s a resounding “Eh.” [/h1] MAN it's hard to pick a "yes" or "no" for this game since it's such a 5/10, middle of the road, ho-hum experience that it's incredibly difficult to figure out which side I fall on. I've had this game on my wishlist for a while now and now that I've played it I can't lie; I'm a little dissapointed, but not like... THAT dissapointed... For starters, this game wants to be Portal. From the shifting wall panels, to the disembodied voice, to a majority of even the story moments, there's nearly a 1:1 comparison between the two games. There’re surfaces that you can't interact through, there's cubes and spheres you put into receptacles, there's light physics elements, there's switches and buttons that alter the layout of the level. When I finished the game, my first thought was "If literally ONE element of this game was on par with Portal, It'd immediately get a recommendation from me." Here's all the things that are just overwhelmingly decent about this game: [list] [*]The puzzles are too simple, and not quite well designed to be considered excellent. They're alright, but for a puzzle game, that's a pretty big deal breaker. I never felt like I had a real eureka moment that you often get from figuring out a clever puzzle. Looking back, none of them needed to be in VR, and nearly always took place on a 2D plane. [*]The dialogue isn't necessarily funny or quippy, and certainly isn't quotable. I think they're trying to emulate Cave Johnson, with the rampant apathetic boss who doesn't really know what's going on, but there's not enough personality to make anything come through. Every line of dialogue wound up being just a throwaway line. I can quote every line of Portal 1+2 from memory, and I can't remember a single thing that was said throughout this game. [*]On the subject of dialogue, the voice actor's performance isn't strong enough on it’s own to sell the only okay writing either. Again, not nearly enough personality. Think along the lines of listening to a worn-out tour guide, but on a good day for them. [*]There's just a hint of worldbuilding, with some lines of dialogue being devoted to expanding the world, how the psychic powers work, and so on, but it's so short and inconsequential that it might as well not have been there at all, but at the same time it's nice to have. [*]The graphics are relatively bland, you're in an office building throughout the whole experience, but they're not awful by any means. Serviceable but not particularly stylized. [*]The controls work around 75% of the time, the other 25% is buggy and just not all the way there. You have to have unreal patience for certain sections. Since this is a physics puzzle game, incorrect solutions were a coin flip on whether or not it was just a physics bug or a controls hiccup. Even worse was one time when I had a box in a receptacle, it didn't register. When I went to fix it, the box fell out onto the ground and I had to redo the puzzle all over again. I believe that the culprit is the desk you sit behind, which blocks your "sightline" to interactable objects which will interrupt your psychic powers. If the desk wasn't there for roughly half the tests, the controls would be fixed, though I'll admit I might not have set the sitting position correctly. Sit higher than you would when setting up the seated position. [*]It's about an hour long, no matter how you slice it. I beat it in around 50 minutes, but other reviews give it an hour and a half. Regardless, it's just long enough that I feel like the price is reasonable, but longer than I'd want for this kind of game, given concept and execution and scope. This is just a touch longer than the length of a VR game that I would want to give to someone who's new to VR games and is looking for a short puzzle game to try. [/list] The worse part about all of this is how if literally a single one of those problems were fixed, either the puzzles, the writing, the voice acting, the graphics, or the controls, the game would be so easy to recommend. It's cheap, it's short, it'd be a no brainer. But as it stands right now, it misses the mark by the absolute [i] smallest [/i] amount. It's so close to being pleasant but flawed, quirky and decent, but it's so average on every front, the only way I could recommend this game is if it were free, or at the very least a buck or two. At it's full price of $9, as much as it probably pains the devs to read this, it's just too much for the completely and utterly average game you're getting. That being said, I really do look forward to what the next VR game the developers put out. They're SO close to having the next little VR indie hit that I really think they could pull it off.

2 Minute Video Review → https://youtu.be/FfJhaxxBV3Q In ESPER, you have supernatural telekinetic powers and you’re putting them to the test in a series of puzzle challenges. The goal of each puzzle is to bring either a specific square, sphere, or both to their respective devices. You’ve probably played physics based puzzle games before so you know what to expect here. Each puzzle is like a miniature obstacle course and you need to decipher the right way to move things into place or set off a series of events that accomplish the goal. There’s a few limiting factors with your powers: You can’t control objects behind walls, and the grid-like glass is extra thick glass so you can’t control through those either. Later in the game you’ll be dealing with heavy safe cubes, those you can’t lift but you can drag them on the ground. The whole game occurs in one special office that reminds me of the old inspector gadget cartoons. Between every level the walls dynamically make way for robot arms to tear down and assemble all the puzzles. It’s visually well designed and fun to watch. Also throughout the game you’re being guided and challenged by a well spoken individual that acts as both mentor and antagonist. I beat all the levels in about an hour and a half, and the regular price is $9. For a fun and entertaining sit-down puzzle game, check it out.

Difficulty is practically non-existant, game is incredibly short and isn't especially funny. It has its moments (like two in total), but even though I bought it for 5 bucks I feel incredibly robbed. The worst part about it is that it doesn't have any right to be a VR title. The vast majority of the "puzzles" (the term puzzle is putting it somewhat generously) are inherently 2-dimensional and the few that aren't wouldn't really lose anything about them if they weren't.

A physics based VR game with fun puzzles and humorous dialogue - You are part of the ESPR program which is an experiment ran by the government to test if you are in control of your telekinetic powers. https://youtu.be/4rDAM-8eHy8

Great Puzzle game! polished, witty and funny dialogue with a feel like you where in Aperture Science being tested... You are in a science facility being tested, as you might have guessed by the title, you are an Esper and have telepathy, you can move objects with your mind. And so the whole game is based on moving things from one place to another using "your mind" these test all take place on the same room, that moves and shuffles around when setting up for the next test, and these animations are really well done, fluid and while cartoonish really fits the whole vive they are going for. During the game theres a person instructing you on what to do, this voice actor was great! he nailed the way to deliver the lines of a management person testing yet another random with telekinectic powers lol... Puzzles are progressively mode complex and difficult, while i dont think it was super hard, a couple of them did require a little bit more thought. Performance was great, graphics where nice, voice was fabulous, sfx where correct... i didnt encounter any game breaking bugs, and while sometimes there is a bit of jankyness when moving objects around, its not bad and easy to recover if something goes wrong. I got this during a sale and it took me ~1.5hrs to finish the game and get all the achievements, so id say it was a pretty good deal for me! Recommended for anyone wanting a solid working puzzle game involving physics with a bit of a Portal humor sparkled in.

Esper is a fascinating VR game that blends puzzle-solving with telekinetic powers, offering a unique and immersive experience. In this game, you play as a character who has gained psychic abilities, allowing you to manipulate objects and solve challenges in creative ways. The VR aspect really shines here, making every action feel intuitive and satisfying as you use your mind to interact with the environment. The puzzles are well-designed, gradually increasing in complexity to keep you engaged without feeling overwhelming. The sense of empowerment that comes from mastering your abilities adds a rewarding layer to the gameplay. Visually, the game uses a clean and minimalist style that helps keep the focus on the puzzles and your powers rather than flashy graphics. I recommend Esper to anyone looking for a thoughtful VR experience that combines mental challenges with cool abilities. It’s a great game if you enjoy puzzle games and want to feel like a psychic in virtual reality. The intuitive controls and clever design make it a standout title for VR players seeking something fresh and engaging. 8/10

Мне понравилось заниматься ерундой в VR. Двигаешь предметы, слушаешь нарочито серьезный голос экспериментатора, комментирующий ситуацию с паранормальными способностями в целом и с твоими умственными лично. Открыв рот, следишь за установкой реквизита. По типу (и сложности?) - тесты скорее для обезьянок, но от этого не менее увлекательные. Тем более, что голодом не морят и током не бьют. Просто, добротно, красиво. Уютно. В целом мне было очень весело. Небольшая.

6/10 - O.K. Reminded me of 'Aperture Desk Job', a game that comes with Steam Deck. But not as good or innovative. still, at Sale price 25 puzzles, around 2 hrs of game play. not bad. worked well with Quest 3 with VD Streamer.

Tho not quite as fascinating as it's big brother "I Expect You To Die", Esper is still a lot of fun and works perfectly. This is one of the most immersive VR games you will find. The mechanics, voice acting, design is all top notch. It's as close to perfect as it gets, The ONLY caveat that I have about this era of VR games is that you can't help but feel a bit lonely playing them You are supposed to! Isolation is part of the vibe, I get it! But it does start to get to you. It works, it makes the momentum run and the escape feel real, its just kind of .. hard to put my finger on it. It wants some sort of character relationship on top of your own characters development? And no I don't mean romantic wise (although that's fine too) just sort of anything wise. You'll see what I mean, and you still won't regret playing Esper. These developers know VR and provide a truly polished experience. Go get you some Esper.