Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is an odd game to say the least, but it has the potential to pull in two different sets of audiences. The first is of course, those who are fans of the Rick and Morty show. Those who enjoy Job Simulator should also find a lot to like about this title in Virtual Reality. While it is a little light on content, what is here is well-made and a lot of fun.
First and foremost, the biggest issue most will have with Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is the length it takes to complete the game. Like many virtual reality titles, this one has a rather short campaign. It is a real concern, and one that might make a potential buyer question the associated price tag. It is a fair question to ask. However, I think the content that is here is good enough to justify the investment, especially if you fall into one (or especially if you fall into both) target audiences.
First and foremost, this is not a series I have a great deal of familiarity with. My kids are all older (ages 16, 18 and 21), and all three are fans of Rick and Morty, so I’ve had some exposure to the series while never really going out of my way to follow it. Still, to hear the familiar voice acting and participate in the show’s crude antics is undeniably entertaining. For those who bemoan VR’s lack of high definition graphics, the simple, colorful nature of the source content plays out very nicely here, making it a perfect fit visually.
If you are familiar with Job Simulator, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect here. You make use of VR room space to wander around one of three different environments interacting with a variety of different objects in unique ways. The Oculus Touch controls are fantastic, with precision and responsiveness that makes a ridiculous cartoon world surprisingly immersive. The everyday mundane objects of Job Simulator are a lot more entertaining when swapped out for the crazy gear Rick Sanchez makes available to you. His garage gives us access to a teleporter that allows access to a trio of different zones.
As I mentioned in the beginning however, the campaign is very short. More depth and more content would have gone a long ways towards making Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality an even more memorable experience. There is also very little in the way of replay value, though I do like the way the game opens up later and allows you to basically play in a sandbox and discover a variety of Easter eggs that are no doubt worthwhile treats for true fans of the show. Beating the primary story takes a little under three hours, and you can probably milk an extra hour or so out of the free play mode.
There is rests the biggest question gamers will have to consider: is this enough content? Considering all three of my kids have also played through it, I would say ‘yes’ to that question, at least in my situation. In the end, if a title leaves me wanting more, that is usually the sign of a pretty good game. We have gotten good mileage out of the title and all four of us enjoyed our time with Rick and Morty’s ridiculous antics. However, the evolution of Job Simulator found here in Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is a somewhat modest one. There is a new coat of paint with some NPC interactions that give the experience a little more structure, but the lack of depth here does make this more of a very fun novelty than a game you’ll likely go back to time and again.
Score: 7.5 / 10
