Red Matter 2
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Very good sci-fi VR adventure lets players save the world.
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Red Matter 2
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What’s It About?
RED MATTER 2 picks up where the original Red Matter left off: while looking to escape the Atlantic Union's base as a Volgravian agent, you catch a distress signal from an old friend and venture deep into space to rescue him. Along the way, you unravel more of the mystery surrounding an allegedly catastrophic material called Red Matter. From a first-person perspective, you play as the (gender neutral) Sasha, who must solve challenging environmental puzzles, manipulate objects, hack terminals, traverse locations on foot or jetpack, and fight back against enemies. The single-player game fuses several genres -- including adventure, shooters, and platforming -- all held together with a strong narrative. Dialog sequences play as important a role as puzzle-solving in Red Matter 2, with strong voice acting for the short cast (much of the time you're chatting over video comms with a hologram-like agent, Beta, to help you out).
Is It Any Good?
If you enjoy slower-paced sci-fi stories -- and one with a Dystopian Cold War vibe to it -- this game will no doubt please you. Red Matter 2 isn't perfect, and it helps if you've played the first game to get the most out of this sequel, but it's a stellar (and great-looking) offering for those looking for a fun weekend getaway in space. At its core, this is an adventure game, which is where it shines best, with several puzzles to solve from a first-person perspective. Sure, there's a bit of repetition in the puzzles, like flipping circuits in a control panel or cracking a vault's code, but it's still gratifying, and fun to manipulate these items with your hands and claw contraption from your first-person view.
Like many "point-and-click" adventure games, you'll also scour a room for clues, like scraps of paper, and looking for other items littered about. You'll also find yourself jump from one platform to another with your jetpack, and at about the halfway mark, shooting back against those looking to kill you (mostly flying drones, robots and turrets). It can be tricky to aim and shoot, while also moving to evade enemy fire, so the combat portions aren't as enjoyable. Red Matter 2 is also a great looking game, and you'll often find yourself stopping in your tracks to take in the huge set pieces. Since it's VR, you can move your head around to see some beautifully-crafted scenes, such soaking up an awe-inspiring view of a planet's surface. (it may be one of the best-looking games for the Meta Quest VR platform.) Movement might be a little nauseating for some, but it's great the game gives you different options, such as transporting to different areas, a seated mode, and more. Overall, Red Matter 2 is a fun story that takes advantage of VR technology -- and without it feeling gimmicky. At its heart, it's a good story, complimented by great graphics and competent voice acting and music, and some decent puzzle-solving moments you won't soon forget.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about diversity. Red Matter 2 may impress players with its gender neutral protagonist, Sasha, but how is this game with diversity overall? Why are all human characters Caucasian? Does representation matter? Even in a sci-fi game with mostly robotic NPCs? Do players care?
Could this game be made for PCs and consoles, or could it only be made for VR headsets? What do you think would be lost or gained in making it a traditional 2D or 3D title?
Game Details
- Platforms: Oculus Rift , Oculus Quest
- Pricing structure: Paid ($29.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Vertical Robot
- Release date: August 18, 2022
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Robots , Science and Nature , Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: T for Fantasy Violence, Language
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
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