Westworld Awakening
By David Chapman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Mature VR adventure set in HBO's futuristic theme park.
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Westworld Awakening
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What’s It About?
Welcome to Westworld, the Old West theme park where you can fulfill your every desire, because in WESTWORLD AWAKENING, you're Kate, an android "host" designed to play your part for the customer in a never-ending cycle of life and death. At least, that's the way it used to be, until something in your programming changed. Now, you've become self-aware and are only just beginning to discover your role in this artificial world. But with that awareness comes deadly new threats to your existence. You're the property of Delos, Inc., and they don't tend to like their androids going malfunctioning with pesky things like sentience. Security forces have been dispatched to reign in any "malfunctioning" units, but they're the least of your problems, because you're not the only rogue host running free. "Frank" was a Westworld host originally programmed as a serial killer determined to kill Kate. Now that he's free, he's still got his sights set on you. Do you have what it takes to evade Frank and the Delos security teams, escaping to freedom in the outside world? Will you once again be wiped and left as a tourist plaything? Or will you be scrapped once and for all?
Is It Any Good?
"Immersive" is a term tossed around a lot when it comes to virtual reality, but in the case of this virtual reality adventure, it's more than just buzz word. In fact, Westworld Awakening almost defines the term even before the VR factors in. The story's engaging right from the start with a tension that constantly builds and a pace that never feels dull. The fact that something could be coming around the corner for you at any minute makes even the simplest puzzles of the game a frantic test of your nerves. Couple this with some fantastic voice acting and a detailed environment, and it genuinely feels like you're living in an episode of the Westworld series.
As a story, Westworld Awakening shines as a cinematic experience. As a game though, and specifically as a VR game, players will soon discover both its best and its worst qualities. For starters, both the default movement and other motion controls are a bit off-putting. You walk/run by swinging your arms rather than moving your legs. It's a bit strange and takes some getting used to, but eventually it starts to feel more natural and almost like you're actually running around. But the biggest obstacle in Westworld Awakening is more in its marketing. From start to finish, the game's only a few hours long with no reason to replay it once you're finished. Considering its thirty-dollar retail price, it just feels like more could have been done to keep players coming back for more.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in entertainment. Is the impact of the violence in Westworld Awakening affected by the nature of virtual reality, which can seem more immersive than regular games? Is the impact lessened because you know you can take off the VR visor at any time?
How does VR tech bring players into the experience? What are some of the positives and negatives of VR gaming?
Game Details
- Platforms: HTC Vive , Oculus Rift
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: HBO
- Release date: August 20, 2019
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Adventures , Robots , Science and Nature
- ESRB rating: M for Strong Language, Sexual Themes, Blood, Intense Violence
- Last updated: August 26, 2019
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