The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend delivers an intriguing VR narrative journey missing in its execution. Learn on for our full assessment:
VR’s immersive nature provides it a singular benefit over flatscreen video games, and throughout the final decade, we have seen builders ship compelling narratives. Between revisiting acquainted worlds like in Half-Life: Alyx, new adventures like Lone Echo, or extra experimental experiences, I’ve all the time loved a story-focused journey. By taking a look at one in every of historical past’s extra notorious pirates, The Pirate Queen had me curious.
What’s it?: A story journey based mostly on Cheng Shih, a well-known Nineteenth-century Chinese language pirate.
Platforms: PC VR, Quest 2, Quest Professional, Quest 3 (reviewed on Quest 3)
Launch Date: Out now
Developer: Singer Studios
Worth: $16.99
Taking artistic liberties with the accepted historical past, The Pirate Queen focuses on Cheng Shih (A.Ok.A Zheng Yi Sao), a Nineteenth-century chief who commanded the Pink Flag Fleet with 70,000 pirates throughout the South China Sea. Set in 1807, throughout one eventful night, an entertaining premise surrounding feminine empowerment follows. After being not too long ago widowed, an inside energy battle arises throughout the pirate alliance.
With out spoiling this 13-chapter story, I loved the journey however anticipated the excessive stakes to result in a extra dramatic conclusion; the ending does not really feel wholly earned. Nonetheless, this two-hour story by no means overstays its welcome. Most chapters include three hidden collectibles, doubtless designed to extend replayability, although I did not really feel compelled to search out all of them.
Refreshingly, The Pirate Queen does not embrace fight and focuses on exploration. Cheng Shih’s journey entails touring between completely different ships, navigating traps like swinging cargo, and avoiding bells used to catch intruders. Mixed with environments crammed with interactable objects, first rate physicality exhibits a VR-first strategy, although limiting this to easy motions like turning a key makes it laborious to get enthusiastic about that. A number of moments get barely trickier, resembling sneaking previous guards whereas rowing a canoe, but it surely’s by no means a significant problem.
I’d say this easy strategy makes The Pirate Queen a superb beginning journey for any VR newcomers. Nevertheless, it solely options minimal consolation choices. I’ve detailed these under, however vignettes aren’t included, so anybody liable to movement illness ought to use teleportation motion. I additionally want you can regulate the sleek digital camera’s gradual turning pace.
The Pirate Queen presents two forms of motion – synthetic stick-based locomotion and teleportation. Snap turning and easy digital camera turning are each out there, although you may’t change the turning pace or snap angle. Seated play can also be supported with adjustable peak settings. When you cannot swap your dominant hand, it is not a difficulty since button inputs are mirrored throughout each controllers. Haptic suggestions can be switched off.
Whereas I can’t communicate for the Steam model, The Pirate Queen provides a good visible presentation on Quest 3. Cheng Shih is represented by way of floating palms, and whereas this total is comparatively refined, I appreciated the soiled fingernails. Piracy is not a clear residing in any sense of the phrase, and that sense is boosted by Lucy Liu’s pleasing efficiency as the principle character.
A number of points depart this venture feeling unpolished. Environmental textures modified proper earlier than me on a number of events, alongside two noticeable situations of visible pop-in. The depth is not fairly right with the surroundings, too. Dropping some objects onto flooring or barrels sees them floating within the air, hampering immersion. Some technical glitches on Quest 3 additionally annoyed my progress. There’s some simple jank between objects clipping by environments and getting soft-locked twice as a result of important objects disappeared, although a fast reset resolved the latter difficulty.
The Pirate Queen Assessment – Ultimate Ideas
The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend is an entertaining debut title from Singer Studios, delivering an intriguing premise that held my curiosity with a convincing efficiency from Lucy Liu. Sadly, that is annoyed by minimal consolation settings and jank, whereas the ending may very well be stronger. Nonetheless, should you’re on the lookout for a brief VR narrative journey, The Pirate Queen is a good alternative.
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