Reach VR is a wild, wondrous but sometimes wonky ride

Wonder why we’ve never had an official Tomb Raider VR or Uncharted VR, barring Rise of the Tomb Raider’s DLC? Reach doesn’t have the answer, but it does prove there’s some serious mileage in strapping on a VR headset and flinging yourself from ledge to ledge.

After a sneaky first act fake-out, you’re tasked with getting to the bottom of what, at first glance, seems like an alien invasion. Forget about Lara Croft’s jetsetting, Reach’s menace is right at your front door or, rather, under it. It’s up to you to sort things out, with the aid of a bow-and-arrow and some convenient ancient tech.

My initial fear, playing Reach, was that I’d be struck by motion sickness or vertigo but, despite hanging from some seriously high places, I had a blast. My virtual arms did end up in some hilariously weird positions, of the sort last seen in Jurassic Park: Trespasser, which was a giggle. From shimmying up drainpipes to finding handholds on the walls of ancient temples, Reach capitalises on VR’s physical potential.

With the occasional exception, it’s easy to figure out just what you can grab onto. And, mercifully, you’re not punished for just hanging around (literally) and taking your time. There are some very cool environments to explore, and some wonderful tech to mess with. Ever been envious of Captain America’s shield-flinging skills? You’ll be happy to hear that Reach hands you a similar device.

Stealth, though not totally compulsory, is a factor. Get close enough some of your enemies, dubbed Living Statues, and you can shut them down from behind. Pinching their weapons is also an option, which I appreciated. I’m not overly fond of your primary weapon, a bow, though being able to turn insects into ammo is a neat, if non PETA-approved, touch.

Unfortunately, Reach suffers from a variety of technical issues. I was playing on a Meta Quest 2, via Air Link, and much of the time I didn’t have any sound effects, short of protagonist Rosa’s breathing. The game also crashed several times and, going by its Steam reviews, many others have run into similar issues. Developer and publisher nDreams is currently working on squashing these bugs.

My other gripe with Reach is that while, for the most part, traversal is a joy, there’s one move that caused me serious frustration. Grab down, then release, and you’ll fling yourself upwards. It’s an important skill that allows you to reach ledges beyond your normal reach. But it feels a little too imprecise, making it all too easy to plunge to the floor or, worst case scenario, your doom.

I’ve yet to see Reach through to its conclusion and, given the game’s technical issues, I’m going to give it a week or two before I slip my sci-fi gauntlets back on. But I will be back, and if nDreams can smooth down its rough edges, it could have something genuinely special on its hands.

For now, Reach is well worth investigating, particularly if you’ve been craving a VR Tomb Raider. It’s a bold example of what can be accomplished with VR, just be prepared for a somewhat wonky ride. Reach is available on PSVR2, PC and Meta Quest 3 and, priced at £32.99/$39.99.