The 7th Guest Meta Quest 3 Review

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Fast Facts

The 7th Guest

Developer: Vertigo Games
Publisher: Vertigo Games
Website: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/5269080709783454/
Genre(s): Adventure, Interactive story, Puzzle
Platform: Meta Quest
Age Rating: Teen
Release Date: 23/10/2023
Price: £29.99

A code was provided for review purposes

The 7th Guest VR kicks off by putting you in a wooden canoe, paddling towards the boathouse of a spooky, abandoned manor. The young boy’s voice, accompanied by his butterfly manifestation, guides you along the way. Your lantern quickly becomes your best friend, acting as a seer that reveals hints, secrets, and restores old objects to their former glory. In some instances, the walls of the mansion will shine with hints to solving puzzles, arrows directing your path, and other information that you will find helpful. The interactive physics feel pretty solid, letting you slap switches, catch paper notes, and toss useless clues in frustration—all things that made my inner child grin. Seeing as the mansion is unveiled to be the home of a toy maker, there are some toys you will find that you can play with.

If there is one aspect of The 7th Guest VR that can be finicky it is that the movement controls can be a bit tricky, especially with the “sliding” FPS approach. Few VR games give me issues or make me sick, but some moments in The 7th Guest VR churned my stomach. A teleportation option for moving around the mansion is available, making it a more sensible choice for navigating between rooms, puzzles, and cutscenes.

Occasionally, I got stuck in the scenery or found myself out of bounds, causing the screen to go dark. Despite these minor hiccups, the gameplay remains engaging and immersive. I do wish that you could quickly navigate to rooms where you unlocked all of the puzzles, and returned the room to its former and well-lit glory. Having a quick teleport system would shorten the game’s length from a lot of backtracking and searching for clues.

On the Meta Quest 3, The 7th Guest VR looks really good. On the Quest 2, though it could use a bit more polish. It’s easy to see the craftsmanship in the design and care for each of the puzzle rooms and areas you play through. The spooky manor has well-detailed textures and atmospheric lighting that sets the mood just right. Using your lantern will also switch the game’s design between past and present. You can illuminate paintings and photographs showcasing the world’s spooky atmosphere. The character designs, with their campy, green-tinged look, recalls the original’s B-movie style, which added a certain charm to the whole experience. You can move around the cinematic apparitions seeing them from all angles. Sometimes moving around a scene shows you a glance from a character or piece of the story that may otherwise be hidden in a 2D game.

Despite the lack of polish, the VR environment is immersive, allowing you to interact with objects in a realistic way. This attention to detail helps pull you into the world, making exploration and puzzle-solving feel more rewarding. Each room in the manor offers unique visuals and interactive elements that keep the game interesting and fun to navigate. The design of the mansion as one giant puzzle with smaller room based puzzles is an intriguing part to unlocking the complete mystery of the toy maker and the young boy.

The 7th Guest VR introduces a new generation to its classic tale with a fresh twist. The characters, hailing from the mid-1930s, are down on their luck and drawn to the mansion of eccentric toymaker Henry Stauf, who promises to make their dreams come true if they play his games. This setup creates a compelling narrative that blends elements of mystery, horror, and adventure, keeping you hooked from start to finish. Each character shines in various moments during cutscenes, story beats, and backstabbing (both literally and figuratively) in the delivery of their lines.

While the main plot stays true to the original, The 7th Guest VR branches out into new territory, offering a mix of familiar and fresh experiences. The story keeps die-hard fans on their toes while appealing to a modern audience looking for interaction and immersion. It’s a perfect balance of nostalgia and innovation, making the narrative engaging and memorable. Being immersed in the world of the mansion in VR is a powerful medium and helps to make you feel a part of the mystery of the mansion.

The audio in The 7th Guest VR features delightfully campy performances from its cast, bringing the characters to life. The voice acting adds depth to the characters, making their interactions and dialogues more engaging. However, there’s a slight mistiming between audio and lip movements, which can be a bit distracting at times. Despite this, the overall sound design is effective in creating an eerie and immersive atmosphere. At time I felt as though I was right there in the room with the actors and actresses working to uncover the plot and puzzles.

Ambient sounds and music further enhance the spooky vibe of the manor, adding to the overall tension and suspense. The creaking of floorboards, distant whispers, and other subtle audio cues help immerse you in the haunted environment. This attention to detail in the sound design complements the visual and gameplay elements, making for a cohesive and captivating VR experience.

The 7th Guest VR excels in providing a fun and engaging experience, blending classic riddles with new, challenging puzzles. The game offers a playground for both serious problem solvers and those of us who just want to goof around a bit. The satisfaction of solving puzzles in a VR environment makes each success feel that much sweeter.

Collectible coins let you skip particularly frustrating puzzles, which is great when you’re short on patience or time. This feature ensures that players of all skill levels can enjoy the game without getting too stuck. Combined with the compelling story and immersive environment, The 7th Guest VR provides a well-rounded and enjoyable experience that keeps you coming back for more.

The 7th Guest VR is a bold new take on a classic game, setting a high bar for VR experiences in 2023. While not perfect, it transforms a beloved IP into a truly immersive and exciting adventure. The game’s blend of puzzles, exploration, and narrative offers around seven hours of satisfying gameplay, making it a standout VR experience. It balances nostalgia with innovation, making it a must-play for both fans of the original and newcomers alike.

This reimagining is a perfect example of how developers can breathe new life into old classics. It shows that with clever design, even the most nostalgic games can find a second wind in the world of VR. While Vertigo might be tempted to revisit the IP with a reimagining of The 7th Guest’s sequel, The 11th Hour, there are plenty of other classic games that could benefit from a similar treatment. The 7th Guest VR showcases the potential of VR to revolutionize the way we experience classic games, and I, for one, am excited to see what comes next. For puzzle game fans, this is a must-play on the Meta Quest headset.

Rapid Reviews Rating

4.5 out of 5

4.5