Untethered Excellence Meets Standalone Power
After successful Steam and PSVR2 launches earlier in the year, VitruviusVR has ported their outstanding sci-fi fantasy adventure, Arken Age, to the Quest 3. At a time where so many games feel like they were designed with the limitations of Quest hardware in mind, it was refreshing to see a game made without those compromises, so I'll admit to being apprehensive about how well the team would be able to carry their vision onto the standalone device.
Having played Arken Age extensively now on both PCVR and Quest 3, I'm delighted to say that the Quest port holds up remarkably well. Actually, outstandingly well. So, without further ado, let's charge up our energy swords and dive straight into the Biochasm and the grand adventure that is Arken Age.
Arken Age blends science fiction and fantasy into a world of decaying technology and lost civilisations. You play as The Untethered One, one of the last surviving members of the Nara, a once-powerful race now nearly wiped out by an ambitious general and a disastrous experiment gone wrong. Guided by the remnants of your people, you set out across the Biochasm to restore balance and uncover the truth behind the fall of your kind.
While the narrative won't redefine the genre, it's serviceable and well-paced, giving clear motivation without bogging things down. It ends in a way that implies there's more to this world. The story mainly acts as a framework for exploration, puzzle-solving and combat, and that's just fine, because Arken Age shines brightest when you're in motion.
Arken Age thrives on its systems. The physics-based combat, tactile crafting and climbing mechanics make it feel like a proper VR-native experience. After a comprehensive tutorial, the game opens up beautifully, dropping you into engaging exploration and immersive action that quickly becomes addictive.
You begin your adventure armed with three weapon types: a melee weapon, a sidearm, and a two-handed ranged weapon. These weapons aren't fixed, though; they evolve as you discover blueprints and components which can be crafted at the various stations scattered throughout the game. Your basic energy sword might become an axe with a throwable blade, or a heavy mace with crushing power. The starting sidearm can transform from a single-shot blaster into a rapid-fire plasma gun. Meanwhile, your two-handed weapon can be switched out from an energy crossbow to a devastating rail cannon.
This modular weapon-crafting system is a massive part of Arken Age's appeal. Every new discovery feels exciting; you're constantly tweaking loadouts and experimenting with attachments to find what works best for your playstyle. It adds a strong layer of progression that keeps combat fresh even as enemy variety remains modest.
In addition to the core weapons, players will find energy shields, landmines and grenades to help metre out the carnage. The shield is such an integral part of the gameplay that it should have been included as a starting weapon and had its own upgrade path. It could be because of my recent experience playing Reach, but I can't help but feel the combat in Arken Age would have suited a throwable Captain America style shield perfectly.
The core loop mixes exploration, light puzzle-solving and relentless physics-driven combat. Enemies, while not numerous, behave intelligently, flanking and using cover, forcing you to stay mobile. The melee system is physical and engaging, with satisfying parries, counter-thrusts and finishing blows. It's less 'physics-heavy' than something like Blade & Sorcery, offering instead a system that is a bit more focused on being fun and accessible. That slight lean towards an arcade-ish combat system doesn't cheapen the experience; far from it. With excellent hit detection and enemy animations, every strike feels weighty and every victory feels well deserved.
One of the more engaging elements of the combat system is how versatile it is. Sure, it's melee-forward, but switching between your weapons mid-battle feels smooth and natural. There's a genuine sense of rhythm when combat flows properly. Blocking a strike with your shield, countering with your melee weapon before deftly unholstering your sidearm to finish your opponent off with an energy blast to the face is immensely rewarding.
If there's one criticism to be made, it's that once you've completed the tutorial and grasped all the mechanics, Arken Age doesn't evolve those mechanics much in terms of gameplay. Beyond unlocking weapon variations, there aren't many new gameplay elements introduced later on, and by the final third, some repetition sets in. It's still engaging, but it could have had a bit more to elevate it to a truly top-tier experience. A few new combat abilities, enemy types or traversal tools could have heightened the pacing even further.
That said, Arken Age remains one of the most VR-conscious games around. Every interaction (climbing, crafting, swimming, mining) feels tactile and purposeful. Whether you're forging new weapon parts, scaling alien structures with your pickaxes, or avoiding monstrous fish in a subterranean pool, the game constantly utilises the physicality of VR to significant effect.
VitruviusVR has done an incredible job bringing Arken Age to Quest 3. On PC it was already a beautiful world of towering ruins and glowing technology, and it's pretty impressive how much of that sense of awe has been retained on standalone hardware.
Textures are naturally pared back a little, but the bright, vibrant art direction carries the game beautifully. The fusion of primitive and advanced technology creates a world that feels both ancient and futuristic. Although environmental variety is limited, character and creature designs are imaginative and memorable. After several hours, though, the same palette of alien forest merged with techno ruins does begin to feel slightly tired.
Still, the technical performance and presentation on Quest 3 are outstanding. The world feels alive and cohesive, and the vertical level design paired with an excellent climbing system creates a genuine sense of grandeur few standalone titles can match.
It's worth noting here that Omar and I experienced steady framerates throughout our time with the game, without a single crash or glitch. Arken Age is the first game in a long time that feels finished on day one.
Audio in Arken Age is a mixed bag. The sound effects are excellent: weapon impacts feel powerful and spatial cues are spot-on. Combat audio, in particular, is stellar, with satisfying clangs, zaps, and heavy thuds that reinforce the sense of physicality. Another favourite touch was when I noticed that the sound distorted while you're underwater (not just the effects, but the background music as well). It's a great detail to notice, and I thoroughly appreciated it.
Where things fall short is the soundtrack. While serviceable, much of the score feels oddly subdued. Early on, the background music evokes something more like waiting in line at a Renaissance fair than an epic sci-fi adventure. There are moments when it swells to meet the action, but too often it fades into the background instead of driving the pace. A bolder, more dynamic score could have added serious weight to the excellent gameplay.
Arken Age is VR-first design done right. This game understands what makes this medium special and builds around it. Every system feels intentional, physical, and rewarding, combining to create one of Quest's most polished and complete action-adventure experiences currently available on the headset.
Yes, the story is standard sci-fi fare, and yes, the final third can get a touch repetitive. But these are minor blemishes on an otherwise stellar package. The world is gorgeous, the combat is tight, and the sheer craftsmanship on display speaks for itself.
Whether you missed it on PC or are discovering it for the first time on Quest 3, Arken Age is an absolute must-play.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability may vary.
