The Assembly

{The Assembly} has been billed as a high quality VR experience. It's a title that has clearly been built with virtual reality in mind, and developer nDreams has positioned this adventure as such. However, not only can it be experienced via a VR headset, it can also be played in the traditional way, via a television or monitor, mouse or gamepad in hand.

First up, before we get into the nuts and bolts of the game itself, let's talk about the VR element. The devs are calling it a great introduction to VR, and we'd have to agree. It's a title that lets you take your time, and wearing the headset undoubtedly enhances the experience. As such VR integration doesn't feel tacked on or gimmicky. Importantly, thanks to the gentle pacing, you can play for a chunk of time without wanting to barf (which is always nice).

The introduction is a bit stop-start, but the scene is set effectively, even if it feels a little sluggish to begin with in terms of pacing. It perhaps could have been a bit snappier during the opening scenes. However, the intro does allow you to adjust to being in VR and it lets you take in the world around you. Overall we thought the experience was smooth, and you can interact with certain elements in the environment (such as the odd microscope) and these interactions feel great and natural.

Moving around in the underground facility owned by {The Assembly} is slow and steady, but there is an option to teleport a few steps in front of you if you'd rather speed things up a little. We actually preferred taking our time, but each to their own (you can also teleport in the non-VR version, so you can "blink" around the game like a lab coat wearing Corvo if you want).

Getting to grips with objects is straightforward, although we thought there could have been more interaction with the world around you. You can only pick up certain items, and it'd have been more interesting to inspect more things, and maybe even move them about, for no other reason than because you could. It would've made the world feel more tactile, more tangible.

There are puzzles in the game, and it's here that the VR really shines. Whether it's moving blocks or examining evidence, the added immersion really helps suspend your disbelief, for a time at least. Our main criticism of the puzzles is that they're just too simple and there's not enough of them. There's not much in the way of friction, and considering the story is rather thought-provoking, perhaps the puzzles could have had a bit more meat to them as well.

That's actually a criticism you could level at the whole thing; it'll take you around three hours to complete, and there's not much reason to revisit it once you've seen the credits roll. There are some areas off the beaten track to explore, but as far as we could tell, there's not nearly enough to justify a return visit. There is, however, an intriguing story to dig into.

{The Assembly} is a secretive organisation and you experience this via the contrasting perspectives of two different characters. Madeline is in the process of being inducted due to her scientific background, while Cal is investigating suspicious goings on within the organisation he's been involved with for some time.

Chapters alternate between the two. Madeline's story involves puzzles and decisions edged with morality, and there's some genuinely challenging moments where there's no clear right or wrong decision to make. Meanwhile, Cal's story is more focused on exploration and intrigue, and as he explores the offices looking for intel there's a genuine sense that you're trespassing. There's a nice juxtaposition between the two, and while it could have done with a touch more tension in places, we enjoyed the story and its conclusion.

The voice acting of the main characters is good, too. Some of the supporting cast aren't perhaps up to the same level, but overall this was a satisfying part of the package. Similarly, the soundtrack is decent, and at times, suitably cinematic and enhancing the tension. There's nothing groundbreaking going on in terms of the visuals, but that's to be expected given the demands of working with VR. The environments are detailed, and thoughtfully constructed, but as mentioned before, they would have benefited from additional opportunities for interactivity.

Having played it through to completion we're left wishing that there had been more to it. A criticism, yes, but also a compliment, because what was there was nearly always thought provoking, and occasionally even gripping, and we wanted more of it. Narrative is The Assembly's main strength, and nDreams has delivered a VR game filled with intrigue and interesting decisions (even if they don't always result in different outcomes, it is very linear in that sense). The puzzles and exploration felt a little undercooked, but watching the story unfold was enough to drive us forward to what proved a satisfying conclusion.

This is a decent VR title, and it's more substantial than the majority of virtual reality experiences we've had so far. Improving its prospects further; it also stands up as a traditional adventure in its own right. This mightn't be the killer app that VR is still screaming out for, but it's certainly worth a look if you've got a headset and want something new to play.