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While almost all superheroes are inherently ripe for virtual reality experiences, few are as instantly fitting as Deadpool. Thanks to his wanton violence, frequent fourth-wall breaks, and trademark absurdity, stepping into the boots of the merc with a mouth is a no-brainer. It’s taken a while to get here, but Twisted Pixel Games has captured the essence of Deadpool effortlessly, despite some shortcomings.
Marvel’s Deadpool VR starts like any other day for the titular Deadpool – a routine contract from S.H.I.E.L.D to take down Flag-Smasher. Through an unexpected turn of events, though, Deadpool is whisked away to Mojoworld and enlisted by Mojo to kidnap villains for his violent reality TV show. The show in question pits forces from across the universe in a fight to the death, with Mojo also insisting that Deadpool partakes in the carnage.
This main plot point doesn’t develop much until the final act of the game, mainly serving as an excuse to send Deadpool all over the Marvel universe to do battle with iconic baddies. It leans heavily into fan service, but it feels on-brand for Deadpool, who’s constantly poking fun at the situations he finds himself in. While the ending is also somewhat predictable, it’s delivered in such an endearing and confident fashion that I couldn’t help but smile.
How much mileage you get out of this narrative overall is really going to come down to how much you like Deadpool’s overall schtick – specifically in the most recent movies. He’s constantly dropping pop culture references, cracking crude jokes, and spewing sexual innuendo like his life depends on it. It is genuinely funny, especially when it’s making fun of or referencing other games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Vanquish, but if you don’t like recent interpretations of this character, don’t expect this iteration of Deadpool to surprise you.
Much of this is due to the performance of Neil Patrick Harris as Deadpool, who often feels like he isn’t trying to do much more than his best impersonation of Ryan Reynolds. It’s by no means a bad performance, but it lacks any real identity or charisma that Reynolds hasn’t already imbued into the character over the years. It was always going to be difficult given how synonymous Reynolds is with the character, but it leaves Harris’s casting feel like he was the next best option and not the number one choice.
Regardless of how you might feel about this version of Deadpool, there’s no denying that Marvel’s Deadpool VR is a ridiculously fun VR experience. Much like last year’s Batman: Arkham Shadow, this is a fully fleshed-out title, with a full-length campaign, flexible combat system, and jaw-dropping set pieces unlike anything else I’ve experienced in VR. You can tell that Twisted Pixel Games had a lot of fun dipping into this universe.
For starters, it’s just so novel to take control of Deadpool like this. His healing factor becomes a recurring comedic bit both in and outside of combat. Deadpool’s arms can be dismembered when you take damage, limiting your ability to dual-wield, but also providing you with the opportunity to hurl limbs at unsuspecting foes. Twisted Pixel Games also leans into the healing factor in cutscenes, often decapitating Deadpool in moments of pure hilarity as his lower half moves independently. And make no mistake – all of these bits grow back with all the wet squelching you could want.
The slapstick improvisational nature of Deadpool deeply influences combat as well. At base, you have dual katanas and dual pistols that you can mix and match, alongside a grapple gun you unlock early on the game. Katanas and pistols can be thrown at enemies, each to different effect. While katanas will lodge and stick inside your adversaries, they can also send them careening into the environment and pinning them against walls. Your pistols, on the other hand, will bounce off a target and automatically reload.
Deadpool also has a ridiculously fun dive kick that can send enemies flying, execute them if on low health, or use them as a springboard that you can kick off of for a bit of slow-motion air time to unload rounds in stylish fashion. Combine all of this with the aforementioned grapple gun that can sling enemies in all directions – including the ability to bounce them off of the floor – and your left with a combat system that encourages and rewards experimentation ala Bulletstorm.
Scoring unique kills will entertain Mojo’s audience, improving your overall performance in combat and the level at large. Creative dispatches will also fill the Big Money Time gauge, which can be used as a sort of superweapon in combat to make quick work of foes. There’s a couple of different Big Money Time weapons, but the undisputed highlight is a Mjolnir-like hammer that can be thrown and recalled while also obliterating anything unfortunate to stand within melee range.
There’s also so many customisation options. Marvel’s Deadpool VR is positively flush with unlockable upgrades and cosmetics. You can snag variants for your katanas and pistols that change their behaviours. You can get pistols with penetrating rounds and laser sights, machine pistols that do less damage but fire faster, or katanas that reflect enemy projectiles when you block. There’s a healthy amount Deadpool variants to unlock and play us that also allow you to unlock secrets throughout the main levels.
I’ve also never played a VR game this densely packed with totally absurd set pieces and boss fights. The very first mission opens with a breakneck car chase that sees you shooting down goons at highspeed, culminating in an eventful crash onto a helicarrier. Boss fights are similarly high-octane, complete with multiple phases, inobtrusive yet satisfying quick-time-events, and some utterly brilliant cameos that make for some great character dynamics.
Between these main missions where you recruit villains for Mojo, you’ll actually take place in the games. These are short and sweet distractions from the larger levels and serve as a nice pace-breaker from all the action. Unfortunately, they aren’t all built equal and lose some of the lustre by the time credits roll. They’re fun overall, but they aren’t something I’ll be itching to replay like I will be with the core missions.
The core conceit of this story is what ultimately allows Marvel’s Deadpool VR to take place in so many different locations across the Marvel universe. There’s a smorgasbord of locations you’ll explore here, from an abandoned Nova Corps ship to Mephisto’s very own pocket dimension. There’s so much to see and do within each of these levels, each bringing their own enemy types and unique level mechanics that strengthen the identity of each venture.
They’re really sold through fantastic visuals and an art style that feels like a comic book brought to life. Some soft cel shading and careful attention to detail makes each biome a joy to explore and it leaves the whole experience feeling quite separate from Marvel’s recent video game works which have tended to lean a bit more into realistic art direction.
Performance does leave a bit to be desired, though. Frame rates frequently buckle under the weight of chaotic encounters which can lead to some uncomfortable moments in VR. The game also feels like it needs one final round of polish, with a few noticeable bugs popping up from time to time pertaining to audio and user interface, some of which required full restarts.
Of all the superhero VR games out there nowadays, Marvel’s Deadpool VR stands with Batman: Arkham Shadow as one of the best. It plays to the strengths of the character to create a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience, one that’s totally absurd, exhilarating, and unique all at the same time. It’s not without issues, but they aren’t detrimental enough to undermine how fun it is to become the merc with a mouth.
The Meta Quest version of this game was played for the purpose of this review. A digital review code was provided by the publisher.
