A story-driven campaign that feels reminiscent of early VR shooters.

When done right, zombie games in virtual reality (VR) play like no other.

It’s an experience that not only ensures you’ll be thrown into fright-filled situations, but you’ll be forced to prove you’re capable of adapting on the fly to survive each encounter.

While some games simply throw zombies at you for the thrill – or because they can – there are some out there which capitalize on what VR has made possible. In these, you’re able to experience what it would be like if you were to live through a zombie apocalypse, testing your mettle as you make your way through.

Newly released game The Living Remain by Five Finger Studios is one of those VR experiences that not only immerses you in the story, but helps you think you can survive a real horde of zombies.

“The Living Remain is an action-packed, story-driven adventure designed to fully immerse players in a gripping, post-apocalyptic world. You step into the boots of an ex-military soldier searching for his family, battling the undead with realistic weapons and a sense of urgency that only VR can provide. It’s not just about shooting; it’s about feeling the weight of every moment—scavenging for ammo, making tactical decisions, and using the environment to survive. For anyone new to VR, this is the kind of game that showcases what the medium does best: total immersion, intuitive gameplay, and a thrilling sense of presence,” said Pamela Marshall, one of the minds behind the game.

And the game does all this and more, as you play through the four to six hour campaign.

You’re on your own, with only a voice in your ear providing companionship as you make your way through dark corridors and heart-pounding – and zombie filled – encounters.

But Marshall says this isn’t just another zombie shooter. Instead, she points to this as an action-adventure with heart, that happens to go beyond simply surviving.

“Many games in this genre focus solely on survival, but we wanted to go deeper, telling a story that players can connect with. The combat is designed to be intense and satisfying, with realistic weapons and interactions that feel natural in VR. Our environments are crafted with attention to detail, making each area feel immersive and atmospheric. The game is also designed to be engaging from start to finish, offering a balance of high-energy combat and quieter, more suspenseful moments that keep players on their toes.”

At a price-point of $19.99 USD on the Quest store – that’s $16.99 CAD – the game is well worth it – even with some of the hiccups you’ll experience throughout your playthrough.

Firstly, the game isn’t going to look like Arizona Sunshine Remake or other similar games. The Living Remain looks pretty good, it’s certainly not going to look like a PlayStation VR2 release, but it definitely looks far better than the original Arizona Sunshine when it was first released back in the last decade.

Weapons and characters look better than most things, with the world around you tending to look a little less detailed. Throughout the playthrough, there were some issues like fences looking like they weren’t there until you got up close, and other items not appearing if you looked at a spot from further away, but this doesn’t really have any impact on the game unless you really are a stickler for framerate and graphics.

A few other issues noted include the “grip to hold” function not always working – even when it’s turned on – instead you may find yourself letting go up the grip button but find yourself still holding onto an item. This was especially difficult to contend with when climbing, simply because it ended with a few falls because the wall was still in the players grip.

Another issue was that sometimes it was difficult to know when to climb a wall. This was more so a problem because the indicator that you can grab something doesn’t always appear until your hand is very close to the item.

While a distance grab function wouldn’t really help, being able to distinguish something you want to grab would be easier, as bending over to pickup ammo or another item sometimes ended with grabbing and mistakenly firing off a gun from the player belt.

Other than this though, there were really no other issues that arose during the playthrough.

Now let’s talk about some of the intricacies of the game.

The Living Remain wants you to explore as you play. This is not just because there are lost trophies to find – because there are – but because ammo is scarce and there are items to find which can help upgrade your gear. It also helps you find new weapons, because these aren’t just laying around waiting for you.

If you want to get the most out of the game, you’ll want to rummage through cupboards and open every drawer to find ammo and filament for the 3D printer.

It’s at these randomly placed printers where you can upgrade your weapons with things like better grips, and extended magazines; these will significantly help as you make your way through.

Other than this, the game is fairly straightforward as you go forth to find your missing family.

Currently, The Living Remain is a Quest and PCVR title, but Marshall notes that if there is a demand for the game on another console, they’ll consider expanding the game.

“Right now, our focus is on launching The Living Remain on Quest and leaving Early Access for PCVR, but we’re always listening to our players. If there’s enough demand, we’d love to explore bringing it to PSVR2 in the future.”

Overall, The Living Remain is an engaging experience that not only adds to the zombie genre, but provides a thrilling campaign that draws you in. The two-person team at Five Finger Studios did a remarkable job, and their passion for creating games shines through.

If you’re looking for a game that can be played in bite-sized campaign chunks – or want something that will play until your battery runs out – The Living Remain is definitely worth your VR time.

The Living Remain was reviewed on the Quest 3 after receiving a pre-release key.

Five Finger Studios is offering a 15 per cent discount to anyone interested in the game on the Quest platform. Use code: THELIVINGREMAIN15-F73027 on the Quest store until April. 21, 2025 to save on this zombie adventure.