A good remake that doesn’t do enough to replicate the impact of the original.

Released in 2022 on the original PlayStation VR (PSVR), the original Wanderer was a revelation for virtual reality (VR) gaming.

The time travel premise of this game saw you take on the role of a young man, whose mysterious quest would take you to many places and eras in history. From the moon in the 60s to an ancient civilization lost hundreds of years prior, the game’s multiple settings were mixed with action, puzzles, and even a chance to showcase your drumming.

Considering all the limitations of the first PSVR, the fact that developers managed to make this game work not only with full locomotion, but the intricacies this game had, it’s no wonder there’s been massive amount of support for a new or upgraded version.

Now, those with newer generation headsets can experience this game again as developer Mighty Eyes Ltd. has remade the game for the Quest, PSVR2, among other headsets.

Titled Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, this version of the game boasts improved graphics, better physics interactions, a revamped user interface and even three new levels. At its core, this game is a clear candidate for VR game of the year. In fact, despite some pretty significant releases over the last several months, this is probably the biggest game to hit headsets since Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Then why is it that Fragments of Fate, feels unfulfilling?

Certainly it’s not for a lack of immersion as this game feels like it has more to offer than the original; drawing you in by making you think on your feet. Even if you played the original, Mighty Eyes has done enough of an overhaul so that familiar parts can be played with a fresh perspective; while the new content gives players something extra.

Perhaps then it’s the remake itself.

Mighty Eyes did their best here to try and cater to all audiences – by not only bringing back an award winning VR experience to the newer headsets, but by giving more than just a slightly upgraded port. The problem is that from all the trailers and showcasing of the game, it was as if they were letting us know that we’d be able to have all the classis Wanderer fun, but in a completely new way.

Instead, what we get is the same game with a new paint job and some extra things added on. It’s almost as if they’ve decided to take some pages from what movies and TV are doing, and as some may know, this doesn’t always net the desired outcome.

In the film and television industries, reboots and remakes have thrived in bringing nostalgia back to those who miss the 90s and early 2000s. Just look at last year’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the upcoming revival of Shrek, or even the constant reboots of Spider Man. Each of these examples is a studio’s attempt to light the spark that the originals once had, while also raking in the cash.

But these productions don’t always hit the mark. Sure, there are series like Will and Grace which managed to come back and thrive after a long cancellation, but then there’s movies like Terminator Genisys which throws out a new level of convolution, to keep a fledgling series alive.

Fragments of Fate almost perfectly lands in the middle – neither hitting a home run, nor failing spectacularly – and that’s because the game is fun. In fact, the entire adventure is engaging, plays well enough, and looks great – unless of course, you’ve come across some of the janky mess or game-breaking bugs.

The problem then: the game feels like one of those middle of the road Hollywood remakes/reboots. You know the ones. They rehash a plot thread with some new stuff added in and we’re supposed to pretend like we haven’t seen it before.

Yes, the game looks amazing and the work done to overhaul how you interact with the world is nothing short of incredible. The issue is that it really just feels like the same game with a facelift.

Now before you get all upset because there isn’t consistent gushing about your favourite series, the game is still good. It’s definitely got a step up over the original, thanks to new levels and things like better weapon interactions; but does this add enough to the game to set it well apart from the original?

Not for everyone.

When the original Wanderer was released, it really went above and beyond on a console that felt like you were using a flip phone while everyone else was on the iPhone 23. It was an experience that anyone with VR should try at a time when the technology was still growing up and finding its footing.

Now that we’re a few generations in and the headset technology has gotten much more advanced, the enhancements of Fragments of Fate are simply not enough to make this remake leave the same impression as the original. Not to mention, the newly added enemies are so useless they border on stupid and most fighting here has become tedious.

Going back to the movie-trope, playing the original and then playing Fragments of Fate, is like Marvel trying to continue to impress audiences with their constant movie releases. Sure the first Avengers movie was fun and left audiences wanting more, but 8,000 movies later and it’s basically the same thing with a different look – and some new characters added in.

It can still be engaging, but it’ll never get you feeling the same way as when you saw the original.

If you’d prefer a different metaphor, think of the game as buying a new car. Yes there’s new technology, fancy features and the upgrade probably doesn’t hurt, but at the end of the day the car still drives like any other – and you’ll be stuck in the same slow Toronto traffic as everyone else.

Overall: this game is fun, it’s immersive and one hell of a time in VR. If this is your first time playing the game – or you played a bit of the original but never got around to completing it – then you’re in for a damn good time that will make you wish all VR games could be this good.

However, if you’ve already beaten the original and are looking for something new, you’re in for a big serving of deja vu.

The game costs more than $60 – $53.49 if you own the original on PSVR – yet despite all the delays, the game still launched with a bunch of bugs. One has to assume that Mighty Eyes decided they couldn’t wait to launch anymore, and opted to roll the dice on making money while patching the bugs later.

Wanderer: the Fragments of Fate, was reviewed on the PSVR2 after purchasing from the PlayStation store at full price.