Step into the virtual shoes of an agent as you hunt down an alien threat in New York.
Grab your neuralyzer and put on your suit, as Men in Black (MIB) makes its virtual reality (VR) debut.
MIB: Most Wanted by developer Coatsink launches today, Dec. 5, on the Quest series of headsets.
You become Agent I, a recently neuralyzed member of the team who has to navigate a 90s New York, in search of a group of Cylathians. In order to unravel the mystery of what’s going on, you’ll have to tackle each mission set before you; all while using gadgets and guns that fans of the series will recognize.
There are also some recognizable characters who you’ll meet along the way – though don’t expect to see Agents J (Will Smith) or K (Tommy Lee Jones) along the way.
The game starts off with a bang. As Agent I you have just had your neuralyzer used against you; your memory is wiped, and enemies are after you. With your partner Agent L in your ear, you’re treated to a quick tutorial to get into the swing of things.
Once completed, you visit a headquarters which looks like it does in the movies – complete with the inconspicuous and barren hallway and random agent sitting on a chair – as you get started on the tasks ahead.
Agent Zed is on vacation – obviously actor Rip Torn is no longer with us so there are no surprise cameos from him – so the temporary head of the MIB tasks you and Agent L with unraveling a mystery involving the Cylathians. The Cylathians are a hostile group who have been plotting within the city, and its your job to hunt down seven members of a most wanted board to figure out what’s going on.
There’s also a suspected mole within the MIB, so apparently you and Agent L are the only ones who can be trusted for the job. This sorta raises more questions since, technically, wouldn’t Agent J – and K depending on when in the timeline this is set – be better attuned to deal with something of this magnitude?
Each mission before you, involves hunting down a different alien from the board. Along the way, you’ll interrogate people, solve various environmental puzzles, and fight your way through a group of well-equipped enemies.
While the overall gameplay is fairly linear, players are encouraged to snoop around as you can find artifacts, magazines, mod disks (which help upgrade your gear) and Psions (mug like alien creatures which have escaped the kitchen in headquarters). Mod disks for sure are a useful thing to find, as you’ll be able to unlock alternative firing modes and unique boosts that help make your weapons better for each fight. However, finding artifacts and Psions does help you to improve your overall mission score – there’s a three-star system employed, so the completionists have a reason to come back.
There’s also an Invasion mode which lets you play co-op with another.
With that out of the way, let’s talk mechanics.
Playing Most Wanted is fairly straightforward and doesn’t involve a ton of button presses or awkward actions – though at times, the prompts for certain actions didn’t always react as quickly as one might like.
You’ll move and grab with the usual suspects – thumbsticks and grip buttons – and can sprint by clicking the left thumbstick and crouch/slide clicking the right. The ‘A’ or ‘X’ buttons will be used for reloading, while the ‘Y’ button is for opening the inventory. You’ll also find yourself holding each hand close to your head – while holding the grip buttons – to perform certain actions. Using ‘L1’ will get you the objectives while ‘R1’ will be used in conjunction with a gadget.
Different gear has a different reload method – pistol you hit the button then swing your hand down and up, while the SMG-type gun requires a full manual reload.
See, super simple.
Graphically the game employs a comic book, hand drawn style.
While this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, considering the series history it makes complete sense – it started as a comic book after all. Things look great in headset as the world is bright and welcoming, though there are times when there’s a bit of difficulty figuring out what can be interacted with versus what is just set dressing.
There is an attempt to make interactable items a little more distinguishable, but it is not always apparent – especially when you first jump in. Besides doors, a few drawers and items that become available via context interactions, the rest of the world is not interactable.
Character design is on par with the rest of the world, though they all have more depth than the settings around which you’ll find yourself. There is certainly a graphical consistency across all elements, but remember this is VR so the game blends the 3D world with the flat esthetics of a comic book.
For the most part there were no graphic issues experienced, though there is a chance than the framerate could drop when you’re playing a specific part of mission four. The developers are aware, and it can be expected that this will be fixed.
Overall MIB: Most Wanted is a nostalgic blast that allows fans and newcomers alike to experience the world created in the comic series – and then brought to life in the hit films starring Smith and Jones. The game is approachable and fun, with a tinge of darker humour for the older players who are fans of the source materials.
It is a little unfortunate that the game makes you a new character instead of allowing you to embody Agent J. Remember, at the end of the first movie Agent K retires and J is given a new partner – Agent L. This would have been a nice nod to the movies and allowed players to see what happened in the time J and L were partners – before the events of the second movie when K returns, and L had already left the agency.
Since J and L are not partners in the game, it makes one think if the game is canon with the movies, or if this is an entirely different Agent L. Either way, unless J and K are off on an unannounced world-saving mission, it’s a little sad that they don’t drop in.
Those looking for a light comic book romp can pick up Most Wanted and immerse themselves in the world of the Men in Black.
MIB: Most Wanted was reviewed on the Quest 3 after receiving pre-release access.
