Fate of the Irrbloss

Fate of the Irrbloss is a team-based space RPG game with arcade and fps action elements. It is another entry from xCirrex.

RobertWK’s Review:Right off the bat, Fate of the Irrbloss is both a fun but incredibly challenging game, even on easy. The biggest hurdle comes from the steep learning curve, despite there being instructions on how to play. If you have never played it before, and you go in with a group of people (as you should) everyone might be struggling with figuring out what to do and how to do it. Expect to die and game over early–it is totally okay to do so. The interface is also a little challenging to work with and could use a big update in order to make it more clear.

That said, once you understand the mechanics and how each station operates, the game is a ton of fun. It’s pretty much a group tactics space RPG, with different kinds of encounters and responsibilities. There are also assets to manage and ship upgrades to get. During some stops you may be able to be sent out to board another ship in search of supplies, and so there is a small horror element. The first time I volunteered to go raid a ship I got strong Event Horizon (with Sam Neill and Morphe… Lawrence Fishburne) vibes.

The strongest skill set needed to get through the game is teamwork. How big of a team do you need? You can absolutely get away with only two people, if you’re a crack team. Four to five is probably ideal for beginners.

The look and feel of Fate of the Irrbloss is “1990s Laser Tag Arena.” In a way this sets it apart from just about any other world, but also this aesthetic has flaws: the lack of obvious signage, and the many, many doors within the ships quarters make this challenging to navigate unless you get the layout of the map down pat. There are significant gameplay reasons for all of the doors, as you can isolate sections of the ship in case of oxygen leaks, fires, or other environmental hazards, but the world definitely feels “tight” because of it.

There’s a lot to like about Fate of the Irrbloss, but it use some updating. Worlds are getting larger and more complex. Given that xCirrex is still doing updates for it, it would be nice to see some changes in terms of size, layout, and functionality. However, I bet this blew people’s’ minds when it first launched on VRChat.

(Rating: 8.5)

Katchy’s Review:Fate of the Irrbloss is a great game to play if you’re looking for something a bit different from the usual running, hiding, and shooting that a majority of game worlds feature on VRC. It uses a good deal of strategy and know-how to progress, and with the right people working together it can be a great way to fill a couple hours or more.

It can be a bit confusing at first and definitely takes a little bit of practice and patience so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The art direction feels very much like something you’d find in a 90s Dos game, or maybe even laser tag, but it works well and that sets it apart from the usual black and gray you see in many sci-fi games or VRC worlds.

(Rating: 8)