The Access: Prologue Review on Oculus Rift

Avoid traps while collecting glowing crystals in this short but fun game for the Oculus Rift.

The Access: Prologue is a game that literately came out of nowhere. The developers at Risky Owls didn’t promote the game or discuss it with the VR community, instead choosing to release it as a full game priced $3.90. Given the small size of the Rift gaming community it’s a risky move, and one that’s unlikely to pay off given the widely accepted notion that current VR games should be free. Nevertheless, we decided to check out the game to see how a first release from a brand new studio fared.

The basics behind The Access: Prologue are simple: collect 10 gold crystals in a vast level while navigating platforms, switches and traps. This is a platforming game, but played from a first-person perspective, so you can expect vertigo-inducing moments as you navigate thin ledges, frustration as you time a jump and relief as you manage to track down the last hidden crystal. Here’s a few minutes of gameplay which demonstrate it in action:

After loading the game you’ll find yourself in a colourful cave. Two palm trees gently swirl in the wind, while a wooden board to your left explains the basics of controlling the game. After that you’re free to explore at will, but there’s no jump button. Instead you can instantly “hop” a short distance by holding down the X button which activates a blue dot in the centre of your vision. Look where you want to go, let go of the X button and you’re instantly transported there. It works well for jumping over short platforms and drops, and with practice you’ll be able to quickly “hop” “hop” “hop” across the landscape.

Look at the screens and video on this page and you’ll notice that the world of The Access: Prologue is made up of abstract shapes and objects, and where rainbow-like textures cover its surface. What’s surprising is how attractive and unique it appears. While the polygon count is fairly low, this is an interesting place to explore in virtual reality; it’s also booby-trapped. Some platforms rotate by 180 degrees every second or two, while others slowly rise and fall out of poisonous water. You’ll need to quickly “hop” across these if you’re to survive, but it’s tricky to successfully navigate your way around the world, so expect to die many times; and with only three lives you’ll find yourself starting the game all over again on a regular basis. Patience is key if you’re going to complete The Access: Prologue.

Controlling the game is fairly simple, with the standard WASD and mouse setup, or if you’d rather use a controller the left thumbstick is used for movement, the right for rotation, A for interacting with objects and the left trigger for running. For those that suffer from motion sickness it’s also possible to snap 90 degrees to the left or right by using the shoulder buttons on the Xbox 360 controller. It’s a nice touch, and one that we’d actually recommend using; not because of how it alleviates any motion sickness, but because of the sheer sensitivity of rotation when using the thumbstick which makes it difficult to navigate thin ledges or walkways.

Graphically there’s something special about The Access. Sure it’s basic on first appearance, with low polygonal detailing and a limited number of original assets, but the lighting, color and texture work all combine to create an attractive and original-looking game. There’s a rainbow effect of color throughout each area, while shadowing and reflections are used to create pockets of detail that briefly highlight objects. The game also runs buttery smooth with no hiccups or stutters, and with full support for the DK2, Windows 10 and the latest Oculus 0.7.0.0 runtime, everyone can play the game without worrying about technical issues.

Priced just $3.90, you’ll get about an hours’ worth of gameplay out of The Access: Prologue. That’s not a lot, and there’s just a single level to explore, but it’s large in size and features plenty of traps and puzzles to solve. As a first release from a new development studio this is an impressive game with a distinct visual style. It might be a bite-sized game, but it’s bite-size priced too.

Buy & Download The Access: Prologue