Loving the Solitude of Being Lost in Space

By Grit Alone is, without a doubt, one of the most exhilarating experiences I’ve had with a VR horror game. Yet, it’s also one that desperately needs a final polish. Its sheer creativity is charming, drawing me in completely, though I imagine some players might find it a bit frustrating. True to its name, By Grit Alone feels like a monumental effort from a passionate small team pushing to deliver a unique sci-fi horror. If they can iron out some balance issues, it could very well join the ranks of classics like Dead Space, which is clearly its inspiration.

The game is a sci-fi horror shooter for VR, designed for stationary or room-scale play. It’s available on Quest, and my review is based on the Quest 3 experience. Developed by Crooks Peaks, it’s out now at $18.99.

Your adventure begins as a nameless passenger aboard a cryo transport, rudely awakened by a crash in a bizarre space anomaly. Suddenly, you find yourself in a space Bermuda Triangle of sorts, surrounded by hostile entities. Before you even get a proper introduction, you’re already dodging malfunctioning equipment and battling debris. It doesn’t take long before you’re under attack from alien insects eager to make your brain their next meal. And that’s just a warm-up for the gothic cathedral ship echoing Warhammer 40k vibes, an alien-infested spa, and a rogue AI whose intentions are suspect.

Comparisons to Dead Space aren’t made lightly. Along with contributions from Dead Space (2008) writer Antony Johnston, co-writing with Emma Beeby, the game wears its inspiration proudly. Each weapon brings dual functionality—ammo doubles as grenades, and your blaster morphs into a versatile shotgun/marksman rifle depending on your grip. Some parts will have you channeling your inner engineer, managing ship systems under enemy siege. Even the iconic stomp attack finds its way here, adding a unique twist to enemy encounters.

There’s even a reimagined turret section, which is actually enjoyable this time around! That’s the beauty of By Grit Alone—while the homage is apparent, it stands robustly on its own two feet, making it feel more like a fresh experience than just a nostalgic trip.

Discovering multiple spaceships to delve into offers a refreshing take. Instead of sticking to a linear story, you navigate an anthology of eerie tales. Not every location hits a home run, but the ongoing saga of Grace Grayson, the world’s unluckiest tax agent, adds depth. Grace transitions from probing a cult’s tax dodges to becoming a hardened survivor akin to Ellen Ripley, guiding others to safety. While the main character remains silent, Grace fills the silence through her engaging audio logs. The voice cast is exceptional, enhancing the atmosphere. Interactive holo recordings of past events provide respite from solitude, guided by AIs helping you navigate through the vessels.

From atmosphere and pacing to worldbuilding, By Grit Alone captures what makes horror games a thrill. The soundtrack is a standout, too, perfect for making even seasoned players like me jump or tread cautiously. Achieving this with low-poly graphics is impressive. Yet, it’s a shame the game sometimes feels like it necessitates an invincibility toggle to navigate certain sections.

Notably, By Grit Alone caters to those seasoned in VR. There are settings to mitigate motion sickness, like turn rate adjustments and limited vignette options, although it will test those new to VR. You’ll be spinning around quite a bit. Handy options let you use either hand for control, letting you engage with weapons ambidextrously.

While the game supports both seated and stationary play, I recommend getting on your feet and crouching when needed. It not only enhances immersion but can offer gameplay perks, like zipping through vents at full speed.

If you lean towards a more relaxed pace, there’s always the option to toggle invincibility for the entire game, allowing you to enjoy its narrative without excessive stress. You can even unlock chapters to sidestep sections causing trouble.

Some might frown upon this feature in a horror game, but it’s understandable. Certain encounters can feel relentless, though probably not intentionally. Rapid flybys, charging beasts, and vicious spiders can gang up on you fast, thanks to their speed.

Granted, while the stomp move is handy, swarming flyers spewing acid from behind can be infuriating without healing options during fights. Health stations are single-use, wall-mounted units, which doesn’t help the situation.

There are moments designed to be theatrical but currently verge on punishing. An intriguing boss fight with a possessed church pipe organ feels overwhelming, almost tailor-made for co-op due to its complexity. Outrunning a worm with razor teeth into a minefield is also daunting.

That’s the crux of the problem. Each piece is nearly brilliant but slightly missteps, turning fun into frustration. When I resort to invincibility, though reluctantly, it’s usually after repeated failure. The inventive bosses and set designs show creativity, enhanced by their visuals and soundtracks, but timing needs a tweak.

With invincibility, the challenge remains. You can’t simply breeze past enemies, and puzzles still demand thought. Invincibility merely removes the restart fear from overlooking a spider gnawing away. It’s a blessing, especially in the game’s weakest segment aboard a research vessel, which jarringly shifts to a SAW-Esque Portal format.

I appreciate variety, and early alien deathtraps are tensely delightful. Yet, the unpredictable sentry turrets aboard the science ship are vexing, exacerbated by a finicky and unexciting shield ability.

Thankfully, it’s the only mechanic that falls short. Interacting with environments is satisfying, body tracking is accurate, and the weapon handling from blasters to flamethrowers is spot-on. Even grenade throwing is reliably executed.

By Grit Alone leaves a powerful impression right from the beginning, maintaining a relentless pace through its haunting journey. Despite its simple graphics and lower resolution textures, it excels in atmospheric design with stellar lighting and shadows. It ends on a suspenseful cliffhanger, teasing free DLC already in the pipeline, yet the path there brims with top-quality writing. The combat may be rigorous at times, but it’s executed so well that facing it head-on is rewarding.

It’s been ages since a horror game captivated me as By Grit Alone did. It’s not a trip for the faint-hearted, but one I hope to see fully unfold, whether through upcoming DLC or a sequel. As it stands, it’s an extraordinary adventure into madness that’s unquestionably worth taking.