Review by Jon Donnis
Moorhuhn VR Blast brings the long-running chicken-shooting franchise into the world of virtual reality, offering a fast, frantic, and highly entertaining experience that stays true to the series' arcade roots. Built from the ground up for VR, the game provides intuitive controls that make aiming and shooting feel natural, ensuring that players can jump straight into the action without much of a learning curve. The premise is as simple as ever, shoot as many Moorhuhns as possible while dodging their incoming eggs in a bid to climb the global leaderboards. It is a game that thrives on quick reflexes and accuracy, rewarding those who can rack up combos and discover hidden tricks in each level.
The game features a selection of weapons that keep the gameplay feeling varied. The standard shotgun delivers that satisfying old-school feel, while the more advanced weaponry, like laser guns, adds a futuristic twist. Unlocking these weapons through time trials creates an incentive to keep improving, and each gun has its own advantages that can change how you approach the action. Beyond the weapons, power-ups scattered throughout the levels provide temporary boosts, such as instant reloads or more powerful shots, which can turn the tide of a match and add an extra layer of strategy. The game's interactive environments also play a role in boosting scores. Shooting barrels to create explosions, unlocking secret boxes, and finding ways to release high-value Moorhuhns keeps each level engaging and encourages players to experiment with their surroundings.
There is a good amount of content in terms of locations, with levels designed as callbacks to previous games in the series. Each area has a distinct feel, and the chickens themselves change outfits depending on the setting, adding a bit of personality to the experience. The game includes two main modes, Arcade and Endless Survival. Arcade Mode sticks closely to the traditional Moorhuhn formula, where the goal is to rack up as many points as possible before time runs out. Endless Survival ramps up the challenge by throwing more and more chickens at the player while testing their ability to dodge incoming eggs. The inclusion of cheats and costumes adds another layer of fun, with gameplay modifiers that can make chickens larger, remove the need to reload, or add absurd cosmetic changes to the chaos.
While Moorhuhn VR Blast succeeds in creating a fun and chaotic shooter, it does not offer much in the way of long-term depth. The core gameplay loop is undeniably enjoyable, but the focus on high scores and unlockables means there is little to keep players engaged beyond leaderboard competition. The game is at its best in short bursts, making it a great pick-up-and-play title but perhaps not one that will hold attention for long sessions. Despite this, the developers have done a solid job of modernizing the franchise while keeping its signature humour and simplicity intact. Fans of the Moorhuhn series will find plenty to enjoy, while newcomers looking for a lighthearted and fast-paced VR shooter will have fun as well. It may not be the most complex VR experience out there, but as a casual arcade shooter, it delivers exactly what it promises, pure, unfiltered chicken-blasting chaos.
Out Now on Meta Quest