BONEWORKS stands out as a first-person shooter VR action adventure game that emphasizes experimental physics mechanics in a virtual reality setting.
Gameplay
In BONEWORKS, the core experience revolves around navigating environments and solving puzzles through advanced physics interactions. The game uses a full inverse kinematics body system, which means your virtual avatar responds realistically to the world, including how you grab objects, climb, or fight. Combat feels physical and varied, with options to use melee attacks, guns, or even environmental items like chairs as improvised weapons. Enemies, such as Nullbodies, take damage in ways that affect their behavior, like limping after leg injuries. Movement relies on analog stick locomotion for actions like sprinting or jumping, and the non-linear levels allow creative approaches, such as stacking boxes to reach high areas.
The physics engine governs everything, from picking up small items one-handed to wielding heavier weapons that require more effort but deal greater impact. This setup encourages experimentation, though it can lead to moments where interactions feel clunky, like getting limbs stuck. Overall, the mechanics aim for immersion by simulating real-world rules consistently.
Game Modes
BONEWORKS features a main campaign as its primary single-player story mode, where you progress through levels tied to the narrative. After completing the story, Sandbox mode unlocks, letting you experiment freely with items and entities in dedicated maps like RedactedChamber or Tuscany.
Arena mode offers challenge-based gameplay, including survival waves, timed battles, and weapon swaps across various maps. Updates added specific variations, such as Tactical Trial in the Handgun Range and zombie survival in the Zombie Warehouse map.
Story and Setting
The game follows Arthur Ford, a cybersecurity director who enters a simulated universe called MythOS, built by Monogon Industries. You battle entities like Nullbodies and zombies while uncovering a meta-narrative about VR and alternate realities, culminating in explorations of void dimensions.
Is It Worth Playing?
BONEWORKS has earned a Metacritic score of 72 based on 6 critic reviews, with a user score of 8.5 from 168 ratings. On Steam, it holds a Very Positive rating from 33,986 reviews, with 92% positive overall and 95% positive in recent reviews. Critics praise the innovative physics but note issues with bugs and pacing.
If you have prior VR experience and enjoy tinkering with physics-driven combat and puzzles in a single-player context, BONEWORKS offers a unique challenge. It remains supported through past updates like version 1.6, which added crossover content, though no new patches have appeared since 2020. For newcomers to VR, the advanced mechanics might feel overwhelming, but seasoned players often find the freedom rewarding.
