Electronauts Heatwave Update review: A trippy VR music game that's easy to get lost in

Electronauts recently hit its one-year anniversary. To celebrate, the makers the game, Survios, released the Heatwave Update with 35 new songs. The new music includes tracks from popular artists like Childish Gambino and adds a fresh sound to a creative title.

Electronauts is an interesting game in many ways. It features unique gameplay that isn't about getting a high score or beating a level. It's about feeling rhythm and experiencing music in a way that only VR can deliver.

I tested out Electronauts on my Oculus Quest and found myself getting lost in the music. I was admittedly skeptical about trying out a game on the Oculus Quest that didn't include guns or lightsabers, but after trying it out, I believe Electronauts is a fresh change of pace that music lovers will enjoy.

I played the game and the Heatwave Update on an Oculus Quest, but it is also available on PlayStation VR and SteamVR.

Pros:

• Unique gameplay
• Increased selection of music
• Let's you throw grenades to make sound effects

Cons:

• Doesn't support saving work
• Is only "play as you go"

What you'll love about Electronauts

Electronauts is unlike any game I've played in VR. In it, you're a virtual DJ who can mix tracks using a library of music. You use various tools and sound effects to manipulate music, including the intro, beat, and drop. You can toss grenades to make sound effects, use a virtual wand to distort the audio, and beat on orbs to add beats and tones. If all of this sounds a bit weird, you're right. But it's weird in a good way, especially if you're looking to zone out. Electronauts is not a game with levels or high scores. Instead, it's about feeling the music and creating something unique every time you play.

The Heatwave Update adds 35 new tracks, including music from Childish Gambino, Giraffage, JMSN, and Kygo. These new tracks help keep the game fresh. Since there aren't levels to play through or challenges to accomplish, one of the best ways to keep Electronauts exciting is to add more music. Many of the songs have a trippy vibe with heavy dubstep influences.

When I first jumped into Electronauts' DJ chair , it took a bit of time to learn how everything worked. The controls aren't exactly complicated, they're just unlike any game I've played before. It's not like a shooting game where each title has some similarities. But after I played it for a while, Electornauts emerged as a fresh change of pace and an immersive musical VR experience.

What is missing from Electronauts?

Electronauts is very much a "play as you go" game. You can't record tracks or sections of music, and your sessions don't build upon each other. I'd love to see some new features that allow you to build up tracks, save your favorite rhythms, and share your creations. For now, you have to record your gameplay with the Oculus Quest and then share it.

Unfortunately, sharing videos from the Oculus Quest is more complicated than it should be. If you want to share a video on Facebook or Twitter, you need to plug your Oculus Quest into your computer, allow access, and copy the video file. On top of this, the Oculus Quest syncs audio and video poorly. To make the tweet above, I had to pop the clip into a video editor and manually sync the music. None of this is the fault of Survios, of course, but if Electronauts had some built-in saving and sharing functionality, you wouldn't have to deal with the lackluster video sharing options of the Oculus Quest.

Should you buy Electronauts?

Electronauts is very much a Marmite type of game — you either love or hate it with no middle ground in between. If you love music and want a game that lets you play around and makes you feel like you're living inside a song, Electronauts delivers a great experience. Personally, I found it surprisingly enjoyable and think it's a good change of pace from the typical shooting and saber games on the Oculus Quest. On the other hand, I think some people would pick up Electronauts and think it's a waste of $20. It's a peculiar game that only certain people will enjoy. But no one is making you buy Electronauts, and that's why options are great.

4 out of 5

The Heatwave Update adds a nice selection of songs from both well-known and lesser-known artists. It refreshes the game that has now been out for a year. In the future, I'd love to see some additions such as session recording and sharing. But for now, Electronauts provides an immersive musical experience that's fun and easy to get lost in.