Skydance Interactive delivered one of the most excellent VR games to hit the market with the original The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners title that launched back in 2020. This series was known for its in-depth survival mechanics and zombie-killing gameplay that felt closer to a AAA FPS title but packaged in virtual reality. This game truly showed the potential for VR games and was a strong contender for one of the greatest VR games to date. Nearly three years later and we have the highly anticipated sequel, The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution (phew, what a title!), and does it surpass what the original has done so well? The answer is no, but it does give us more of the same which is not a bad thing.
Story
Retribution throws you in the middle of New Orleans, right where your character left off from the first game. There is a new baddie in town, fully decked out in armor, and clearly wants your head served on a silver platter. Without getting into spoiler territory, you are given no choice but to fight for your life and continue to help those that can not help themselves during the gloomy zombie apocalypse. All of which set up the perfect reasons to scavenge and fight the hordes of the undead.
The story is a straight continuation from the first game and if you enjoyed the story thus far, you will enjoy this one. For me, the story wasn’t mindblowing but it suited the genre and I was contempt. It’s nice to have a reason to go to these various locations and fight zombies instead of just mindlessly killing them. I will say I was a bit disappointed at the game's “finale” and I really would have enjoyed a much more climactic ending. More on this later.
Gameplay
All of the same mechanics from the first title carry over to this new entry in the series. The weighted weapon handling, the inventory system, and the scavenging aspect are all back and still feel great. The weapons all feel like they have their own weight to them which adds to the immersion. I really appreciate the fact that the lead pipes and other two-handed weapons are all appropriately handled in the game. If you try to swing a two-handed weapon with just one hand, you will probably not do as much damage and the swing will be slightly off to compensate for the added weight. This is where Saints & Sinners shines. The immersive combat and zombie killing are top tier.
Walkers are dangerous in packs and amusing alone. One can simply grab a walker by the head and stab it in the brain with any sharp weapon for an instant kill. There were times when the game didn’t recognize the kill and at first I thought this was a glitch. It turns out that if you don't stab the walker with enough force for the knife to actually penetrate the skull, they will still try to chomp you. I loved little details like this which made the world feel more alive, even with the streets riddled with the undead.
There are moments in this game where you will encounter human enemies and it seems like the AI has been improved upon from the first game, but not much. During my 17-hour playthrough, I noticed that the human AI does not always react to environmental cues like doors being opened or closed, and in some cases, items being thrown. This was not a consistent issue but it did make my time in New Orleans just a bit easier at times, and unfortunately not very immersive.
The sequel also brings in some new weapons including the fan-favorite chainsaw, new shotguns, and dual pistols just to name a few. The talk of the town is definitely the chainsaw, and it is a blast to play with! Sawing through the undead is quite fun, especially after having a vendetta against a particular walker that killed you right before a checkpoint, but that’s beside the point. It is a great addition to the game. I just wish it was a bit more detailed when it comes to hacking off limbs. For example, legs can not be chopped off for strategic dismemberment (thanks Dead Space) which kind of forces you to just use it at their face or chest. I suppose this is a small complaint but again, VR is all about immersion and trying to keep the player feeling immersed at all times.
Is the gameplay any different than the first game? Not really. Is this a bad thing? Not really. You see, Skydance definitely played it safe with this title and gave us more of what was known to work well with players. The inventory system returns which accommodates the survival aspect very well. The game also brings back your graveyard “home base” which allows you to sort through your scavenged items and upgrade your weapons. Again, it's more of the same.
Speaking of “same” the game only has a handful of new areas to explore. This was my biggest disappointment, along with the frame drops, and it's a shame that some of these new areas can feel a bit shorter than the original ones. Now, you will have to tread back through all of the original areas at some point and now you can explore them at night, which gives these maps a little more intrigue but honestly I would have much rather had a whole new set of areas to scavenge and survive.
As I mentioned earlier, the final boss is very underwhelming and really just felt like a waste of time. I would appreciate the efforts made but unfortunately, it didn't seem like there was much creative thought poured into this fight and it shows.
Audio and Visuals
The atmospheric sounds in this game a fantastic. Walking through the streets and hearing the moans of the undead can send chills especially when visibility is low. The sound of bottles being broken because a walker knocked them over trying to bite you make the game feel like a living intractable world. Also appreciated the voice acting in this one just a tad more than in the original, so the cast did a great job bringing these characters to life.
The visuals seem to have taken a back seat this time around, which is a letdown. Performance dips occur when the screen is very busy and it is evident that the Quest 2 is performing at its limit. Thankfully, the majority of the game consists of just a few enemies at a time, but when there are multiple, frames will definitely drop. Also, it seems like the polish from the first game just isn't there. Textures pop in consistently on certain levels and most textures seem muddier than the original title. I don't know what happened here, but if this is due to a rushed development, it is really unfortunate to see this sequel suffer when the original performed so well.
We will have to wait and see if the PC counterpart improves upon these graphical issues when it launches later in February. But for now, the Quest 2 version does seem to struggle at times. Let's not also forget visual glitches and character model glitches. Hopefully, Skydance can get a patch out sooner than later.
Replayability
The replayability factor in this game echoes the original title. Retribution allows you to re-visit any location and if you so choose to take out an entire faction in an area, that choice is completely up to you. You didn’t completely scavenge an area? Curious to see who are what you can find? It is definitely an option to go back to these locations in search of new items and secrets but of course, the real highlight is the combat. We all know the walkers will always be there to fight, and you can run into a particular faction to test your gun skills.
What It Could Have Done Better
The performance on the Quest 2 is really a head-scratcher, especially after the original title performed so well. It's understandable for a sequel to being to push the limits of the current hardware but it isn't much different here. Muddy textures and graphical glitches will still hold this title back from being greater than its original counterpart, which felt like a much more polished experience.
I will continue to say this, but I do not understand why this game does not have multiplayer. The longevity of this game needs multiplayer, even if its just a co-op experience. Skydance has developed a great world within The Walking Dead universe with the New Orleans setting, and its the perfect setup for both PvP and co-op modes. This is really a missed opportunity and I hope the developers consider making a multiplayer DLC later down the line.
Verdict
The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution gives us more of the same, with a few bells and whistles. The new weapons are a welcome addition and even though there are only a handful of new areas, they are fun to explore. The story is a bit light and the climax is underwhelming, to say the least. Performance dips are really something that should be avoided, especially in this day and age and it just felt like this title needed a bit more time to cook. Retribution is a fun time, but it desperately needs something new to keep the series afloat.
The Walking Dead Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution is available now for Meta Quest 2 and will launch on PlayStation VR 2 as well as PC VR via Steam early next year.
