Embracing Serenity in the Cosmic Void

By Grit Alone offers an unforgettable journey into VR horror, blending creativity with sheer ambition, though it could use some tweaks for polish. While it’s hard not to fall in love with its bold creativity, I understand why some might find it frustrating. It comes across as a passionate venture from a dedicated small team, aspiring to craft a sci-fi horror experience that echoes classic icons like Dead Space. However, it needs some balancing before it can fully claim its place.

What’s the essence of By Grit Alone? It’s an intense, room-scale sci-fi horror shooter for VR, available on Quest, and I’ve been playing it on the Quest 3. Released by Crooks Peaks and priced at $18.99, it’s ready for you now.

You wake up as a nameless passenger on a cryo-transport, unexpectedly roused by a crash into a bizarre space anomaly. Dubbed the space Bermuda Triangle, you find yourself facing twisted entities and malfunctioning machinery before meeting some unnervingly intent insectoid aliens. It’s a jarring awakening, complete with a gothic cathedral spaceship straight out of Warhammer 40k, an alien-infested day spa, and a potentially malevolent AI.

Comparing it to Dead Space isn’t something I say lightly. Co-written by Dead Space’s own Antony Johnston and Emma Beeby, the game shares remarkable inspiration. Weapons have dual functionalities; your ammo can become grenades, and your blaster morphs between a shotgun and a marksman rifle based on your grip. The game involves strategic engineering as well, with ship subsystems to manipulate under pressure from enemy swarms. They’ve even adapted the classic stomp attack, and yes, it’s as effective on foes as you’d hope.

The reimagined turret section, famously vexing in the original Dead Space, is actually fun here! By Grit Alone manages to feel like an homage while standing firmly as its creation, which is a delightful feat.

Discovering multiple ships to explore gives the game a unique twist, almost as if you’re battling through a horror anthology. Some environments are more engaging than others, but throughout, a subplot unfolds centering on Grace Grayson, a relentlessly tenacious tax agent turned survivor.

Grace, through audio logs, evolves from probing a cult’s financial misdeeds to guiding others to safety, providing a voice where the player character remains silent. The cast delivers standout performances, weaving rich interactions that break the solitude of your mission with compelling holo recordings.

From its mood-setting to thoughtfully paced level design, By Grit Alone understands what makes horror games tick. And the soundtrack is a masterstroke. I’m generally tough to scare, but it managed to make me jump and tread cautiously. Achieving this with modest poly graphics is a testament to its quality. If it were just a bit more balanced, the invincibility toggle wouldn’t feel as essential.

By Grit Alone mainly gears towards VR veterans with its motion-sickness mitigation settings, such as turn rate adjustments and limited vignette customization. The frequent need for agile turning can challenge VR novices. Thankfully, it’s adjustable for either hand dominance, making weapon handling more inclusive.

While you can play seated or stationary, I recommend moving and crouching when the game calls for it. Not only does this enhance immersion, but it also offers gameplay perks like swift vent navigation.

For those wanting a more laid-back experience, invincibility is an option right from the start. It allows you to savor the narrative without the stress of repeated failures. Players can also unlock all chapters, easily bypassing troublesome sections.

Some might question offering such ease in a horror game, but the difficulty spikes can be punishing, sometimes unintentionally so. Enemies, from buzzing flyers to bounding beasts and creeping spiders, are quick to overwhelm, making strategy vital.

Stomping becomes a crucial strategy, though it doesn’t help much against airborne threats spewing acid overhead. Healing is scarce, with wall-mounted health stations offering single-use relief only.

Some set pieces are exceptionally demanding, bordering on masochistic. For example, the boss fight with a possessed church organ feels designed for co-op given its complexity. Chasing scenes with razor-toothed worms through explosive corridors outpace what’s reasonable.

These elements, while creative, can be a bit off-tune, turning potentially exciting moments into sources of frustration. It often took numerous attempts before I switched on invincibility, much to my disappointment because the creativity in bosses and set pieces is admirable. Stunning visuals, robust mechanics, and compelling soundtracks demand just a tweak in timing to shine.

Even with invincibility, there’s a challenge. You can’t just waltz through; puzzles still test your wit. Invincibility mainly prevents restarts for pesky, unnoticed threats. It proves a boon in later sections veering into Portal-esque (think SAW) challenges on a research ship.

I appreciate variety, and some alien traps are genuinely tense. However, unpredictable sentry turrets and a fickle shield ability undermine fun rather than enhance it.

Thankfully, the remaining mechanics excel. Environmental interactions feel satisfying, the body tracking is spot-on, weapons like the blaster and flamethrower are enjoyable, and grenade tossing is reliable.

By Grit Alone immediately captivates with its gritty ambiance and maintains its grip through intense trials. Though low-poly and not graphically cutting-edge, its exceptional atmosphere and clever lighting compensate abundantly. It concludes on a cliffhanger, hinting at future DLC, and the compelling narrative makes braving any combat hurdles worthwhile.

It’s been ages since a horror game ensnared me as By Grit Alone has. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it’s an incredible dive into madness I hope sees a conclusion in further releases. As it stands, it’s a startling adventure well worth the plunge.