What's better than watching Keanu Reeves kick ass? Becoming Keanu Reeves (or at least a character he plays) and kicking ass yourself. Now the long-awaited virtual reality (VR) game John Wick Chronicles will finally let HTC Vive owners know what it's like to become a legendary assassin.
John Wick Chronicles was announced in November 2015 with a planned Spring 2016 release date. Starbreeze Studios didn't quite meet that deadline, and the closest John Wick fans came to virtually embodying their favorite action hero was a teaser at the New York Comic Con in October 2016. What could have been one of VR's early hits now has to compete with the many VR films, games, and experiences that have debuted over the last few years.
So far the response is mixed. John Wick Chronicles is supposed to be an action-packed first-person shooter with challenging gameplay, but early Steam reviews have criticized the lack of locomotion options present in games like Arizona Sunshine as well as the general focus on familiar FPS gameplay. Others have said the game performs well, offers enough variety to remain interesting, and has tight controls, all of which are important for any game.
John Wick Chronicles is available now on Steam. The game itself costs $20, but it's also available in a bundle with John Wick and the upcoming John Wick Chapter 2 films for $45. That isn't a bad price for people who enjoy John Wick and/or Keanu Reeves and also want to round out their VR game library. Movies and games have long been intertwined via licensed console games or mobile games; could VR tie-ins be the next coil around these mediums?
| Name | John Wick Chronicles |
|---|---|
| Type | Action, FPS |
| Developer | Starbreeze Studios, Grab Games, GamecoStudios, Big Red Button |
| Publisher | Starbreeze Studios |
| Platforms | HTC Vive |
| Where To Buy | Steam |
| Release Date | February 9, 2017 |
