If you’ve ever met up with me to play something in VR, you know I’m an avid fan of zombie shooters. But if you know me a little better, you know I’m also big into any cozy-style game with a fun and entertaining storyline. And Tunermaxx hit the nail on the head with the much-anticipated Rainbow Reactor: Fusion virtual reality escapade.
Style | Platform | Release Date | Price |
Match-3 Puzzler | Meta Quest | Sept 16 2021 | $16.99 USD |
Great for: | Could Improve: |
Comfortable and casual play | Slower-paced |
Beginners and veteran gamers | Some puzzles can feel tedious |
A fun storyline to follow | Mechanics don't always work |
Grab Your VR Puzzler Shoes
You may have played the game’s original release in 2019. But the Fusion update offers a new single-player campaign that’ll fully immerse you. And if you’re a fan of Match-3 puzzlers, make sure you charge your HMD’s backup battery because you’ll find yourself lost for hours. Candy Crush and Bejeweled on mobile have nothing on this mesmerizing 3D adventure.
A Comfy and Cozy Adventure
Feel free to get as comfortable as you like - you can enjoy Rainbow Reactor: Fusion while sitting or standing at room scale. I usually sit and play VR games because I’m limited to a smaller play space, and otherwise tend to destroy my living room decor. However, I found myself standing to play this exciting puzzler; it kept me intrigued about what would happen next.
Accept Your Reactor Responsibilities
For a bit of context, the Rainbow Reactor powers Rain City. Since your relative, Alfred Luzian von Hoffenhasselbrock, went AWOL, bringing the reactor back into working order is your mission. You’re not at a loss, though, because he leaves you a video message with careful instructions. Afterward, you’ll meet Dottie, the robot helping you through your journey.
Don’t be surprised if she’s a bit cynical - she’s not the biggest fan of humans. Can you blame her, though? Ever since Rain City’s Rainbow Reactor was left in disrepair, she’s been waiting for you to clean things up. Sometimes she’ll congratulate you for your effort. And other times, you’ll find she can have quite the attitude.
Follow a Quirky Solo Campaign
When you play the campaign, the goal is to reactivate all of the broken reactors, so they provide power for the city. This means completing menial tasks like cleaning paint spills, breaking boxes open, and replacing defective fuses. You’ll need to explore and find the tools necessary for these chores hidden around the reactor, or for purchase in the Rainbow Reactor gift shop.
Take Your Chances in Arcade Mode
Once you’ve reactivated the reactors, floor by floor, it’s time to power them up. I enjoyed the arcade mode more than the story because the colors, rewards, and Dottie’s quippy commentary kept me curious. Similar to other popular bubble shooters, you have to match three or more of the same colors (cyan, magenta, or yellow) together by tossing them into the reactor.
As you move along, the reactor will start tossing random paintballs to throw you off your game. But this just adds to the entertainment and heightens the stakes! Eventually, you’ll be able to create colored paintballs by mixing the existing ones. Just make sure to hit the required number of reactions per level or Dottie is gonna say something about it!
Take Your Time and Relax
Don’t expect a fast-paced caper - the campaign is slow-moving. There isn’t really any insistence to motivate you to move more quickly. Some of the tasks, like cleaning up paint spills, can become tedious if you’re in the mood to accelerate your gameplay. I found the cleaning mechanic a little wonky and unresponsive at times, making progression a bit frustrating.
It is perfect for those who love to relax and complete itemized tasks at their own pace. You can explore the reactor via smooth stick locomotion or by teleporting around. I always recommend teleportation for new virtual reality users, but if you’re feeling brave, the smooth movement and snap-turn camera are great options. Some Meta users have reported getting motion sickness.
Play on Your Meta Quest Device
While the tile-matching experience isn’t available on PCVR yet, you can scoop it up and add it to your Meta Quest library. Make sure you’ve got about 625MB of storage space available on your headset for a quick and smooth download. The game has an average user rating of 4.4, and many say that this is a highly underrated game. I couldn’t agree with that sentiment more.
A Delightful Puzzler for the Masses
Grab your jammies, HMD, and a warm blanket, and cozy on up to Rainbow Reactor: Fusion. This hypnotically addictive Match-3 puzzler deserves a spot in anyone’s Meta library. Whether you get into the arcade-style side of the game or prefer the solo story campaign, you can rest assured you’ll be comfortable and entertained for more time than you’d want to admit.
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