Earlier this month, I got a chance to play the Vigor Beta on Nintendo Switch. It might just become your next favourite title, too!
Bohemia Interactive’s competitive “shoot ‘n’ loot multiplayer” game throws you into a post-apocalyptic Norway as an Outlander. It’s up to you whether you fight or not, but either way… You have to survive.
Vigor is set in Norway, 1991, following a nuclear war. Norway has become a last stand of sorts, for Central Europe, anyway. As an Outlander, you are simply tasked with survival at any cost. Although it is just a Vigor Beta at the moment, the full title should be out later this year.
Aside from a small tutorial, Vigor’s main gameplay is divided into two sections. Your shelter is a hub-like area which has everything an Outlander would need. It’s got your supplies, equipment, weapons, and even a shooting range! It’s hard to think of what else you might need to prepare yourself before you set off into the dangerous world of post-apocalyptic Norway. The game has a distinctly PUBG feel to it, but the features it includes make it stand apart from the battle royale title in the best way.
Vigor brings a fresh take on the survival-shooter which scales-down the battle royale experience.
There is a lot going on in Vigor, simply put, but this isn’t a bad thing at all! It just makes it difficult to summarise. You fight in 12-player flashpoints across a number of different maps in a battle royale-style fight for loot and blood. The maps are big, too, so it really does feel like a battle royale at times. However, there are some key differences…
What makes this game unique is that you don’t have to fight to succeed. Vigor puts the emphasis on looting and survival. There are several exit points marked on each map which the player can choose to escape through as and when they please. This makes each decision made in Vigor all the more exciting. You have more choice in what fights you get into and which ones you avoid. Not only this, but it adds a degree of strategy that differs from your standard battle royale title.
Rather than staying inside an area, you have to strategize ways out. You’re often alone in Vigor, so there won’t be anyone to help you with call-outs or extra ammo. Thankfully, if you survive, any loot picked up is split, so it isn’t all bad. Obviously, though, the fewer survivors… The more loot to split. That’s where the drive to fight comes in.
Vigor’s most unique feature, though, is its shelter. Through this, you can gain access to upgrades and the ability to craft items. You do this from the resources you get after surviving a conflict. You can use these items to survive some more. As tiresome as this sounds, it’s actually quite fun. This is also where all the fun cosmetics are kept, to help you personalize your Outlander.
Graphically, you feel Vigor wants to look better than it does.
Of course, this is a beta version of Vigor, and the title is on the Nintendo Switch, so the graphics are never going to be on par with a triple-A title running on a PS4 Pro with a 4k display. But, even still… There is a strange blur to the game which I do not like. After a while, it becomes a chore to look at, and I found myself, unfortunately, having to take frequent breaks from the game. This is a shame considering that Vigor is a fantastically innovative title.
One final piece of advice for anyone looking to start playing Vigor on Nintendo Switch…?
Get grips for the Joy-Con joysticks. Shooters on Switch are hard at the best of times, and Vigor is no different. It plays similarly to PUBG, as discussed. Anyone who’s played PUBG, DayZ, or anything of that nature will know that accuracy is vital when involved in ranged combat. This is no different if you want to use your weapons to succeed in Vigor.
Vigor truly is a unique take on an established genre that puts survival at the forefront of its intense multiplayer action.
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Released on Xbox One last summer, Vigor is now in a closed beta stage for Nintendo Switch. It is Free-to-Play on Xbox One and will release as a Free-to-Play title later 2020. For more information, follow @vigorthegame on Twitter. For more news, reviews, and features from the Gamezo team, check out wordpress-514336-1633006.cloudwaysapps.com!
