Fruit Ninja is back in VR with a second instalment, undoubtedly causing fruit salad enthusiasts around the entire world to flail their arms wildly. Whether you want to take out all your earthly frustrations on pineapples, melons or the humble apple, Fruit Ninja VR 2 has the fruit you need.
Really, Fruit Ninja is such an organic fit for VR. They could have put in the absolute bare minimum of effort to bring the format over and it probably still would have worked pretty well. But Fruit Ninja VR 2 goes the extra mile, rounding out a very simple and arcadey experience into a VR game with quite a few different ways to play.
We reviewed Fruit Ninja VR 2 on an Oculus Quest 2 headset via Link Cable.
As well as chopping endless amounts of fruit for unknown, potentially dark reasons, you can now skewer it with arrows. This was a little bit frustrating at first – I really just wanted to chop some fruit, but the game makes you complete a bunch of bow levels before you can get to slashing up the pomegranates. Once the bow mechanics clicked it actually became quite enjoyable – there’s just the right amount of feedback on the controllers, and it actually feels way more satisfying than the blades mode.
This is pretty much always going to be the problem with VR as we know it, though. Ranged combat with guns and bows feels much more realistic than flailing away in thin air. There’s no amount of haptic feedback that can solve it. Thankfully it’s easy to get lost in Fruit Ninja VR 2’s arcade fun either way because it’s just so simple and intuitive.
The bow is more satisfying but harder to master. The blades are easier and come with a wider range of play modes, but it doesn’t feel quite as fun to play. Luckily, once you’ve cleared the first set of bow levels, you can pretty much tackle them however you like. One thing I did quite appreciate was the addition of a rhythm game mode (I guess you’d call it Sweet Saber or something). It’s not quite as replayable as Ragnarock or Beat Saber, probably because it doesn’t use any sort of licensed music, but it’s an entertaining diversion.
At the end of the day, this is a toy. If you want to have simple, accessible fun with your VR headset, you can’t really go wrong. It might not immerse or enthral you for hours on end. It might not be an old, reliable favourite you regularly go back to. But it will entertain you and any friends lucky enough to watch you gesticulating like a lunatic at invisible fruit. It’s a colourful world with cheeky little secrets and a simple, elegant core mechanic.
Fruit Ninja VR 2 Early Access: Is it worth it?
I really feel like the bulk of what you’d want from a Fruit Ninja VR game is already here. Most of the other things they’re planning on adding – new collectable weapon appearances, extra levels, and a social hub – are just garnish on what’s already present. There’s also a multiplayer mode on the horizon which should bring an extra layer of appeal to some players.
If you enjoyed the first Fruit Ninja VR, this is certainly shaping up to be an excellent expansion on that experience. In that regard, you don’t really have anything to lose by picking it up in Early Access.
Fruit Ninja VR 2 is available now in Early Access on Steam. The first game was available on PSVR but the sequel isn’t available there just yet. A huge thank-you to Halfbrick for providing us with a code!
Thinking about picking up a VR headset? Do you wear glasses? Consider picking up a prescription lens adapter from HONSVR to improve your experience. You can read our review of their Oculus Quest 2 adapter HERE.
