Arizona Sunshine is one of VR's oldest zombie shooters, and Vertigo Games makes a compelling case for its upcoming remake. Here's what we thought.
The original Arizona Sunshine is admittedly feeling pretty dated these days, though it's still widely available on most major VR platforms. And after playing the remake's first two chapters at Gamescom on PlayStation VR2, followed by replaying the original Arizona Sunshine on Steam to compare, I fully understand Vertigo's decision to remake it.
Arizona Sunshine Remake - PlayStation VR2 Gameplay Clip
Once again, we're back in post-apocalyptic southwestern America killing hordes of "Freds," and Remake's opening plays out almost identically to the original game with small changes. While co-op support is confirmed, my demo was single-player only.
Arizona Sunshine Remake uses the same engine as Arizona Sunshine 2, and it feels like a natural extension of last year's sequel. Vertigo Games has modernized its VR gameplay design with improved physicality, and the differences are immediately clear beyond a shiny new coat of paint. Manual reloading is now an option, grabbing items feels considerably more responsive, and ladders can now be physically climbed without teleporting to the top.
My biggest issue during this preview was that my right Sense Controller would consistently lose tracking, leaving me at a significant disadvantage when hordes began coming towards me. Hardly ideal to be stuck with a floating hand mid-battle when the gunplay otherwise feels good. This may have been a hardware problem though, and I'm hoping this issue doesn't return come full release.
I can't understate how much more visually appealing Arizona Sunshine Remake looks compared to the original game - the desert looks better than ever. These initial chapters have been accurately recreated, and Remake still offers some entertaining action. Shooting up zombies is nothing particularly special at this point; we've all seen repeated attempts across the years, yet the remake's changes are reinvigorating it for a new audience.
It's a different case to Wanderer: The Fragments Of Fate, which is remaking a much more recent game from 2022. By comparison, Arizona Sunshine first appeared in 2016 back when modern VR was finding its footing. Common VR game design principles weren't universally agreed upon in the way they are now, which makes this remake even more intriguing.
In that sense, Arizona Sunshine Remake showcases just how far VR games have evolved in just under a decade. I still cannot believe we've reached a point where studios are actively remaking earlier VR games. Returning to the original afterward showed me how many best practices we often take for granted these days, many of which simply didn't exist back then. The old game still offers some fun, but this remake looks highly promising.
Arizona Sunshine Remake arrives on October 17 for Quest, PSVR 2, and Steam. Owners of the original Arizona Sunshine on the same platform can purchase the "Remake Upgrade" at a lower price.
