The sequel to the 2017 VR spy-comedy, I Expect You To Die 2 has the player taking on the role of a globetrotting James Bond-type who finds themselves in numerous dangerous situations. It blends escape room logic with skillful parody, the result of which is a tight, enjoyable experience. The game is available for various VR platforms and CBR was able to take a look at the Play Station VR version, played on a PS5.
Taking place over six individual levels, I Expect You To Die 2 forces the player to utilize everything around them to solve various puzzles. While they can pick objects up and manipulate them with their controllers, players will be forced to use the lead character's mysterious powers of telekinesis to manipulate out-of-reach objects or bring them closer. Each level expects the player to sit in one spot the entire time and is built around that idea. This control scheme works and feels a lot better than the "point to a location and teleport there" feature that some other VR video games use.
Sometimes the player finds themselves under pressure -- they'll come up against grenades, antagonistic shooters and of course, lethal lasers. It's all too easy to die, and the player is treated to a cute Game Over screen featuring an embarrassingly accurate autopsy report. Death in I Expect You To Die 2 comes quickly and ruthlessly and can sometimes have the player wondering what they did wrong, but the levels are so short that it usually doesn't feel too frustrating to start again. The first level is an exception as its final puzzle is a gauntlet of enemy agents who can all end the player's run if they don't know exactly how to deal with them -- dodging bullets is sometimes a little finicky so there's effectively very little time to test solutions before the screen turns black and it's time to restart. Thankfully, the next levels are far fairer and feature fewer time-sensitive tasks.
The puzzles in this game are moderately difficult, lying somewhere in the center of a scale with escape rooms at one end at point-and-click adventure games on the other. Veterans of either genre will find the game on the easier side, yet no less enjoyable compared to those who need more time to work things out. The novelty of physically interacting with the environment to find new clues and set up solutions is a breath of fresh air and keeps things very engaging. Some puzzles also have multiple solutions, which can make repeated playthroughs more enjoyable.
Another way that the game encourages replaying levels is through its collectibles which are scattered throughout the game. Each of the game's six levels has six "souvenirs" to collect. These are either objects that the player has to interact with or quirky interactions that the player can enact -- such as placing a helmet on a statue of a bear. These are signified with a jaunty jingle and provides a nice side-objective for achievement hunters. Similarly, each level has a speedrun goal to reward those players who like to test their memory and dexterity.
In terms of plot and tone, I Expect You To Die 2 delves deep into the realm of parody. Spy thriller tropes are used with abandoned and dissected mercilessly in a wonderfully comedic fashion. The game takes the player to classic spy locales such as an autonomous jet, a Swiss castle and an enemy HQ. These sets feature scores of incompetent henchmen, liberal use of poison, improbably complicated consoles and even one instance of a slowly advancing laser of doom -- even complete newcomers to the genre will quickly come to appreciate this love letter to spy stories.
Thanks to the brightly colored environments and comedic props (a barely concealed scorpion inside a sandwich comes to mind), the game feels very lighthearted despite the life-or-death situations that the player is forced into. This levity is one of the game's biggest strengths and makes it the uniquely enjoyable experience that it is.
The cream of the crop comes with the game's villains. The Fabricator is a stereotypical evil genius whose plans and creations are overcomplicated to ridiculous extents -- something that's perfect for a VR escape room game in which puzzling out instructions and routines is a joy and not a chore. However, not to be upstaged, Wil Wheaton provides the voice of John Juniper, the game's eventual primary antagonist. He absolutely delivers when it comes to delivering a villain with a gigantic ego, and he's a joy to listen to throughout the game as his involvement in the plot becomes clearer.
The voice direction overall is great -- the game's dialogue is full of fantastic comic timing and genuinely funny moments that feel organic. Characters react to the player's actions realistically, with villains admonishing their success and the handler showing how impressed they are. The developers showed their foresight through the script, too -- playing through levels quick enough to pre-empt instructions or clues will attract astonishment and accusations of being a mind-reader. It's a fun way that the game acknowledges itself in a meta fashion, rewarding the player with almost fourth-wall breaks.
One area where I Expect You To Die 2 falters a little is accessibility. There are no subtitles, nor are there any sound options to increase the volume of dialogue over the ambient noises and various tracks. This has the unfortunate consequence of unintentionally making puzzles harder for hard-of-hearing players who may not clearly hear clues. One puzzle involves following audible instructions from the player character's handler; without subtitles, this could become a frustrating effort in futility which will likely force some players to search for an online guide.
Despite the flaws, I Expect You To Die 2 is a great game. It shows off the potential of VR as a puzzle delivery mechanism and satisfies a curiosity or craving for the escape room experience from one's own home. Its control scheme feels natural, it's suitable for quick bursts of gameplay and it has replayability value for those who like to get the biggest bang for their buck. The game has something for everyone and is a fantastic addition to any VR game collection. After all, who hasn't dreamed of what it would be like to be an international super spy? For those who wish to try their hand at it, I Expect You To Die 2, developed and published by Schell Games, is available now for Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR and Steam VR.
CBR was provided with a copy of the game by the publisher for review purposes.