Ragnarock

Ragnarock is a rhythm and fitness VR game featuring Vikings racing in boats to the beat of rock and metal music. It was developed by the independent French team WannaDev, whose early works include the warmly received horror game Propagation VR.

Mechanics

As a music game, Ragnarock requires players to perform actions to the beat of the music. However, in this case, it's not about pressing buttons or performing gestures. Instead, we take on the role of a Viking on a boat and use motion controllers to play virtual drums to get the crew rowing. Oncoming Nordic runes, like the blocks in Beat Saber, inform us of the order in which we should hit each of the four instruments.

The scoring for playing the song accurately is also handled in an unusual way. Points are not an abstract number, but the distance our boat has travelled. If we're racing against others - either AI or live players - we can also see our opponents' boats, which makes the rivalry more intense than in typical rhythm games. Further races are aided by occasional boosts, awarded for perfect rhythm timing.

Game modes

Ragnarock features two game modes. Either we play solo and try to beat our own records (symbolized by the spectral ship), or we race against other players in an online competition. There are also three difficulty levels to choose from, varying in the number and speed of the runes that appear.

Technical aspects

Ragnarock uses a simple, but pleasing to the eye low poly style graphic design. The whole thing is a bit angular and does not even try to pretend to be more realistic, treating players to clear, sometimes bright colors. The variety of locations, loosely inspired by Norse mythology, deserves praise: we race not only on water but also in the air, and even in space. Of course, first fiddle is played by the rock and metal soundtrack in a pirate and celtic style, including songs by such bands as Wind Roses, Gloryhammer or Alestorm. The developers have also provided an option to add your own tracks, although only to play in single player mode.

Last updated on 21 February 2023