Every now and again, there’s an occasion when a game just is. It isn’t bad, and it isn’t noteworthy. It just kind of exists in a space where you say “Yup, that’s a game!” without cause for either memorable praise or criticism. Pop-Up Pilgrims prevails in this very space, a virtual reality game that could just as easily be played on a standard screen, yet has layers that can only be seen in a headset. It’s a game that overstays its welcome, quickly becoming redundant and dull while simultaneously offering new challenges to overcome. Every point of commendation is balanced with a critique and it doesn’t stand out as an example of the good or the bad.
I didn’t hate the five or six hours I put into getting the Platinum trophy on Pop-Up Pilgrims. The Lemmings-like gameplay provides what ought to be an intriguing loop. As the floating cloud god, my job was to guide eight villagers through each of the game’s 60+ levels, collecting golden octopus statues along the way. Collecting all eight relics and finishing a stage with eight living villagers nets me a gold rank on the level. VR comes into play as each of the platforms are layered one in front of the other, providing a kind of 2.5D semi-circle obstacle course to guide the villagers through. The flat visuals in virtual reality are reminiscent of a pop-up book, hence the name of the game. Screenshots don’t do the visuals any justice, and if there’s one notabl...