COLD VR Review | I Survived the Cold… Barely

xDogSquadGamingx & MezzaB
4 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

Hey fellow gamers, MezzaB here with my debut review on Cold VR for XPN Gaming!!

Cold VR is an action-packed shooter game for single-player, developed by ALLWARE LLC. This is their debut game release, which is a PEGI 7 and was released on 11th February 2025. Published by Perp Games. You can find Cold VR on Meta Quest and Steam (reviewed on the Meta Quest 2).

So, let’s get started! Without giving too much away, scientists from ALLWARE CO have developed a new A.I. called ALL.CO, but it doesn’t take long for things to go wrong. ALL.CO goes rogue, convinced the only way to save the planet is to wipe out the human race.

The initial game starts in a lobby featuring a weapon display and a shooting range for practice before entering the simulation to face your enemy.

At the centre is a computer that allows you to enter the A.I. world.

Once inside... the only contact is through a video link (cut scenes) with one of the original creators who wants to bring ALL.CO to its knees.

The nutty scientist connects with you on different levels and helps you along the way. But the A.I. also tries to get you on board with its ultimate plan.

The game starts with the scientist loading a training program from a floppy disk..... (yes, really a floppy disk!! old school I know!!) where you quickly learn to shoot and control time by either speeding up your movement or slowing it down. But be careful, the slower you go… the faster your enemies get and standing still can be deadly. You navigate your way through 34 different levels, each with its own unique layout and challenges to keep you on your toes.

Anyone who likes the Backroom game style... you're in for a real treat, be ready!

So what's Cold VR like to play, you ask???

Well, let me tell you... Cold VR is easy enough to pick up quickly. Even for novice players in

the VR world (like myself), the controls are easy enough to learn. Thumb sticks for moving and triggers for shooting....simple!! The game will test your skills on multiple levels, from basic combat training to exploring vivid pirate ships on the colourful high seas, to speeding trains and the well-known and terrifying the Backrooms-style levels. The game is a one-hit kill, which can be annoying, and some levels can seem impossible at times. But hang in there, as you quickly learn from your mistakes to become victorious.

What about the graphics?

The graphics of the game are pretty minimalistic. However, vibrant neon colours really bring the game to life, from neon blue enemies with their bright red bullets to the vivid yellow and purple of your swords and colourful objects placed around the worlds.

But beware when you hit the Backrooms-style levels because everything changes! Your basic grey background and upbeat music changes to an eerie orange and ambient sounds, where dark creatures with red eyes chase you through the rooms. The gameplay can be dark on these levels, which adds to the creepiness. The only drawback of the graphics I found is that if you walk into a wall or an area you're not supposed to access, the screen turns black, making it impossible to see anything. I ran into this problem a few times during my playthrough, and be aware that you can still be shot or hit. This was frustrating.

Is it easy to access the settings???

Yeah, pretty much...Users of the game can access the settings menu in-game and change different controls such as the audio and comfort settings. From the seamless way you turn within the game to the intensity of the cutscene effect, the game can be enjoyed both standing and sitting. I tried both ways and found standing easier for me.

During gameplay, a warning will appear for the Backrooms-style levels for horror content and parental advisory for younger gamers playing, and you have the option to skip the level or continue. The back room style levels are highlighted in orange on the computer in the lobby, which I find great for those who aren't fans of horror or that style of gameplay. (This was my first experience with backroom style gameplay, and I nearly pooped myself.)

HMMM this sounds familiar...

So Cold VR has often been compared with the game Superhot. While they share some similarities, they are also completely distinct from each other. With the enemy being red in Superhot, they are blue in Cold VR (hot.. cold get it??). Also, time does not stop in Cold VR; it speeds up. When you slow down, you increase your chances of dying as your enemy rushes towards you or their bullets speed up, giving you very little time to think on your feet! This unique time move can be terrifying in the Backrooms levels as you are being chased by the creatures, and with one touch, you’re a goner!

Final thoughts

My final thoughts on the game… It’s a really good game with room for improvement, such as the wall problem, and once you start a game, you can only continue; you can't start a new game. I had tons of fun playing the different levels and getting jump scared in the Backrooms-style levels. Although I did get frustrated at times when I kept dying! (No, I didn’t rage quit.) The game has a The Matrix meets Tron vibe to it, and I am so down for that!! Unfortunately, I did not get to finish the entire game due to a glitch that restarted a level repeatedly, and I was unable to progress any further in the game.

However, upon conducting a little research, there is an update from the creator of Cold VR called the Sub-Zero Edition being released on the 2nd June, 2025. This relaunch promises to fix all the problems that have been pointed out and improve the game, making it the game that Carlos wanted it to be. So hopefully I will get to revisit the game and bring you an updated review and fill you all in on the new gameplay.

Last but not least, a massive thank you to Carlos from ALLWARE LLC, who kindly sent the code so I could play the game and write this amazing review for you guys.

Thank you to everyone who took the time out of their day to take a moment to read this review. Your support is always appreciated and means a lot to me.

Cold VR is available on Steam and Meta Quest

Steam

Meta Quest