Marvel’s Deadpool VR review: The Merc with a Mouth won’t stop talking

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Video game reviews often praise superhero games for making players feel like they’ve become Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, or another costumed hero. This is understandable – the best praise for a hero game is that it fully captures the feeling of being that powerful character, and virtual reality is a perfect way to achieve that immersion. However, despite putting you in Deadpool’s red suit as Wade Wilson, the game Deadpool VR doesn’t quite manage to make you feel like the character himself.

In Deadpool VR, Wade Wilson gets kidnapped by the villain Mojo, who forces you to capture Marvel supervillains. Mojo wants them to fight to the death in a live-streamed game show. As you play, viewers can reward Deadpool with points for impressive combat, unlocking new weapons and abilities. Think of it like a combo meter from games like Devil May Cry, but tailored to Deadpool’s need for attention and flashy moves.

Deadpool VR completely immerses you in Wade Wilson’s world, and he makes sure you know it – he talks constantly, living up to his nickname, the Merc with a Mouth. Unlike most VR games that prioritize action, this one often has you simply listening to characters banter with Deadpool as he delivers a barrage of jokes. You’re left with little to do but react to the experience with your headset. The voice acting is a strong point, with Neil Patrick Harris perfectly capturing Deadpool, and excellent performances from John Leguizamo as Mojo and Julia Jones as Spiral. While being stuck in lengthy conversations is frustrating, and might be amplified by the VR format, the actors clearly give it their all.

If you’re not getting constantly attacked – which doesn’t happen often – you can jump twice and perform a dive kick to move around. Wade starts with pistols, katanas, and a grapple gun, but you can switch out his swords for other cool options, like blades that return to you after you throw them, or even handheld shotguns. While most pistol upgrades trade speed for power, weapons found during levels or dropped by enemies are usually much stronger, though they have limited ammunition.

Once you get past the virtual reality aspects and the main character’s jokes, the game plays a lot like a simpler version of recent DOOM or Shadow Warrior. It’s interesting to compare it to Shadow Warrior specifically, because that game’s hero, Lo Wang, is also known for his witty lines.

I’m really enjoying the main missions, and they’re nicely broken up with these awesome on-rails shooting sections! Between those, there’s this arena mode where you fight NPCs in team challenges, which is… different. It definitely fits the whole wacky game show vibe Mojo’s got going on, but honestly, it feels a bit like playing against bots in multiplayer. It makes me wonder if the developers originally planned this as a full-on arena shooter and then built the story around it.

This VR game is a thrilling but demanding experience. It’s not for anyone prone to motion sickness, as it can cause nausea. While it’s only available on Meta Quest 3, the game suffers from inconsistent performance and a blurry image, which can ruin the experience or even make you feel sick. Because of these issues, it’s hard to recommend to most players.

For dedicated Deadpool fans, Deadpool VR offers a really fun experience. Once you complete missions, you can replay them as different versions of Deadpool – like Lady Deadpool, Kid Deadpool, or Golden Age Deadpool – and each mission has hidden secrets unlocked by these alternate versions. Plus, there’s a lot to discover and replay, with hidden comic book covers and plenty of content to keep you entertained for hours.

Deadpool VR could benefit from some updates or even a release on another platform to really shine, but even as it is, it’s a perfectly enjoyable game. While it’s fun, it doesn’t quite reach its full potential as a VR superhero experience, and it doesn’t fully capture the feeling of being Deadpool. It’s a solid, harmless game filled with humorous, self-aware jokes referencing pop culture like Cheers and One Piece. If that sounds appealing, then Deadpool VR is unique and worth checking out.

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2025-11-24 12:47