Review of ‘Wall Town Wonders’ – Perhaps Too Casual for the Age of Mixed Reality

Wall Town Wonders sweeps you into a futuristic realm where augmented reality becomes a regular part of your daily life. Envision managing a lively community of tiny, Sim-like characters who hover around your living space in hot air balloons, following their small routines alongside your larger one. While the visual elements are quite striking, the game struggles to hold my interest due to a thin layer of gameplay depth, prompting the thought that maybe this genre is trying to bloom before the current AR technology is truly ready for it.

Wall Town Wonders Details:

• Publisher: Cyborn
• Available On: Quest 3/3S
• Reviewed On: Quest 3
• Release Date: November 21st, 2024
• Price: $20

Gameplay

In true casual gaming fashion, Wall Town Wonders is marked by its low difficulty, which complements its aim of creating a relaxed atmosphere. Initially, the charm lies in poking your head into different buildings and watching villagers engage in their tasks—like a little chef whipping up a pizza or a pair of villagers flying a bi-plane across your room.

Once you get past the tutorial, which lasts about an hour, the game pivots towards various mini-games that unlock as you build new structures. You’re tasked with fun activities like defending a vertical farm from pesky bugs with a wrist-mounted mini-crossbow, fishing from a floor pond, or directing airplanes with your hand gestures.

Primarily though, you’ll find yourself waiting for your villagers to generate essential resources—wood, money, and food—that are automatically produced by these tiny denizens. The gameplay loop revolves around expanding and upgrading over 100 types of buildings, which can be customized and repositioned to create a personalized assembly around you. This results in a visually enticing array of set pieces that breathe life into your space with their activity.

Despite this, the game feels like it "runs itself" most of the time; villagers automatically go about their duties, leaving you the option to dive in for interaction or casually observe like you would fish in a tank or ants in an ant farm. You can join in on mining, farming, and exploring, but these interactions generally come in the form of optional mini-games.

Over time, my interest waned, making me long to divert my attention elsewhere while the village thrums along in the background. This desire kept me from diving back in after a few hours spent across multiple sessions. The mini-games, designed to occupy us during these waiting periods, felt more like random tasks than engaging activities.

Immersion

There’s an innate allure to virtual dioramas—their compactness amplifies vibrancy and detail, making them feel alive. Wall Town Wonders taps into this with its picturesque European village themes painted onto your walls. It’s quite enchanting.

That said, despite strides in virtual desktops and XR workspaces, I’m not crafting this review while wearing a headset. Much like many of you, I only find time to dive into games or social platforms during evening hours—unless I’m reviewing something, of course.

I picture a future where display resolutions are so advanced that working in-headset feels as natural as it does on a monitor, with comforts that make you forget you’re wearing any gear. For now, though, Wall Town Wonders tries to sidestep these real limitations, offering a collection of mini-games and a serene, albeit too relaxing, atmosphere not quite suited for extended Quest play sessions.

While it might seem like Wall Town Wonders and I didn’t vibe, fans of The Sims or Townscaper may argue otherwise, citing my experience as a mismatch with the game’s inherently delightful and incredibly laid-back charm.

Comfort

Navigating through the game’s plethora of available buildings urges you to remain on your feet, exploring every wall in your room. Although you can play seated, wandering around is almost a given. It’s possible to alter building heights for easier access, but some activities demand engagement closer to the ground, which might strain your neck if you’re sensitive.

However, Wall Town Wonders cleverly positions its village at a more comfortable spot on the walls, providing a refreshing alternative to scrutinizing a small map or shifting the virtual world for a better look. I hope to see more town simulation games adopting this XR-friendly approach.

‘Wall Town Wonders’ Comfort Settings – November 21st, 2024