Survivors of Xcalibur has just hit early access on Quest, bringing a fresh Virtual Reality twist to the bullet-heaven genre. Drawing inspiration from Vampire Survivors, this new title places you in the shoes of the Last Knight of Xcalibur. Your mission? Take on the relentless cyber wizards and rescue the world in the absence of Merlin and the lost King Arthur. It’s a thrilling scenario set against waves of adversaries, where you control the Knight like a 3D action figure from a third-person vantage point, adding a unique strategic layer to the chaos.
Ahead of its official launch today, I had the chance to dive into the game, and it clearly wears its Vampire Survivors influence on its sleeve. However, it brings to mind more of a tower defense experience since you’re allowed to jump back into the fray after being defeated. Your objective is to protect the ‘Holy Spear of Purification’ stationed at the heart of the map. Armed with a variety of weapons such as rifles, turrets, thunder strikes, and swords, you’ll maneuver your knight like a miniature figure across the battlefield, issuing commands with precision.
Initially, your weapon choices are limited during your first playthrough. But don’t fret, because Survivors of Xcalibur lets you boost your weaponries, like increasing the rate of fire or enhancing damage, during each round. This progression system is quite solid and balanced within each session. But bear in mind, these enhancements vanish once you start anew, kicking things off from scratch again.
I’ve only managed to tackle the opening mission so far, which presented a decent challenge—mostly due to the sheer volumes of foes and the endurance-testing boss at the end. Leveling up through the game’s long-term progression feels surprisingly easy, allowing you to snag permanent gear upgrades and extra weapon slots without a fuss. After one unsuccessful attempt and a triumphant run, I’m already at level 12, making progress feel both rewarding and a tad too straightforward.
While there’s a lot of promise here, a few tweaks before the final release could make a world of difference. The resolution could use some refining on the Quest 3, as it appeared a bit blurry in spots. I also noticed minor performance drops in particularly crowded sequences. Despite these hiccups, the game’s foundation is solid, and I’m excited to see its development.
Survivors of Xcalibur is currently available on the Meta Quest platform for just $5, with more platforms slated to follow soon. If you’re curious, there’s also a free 20-minute demo available to try out.
