Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway successfully translates the films into a VR adventure with a few hiccups. Here's our full review:
As much as I love the films, I've always been apprehensive about Wallace & Gromit's video game adaptations. Project Zoo was passable at the time and Telltale's Grand Adventures didn't quite cut it for me, but The Grand Getaway showed strong potential during my preview. By using VR for an interactive narrative experience, I felt like I'd walked into a new film and that sentiment remains with the full release.
What's immediately apparent is how it pays homage to the original film, A Grand Day Out, with a fitting premise. After mixing up the vacation dates, Wallace uses the famous orange Rocket to reach his destination. Predictably, things go awry, and the British duo finds themselves on Mars. A charming narrative filled with strong humor follows, nicely emulating the series' stop-motion animation.
I previously highlighted how comedy is tough to convey effectively in a user-controlled setting, especially when timing is critical, so I'm pleased that The Grand Getaway sticks the landing throughout this adventure. Everything feels right at home for a Wallace & Gromit story, boosted further by performances from Ben Whitehead (Wallace) and Miriam Margoyles (Beryl).
Across 12 chapters, you play as either the Robo Caddy, Wallace's golfing assistant invention with extendable arms, or Gromit, a dog who naturally lacks such abilities. You can't freely explore levels beyond teleporting to set locations, though good interactivity ensures you aren't just a passenger. Sometimes, it's as simple as reaching for objects or pressing buttons, while other moments, like putting items near your head so Robo Caddy can "spit" them out get more creative. While the latter isn't exceptionally straightforward, it's a fittingly silly approach.
Most chapters present some creatively on-brand puzzles. Everyone knows preparing rockets for take-off requires topping up the jam and milk meters, and guiding a woefully oblivious Wallace through an alien "crazy golf course" with a memory based puzzle was entertaining. As your AI assistant, Beryl offers optional hints but I never felt overly guided in finding answers. Several brief minigames, like hitting meteors with a giant cricket bat, keep the action varied.
I'm also impressed by the hand-tracking controls. Levels were clearly designed with those in mind and interactions feel entirely natural. It's one of the better hand-tracking experiences on Quest right now, but unfortunately, that's let down by the odd jank. I often noticed items started randomly shaking while picking up something else and despite being extendable, I could sometimes see the detached ends of Robo Caddy's arms, hampering immersion.
At roughly two hours, The Grand Getaway never overstays its welcome across this story, though Beryl's long-winded exposition-heavy moments disrupt the pacing. Still, there's some limited replayability available here. Minigames can be accessed from the main menu once found, so you don't need to go through entire missions again.
Comfort
Wallace and Gromit doesn’t have many comfort settings, though you're always stationary so they aren't needed. Playing seated feels comfortable even without a dedicated setting and the controls are mirrored across both controllers, so it doesn't need a specific "left-handed mode."
The Grand Getaway also keeps scenes contained to a specific path, so there's no real freedom of movement beyond using a teleport action. That's done by placing controllers to the side of your head, or making an 'O' shape with both hands in hand-tracking. That keeps nausea risk minimal, making this a newcomer-friendly experience.
That said, I'm less enthusiastic about the free mixed reality experience, Jamtastic!. With Wallace appearing through a projection while he's away, you're tasked with testing his absurd ‘jam-to-toast delivery system.’ Though the premise got a laugh from me, what follows is a basic MR gallery shooter that mainly involves shooting jam onto the toast. It's a nice extra, but my interest quickly disappeared.
Wallace & Gromit In The Grand Getaway Review - Final Thoughts
Wallace & Gromit In The Grand Getaway does a fine job adapting Aardman's classic films for VR, though a few smaller issues mean there's room for improvement. While Jamtastic! could be more exciting and the main adventure suffers from occasional jank, this charming little adventure nails the spirit of the series, packed with humor and personality. I'd love to see more of these tales and if you grew up watching Wallace & Gromit, it's an easy recommendation.
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