Vertigo 2: Into the Aether delivers a strong expansion to the PC VR hit that ends the series on a high note. Read on for our full impressions.
When Zach Tsiakalis-Brown released the ‘Bottomless Update‘ back in late 2023, I was prepared to accept that Vertigo 2 had run its course. While I didn’t review it myself, my former colleague Harry summed it up well. Vertigo 2 is a game built on strong foundations that elevated the series even further, and the sequel delivered something truly special. It’s a game I consider to be an essential PC VR experience.
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Gameplay footage captured by UploadVR
To say I’ve been intrigued about Into the Aether since its announcement would be an understatement. It’s perhaps best described as an extended epilogue that takes roughly 2-3 hours to complete, exploring the aftermath of the main game’s ‘Sacrifice’ ending. You can play it without beating Vertigo 2, though it’s naturally recommended that you complete the main game first.
I’ll keep this light for spoiler avoidance. This expansion sees you playing as Brian on a mission for Kauboi in an attempt to make amends for what happened before. It’s a great continuation to an already strong narrative that held my interest throughout, balancing this with Vertigo’s great sense of humor as Brian seeks to free the last living Architect from its prison.
Into the Aether features four chapters, yet most of your time is spent in just one that leans considerably into Metroidvania-style gameplay. Ahead of you lies the final boss who can be challenged at any point, yet doing so leads to a predictably bad time even on the easiest difficulty. Defeating them requires several tools to assist your journey, all of which are scattered through this strange labyrinth.
Admittedly, I initially struggled to find the “right path” as Into the Aether’s open-ended progression means you can reach the right area at the wrong time. One example saw me run for my life up a flight of stairs while taking fire from the snipers at the bottom, barely surviving but with just enough health to acquire a key artifact upon reaching my destination. Repeated deaths upon trying to leave made me realize that perhaps I wasn’t supposed to get here yet.
This is where Into the Aether’s new tools gradually come into play, since you don’t have the same arsenal as the main game. Most prominent is the ‘Void Grappler’ that attaches to most surfaces and lets you swing around like Spider-Man, which feels like a rush and a great new mechanic that opens up exploration. It can build up some intense speed if you continue swinging around a set target, so I’d advise caution with the comfort settings if you’re prone to motion sickness.
Aerial exploration via the Void Grappler is arguably the biggest new feature here, and getting it right takes practice. Some areas are protected by a Sand Glass challenge that allows you limited time to reach the normally sealed room and claim your prize, and failing these missions can lead to a lengthy trip back. Completing these offers a useful reward with Soul Rings, which aren’t exclusively gated behind such challenges, but these essential items both reduce damage and increase your attack power. So it pays to be thorough.
PC Specs And Headset Used
My desktop uses an Intel i9 16-Core Processor i9-12900 (Up to 5.1GHz), 32GB RAM – Corsair VENGEANCE DDR5 5200MHz, and a 16GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super. The Steam comparison was conducted using a Meta Quest 3 via Virtual Desktop. The minimum system requirement specs can be found on Steam.
Your other key item is a new defensive option called the ‘Void Deflector’, which deflects incoming attacks with precise timing. Or, in other words, what I should have picked up before foolishly attempting to rush past those snipers. The timing needed feels like a pleasant balance that’s neither too strict nor too lenient, and this conveniently serves a dual purpose of gathering energy for a counterattack with a special weapon.
What’s here feels like a refreshing change of pace that’s a welcome extension of Vertigo 2’s gameplay while delivering its own creative ideas. Into the Aether’s combat remains just as satisfying as the base game, the weapons handling remains great, and I feel compelled to fully explore this strange new location to uncover all of its hidden secrets.
That’s before we get into the presentation, too. This new environment strikes a distinctive visual tone that mixes an almost monochromatic aesthetic with shades of red, creating a quietly unnerving feeling during exploration without ever becoming scary. I say that even with the grotesque yet creatively designed creatures lurking within, both dead or alive, and the Aether also plays host to some entertaining environmental puzzle solving.
For anyone particularly interested in the narrative, the ‘Stay out of the Aether’ illustrated short story is a nice digital bonus included with the DLC. Reading this isn’t essential before jumping into the game, yet the addition of new concept art and additional information like a map and report regarding the Aether is certainly welcome.
After a long journey from Vertigo Remastered to Into the Aether, I’m sad that this is the end of the line. Tsiakalis-Brown calls this “the final entry in the Vertigo series,” which left him wanting to “make it something special.” The new mechanics feel great, it’s visually distinctive while remaining aesthetically appealing to explore, and there’s plenty to love about the new Metroidvania-style gameplay. Frankly, I couldn’t ask for a better conclusion.
Vertigo 2 is available now on SteamVR, while Into the Aether arrives on April 25 for $9.99. We’ll be airing a pre-recorded stream next week with Zach Tsiakalis-Brown where we go through most of the expansion on our YouTube channel, so make sure to tune in.
Harry Baker
