Action Horror VR Game With Melee and Guns: HAUNTED Reviewed
Want an action horror VR game where you fight back? HAUNTED gives you an axe, sword, flashlight and firearms in a mixed reality nightmare at home.
Plenty of horror games leave you with nothing but a hiding place and a rising heart rate. If that frustrates you, you are the target audience for an action horror VR game, where fear and fighting back share the same room. HAUNTED: Are You Alone? is a mixed-reality horror game on Meta Quest where you are armed.
Fear plus agency
The thrill of fighting back is different from the thrill of fleeing. In HAUNTED you get a toolkit and the game keeps changing the problem:
- Melee: an axe and sword. Swing for real. Arms smashing through the walls can be cut apart piece by piece.
- Light: a flashlight that freezes crawling skulls in its beam. When it flickers out, shake it back to life. Fast.
- Firearms: pistols, shotgun and AK-47 to hold the graveyard with real recoil.
The shop between chapters lets you upgrade every weapon, so each night you are slightly more capable, and the game remains scary because the next chapter may not care about your upgrades.
Not every threat can be hit
This is where it stays horror. The drills follow your eyes and strike if you are too slow to look away. Rising blood fills your room. The Cursed Nun waits in your hallway. The Teleporting Witch is in front of you, then not, then behind you. Some situations reward fast reflexes, others require nerve. That mix keeps the action from becoming routine.
Making your swings count
- Plant your feet. You will turn a lot; keep your balance.
- Know your space. Your real walls are close; swinging at virtual ones will not move them.
- Use the flashlight with intent. Freeze, then deal with skulls.
- Spend upgrades wisely. Think about which weapon you rely on most.
- Keep calm. Panic swings waste time.
Controllers or hands?
The game supports Touch controllers and hand tracking. Controllers give a physical anchor for melee; hand tracking makes everything feel closer. For action sequences some players prefer controllers for reliability, but this is personal preference.
Safety first
This genre makes you move fast in a room that has real furniture. Run your headset's Space Setup, clear fragile objects, keep pets and people out of the zone and stay inside your boundary. Take breaks, and take the headset off whenever you feel unwell.
Action fans should still read the fine print: sudden loud sounds, flashing and darkened light, gore and intense jump scares. It is unsuitable for children, people who are pregnant, and anyone with epilepsy, heart conditions or anxiety disorders.
Beyond the story
There are eight chapters, two secret chapters and three additional game modes. The shop hides a secret: try drawing a circle with a dot in the middle on the shop floor. Other strange symbols unlock the secret chapters.
Who it is for
If you like Doom-style attitude with a haunted-house skin, it is a fit. If you prefer pure hiding-and-listening horror, it may feel busy.
Supported headsets: Meta Quest 2, Quest Pro, Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Get it on the Meta Horizon Store.
Learning the rhythm
Action horror has a rhythm: threat, reaction, brief relief, escalation. Pay attention to when the game gives you a moment to breathe and use it to reposition, check your boundary and shake out your wrists. Players who keep moving at full speed throughout tire quickly and make sloppy swings. A steady pace, a good stance and a clear idea of which weapon fits which threat will take you much further than frantic flailing.
Choosing what to upgrade
Because the shop lets you upgrade every weapon, think about your play style. If you love the physical satisfaction of melee, put your earnings into the axe and sword. If you feel safer with distance, invest in the firearms. The flashlight is a different kind of tool, so do not neglect how you hold it. There is no single right answer, and experimenting from one session to the next is part of the fun. Just remember that the game is designed so that no weapon solves every nightmare.
FAQ
Can I fight the monsters in HAUNTED?
Yes. You have an axe, sword, flashlight, pistols, a shotgun and an AK-47, and you can upgrade your weapons between chapters.
Is it pure combat?
No. It mixes combat with horror set pieces and secrets, and some threats like the drills work differently.
Are the weapons upgradable?
Yes, in the shop between chapters.
Do I need lots of room?
You need a clear play area for swinging, ducking and turning.
