Tunnels is a VR horror game developed by Nomad Monkey and published by Mastiff, available on the Meta Quest platform. It immerses players in a claustrophobic, subterranean environment where survival hinges on navigating treacherous tunnels and confronting lurking horrors. Tunnels VR delivers an immersive, claustrophobic, and truly terrifying experience.
The Premise
In the VR game Tunnels, players assume the role of Jim. Jim is an expert tasked with sealing off an abandoned mine. Unfortunately, the mission quickly spirals into a crazy fight for survival as Jim discovers that hostile forces inhabit the depths. Armed only with a flashlight and guided by a fading radio connection to a character named Henry, players must traverse collapsing tunnels, eerie underground lakes, and bottomless chasms.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The game leverages VR to amplify feelings of confinement, with narrow passages and the constant threat of unseen dangers intensifying the horror experience. The narrative-driven journey relies on environmental storytelling and limited communication, heightening the sense of isolation. Players encounter diverse challenges, including ziplining over chasms and scaling sheer cliffs, all while evading nightmarish creatures.
Beyond the premium single-player campaign, Tunnels offers a free online co-op mode where teamwork is essential for survival. I also want to note that using your hands (the controls) is some of the best I’ve used in games. Sometimes in games, they are clunky, but not here. They are super smooth, and I don’t feel myself fighting to be able to do what I need to do. Didn’t matter even if I was scaling the cave, jumping a gap, or using a rope to get across; everything worked great.
Visuals and Sound Design
The game’s visuals are designed to immerse players in a dark, oppressive environment. The sound design complements this with ambient noises that keep players on edge, from distant whispers to the creaking of unstable structures. Tunnels has players not only walking through some of the best-looking VR cave tunnels but also crawling through some of the darkest and most claustrophobic tunnels. There are even times when you must jump over or climb with ropes across gaps that would have you fall to your death.
At times, you must scale or climb cliff faces to proceed. Other instances have you swimming for your life. I will note that Tunnels is one of the best-looking VR games I have seen. The tunnels create the immersion of going through them, and the horrors you experience will have you on edge. The world design is gritty and grounded—cracked stone walls, old mining equipment, and scattered debris all lend authenticity to the mine setting. The further you go, the more surreal and decayed the environment becomes, subtly hinting at supernatural elements without ever fully revealing them, which adds to the creeping dread.
Motion Sickness & Multiplayer
Usually, in VR games, motion sickness can be a problem for people. While I don’t have this issue, many other horror fans can be happy to know that motion sickness wasn’t part of my experience in the game. Good news for anyone willing to try out Tunnels VR. Beyond the single-player campaign, Tunnels offers a free online co-op mode where teamwork is supposed to be essential for survival. For these impressions, I didn’t have access to multiplayer to test that out.
One Bug
However, there was one bug I could not ignore. I fell through the map after walking through the second door that opened or unlocked for you. This door is important to progressing in the game, so it is hard to miss. When this happened, I just kept falling over and over and over. Not sure what triggered this, but it happened four times going through this door. I would have to exit the game completely and go back in. It was the only bug I experienced during my time with Tunnels.
Final Thoughts on Tunnel VR
Tunnels delivers a compelling VR horror experience that capitalizes on the immersive capabilities of the Meta Quest platform. Its combination of atmospheric storytelling, varied gameplay mechanics, and cooperative multiplayer mode offers a comprehensive package for horror enthusiasts. While the intense, claustrophobic elements may not suit all players, those seeking a thrilling descent into darkness will find Tunnels a worthy addition to their VR library. I’m not really a horror guy either, but I enjoyed my time and recommend it for every horror fan out there.
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