I think it’s fair to say that I’m not much of a social gamer. Even though I have dabbled with online gaming in the past, I would much rather play a fully fledged single player than having to deal with others in either co-operative or competitive play.

But there was something about Mannequin that I found compelling. With its haunting atmosphere as you seek to eliminate alien creatures hidden amongst frozen humans, it seemed like it would be a thrilling experience – especially in virtual reality.

And after hours of playing with the game, I have to say that I’m completely hooked.

HIDE & SEEK
As a multiplayer focused game, there isn’t a whole lot of plot to Mannequin, but it still manages to set the scene well for the task at hand: the world has been invaded by alien creatures that humans have dubbed ‘Mannequins’ due to their uncanny ability to take human form whilst in a stationary position. What makes them particularly fearsome, however, is that they can freeze humans in time with a single touch. As such, human agents have been tasked with hunting them down using their scanner technology to stop them before it’s too late.

So begins a lethal game of hide and seek, where the victor decides the fate of the world.

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After a brief, but effective, tutorial that teaches you how each side plays, you’re ready to jump into online play. Quick play will dump you into a random role, so I’ll simply start with the side that I enjoyed the most: the Mannequins.

As a Mannequin, your goal is to either take down the enemy agents or absorb the energy from two of the three power stations spread across the map. Draining power takes time, but doing so will allow you to move faster and eventually see your enemy from anywhere on the map. The alternative is to use your shape-shifting abilities to hide around and ambush the enemy, thus freezing them in time. Obviously your pose is everything, so it’s important to try and blend in to ensure that you don’t get caught quickly. Mannequins also have the ability to dash from a posed position, which is great for closing the gap between the enemy quickly, but it’s cooldown also means that you may run the risk of exposing yourself should you fail to touch your target.

The agents, on the other hand, feel like the odds are stacked against them. With there only being two of them versus the three shape-shifting Mannequins, it’s certainly very daunting as you rely on your scanning technology and observation. Has this room changed since you last visited? Did you sense movement beyond the window? Is that scan coming from another floor, or are they far closer than you think? It’s extremely stressful. However, between the signal of your scanner and the solitary tracking device that constantly scans for threats, success is certainly possible. You may have limited (and slow) shots, but one is all you need provided that you are quick on the trigger. It’s a tricky balance between teamwork to ensure that you’re always ready for action and also making sure that you stay far enough apart to ensure you won’t get taken out together by a single quick Mannequin attack.

It’s a really odd dynamic between the two, especially as both sides have a differing number of players on their team. My initial reaction was that the Mannequins were quite unbalanced, as I soon found out that once you play aggressively, matches become far easier. Your abilities make you feel like the prey, but really you are the hunter and should act as such. But then I started coming across players who were good agents – so much so that they even commented that they thought being an agent was an easy win, due to the aliens being so much more difficult to use. It was a baffling opinion, but one that made me realise that the teams were far more balanced than I gave them credit for. Each team is built for a very different playstyle, and which one you find easier will no doubt be dependant on your playstyle. 

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Quick matches are played over one of four different maps, with team elimination as the goal. It is worth noting that there is an infection game mode available in custom matches, which will no doubt be great fun, but I was unable to test it due to the lack of players. That’s not to say there aren’t many players, as I always found my way into a match with ease, but if you set up a custom match you are going to have a hard time filling it unless playing with friends. Still, matchmaking works well enough, and I even found the younger gamers to be quite adorable in their enthusiasm for the game. It’s so refreshing seeing kids playing online that aren’t screaming or insulting each other, and I found it to be a rather positive space – which will no doubt be of importance to any parent looking to get it for their child.

My only real issue is with the maps themselves. Despite having four maps available, they all just blend together and feel the same. In fact, when I had a gaming session with NinjaGuyVR, he didn’t even realise that we had been playing different stages. It really underlines just how similar they all feel. I really think that the game would benefit from mixing up the stages a bit with some unique designs (perhaps a department store full of real mannequins!), and perhaps the odd twist on the generator objective too. Whilst I am absolutely hooked on the game, I do have to admit that the matches do start to blend together after a while – and that could certainly prove to be an issue for some. But for now, I’m happy to keep on playing just to see how ludicrous I can be with my poses and still get away with it!

VERDICT
Mannequin is an extremely addictive multiplayer game that will see you playing a deadly game of hide and seek with shapeshifting aliens. The maps may not quite be as unique as they could be, but the central gameplay loop is so addictive that you probably won’t care all that much. It’s an essential addition to your multiplayer VR game night!