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When it comes to gaming and working out, I’m usually sceptical that it will be any good. I will admit I am not the sportiest person in the world either; I haven’t done much since being captain of my university fencing team long ago. So, the New Year has hit and getting in shape is on most people’s minds, but if you’re a VR gamer and don’t fancy an actual gym… Les Mills Bodycombat might offer something of value.
Gameplay
Les Mills is well known for their fitness and exercise programme, and with Les Mills Bodycombat, they have brought this system to virtual reality. The exercises are cardio-based and utilise combat moves in a workout sequence.
This is instructed by 3D scans of personal trainers who guide you through the exercises and offer words of encouragement. The gamification comes in the form of a rhythm game. The music offers a good beat, and you must perform the moves to hit the icons flying at you – like in other rhythm games. This is where VR successfully provides this sort of rhythm game experience, as the moves will be based on punches, knees, dodges, and squatting. It’s the full body movement that gives you the workout, while the rings, with their particle effects, will give you the gamification aspect, especially as these vary depending on the power put into the move.
Visually, the game renders well in virtual reality, and the environment is impressive, but it would be nice if it were varied. The workouts on offer do feel varied, however, which is what counts, and they will get progressively harder as you progress. It’s very clear what you need to do, so I never felt like I had to take too long to react, and it felt like it was a workout right from the get-go.
Les Mills Bodycombat has its limits
The game, or workout application, isn’t perfect. After a while, it can feel repetitive as there aren’t endless workouts on offer, so you will have to repeat workouts the longer you own the game. while this is a shame, it’s to be expected for a fixed-cost application. The other thing that can get slightly irritating is the repetitive audio cues for what moves to perform and the one-liners of encouragement. It was ok for short exercise sessions, but I wouldn’t be able to tolerate it over a longer playtime.
Final Thoughts on Les Mills Bodycombat
Les Mills Bodycombat is a solid fitness offering without too many bells or whistles. It’s not reinventing the wheel or providing anything exceptionally unique in the fitness/game space. What it is doing, however, is providing a very polished experience. After a while, it can feel repetitive, but for a fixed price, you get a lot for your money with Les Mills Bodycombat, and if you’re looking for a gamified at-home workout, this could be for you.
If you want to learn more about PICO 4, check out the full review.
