BoneLab Torrent is a shooter game developed and published by Stress Level Zero. The initial segment of Bonelab introduces the fundamentals. The firearms constitute a satisfying assortment of real-world bullet hoses. Although not excessively realistic in their manipulation, they feel authentic, with the act of inserting a magazine, operating the slide, and discharging rounds dynamically affecting your aim as recoil disrupts it unless steadied with both hands. Thanks to enhanced sound and effects, the shooting experience is more impactful than in Boneworks, though melee combat has undergone the most significant enhancements.
For a game marketed for its physics-driven combat, Boneworks never quite clicked with me. Weapons felt excessively weighty, and my character appeared too feeble. In Bonelab, most avatars I controlled could wield a sword or club effortlessly. Blunt attacks carry a satisfying sense of weight, while blades puncture and adhere in the virtual non-flesh, demanding some effort to dislodge. Unarmed combat is even more enjoyable, allowing for genuine grappling and brawling.
Following the introduction, BoneLab Torrent Magnet takes an experimental turn, temporarily pausing the narrative to introduce a sizable hub containing physics sandboxes, challenge maps, and score-chasing minigame modes, along with a display of developer-endorsed modifications. The arenas offer an engaging diversion, and the Tactical Trial maps deliver gratifying room-to-room combat reminiscent of John Wick, although this disrupts the campaign’s pacing somewhat.
This undisclosed element remains concealed until approximately halfway through the story: the Bodylog. Similar to how the gravity gun transformed Half-Life 2, this compact arm-mounted device alters the Bonelab gameplay, enabling the seamless switching between physically-driven avatars throughout the game and beyond. Replacing the generic initial body, there are six primary avatars, each having a profound impact on gameplay.
Everybody possesses physics and statistics based on their appearance, offering a taste of inhabiting an entirely different body. Thanks to ingenious proportional mapping, each avatar feels like a natural extension of your body, regardless of its divergence from your real-world physique. When configured appropriately, touching your chest, in reality, corresponds to the same action on nearly any avatar. Even user-created models with more unconventional proportions feel manageable, though occasionally it resembles puppeteering them with strings rather than fully embodying them.
BoneLab Torrent remains a work in progress. Since its launch, there have been multiple updates to the mod development tools and a significant game update to enhance several levels. Even within the game, hints of a non-existent ‘B-side’ plot are present. Stress Level Zero, the developers, have pledged close collaboration with players for the future of Bonelab, and its ultimate destination remains uncertain. I am pleased to be part of the initial stages of such an experimental game and am intrigued by how it will evolve—or transform VR itself—in the upcoming months.
BoneLab Torrent System Requirements
- OS: Windows 7/8/10/11
- Processor: Intel i5 7600 3.5ghz+
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: GTX 1070 / 1660TI
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 20 GB available space
