Nostalgia Trip: ‘Arizona Sunshine Remake’ Modernizes a Classic for Meta Quest Today

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Oct 17, 2024

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It’s been nearly eight years since we took our first steps into the red-sand deserts of Vertigo Games' Arizona Sunshine, pistol in-hand. It was an important moment for VR. A foundational moment.

But we’ve also come a long, long way since then—as evidenced by last year’s Arizona Sunshine 2, with its stunning visuals (which look even better on Meta Quest 3 and 3S), cinematic story, and improved gameplay.

Point being: The original Arizona Sunshine set the stage, and now Vertigo rebuilt it from the ground up.

Today you can pick up Arizona Sunshine Remake on the Meta Horizon Store—and from now until November 30, owners of the original Arizona Sunshine can upgrade to the remake for just $9.99 USD. Experience the original game, now completely revamped with upgraded high-resolution graphics, an overhauled combat system (and improved dismemberment and gore), and all of the DLC included.

Arizona Sunshine Remake is the game as you remember it, not as it actually was—assuming you’ve played it, of course. And if not? Then Arizona Sunshine Remake is the definitive way to experience what is still a bona fide zombie-killing classic.

We sat down with Peter Deurloo, Game Director on Arizona Sunshine 2, to discuss how the team approached such an important remake, some of the challenges they ran into along the way, and what changes you can expect. Read on for the full interview, or mosey on over to the Meta Horizon Store and pick up Arizona Sunshine Remake for $29.99 USD.

When did the team first start thinking about remaking Arizona Sunshine, and why?

Peter Deurloo: Even after 8 years, the original Arizona Sunshine is still a fan favorite, and after the positive response Arizona Sunshine 2 received last year, we knew it was the right moment to bring the classic back.

Our goal was to deliver the ultimate Arizona Sunshine experience—keeping the story that players know and love, but with upgraded graphics and gameplay using the latest VR tech. It’s a way to give both longtime fans and new players a fresh, immersive and enhanced take on the game that started it all.

How did you approach the remake? Was your goal to stay as faithful as possible, or change things to better match Arizona Sunshine 2?

PD: Arizona Sunshine Remake is a complete rebuild of the original 2016 game. We wanted to stay true to the original story, while upgrading it with the latest visuals, graphics, and technology seen in Arizona Sunshine 2.

Beyond the enhanced graphics, we’ve improved the game’s mechanics to make it more immersive.

One of the standout gameplay improvements is the introduction of melee combat. Players now have access to a variety of melee weapons, from machetes to crowbars, bringing the action up-close and personal. The new gore and mutilation system, also featured in Arizona Sunshine 2, adds a layer of realism to the takedowns that fans have come to love.

Another big improvement is the enhanced physics. The zombies are much more interactive, and so is the world around you. In the original game, static items were common, but in the remake, everything is designed to feel interactive. If you see it, you should be able to pick it up—that's been our guiding principle, and it’s something you’ll definitely notice in the remake. We’ve even added manual reloading, which wasn’t available in the original.

Across the board, the overall physicality and usability is significantly improved, creating a more engaging and realistic experience for players.

Arizona Sunshine was one of the earliest VR games—what would you say are some of the biggest changes to VR since 2016, either from a design standpoint or a technical one?

PD: One of the most noticeable changes since 2016 is the significant improvement in headset technology. These advancements have allowed us to push the boundaries of what we can include in our games. Our goal has always been to deliver a consistent experience across all supported headsets, but balancing this across different platforms, especially with varying hardware capabilities, has been a challenge. In some cases, it has even led to post-launch graphical updates.

That said, although there’s still a gap between low-end and high-end platforms, the capabilities of the least powerful devices continues to improve over time, which allows us to deliver increasingly immersive experiences across the board, ensuring that players on any platform can experience the best of what Vertigo Games has to offer in VR.

What is your favorite level in the original Arizona Sunshine? How about the remake? Is the answer different?

PD: The epic shootout during the final level of the campaign has always stood out as a favorite moment. It's such an intense, memorable experience. In the remake, that iconic section remains, but the Refinery level has quickly become one of our new favorites. The darker atmosphere feels even more immersive, really bringing that tension to life. Plus, the remade DLC campaigns are an absolute joy to experience again.

What’s next for you post-launch? Anything exciting in the works?

PD: We have some exciting plans in the pipeline, but it's still a bit too early to reveal any details just yet. Stay tuned!

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

PD: In addition to the launch of Arizona Sunshine Remake, we're very excited about the upcoming release of Metro Awakening on November 7th. We can’t wait for players to uncover the Metro universe for the first time in VR!

Fred (a.k.a. the zombies, if you’re a seriesnewcomer) has never looked this good—or gross? Either way, Arizona Sunshine Remake is available in the Meta Horizon Store today for $29.99 USD. And don’t forget, if you own the original Arizona Sunshine you can upgrade to the remake for $9.99 USD, now through November 30.