The multiplayer survival shooter Vigor is coming soon to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and as a free-to-play version on Nintendo Switch. The gameplay is reminiscent of the popular Escape from Tarkov in a post-apocalyptic world similar to Fallout. MeinMMO explains what to expect in Vigor.
What is Vigor? Vigor originally released on August 19, 2019, as an exclusive title for Xbox One. The game comes from Bohemia Interactive, the creators of the military simulation ARMA and the survival classic DayZ.
In July 2020, it was also released for Nintendo Switch and is now coming to PlayStation 4 and even PlayStation 5. The developers promised this with a new trailer at gamescom 2020:
It is a survival game in the style of Escape from Tarkov: After a nuclear war in 1991, Norway is the last safe zone, and you fight there for survival and loot.
The setting is strongly reminiscent of the Fallout series and the latest installment, Fallout 76, albeit more realistic and less outlandish.
You will repeatedly visit abandoned cities and compete with other players for weapons and resources found there. After each round, you return to your base, which you can expand and that serves as your outpost.
EFT meets Fallout in Norway
This is how Vigor plays: Vigor is played in rounds, where you start on a map and explore it with pre-selected gear, looting like in Escape from Tarkov. Loot can be found in abandoned houses and in “Air Drops” that appear at the end of a round.
The goal is to gather as much gear and resources as possible before escaping the area. After a while, a radioactive cloud moves over the map, slowly killing you if you don’t leave.
You compete against other players, with whom you can either communicate and form loose alliances, also in a duo mode, or kill them to take their loot. When you die, you lose everything you had unless it was insured.
Here are more features: Since the game is free-to-play, a cash shop is available where you can buy crowns to purchase upgrades. These can enhance the overall lobby’s loot or insure your equipment so you don’t lose it upon death. Additionally, there are:
- Facilities on each map that allow you to reveal enemies, determine the drop location of items, or find loot safes
- Your base, the “Shelter” to expand, where you can even produce ammunition and later crowns
- A shooting range to test weapons without consuming ammunition
The moderator and now YouTuber and streamer Fabian Siegismund explained the mechanics in a video. Although the video is from the 2019 release, it is still relevant. We have embedded it here for you:
Vigor – Coming soon for free on Switch, PS4, and PS5
When and where can I play Vigor? There are four versions of Vigor for different platforms:
- Xbox One – Free2Play in the Microsoft Store
- Nintendo Switch – €19.99 in the Nintendo eShop as Founder’s Pack, going free-to-play from September 23
- PlayStation 4 – From November 25
- PlayStation 5 – From “Holiday 2020”, thus possibly one of the release titles of the PS5
A new trailer claims that the game will be free on the Switch. Since it is also free on Xbox One, it is likely to be free on PS4 and PS5 as well, or a nominal price of one cent for age verification, like in Apex Legends.
There is no information yet about a PC version.
Is Vigor worth it? The game has a small and dedicated fan base among Xbox and Switch players and is often praised for its mechanics and especially the different weapons. Long-term motivation comes from expanding your base and finding and using new blueprints.
However, the ratings in the Microsoft Store are only at 2.5 stars. The criticism here mainly revolves around players being unable to connect to servers or losing their connection, hence experiencing technical issues.
Additionally, the cash shop is criticized, as the (voluntary) insurance of gear costs about €2 per round. Since it is a free-to-play title, many players recommend forming your own opinion.
If you’re into classic survival games, you can find the 23 best survival games of 2020 for PS4, PC, and Xbox One in our comprehensive special.
