I’ve always been a bit of an Anglophile, having been raised on the likes of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and Mr. Bean (yes, I know I’m dating myself here). There’s just something about British humour that’s always tickled my fancy, ranging from incredibly dry and sarcastic deliveries, to over-the-top bonkers scenarios. Wallace & Gromit certainly fits into the latter category, and their shorts and films have held a special place in my heart for several decades. Needless to say, I was surprised to learn of a new Wallace & Gromit game being made for modern audiences, in VR no less! Time to break out the cheese and crackers, and see if Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway delivers another memorable adventure.

Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway starts off in the familiar location of 62 West Wallaby Street, the home of the titular duo, Wallace and Gromit. The pair have a marvelous holiday planned, full of sun, relaxation, and golf. To assist them during their golfing retreat, Wallace constructs his latest invention, the Auto-Caddy, a robot caddy with extendable arms and ball-launching capabilities. However, it wouldn’t be an adventure if Wallace didn’t manage to bungle things, which is precisely what happens when he mixes up the reservation and finds himself needing to be on the other side of the country in half an hour. The inventor, his faithful canine companion, the Auto-Caddy, and the ultra-intelligent radio, BERYL, all hop into his homemade rocket ship, shenanigans ensue, and the crew find themselves upon a most unexpected vacation destination: Mars.

The setup is exactly what fans of Wallace & Gromit have come to expect, in all of its ridiculous, fumbling charm. Wallace is as happy as a clam to be practicing his golf swing amidst the red sand dunes and unfamiliar lifeforms, but Gromit and BERYL are more concerned with fixing their rocket ship so they can make the journey back home. Players will take on the role of either Gromit or Auto-Caddy, depending on the sequence, while trying to assist the lovable, bumbling Wallace. BERYL is a competent guide, offering tips and suggestions when needed without coming across as annoying like other AI companions (I’m looking at you Navi and Fi). It’s up to Gromit, Auto-Caddy, and BERYL to work together to find replacement parts for their ship so they can eventually return to Earth.

The gameplay in Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is designed to be experienced in an open space, either sitting or standing. I found standing to feel the most organic and immersive, but every player is different. Thankfully, since there is minimal need for walking around, issues with VR nausea that plague certain players is virtually non-existent. Each section is set up so that all you’ll need to do is pivot around and interact with the objects surrounding you, somewhat akin to a more simplified version of I Expect You to Die.

The controls work well for the most part, but there is some clunkiness to the grabbing and tossing mechanics. Instead of throwing things with your hands, you aim where you want them to go with your face and then mime putting it to you mouth to spit it out to the desired location. This is fine unless you move your head ever so slightly while attempting to launch something and then accidentally change the trajectory. Which will happen… quite a bit.

In each area you’ll be tasked with solving some very basic puzzles, and while they’re not difficult to figure out by any means, they’re all silly and fun. There’s a surprising amount of variety to be found with all the puzzles as well, ranging from shooting galleries, to a Whack-a-Mole styled game, to a fantastic sequence involving making toast with jam in a zero-gravity setting. Although, my biggest frustration with Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway came from one of its very last puzzles. It involved moving some magnetized stones, which for some reason gave me a lot of problems due to some randomly unreliable controls. Luckily, this was the only instance that gave me any sort of a headache during my playthrough.

Visually, Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is impressive. It actually feels like being plopped right into a Wallace & Gromit short. There’s a slight jerkiness to the movements of our beloved characters, faithfully retaining the stop-motion animation feel of the original works. However, whenever Wallace has a scripted cutscene where he talks and moves about, the framerate plummets drastically. Needless to say, this is distracting and pulls you out of the immersion. But when you’re given the stunning views of space or the sweeping vistas of Mars, it’s jaw-droppingly beautiful.

That said, the graphics aren’t the only thing selling the Wallace & Gromit experience. The sound design is superb all around, with zany, cartoony sound effects and a musical score that’s plucked straight from classic Wallace & Gromit features, albeit with some otherworldly space themes thrown in on occasion. Last, but certainly not least, are the stellar vocal performances from Ben Whitehead as Wallace (who officially took over the role in 2017 after Peter Sallis’s retirement and subsequent passing) and Miriam Margolyes as BERYL. As mentioned earlier, BERYL is a refreshing example of an AI companion that isn’t obnoxious, which is largely because of Margolyes’s prim, proper, motherly, and slightly bossy delivery. The two balance each other out perfectly.

I loved my time with Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway. It’s a nostalgic treat for those familiar with the characters, and endearing enough to ensnare the hearts of those who have never been exposed to them before. Even though the controls aren’t always the most reliable, the puzzles have enough variety to keep things interesting the whole way through. The characters are charming and the views of space and Mars are remarkable in VR. My biggest complaint is that it’s quite short, taking only about an hour and a half to beat. Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway was so much fun that I wanted more! For anyone looking for a delightful, family-friendly adventure, Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is a cracking good time!

 

Graphics: 7.0 The graphics are fantastic and make you feel like you’ve popped into a Wallace & Gromit cartoon, but it does at times suffer from some horrible framerate drops whenever Wallace has a cutscene.	Gameplay: 7.0 There’s a fun assortment of puzzles to be found within the game, making each section feel new and fresh. Since there’s very little walking around, there are no issues with VR nausea. The controls handle fairly well, aside from one of the very last puzzles, which got a bit finicky.
Sound: 9.0 Wonderful voice acting and a musical score that’s right in line with classic Wallace & Gromit. The sound effects are also well done, with plenty of zany, cartoony sounds.	Fun Factor: 8.0 Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is a delightful time the whole way through. My biggest complaint is that it’s quite short, only taking about an hour and a half to beat. It’s so much fun that I wanted more!
Final Verdict: 7.5

Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is available now on Meta Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest Pro.

Reviewed on Meta Quest 2.

A copy of Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway was provided by the publisher.