Bonelab is a virtual reality game developed by the studio Stress Level Zero, known for its previous title Boneworks, of which Bonelab is considered the spiritual successor. The game was released on September 29, 2022 for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and PC VR via Steam.
This title stands out for its aim to deliver full immersion through a highly realistic physics engine. The goal is to give players complete physical control of their avatar, making every action — shooting, climbing, pushing, object handling — feel tangible and credible.
Unlike more linear or arcade-style VR games, Bonelab is designed to be experimental and open-ended, focused on exploration, environmental manipulation, and community-created mods. It is primarily intended for curious players and fans of sandbox VR who can tolerate a few technical imperfections in exchange for maximum freedom.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The core of Bonelab relies on the Marrow1 Interaction Engine, a proprietary engine that takes physical interaction in VR to an advanced level. Every object, character, and element in the environment follows realistic physical logic: weight, force, momentum, and balance are all at play in each action.
A major innovation is the introduction of the customizable avatar system. Players can embody various forms (e.g., a massive brute, a fast and agile figure, or a small and nimble avatar) and switch between them depending on the situation. Each avatar alters how the world reacts to you — a heavy character can break through walls but will struggle to climb.
The available game modes build on this foundation:
- Main Campaign: around 5 to 6 hours of narrative adventure mixing puzzles, combat, and exploration.
- Sandbox: a free zone to experiment with tools, weapons, and physics mechanics.
- Arena: combat challenges against waves of enemies.
- Parkour: agility and platforming trials requiring precision and timing.
- Mods: built-in support for downloadable user-created content, including maps, weapons, characters, and scripts.
Storyline
The story in Bonelab takes a non-linear and cryptic approach. The game opens with a scene where the player, in the role of a condemned prisoner, escapes execution. This soon shifts into a strange, fragmented, almost dreamlike universe where the line between simulation and reality blurs.
The narrative doesn’t follow a conventional structure. Instead of guiding the player with clear dialogues or cutscenes, Bonelab encourages exploration and indirect discovery. Clues hidden in the environment, cryptic texts, symbols, and physical anomalies enrich the player’s understanding of the game world.
This approach deepens immersion and mystery but can also be disorienting. For some players, the lack of explicit storytelling is frustrating; for others, it fuels curiosity and invites them to “read between the lines” to piece together the full narrative.
Strengths of the Game
Bonelab stands out thanks to several elements that make it a unique experience in the VR landscape:
Ultra-Immersive Physics
Bonelab’s physics engine is at the core of its gameplay. Every object has weight, every movement has impact. This gives players a strong sense of embodiment that goes beyond what most current VR games offer.
Dynamic Avatar Switching
The ability to switch avatars on the fly, each with different physical traits (size, strength, speed, weight), opens up original gameplay strategies. A narrow passage? Switch to a slim avatar. Need to break a wall? Choose the heavy brute.
Variety of Experiences
Between the campaign, arenas, parkour levels, and sandbox, the game offers a rare diversity of situations. No level truly feels like the previous one, maintaining an experimental and offbeat tone throughout.
Mods and Community Content
Bonelab relies heavily on its modding community. From day one, the development team designed the game for easy integration of mods: custom maps, new items, weapons, or even gameplay scripts. This allows the game to evolve continuously.
Limitations and Criticisms
Despite its ambition and innovation, Bonelab shows several flaws that have divided both the community and critics.
Confusing Narrative
The choice of a symbolic, unguided narrative hasn’t pleased everyone. While some players enjoy the “puzzle to decode” approach, many criticize the lack of clarity and narrative structure. It’s often hard to understand who you are, what you’re doing, or why things are happening.
Technical Issues
Bonelab suffers from frequent bugs, especially on the Meta Quest 2 version, which is less powerful. This includes visual glitches, unpredictable object behavior, or crashes. These issues break immersion and can be frustrating, especially during complex or physics-heavy sequences.
Limited Accessibility
The game requires a solid understanding of VR mechanics: free locomotion, manual object handling, and lack of clear indicators can be confusing — even frustrating — for newcomers. Bonelab is clearly built for experienced VR users, not beginners.
Occasionally Unbalanced Design
Some levels or challenges suffer from a lack of clarity or focused design, as if they were built to showcase mechanics rather than offer fully formed gameplay. This “raw experimentation” feel can give the impression of an unfinished or inconsistent game.
Platforms and Reception
Available Platforms
Bonelab is available on:
- Meta Quest 2
- Meta Quest 3
- PC VR (via Steam, compatible with Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive, etc.)
On Quest 3, the game runs significantly better thanks to the increased headset power, reducing performance issues seen on Quest 2.
Price
The game is generally sold for around €39.99, sometimes discounted on Steam or the Meta Quest Store.
Critical Reception
Reviews are highly polarized.
- Fans of sandbox VR and modding praise it as a bold, rich game that dares to break conventions.
- Professional critics, on the other hand, highlight the steep learning curve, lack of polish, and the overly cryptic storytelling.
On Metacritic, Bonelab averages around 60 to 70/100, reflecting a game that is ambitious but divisive. For some, it’s a VR freedom masterpiece; for others, it feels like a glorified tech demo.
Conclusion
Bonelab VR is a game that leaves no one indifferent. It’s a virtual reality physics lab that pushes the boundaries of interaction, customization, and experimentation. It’s aimed at a seasoned, curious audience ready to explore, experiment, and create in a world that values freedom over clarity.
It’s also a raw and sometimes unstable game, with obscure storytelling and technical issues that may put off some players. But for those seeking a truly unconventional VR experience, Bonelab offers unmatched richness and depth, bolstered by a very active modding community.
It’s not a game for everyone, but for fans of ambitious, immersive, and open-ended VR, Bonelab is a fascinating and ever-evolving sandbox.
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