Superhot is a badass shooter where time only moves when you move. Gunfights are bullet ballets where timing is crucial. The VR version is just as stunning, especially when speedrunners are pulling of moves straight from the best action movies.
Speedrunning in virtual reality adds a dynamic physical component to gameplay that you don’t get sitting in front of a mouse and keyboard or holding a controller in your hand. Superhot VR speedruns really show this off. Runners focus on swift gunplay and weapon swapping to blast their foes at a blistering pace.
The video above shows speedrunner Ben Massey’s current personal best time. Massey is one of the few runners with a body camera that shows all of his actions during runs. He dodges and weaves and ducks all over his bedroom while blasting his way through the game. The run only takes a little over eight and a half minutes but the physical nature makes it extra compelling to watch.
The game’s community is rather small, limited in part by the relatively high cost of VR devices like the HTC Vive, but the runners are dedicated to pushing the game to the limits. A speedy world record of 8:33 was set a few days ago and runners continue to post their best times for individual levels, chipping away at the game with killer execution and experimentation.
Superhot VR runs are a good look at how speedrunning might unfold as new technology emerges and changes how we play games. It’s a combination of frantic physical activity and keen gunplay.