Virtual reality is an awesome place to explore the possibilities of gaming that couldn’t quite be reached on such an immersive level before. For instance, what if you could be a spellcasting sorcerer or sorceress, wielding magic in each hand as you pit your spells against other opponents alongside fellow casters? That’s the kind of fun Wands Alliances promises as it readies for arrival on the Meta Quest 2.

The battlefield of sorcery awaits

Wands Alliances is a 3v3 first-person battle arena from developer Cortopia Studios and publisher Beyond Frames Entertainment in which players wield the powers of magic to try to defeat opposing squads of spellcasters. It available now on Meta Quest 2, with the possibility of expansion to further VR platforms later.

Immediately, some of the customization is what stands out about the game. You begin by choosing a class that allows you to determine what kind of specialties you’ll have access to. Some character classes have defensive buffs that aid them, such as one featuring an armor buff when you fall under a certain health percent. Other classes get buffs to damage or utility.

The personal touch doesn’t end there though. You also get to choose the array of spells to take to the fight. Want to go hard on offense? Grab some explosive fireballs and inferno tornados along with your standard magic missile. Want more defense? Grab an ice wall spell to be able to block sight lines and create quick cover for yourself or your teammates. Of course, the character class you choose will dictate the spells available to take with you to the match. Nonetheless, we really enjoyed the ability to make a playstyle from the spells and character classes available. The classes themselves are nicely varied and the different spells and limitations on what you can bring allow players to play the same class differently and find their specialty.

Then there’s the matches themselves. As mentioned prior, this is primarily a 3v3 competitive game. The objective style of the gameplay could be considered similar to Counter-Strike or Valorant. In the core game, one team are the attackers and the other are the defenders. The attackers must plant a bomb-like Omega device at one of two target locations while the defenders attempt to thwart the plant. You can also just defeat the entire opposing team to take a round. After a few rounds, players switch sides. Movement in this game follows the classic VR teleport move method with fixed positions on the map, meaning you point at a valid spot and confirm to move there. This allows for jumping between cover or surprising foes as you try to outmaneuver them. All of it (spells included) makes for a very interesting take on the usual objective tactical shooter style.

Of course, if you don’t know what feels right for your playstyle, you could always visit the Training Range. Here, you can test out classes, try out their spells, and see what fits your fancy. We really enjoyed this as it allowed us to get a good idea of what each character class was capable of and what particular battle kit worked best for our needs. The game’s maps are also quite amusing, featuring a magical take on a varied array of London streets, train stations, gathering halls, and more to learn and master as you battle it out with your foes.

Choose your spellbook wisely

The original Wands was a delight in 2016 when it launched, introducing players to the possibilities of magic-based duels in VR. Wands Alliances seems to be expanding well on that original premise with the addition of further spells, classes, and team-based tactical play. We enjoyed what we got to see so far out of the customization and combat, but VR players will be able to see for themselves with the game now available on the Meta Quest 2. The battle of spells is about to get fiercer than ever as Wands Alliances gets into players hands.