Deadly Delivery [REVIEW] – Multiplayer Delivery Goblin Mayhem

Your current job probably sucks, but does it suck in the same way that carrying a cursed, whispering box through a pitch-black mine while a giant exploding skull chases you sucks? Probably not, so thank your lucky stars that you’re not a mail-delivering goblin. Deadly Delivery puts players in that role, with the VR chaotic-comedy-horror seeing you delivering post through a variety of zany (and very dangerous) scenarios with up to three friends, and believe me, it’s as absurd as it sounds (and I mean that in the BEST possible way).

Check out some screenshots down below:

Deadly Delivery puts players in the role of a Delivery Goblin for the Deadly Delivery Corp, with your career path simple: you grab a parcel, find a doorstep inside a terrifying dungeon, leave the package behind, ring the bell, and try not to become part of the local ecosystem. You’ll make cash for each successful delivery you make, with a three-day quota to hit. If you get it? Great, you’ll move on up to bigger and better delivery ventures. And if you fail? Well, the ‘termination’ process involves a boss who is SIGNIFICANTLY scarier than the monsters you’re running from.

It’s a simple process, but believe me, the gameplay loop is fiendishly addictive. You start in a corporate break room that is suspiciously cozy, where you can buy gear, customize your goblin, and prep for the next ventures through dangerous territory. If you’re feeling especially reckless, you can even gamble away your cash on a lucky wheel, but a word of warning: this money comes out of the shared group funds, and if you spin that wheel without asking and lose the team’s hard-earned gold, you are going to have some incredibly grumpy allies on your hands. Trust me, I’ve been on both ends of that conversation, and nothing kills the team spirit faster than realizing you can’t afford a flashlight because Callum wanted to double the loot and was ‘feeling lucky’. Prick.

What makes Deadly Delivery such a triumph is its commitment to VR-first design. This isn’t just a game where you click buttons, with the physics engine delightfully chunky to feel like you’re really making these deliveries (or haphazardly clinging on to anything around you not to fall to your doom). If you’re carrying a heavy parcel, you feel the heft, if you’re climbing a ladder, you’re doing it hand-over-hand, and if you’re trying to press a doorbell that’s slightly out of reach by holding on to an ally as you lean over, you’ll be carefully clinging on for dear life. Whilst you’re able to carry items in your holster, there’s also a sense of physicality in the actions you complete or when handling bigger packages that makes the whole experience all the more immersive.

Want to know what really stands out? The proximity voice chat. Whilst teamwork is definitely encouraged in Deadly Delivery, there’ll be times when you separate whilst exploring, and there’s something about hearing the voice of your friends slowly fade away that adds so much to the atmosphere. It works both ways though – hearing a voice slowly getting louder as they slowly approach you is oddly comforting, until you realise that it’s a sound of panic as they run from a monster, forcing you to quickly make a getaway too… it’s brilliant, with Deadly Delivery packed to the brim with these kinds of moments.

“Deadly Delivery is an absolute blast to play, with its chaotic co-op antics making for a unique and endearing multiplayer experience that has easily stood out as one of my favourites in VR.”

It’s worth noting that the locales you explore are crawling with things that want to eat you, ranging from Krampus-inspired brutes to exploding skulls and Half-Life-like creatures that pull you from the ceiling… yeah, it’s a dangerous place. However, the best enemy is… a surprise. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but there’s one particular foe we came across that completely caught us off-guard and plays into the ingenuity of the game’s design perfectly. Just know that Deadly Delivery has PLENTY of surprises to keep the experience intense and engaging, and even after putting over five-hours in, it felt refreshing.

The environment itself is a danger zone too, and you’ll frequently encounter fragile platforms or tricky jumps to deal with, often forcing you to literally clamber over your friends’ shoulders to reach safety. Even the parcels have personality – some of them are sentient and will talk to you, either shouting jokes or whispering creepy doubts into your ear as you stumble through the dark, whilst others are CLEARLY a ticking bomb or a baby that needs nurturing (really). Oh, and if a friend actually kicks the bucket? You can bring them back by taking the cross they drop to a fire at the entrance to each area, though there are other ways to revive them that require a bit more of a sacrifice… you’ll see what I mean when playing.

It’s also worth noting that when a player dies, they’re taken to an observation area where they’re able to watch the surviving players on a screen. This is a brilliant feature, not only because it makes you feel like you’re still part of the process and can root for them as they try to survive, but also because you can still hear what they’re saying. I didn’t know how paranoid and fearful my friends were when playing, but watching and hearing their unaware panic from afar was often just as amusing as playing the game.

The gameplay loop of Deadly Delivery is pretty straight forward, and whilst new ideas are introduced in later levels, things never change up too much. Fortunately, progression feels genuinely rewarding rather than just a slow crawl for XP, and as you hit your quotas, you’ll unlock a wardrobe of whimsical outfits, meaningful gadgets, and even helpful pets that assist in hauling loot or navigating hazards. These items fundamentally change how you approach each run, allowing your squad to develop actual roles that see you find more success… well… provided you have the gold to purchase them and don’t have a teammate like Callum who squanders it all because of his gambling addiction. And, of course, a lot of the fun comes in the situations you find yourself in, and with both the gameplay and the players’ actions unpredictable, it’s easy to find yourself having fun for hours on end. There were times where I was physically crying with laughter when playing… not many games have had this sort of effect on me.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Of course, this emphasises that this is a game that thrives in multiplayer. Deadly Delivery can be played single player, and after trying it, yeah, it’s fine. It just loses that magic without the coordinated chaos and communication of multiplayer. It has public lobbies so it’s possible to find games with others, but to really make the most of the game, you should be playing with a group of friends.

I can’t end this review without mentioning the visuals, which utilize a cel-shaded, graphic novel-like style that looks fantastic on the Meta Quest 3. The hand-drawn sketch aesthetic gives the fantasy world a rich personality that manages to be both vibrant and eerie, maintaining a sense of horror whilst keeping the tone light. It’s a good balance that ensures the game looks and feels both funny and scary in equal measures.

Developer: Flat Head Studio
Publisher: Flat Head Studio, Creature
Platform(s): Meta Quest 3 (Reviewed), Meta Quest 2, PC VR
Website: https://www.meta.com/en-gb/experiences/deadly-delivery/8778947438836641/