Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Empire City launched on April 30, 2026 [1], for Meta Quest 3 and Steam VR [2].
The release represents a high-profile attempt to translate the TMNT universe into a first-person virtual-reality experience. However, the game's technical state suggests a gap between the ambition of the premise and the final execution.
Reviewers have described the title as a bare-bones adventure. Travis Northup of IGN said the game is a "buggy, repetitive, and incredibly barebones adventure that mostly fails to capitalize on its extremely awesome premise."
Despite these criticisms, some mechanical elements received praise. An UploadVR reviewer said the parkour system feels solid and that playing with friends brings a lot of fun, even if the world feels empty.
The game features the four turtle brothers in an action-adventure setting. While the co-op functionality provides a social draw, critics noted that limited content and repetitive gameplay loops hinder the overall experience.
The title is currently available on two primary platforms: Meta Quest 3 and Steam VR [2]. These platforms allow players to engage with the city in a fully immersive environment, though the aforementioned bugs persist across the experience.
“The parkour system feels solid, and playing with friends brings a lot of fun, even if the world feels empty.”
The mixed reception of TMNT: Empire City highlights the ongoing challenge for VR developers to balance ambitious open-world concepts with technical stability. While the inclusion of co-op and parkour shows a focus on core engagement, the 'bare-bones' nature of the content suggests a rushed release or a lack of depth that may alienate players expecting a full-scale TMNT simulation.
