Developed by CM Games and released on July 20th, 2020, Into the Radius VR is a VR action survival game heavily inspired by the Soviet novel Roadside Picnic and the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game series. The player, an unnamed Explorer, is tasked by the shadowy UNPSC to explore and document an area of Eastern Europe known as the Pechorsk Radius, which was the site of an inexplainable disaster in 1987. Following the 'Pechorsk Event,' the previously-sleepy village was transformed into a grim, inhospitable landscape where shadowy creatures with a taste for blood and a proficiency for firearms wander amidst dangerous, reality-bending Anomalies. The Event, however, also brought about a series of otherworldly objects known as Artifacts, which can bestow powerful effects on their holders ranging from rapid healing to night vision. Seeking to research the Anomalies, monsters, and Artifacts of the Radius, the UNPSC contracts you, the player, to investigate the alien landscape.
For protection against Radius fauna, the UNPSC offers (at a price) a wide selection of mostly traditional Soviet firearms for the player to use and abuse. A decent selection of Western small arms is also available, however. Ammunition management, for example using special types for certain enemies and situations (FMJ for unarmored enemies, Subsonic for stealth, AP for armored enemies, Overpressure for extra damage, ect.) and manually reloading magazines, play a large part in the game. The player is also capable of repairing their firearms, which grow dirty with continuous use, and modifying them to, for example, extend an internal magazine or add attachment points for various extra parts, including lasers, red dots, suppressors, and grenade launchers.
The following weapons appear in the video game Into the Radius VR:
Weapons in Into the Radius VR can be obtained (in poor condition) through randomly-spawning weapon crates found in the Radius or purchased from a main store in Vanno, the player's home base. Money can be earned from completing missions or by selling unwanted items. To gain access to more powerful firearms, the player must increase their "Security Level" by completing main story missions and passing a training course; the player begins the game with a Security Level of 0 and may reach a maximum level of 5. Firearms, magazines, and some attachments degrade at an unrealistically high pace in Into the Radius VR, requiring the player to either spend money at the shop to have them repaired or utilize their own tools (a toothbrush + cleaning spray or a cleaning rod + toilet paper) to manually clean them. Neglecting to clean equipment one's causes it to appear rusty and smudged and gives it an increased chance to jam, in the case of a firearm, or fail to feed, in the case of a magazine. The player can carry one handgun (in a holster attached to their hip) and one long gun (over their dominant shoulder) at a time and may carry up to four magazines in pouches mounted to their tactical vest. Loot found in the Radius and extra supplies, including cartons of ammunition, extra magazines, food, knives, a gas mask, or one additional long gun, can be stored in the player's backpack, but heavier loads slow the player down and require them to eat more often.
Handguns
Best used as a backup weapon or in close-quarters combat, handguns are an Explorer's best friend in Into the Radius VR. All handguns can be upgraded at the Vanno store to add an underbarrel rail, threaded suppressor mount (does not apply to the Desert Eagle and MP-412 REX), and red dot sight mount. Common ammunition types for handguns include:
Full metal jacket (FMJ) - standard
Armor-piercing (AP) - decreased damage, increased armor penetration, more expensive
Subsonic (SS) - significantly decreased damage, decreased armor penetration and noise, less expensive
Overpressure (+P) - significantly increased damage and armor penetration, much more expensive
Beretta 92FS
A Beretta 92FS (depicted with M9 markings and called the "M9 Beretta") can be purchased from the Vanno store for $1500 starting at Security Level 2. Feeding from a 15-round magazine, tied with the TT-33 for the highest damage-per-shot of the non-magnum pistols, and capable of firing a wide array of powerful 9x19mm ammunition, the Beretta 92FS is considered by many to be the most useful pistol in Into the Radius VR.
The heaviest and second-most powerful handgun in Into the Radius VR, a Desert Eagle Mark XIX chambered in .357 Magnum can be obtained from the Vanno store for $5500 after reaching Security Level 4. It deals enough damage to kill almost any enemy in the game with a one bullet, but its expensive ammunition, low accuracy, and high recoil encourage precise, single shots. As an added bonus, the "Desert Eagle" comes pre-equipped with a ported barrel and two rail attachment points, one on top of the barrel and one underneath it. It feeds from a 9-round magazine and can fire soft-point (incorrectly called FMJ in-game) or "Surplus" ammunition, which deals less damage but is significantly less expensive.
The first 9x19mm firearm available in Into the Radius VR is a 4th generation Glock 17, which can be purchased from the Vanno store for $700 after reaching Security Level 1. As a high-capacity automatic pistol, it fulfills a similar role to the GSh-18 in-game, although the Glock deals more damage per shot in exchange for having more expensive ammunition.
The second of Into the Radius VR's two machine pistols, a Glock 18C (or "G18c" as it is known in-game) can be purchased for $3500 at Security Level 3. This select-fire Glock deals moderate damage per shot and has an extremely high rate of fire, but with a magazine of just 17 rounds it is very easy to blow through all of one's ammunition in a fraction of a second when faced with a stressful situation.
A GSh-18 may be purchased from the Vanno store for $600 after reaching Security Level 1. The high-capacity pistol is depicted incorrectly as firing 9x18mm Makarov, however. The GSh-18 is a substantial upgrade over the starting Makarov PM pistol because of the former's increased magazine size (18 vs. 8) and higher base damage (despite firing the same cartridge.) When using AP or +P ammunition, the GSh-18 remains a strong choice for players throughout most of the game due to its high capacity, high base damage, and acceptable armor-piercing performance.
The player's starting weapon is a Makarov PM. Additional PMs are available for $300 starting at Security Level 0, and one free PM respawns every few in-game days just inside the Radius. Featuring low damage, low magazine capacity, and low armor-piercing ability, the PM is serviceable only as an early-game sidearm and is best replaced by any other handgun available in Into the Radius. Its one saving grace is that its ammunition is cheap to purchase and easy to scavenge.
The most powerful handgun in Into the Radius VR, the MP-412 REX was added to the game as part of the 2.7 Update. The REX deals 50% more damage per shot compared to the already powerful Desert Eagle Mark XIX (despite firing the same ammunition), ensuring that anything unlucky enough to catch a round from this six-shooter won't get back up. This extreme power, however, is kept in check by the revolver's small capacity, high recoil, poor iron sights, and somewhat poor accuracy. The MP-412 REX can be purchased from the Vanno store for $6000 starting at Security Level 2 and cannot be suppressed.
The first fully-automatic pistol available in Into the Radius VR is an OTs-33 "Pernach", known in-game as the OC-33. Feeding from a 27-round magazine, the Pernach can be obtained from the Vanno store for $2200 after reaching Security Level 2. Capable of firing at 600 rpm, the Pernach offers extreme firepower in a small package at the cost of potential ammo wastage and high recoil. The pistol can also be fired semi-automatically.
An improvement over the starting PM, a Tokarev TT-33 is available from the Vanno store starting at Security Level 1 for $500. The TT-33 has high damage-per-shot and good anti-armor performance compared to other sidearms, especially those chambered in 9x18mm Makarov. The Tokarev's relatively small capacity of 8+1 rounds, however, limits its effectiveness in later parts of the game.
Submachine guns (or SMGs) are one of the types of primary weapon available in Into the Radius VR. They fire pistol cartridges at very high rates of fire, which, in a game focused around ammunition conservation and making accurate single shots at long range, results in submachine guns being a second or third choice for most situations. Unlike shotguns, most submachine guns can be suppressed, however, meaning that this weapon class still finds some utility when stealthy close-quarters firepower is required, such as within the confines of Pobeda Factory. Much like pistols, all submachine guns can be modified at the Vanno store to add rails for various attachments and many come pre-equipped with a threaded barrel for attaching a pistol suppressor. Most submachine guns also have access to unique, mutually exclusive upgrades to either increase (+20%) or decrease (-20%) their base rate of fire, depending on if ammo conservation or increased firepower is desired.
Heckler & Koch MP5K "Reverse Stretch"
The Heckler & Koch MP5K featured in Into the Radius VR is a custom variant of the classic submachine gun known as a "reverse stretch," meaning that it is a hybrid of the MP5A5 and MP5K, allowing the gun to feature both the folding stock and trigger group of the former and the forend of the latter. Owing to its Navy three-round burst trigger group, this SMG can fire in semi-automatic, 3-round burst, or full-auto. It is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum and feeds from a 30-round magazine. It can be purchased for $3500 from the Vanno store after reaching Security Level 2 and is pre-fitted with a threaded barrel for a pistol suppressor.
The first (and by far the most crude) submachine gun available in the store is an MP Jelen. Known in-game simply as the "PPSh," this super-short SMG can be purchased from the Vanno store for $1850 after reaching Security Level 1. Firing 7.62x25mm Tokarev and utilizing the same 35 and 71-round magazines as the full-length PPSh-41 available later in the game, the MP Jelen is questionably effective at best and serves only as a cheap, accessible option for a player who wants to use an SMG during the early-game at any cost. It may be upgraded to attach an optical sight mount and underbarrel rail.
One of the earliest submachine guns available to the player, a PP-91 Kedr can be purchased from the Vanno store after reaching Security Level 2 for $2000. The weapon's stock can be folded or unfolded, but this has no effect on recoil in-game and is purely an aesthetic choice. The PP-91 Kedr can use 20 or 30-round magazines and comes with a threaded barrel to attach a pistol suppressor, if so desired.
The most powerful 9x19mm firearm the player may obtain, a PP-2000 can be purchased for $3000 starting at Security Level 2. It feeds from a 20-round magazine and comes equipped with a suppressor adaptor and top rail attachment point. The PP-2000 can be fired in semi-automatic or full-auto, but an upgrade can be purchased that (somehow) swaps the full-auto firemode for a three-round burst.
Heavy, powerful, and capable of firing at an incredible 1000 rpm, a PPSh-41, known as the "PPSh Full" in-game (as it is the "full" version of the much shorter MP Jelen), can be purchased from the Vanno store for $3000 after reaching Security Level 2 and can be upgraded to add an optical sight mount and underbarrel rail. Both 35-round stick magazines and 71-round drum magazines are available for the PPSh-41, but drum magazines cannot be purchased from the main store and must be found as loot in the Radius.
Shotguns in Into the Radius VR generally offer very high single-shot firepower at the expense of low magazine size and a cumbersome reloading process. All shotguns are chambered in 12 gauge and can use one of two ammunition types: buckshot (red shell), which fires a spread of pellets that rip through unarmored enemies at short to mid-range, and slugs (blue shell), which fire a single, accurate projectile that is better against armored enemies and at longer ranges. The choke of each shotgun can be adjusted at the Vanno store to drastically increase or decrease the spread of buckshot and, as with other firearms, shotguns may be modified to add rail mounts for optical sights and other attachments. All shotguns (except the Saiga) also feature a side saddle on the left side of the gun that can hold up to 6 spare shells to facilitate rapid reloading.
A Baikal IZh-27 can be purchased from the Vanno store for $1500 after reaching Security Level 1. This Soviet over-under double-barreled shotgun is powerful and accurate, especially in the early-game before armored enemies become commonplace, but the IZh-27 is limited to just two shots before it must be reloaded and kicks heavily. Its length and weight can hinder the user in close-quarters combat and when traveling across Into the Radius VR's large, open maps. The IZh-27 may be upgraded to add an optical sight mount and an underbarrel rail for attachments.
Available for just $500 and lacking a security level requirement, a version of the IZh-27 with sawed-off barrels and stock is also available. Black electrical tape is wound around what remains of the shotgun's stock. Compared to the full-length version, the IZh-27 Sawed-Off is slightly less accurate and much louder. It features the same upgrade options as its parent and one is given to the player for free after they complete the first mission.
Serving as an upgrade to the double-barreled IZh-27, a Baikal IZh-81 may be purchased for $3000 after reaching Security Level 2. The IZh-81 can hold up 4+1 rounds in its magazine tube, but this may be extended to 8+1 after purchasing an upgrade at the Vanno store. An optical sight mount and two rail attachment points (one underneath the barrel and one on the side of it) can also be added via the game's upgrade system.
A Franchi SPAS-12 with no stock can be purchased from the Vanno store for $5500 at Security Level 4 or higher. The SPAS-12 compensates for its high price and steep unlock criteria with a high magazine capacity (8+1 shells) and the ability to fire semi-automatically. Upgrades for the SPAS-12 include an extended magazine tube (+4 shells), a rail for mounting optical sights, and two barrel-mounted rails for attachments.
A Saiga 12K can be purchased for $8000 after reaching Security Level 5. This Saiga 12K is a mixture of various custom parts, including a conical flash hider, a super-short barrel, a Galil-esque side-folding stock, and an AK-series wooden foregrip. It is chambered in 12 gauge and can use 5-round or 10-round magazines, although the latter are few in number and can only be found within special treasure "Stashes" hidden in the Radius.
A generic hammerless side-by-side double barreled shotgun known as the "Hunting Shotgun" was available for purchase from the Vanno store in the 1.0 version of Into the Radius VR. When the 2.0 version of the game was released in December 2021, however, the Hunting Shotgun was removed from the store and replaced by the IZh-27. The side-by-side was not removed entirely, though, as it is still possible to find the Hunting Shotgun inside loot crates in certain parts of the Radius. Gameplay-wise, it is statistically indistinguishable from the IZh-27 that replaced it.
A sawed-off version of the Hunting Shotgun known simply as the "Sawed-Off Shotgun" was also once available for purchase, but it has since been replaced by the identically-performing IZh-27 Sawed-Off. It can be found in the Radius in the same areas as the full-length Hunting Shotgun.
Assault rifles are generally the most useful class of primary weapon for a mid-game Explorer. Possessing good damage characteristics, serviceable armor-piercing ability, sizeable magazines, decent accuracy, and the ability to fire in full-auto or semi-automatic, assault rifles can be extremely useful in both close and medium-range combat when equipped with a decent optic and a laser attachment. They begin to struggle at longer ranges, however, and their pricey ammunition makes full-auto much more costly compared to submachine guns.
AK-74
An AK-74 can be purchased for $5000 after reaching Security Level 3. It has exceptionally average characteristics compared to other available assault rifles and feeds from a 30-round magazine. The AK-74 can be equipped with a PSO-1 scope or Kobra optical sight (via a dovetail mount on the left side of the receiver) as well as a PBS-1 silencer and underbarrel GP-30 grenade launcher. Upgrades for the AK-74 include reducing the recoil (-20%), increasing the firerate (+20%) and swapping the dovetail mount for a Picatinny rail.
An AK-74M can be purchased for $6500 after reaching Security Level 3. It justifies its increased price tag compared to the base AK-74 with a series of small improvements to its controllability, accuracy, durability, and stealthiness. It features the same upgrades and attachment options as the AK-74.
An AKM can be purchased for $4500 after reaching Security Level 3. The AKM's stats are very similar to the AK-74M's, but the AKM deals more damage per shot at the cost of a lower muzzle velocity and a much louder report. It can equip the same attachments and upgrades as the AK-74s.
An AKS-74U can be purchased for $4000 after reaching Security Level 3. As a shortened AK-74 with a folding stock, the 74U is easier to use in close-quarters than the full-length AKs and boasts a slightly faster fire rate (650 rpm vs. 600) to boot. Compared to the other AK-series rifles, however, it has the poorest accuracy in-class and the the second-worst muzzle velocity, which severely limit its effectiveness at range. It mostly shares an attachment and upgrade pool with the other AKs, with a few differences; the AKS-74U cannot equip the GP-30 grenade launcher and it features a unique upgrade to improve its accuracy by 20%, which reduces shot dispersion and allows the 74U to reclaim some performance at range.
An AS Val can be purchased for $8000 after reaching Security Level 4. The AS Val differs from the VSS Vintorez also unlocked at Security Level 4 with its ability to fire in full-auto and its lighter weight. It comes pre-equipped with a dovetail mount (although this can be replaced with a Picatinny rail for a price) and can be upgraded to add an additional rail on the side of the gun. Compared to the AK-series rifles, the AS Val deals significantly more damage per shot and is much quieter, which is invaluable for preventing swarms of enemies from being drawn to the player's location during combat. It loses out to the AKs when muzzle velocity and magazine size are considered, however, meaning that a player equipped with the AS Val must become comfortable with its exaggerated bullet drop and have to make single shots count.
A Colt M4A1 can be purchased for $6500 after reaching Security Level 3. One of the first Western long arms available to the player, the M4A1 performs similarly to the AK-74s in terms of damage and magazine size, although the M4 fires much faster and is slightly quieter while the AKs have higher muzzle velocities. The M4A1 is notable for having the most out-of-the-box rail attachment points of any weapon in the game, allowing it to mount optics, flashlights, and lasers without having to spend money on expensive upgrades. It can be upgraded to increase the accuracy of the weapon by 10% and to swap the automatic fire mode for a three-round burst, transforming the gun into an M4.
