Budget Cuts

Budget Cuts is a stealth action game with a distinctive teleportation mechanic that lets the player look through a teleport portal into another part of the level before actually moving there. The player moves through an office building full of robotic guards, whom it's necessary to either avoid or eliminate using thrown knives, improvised weapons, or silent attacks from stealth, since being spotted usually means a quick end to the attempt and a return to the start of the level section.

The look-ahead teleportation mechanic is the game's main innovative feature and was critically praised as a clever way to solve movement in VR without the risk of nausea associated with classic smooth locomotion. The office-company setting is stylized, with slightly comically-toned robots and notes that contrast with the tense, quiet gameplay reminiscent of classic stealth games like Thief or Deus Ex. Each level requires careful route planning and use of the environment, including hiding in ventilation shafts or under desks.

The game was well received primarily thanks to the originality of its teleportation mechanic, which was described as one of the best solutions for locomotion in VR games in general. The sequel Budget Cuts 2 built on this foundation and expanded the original concept with additional weapons and levels, confirming that the teleportation stealth mechanic had long-term success with players. The game is also often cited as an example of how to solve movement in VR without requiring physical walking over a large space. The tense yet mildly comical atmosphere gives the game a distinctive tone that sets it apart from most more serious stealth titles, making it an accessible introduction to the genre even for players who would otherwise be wary of a serious stealth focus. The ability to preview the next room through the portal before deciding whether to move there gives the player a sense of control over risk that is rather the exception, not the rule, in other VR stealth games.

Why play it: For fans of the stealth genre and newcomers alike who will appreciate the original teleportation mechanic solving VR movement without requiring physical walking, wrapped in a tense yet mildly comical atmosphere.