Role-playing game (RPG) specialist inXile Entertainment (Wasteland 2, The Bard’s Tale IV) has announced the release date for its first virtual reality (VR) title for Oculus Rift and Touch, The Mage’s Tale.
The magical fantasy adventure will be released on 20th June 2017, exclusively for the head-mounted display. Starting today, the studio will be offering a pre-order discount for players, knocking 10 percent off the standard $39.99 USD price.
The Mage’s Tale casts players as a wizards apprentice. Their master Mage Alguin has been kidnapped by the evil wizard, Gaufroi, and to save him they need to complete a series of dungeons. From the sewers of Skara Brae to the living tombs of evil Charm, there are puzzles, traps and all manner monsters that aim to put an end to the quest.
Offering the ability to craft hundreds of spells, inXile Entertainment states the title should offer 10+ hours of gameplay, with a musical score produced and composed by Ged Grimes of Simple Minds. It features some of the top Gaelic singers in the world such as the Elidh Mackenzie, Fiona Mackenzie, Kathleen MacInnes, and Peigi Barker (voice of Merida in the film Brave).
“Our goal was to use the old school tried and true methods of game design and integrate that with everything that Virtual Reality offers. We wanted to get away from the VR “experience” and create the kind of meaty and full-scale game that gamers appreciate,” said Brian Fargo, dungeon crawler expert and CEO of inXile Entertainment in a statement.
VRFocus previewed the title during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2017 earlier this year, saying: “At this stage inXile Entertainment has a pretty solid experience on its hands. The basic ground work is there for a rich, exciting fantasy adventure, that mixes up wizard battles with an insane amount of crafting options for those interested in testing out their alchemy skills. For Oculus Touch owners, The Mage’s Tale is certainly one to keep on the radar.”
VRFocus will continue its coverage of The Mage’s Tale, reporting back with the latest announcements for the title.