The platforming genre has seen a significant resurgence in the past few years. Once thought to be a dying genre once 3D rose to ascendence, it would seem that virtual reality (VR) would be an unlikely saviour, but the simple nature of the control and mechanics of the platformer has made it very attractive to developers as VR finds its feet. Such as KIN, a stylish puzzle-platformer coming soon to Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR.
Indie developer House of Secrets is working on the title, in which the player takes control of a tiny, mysterious girl with big hair and a brightly coloured dress, moving her through a highly stylised landscape, defeating enemies and moving from platform to platform, solving puzzles along the way.
One of the most immediately striking things about KIN is the art style, which is thick with primary colours, sharp edges and a bold style reminiscent of abstract paintings. Though little is known about the intricacies of how the gameplay will work so far, in terms of its distinctive style and atmosphere, it could be compared to titles such as Journey or Flower.
House of Secrets are a videogame studio based in the Netherlands who primarily focus on VR projects. They have previously created VR music videos, such as Surge, the music for which was created by co-founder Arjan van Meerten. Earlier this year, the studio’s second VR music video, APEX, had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
An exact release date and price point for KIN has not yet been confirmed, though the developers are anticipating a release date before Christmas of 2017.
VRFocus will bring you further information on KIN as it becomes available.