When the Oculus Rift was first launched it existed in a seas of tech demos and proof-of-concept ideas, with most developers cautiously dipping a toe in to the new medium. Windlands therefore stood out, not just for its smooth, stylised aesthetic, but also simply for being a full videogame. Now developer Psytec Games have announced that the sequel is on its way.
Attendees at the Oculus Connect event have had the opportunity to get hands-on with a demonstration of the sequel, titled simply Windlands 2. The smoothed-off style has remained, bringing the curved trees and hills reminiscent of early platform titles into the virtual reality (VR) realm, but the developers have made some subtle improvements to add a touch of polish fitting for a sequel.
The main new feature that has been added to the sequel is the introduction of co-op. With the idea of social VR being high on the agenda of many VR developers, but especially for Oculus owners Facebook, this does not come as a huge surprise
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The introduction of co-op means that significant changes have been added to combat mechanics. The new elements include a bow and arrow which can be summoned and shot in a similar manner to how the central swinging mechanic works. This new mechanic becomes an important tactic in defeating some bosses.
Windlands 2 will still be able to be experienced as a single-player, but Oculus and Psytec Games have been keen to integrate the co-op elements.
A release date for the title has not been confirmed, but it expected to be some time in 2018. The announcement trailer is available to view below.
VRFocus will bring you further information on Windlands 2 as it becomes available.