On the October 30th Sony London Studios announced at Paris Games Week (PGW) that it was working on Blood and Truth for the PlayStation VR. VRFocus wrote a preview piece and Nina Salomons also created a video preview of Blood and Truth if one would like a more in-depth understanding of the videogame. Based on one of the experiences in PlayStation VR Worlds named London Heist, players explored the love letter to Cockney gangsters,with Sony London Studios deciding to expand on it to create an ever bigger experience. VRFocus spoke to Stuart Whyte, Director of VR Product Development for Sony London Studios about Blood and Truth as well as how he sees the future development of PlayStation VR content.
PlayStation VR Worlds had five different experiences that allowed Sony London Studios to get their hands dirty when it came to making virtual reality (VR) content. It enabled the developers and creators of the team to play with genre, control systems and gameplay interactions. The team have been working on content for the PlayStation VR from the very start. This not only gave them a great learning experience for what seemed to work for the PlayStation VR, but also allowed them to build a game engine from the ground up to support their vision of creating AAA videogames for the platform as well. Whyte explains that when they started no middleware engines were out there, which led the developers to really push the limits of what the PlayStation VR is capable of.
Blood and Truth is a VR title that has quickly become one of PlayStation VR’s most highly anticipate titles. A first-person shooter (FPS) that puts players into the role of Special Forces veteran, Ryan Marks, he’s on a mission to save his family from the criminal overlords that rule modern day London. It’s a love letter to the John Wick or James Bond action movies that leads a player to immerse themselves in the dark underbelly of the criminal’s penthouses, casinos and derelict buildings scattered across London.
As mentioned previously, the developer created their own engine from the ground up for Blood and Truth. Their previous experience in creating what is essentially five VR videogames in one, have allowed the developers to think of new ways to move within a VR experience. Unlike most VR videogames Blood and Truth has adopted a node mechanic which teleports players to pre-designated destinations, allowing a player to simultaneously move forward and dual wield weapons. While Blood and Truth locomotion is handled through button presses, players can still dodge, hide and stand up to make the best use of the cover system. Great for taking cover and shooting across a poker table in a casino.
PlayStation VR is doing extremely well in reaching customers, with holiday sales spurring consumers on and PlayStation VR taking Amazon’s top seller spot for Black Friday it’s safe to say that Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) bet has paid off. With over 100 videogames and the first year anniversary of the PlayStation VR now past, Whyte explains that SIE is focused on users interested in gaming. To find out more about what he hopes PlayStation VR and Blood and Truth will do for the VR gaming community, watch the video below.