Rhythm action videogames have become a popular genre in virtual reality (VR), with the likes of AudioShield, BOXVR, Thumper and many more available, each offering its own take. Due for release soon is Hyperbolic Magnetism’s version, a sword swinging, beat slicing experience called Beat Saber. This weekend saw the studio release the first gameplay teaser video for the title, showcasing what’s in store.
Just like any rhythm videogame, the essence is to interact with objects at specific times to the music, made all the more difficult by fast beats and specific actions. In Beat Saber, you’re equipped with two light sabers which need to cut boxes flying at you in rapid succession. Each box has an arrow indicating which way you need to slice – up,down, left, right. The more accurate you are with slice will up your multiplier and in turn your high score.
Unlike some titles which let you add your own music to play to, Beat Saber’s music is composed to perfectly fit the hand made levels. There will be a quick-play mode for those times where you want a short session lasting a few minutes, then a campaign mode for hours and hours of beat slicing gameplay.
While the video below might be the first official gameplay teaser from Hyperbolic Magnetism, it’s not the first time VRFocus has seen, or reported on the experience. Development originally began back in 2016, with the first showcase of Beat Saber happening at Unite Europe in July 2017. VRFocus caught up with the studio again during Gamescom 2017, showing off a similar build.
Currently Hyperbolic Magnetism has given a tentative release date of Q1 2018 for Beat Saber, listing supported headsets as Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. As an indie developer it hasn’t yet confirmed if the release will be simultaneous across all platforms or more staggered. As more details are sure to be released over the next few weeks, VRFocus will keep you updated.