Following a release onto Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR last month, virtual reality (VR) title Astraeus has now released for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The title is a simple looking real-time strategy (RTS) experience that becomes more complex the longer players stay within the title. Embracing the quick to play, easy to learn, and hard to master design.
Players need to manage an ever growing network of asteroid mining bases and ships, as hundreds of ships swarm around them in a stunning display of lights. As the title takes place in the near future where dozens of companies are operating in the asteroid belt, fighting for their share of the biggest gold rush in history. Players will need to take control of mining drones, build a network of bases, and outpace the competition before they beat you.
“You play as an AI who is “awakened” on an asteroid mining control ship after the captain has died. Unfortunately, his corporate bosses on Earth don’t seem to have realized this, and they keep sending critically important missions,” McNeill states. “In each level, you’ll need to build a network of dozens of bases and command thousands of ships as you attempt to corner the market (or eliminate the competition through more… direct means).”
E McNeill has created a number of VR titles with their previous VR titles including Darknet, Tactera, and Skylight. The latter being a favorite of VRFocus having earned a full five star rating with Tactera being awarded four stars in their respective reviews.
Astraeus was created as a prototype for a VR development reality show, the VR Developer Challenge, in which it won 1st place and a £20,000 (USD) prize. Since it’s launch on Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR back in May, E McNeill has been hard at work to bring the title to other headsets which has now released.
Astraeus is available now on Steam for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality. The title is also available on Oculus Go and Samsung Gear VR. For more on titles by E McNeil in the future keep reading VRFocus.