One of the properties to be revealed at Gamescom this year that drew the attention of the entire VRFocus team was Nostos. Created by NetEase Games, the colourful, dream-like artwork and Legend of Zelda-like gameplay was enough to catch the interest of many. Nina Salamons takes a closer look at what makes Nostos tick.
Nostos has been described as an open world, multiplayer virtual reality (VR) environment. The lush environments have been inspired by the works of famed animation studio, Studio Ghibli, with its beauty defying the post-apocalyptic setting of the story.
NetEase Games turned to the SpatialOS simulation technology created by UK-based company Improbable which allows a seamless open world to be created, which will contain a host of amazing locations, things to be scavenged, or built along with specially simulated weather patterns, which can prove to be as much of an obstacle as the enemies you have to fight.
While the world of Nostos is beautiful, much of it has been left desolate and empty, with the few scattered survivors struggling to survive. Those who are left face the encroachment of the dangerous and continuously expanding ‘Coralsea’ which threatens to encompass the land and drive the remaining survivors to extinction.
Players will be able to explore grasslands, deserts and mountains and discover ancient crumbling cities, which might contain the artefacts needed to safeguard the last remains of humanity and ensure the survival of those who are left. Players will need to for guilds in order to team up to safeguard the other survivors and gather dwindling resources.
Gathering resources comes with its ow risks, as chopping down too many trees risks turning that area into a desert as you irreversibly change the ecosystem. Each Nostos world can contain a maximum of 20 players, though NetEase says there is no limit to the number of worlds which will be available.
The full video is available to view below. Further future coverage of Nostos and other upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.