Since 2016 there have been plenty of virtual reality (VR) videogames exploring the realm of magic and wizards, from The Wizards and The Mage’s Tale to The Unspoken and Left-Hand Path. Each offering their own take on the genre. Stormborn Studio has been developing its magical project Runes: The Forgotten Path since at least 2015 – a version appeared on the Oculus Rift DK2 in fact – and it now has a release date set for next month.
Runes: The Forgotten Path is a fantasy adventure where players are cast in the role of Leth, a powerful wizard trying to escape from the Oblivion, a magical sleep prison of the mind, trapped inside by the tyrannical order of the Panopticon. Using powerful spells and wits you’ll need to fight enemies, solve puzzles and pursue the recollection of all your lost memories.
Because you’ve lost all your memories you’ll need to learn all those wonderful spells again. Much like some of the other title mentioned, Runes: The Forgotten Path wants to truly immerse you in its world and one of the best ways to do that is with gesture-based spell casting. So in no time at all you’ll be waving your arms in the air casting all sorts of dangerous attacks.
Being the open world adventure that it is Stormborn Studio has tried to ensure Runes: The Forgotten Path is as comfortable to play as possible. So it has employed the usual teleportation and smooth locomotion found in most modern VR titles, as well as a third which the studio dubs the ‘4th Wall’. Combining 1st person and 3rd person gameplay mechanics, interactions such as fighting and dealing with puzzles is in first-person but when traversing long distances the view can be switched to a 3rd person fixed camera.
Runes: The Forgotten Path is set for launch on HTC Vive and Oculus Rift via Steam on 14th November 2018. For any further updates prior to release keep reading VRFocus.