Last month Stress Level Zero released details on its next virtual reality (VR) project Boneworks. An experiment to create hyper-realistic physics inside a virtual environment, a new video has been released showcasing the project in much greater detail.
The video is care of Node, a Youtube channel co-founded by Stress Level Zero’s Brandon Laatsch, giving viewers a look at an early level in Boneworks called ‘Warehouse’. Showcasing a much more up to date build of the videogame in comparison to previous footage, the story behind Bonesworks is that players are inside a visual representation of Monogon Industries’ artificial intelligence operating system (OS): Myth OS, there to help debug it by completing puzzles and other tasks.
So while there is a story and Stress Level Zero does describe Boneworks as a ‘narrative VR action adventure’, the core of the experience is highly focused on making every interaction as real as possible, so magazines on guns have to be ejected then replaced before the gun can be cocked. Or there’s a broadsword that can be used against enemies, which is slow and very heavy. In fact, there are a plethora of weapons at hand, whether its an assault rifle for range or a sledgehammer for smashing boxes, there’s something for everyone.
Environmental items include puzzles that require plenty of physical movement, pulling and pushing things about. Even the enemies – some small spider-like robots – can be picked up and smashed together to kill them, or even just shoot a couple of legs to watch them squirm.
From the video, it looks like players might need a decent size roomscale area to really make use of Boneworks gameplay freedom. And compatible with Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality and HTC Vive headsets, the video does show compatibility with Valve’s Knuckles controller’s (Valve Index Controllers).
Not trying to spoil too much, check out the 20-minute video below to see Boneworks in action – which is already looking quite impressive. There’s no launch date just yet, just that Boneworks is expected at some point this year. As the studio release further details on the upcoming project, VRFocus will keep you updated.