British virtual reality (VR) developer nDreams’ last title was the fun and colourful Fruity Shooty, turning aggressive fruit into pulp thanks to some well-aimed bullets. Today, the studio has announced its latest project, a far more serious first-person shooter (FPS) called Phantom: Covert Ops.
Going for realism and looking like a Call of Duty style experience, Phantom: Covert Ops is all about stealth, with players able to choose how they carry out missions and complete the objectives thanks to multiple routes depending on the map, and the tools at their disposal.
“Phantom: Covert Ops is an upcoming stealth action VR game that drops you in the role of an elite special forces operative with one night to prevent a rogue militia from launching a global attack,” explains nDreams Game Director Lewis Brundish on Oculus Blog. “The game takes place in and around a flooded and abandoned Cold War naval facility, and you explore the waterlogged environment in a military kayak. We’re developing Phantom specifically for the Oculus Quest and Rift platforms, so you can totally immerse yourself in the virtual world and interact with the game using fully featured motion controls.”
As the screenshots and announcement trailer showcase, the gameplay takes place completely on the kayak, with players able to row, shot or do both if they’re adept enough. Rather than using a stick to move, they’ll have to use their hands with nDreams developing 1:1 movement. As a military operative, players will have access to a range of weapons, from suppressed pistols and sniper rifles all the way to rather less subtle explosives.
The realism extends to all sorts of nuanced actions to make the experience more immersive, from simply pushing off from the environment with the paddle and throwing ammo clips into the water to distract guards, to shooting thrown explosives out of the air, the team has tried to ensure every possibility is covered.
Phantom: Covert Ops is being developed for both Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift, with a launch expected this summer. As nDreams reveal further details on Phantom: Covert Ops ahead of release, VRFocus will keep you updated.