French indie developer Pixel Reef announced virtual reality (VR) videogame Paper Beast for PlayStation VR back in April and has now released further info about the project. Alongside a new trailer and screenshots, the studio has confirmed it’ll be attending Gamescom 2019 for media to demo the beautifully surreal experience.
The new trailer and images showcase a dynamic environment filled with strange yet familiar creatures. Set on a desert world with vivid colour changes between bright reds and warm oranges to cold blues and grey’s, it’s an ecosystem born out of lost code and forgotten algorithms.
As players explore these ever-evolving environments they’ll have the chance to form delicate bonds with the vibrant wildlife that lives in this mysterious world, all of which adapts its behaviour to the player’s actions. Paper Beast features an unspoken narrative, so players have to choose their own journey through this wilderness.
“Imagine you are dropped in a virgin land, you walk, and you don’t know where to go. Interactions lead you forward, and in the end, you have a natural view of everything,” said Eric Chahi, Founder at PixelReef in a statement.
In a press release, the studio notes: “A deep simulation system has been developed to bring the game universe to life.
“To emphasize the experience, three talents are working full time on the spatial audio. The original soundtrack from British music artist Roly Porter highlights the immersion as you find your way in this colourful and poetic universe. And like the icing on the cake The Japanese All Girl Art Punk Rock Band TsuShiMaMire also took part in the adventure!”
While the visual style is certainly eye-catching, the trailer does hint at the gameplay. You seem to be able to control various objects to play with these bizarre creatures, even picking them up if you so choose. How this all correlates together has yet to be seen. Thankfully, Paper Beast will be playable during Gamescom 2019 so VRFocus will bring you a hands-on impression next month.
Take a look at the trailer below, and as further details are released including the 2019 launch date, VRFocus will let you know.