Indie studio Dr Bloc released its cosmic platformer Straylight just over a year ago as a Steam Early Access title for headsets including Valve Index and Oculus Rift. Now the team has revealed plans for an official v1.0 launch later this year that include adding Oculus Quest and PlayStation VR platforms to the list.
Utilising swinging locomotion via a system dubbed the ‘Fling Engine’, players have to carefully navigate an awe-inspiring yet deadly universe. Blue stars litter the darkness of space and it’s these entities that can be latched onto as players navigate Straylight’s abstract, cosmic environments, with beams of light being emitted from each controller.
Building up speed with each swing, players have to race through the courses deciding whether to go over or under an assortment of galactic debris including Meteorite fragments, spinning rings, and momentum-halting stars. Designed to be an accessible yet hardcore experience for all VR skill levels, death is certain yet instant respawns help keep the gameplay going.
For the v1.0 launch this year Dr Bloc will be adding plenty of new content to challenge players. There will be hidden collectible cubes which can unlock hard mode galaxies, a full set of achievements should keep players coming back for more as well as the global leaderboards which track overall time, number of grapples, and more.
“We want players to find an incredible feeling of flow in Straylight, which starts by solving how to do totally comfortable movement in VR,” said Daniel Seery, co-founder of Dr Bloc in a statement. “VR is about total immersion, and the Straylight unlocks it, allowing as many as possible to feel the thrill of propelling through space and attempt the hardcore platforming challenges waiting among the stars.”
Dr Bloc aims to release Straylight out of Steam Early Access for PC VR headsets in Q3 2021, coinciding with the Oculus Quest/Quest 2 and PlayStation VR versions becoming available. VRFocus will continue its coverage of the latest VR releases as the year progresses.