A month ago Enhance Games announced that Tetris Effect: Connected would be bringing its multiplayer gameplay to all currently supported devices, as well as a Steam edition this month. Having conducted beta tests over the past few weeks, it seems that the July launch was a bit ambitious with the release for all editions pushed back to August.
It’s going to be quite the epic launch by the looks of it. First, you’ve got the Steam edition’s arrival which will include support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive (no mention of Valve Index or WMR). The Steam debut will come with a 25% discount and a bunch of extra goodies including a seven-track soundtrack sampler by Hydelic, eleven Tetris Effect-themed 4k PC desktop wallpapers and seven Tetris Effect profile avatars; only in the first couple of weeks.
And then there’s the free multiplayer update – the “Connected” part if you hadn’t guessed – for Oculus Quest, PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and the Epic Games Store. This will facilitate full cross-platform gameplay between all the versions so VR and non-VR players can go head to head. The update isn’t just about connecting players either. Remote Play will be unlocked for Playstation 4, bonus features will include a new Spectator Mode, as well as PAL and “Slow” speed modes; plus Oculus Quest 2 owners will get improved performance to boost the graphical fidelity.
And that’s just the bonus stuff. Originally rolled out last year for Xbox and PC via the Microsoft Store, Tetris Effect: Connected adds a multitude of different competitive modes for fans of the iconic puzzle title. These include ‘Connected’ a co-op mode where three players team up and connect their Matrix playfields in an effort to beat AI-controlled bosses. You also have ‘Zone Battle’, a PvP match using standard Tetris rules. The twist being a time-stopping Zone mechanic to easily build up lines to attack your opponent.
All of this should make the original Tetris Effect even better, quite a leap considering VRFocus gave the PC VR edition of a full five-star review, saying: “Tetris Effect has lost none of the prime gameplay quality that the series is known for, it’s still as addictive and difficult to stop playing as ever. Quite frankly, Tetris Effect is the best version of Tetris. Just as important, the title suits experienced and new VR players alike.”
Enhance Games will be launching all of this on 18th August 2021, so be prepared for some puzzle mayhem this summer. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.