A Fisherman’s Tale

February 18, 2020

WATCH: Developer Shares A Fisherman’s Tale Proof Of Concept Video From 2016

A Fisherman’s Tale was one of our favorite VR games from last year. It was charming, intriguing and featured some mind bending puzzles. This week, game designer Alex Morozn, who worked on the game at InnerspaceVR, shared a behind-the-scenes proof of concept video that goes through a very early version of A Fisherman’s Tale, demonstrating the key puzzle elements in their earliest form.

Fair warning: the following video contains major spoilers for A Fisherman’s Tale — not in the way of the story, but in that it will spoil almost every major puzzle and ‘a-ha’ moment in the game’s campaign. If you haven’t played the game already, this video will explain all of the game’s unique mechanics and we highly advise not watching if you have any interest in playing the game yourself.

The video shows a room that very vaguely resembles the first room at the bottom of the lighthouse from A Fisherman’s Tale, albeit with no art, color or true design. Instead of progressing through the areas of the lighthouse, this early prototype simply presents versions of the same room with new puzzle variations in each. To progress to the next puzzle, you have to locate an in-game VR headset and put it on, unlike the final game where you work your way through the lighthouse to get to the final lantern room at the top.

Perhaps what is most amazing is that all of the most unique and inventive puzzles from the final game are present in this early prototype, which was made some 3 years before the final release. What’s missing is any kind of narrative, artistic direction and style — the titular fisherman and his lighthouse are nowhere to be seen! Despite that, you can easily identify the final puzzles in this bare bones concept — the glass model variation became the game’s final lantern room section and riding the lady bug to grab the key became the section with the fish’s mouth.

In a way, highlighting that the puzzles were conceptualized so early on in development makes me appreciate everything else in A Fisherman’s Tale — the story, the animations, the art style. It’s all so lovingly crafted, and that becomes even easier to appreciate after seeing it striped down to just the puzzles themselves.

A Fisherman’s Tale is available for PC VR on Steam, the Oculus Store, and Viveport, and is also available on the Oculus Quest and PSVR.

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January 24, 2020

Oculus Quest Weekend Sale Cuts Price On A Fisherman’s Tale

Want an excellent Oculus Quest game to play this weekend? Then don’t miss this sale on A Fisherman’s Tale (hey, that rhymed!).

Innerspace’s ace narrative puzzle game, which was up for our 2019 VR Awards, has 27% shaved off of its price for the weekend. That takes it to $9.99 in the US £7.99 in the UK. It’s not the biggest price cut, but it’s definitely worth it for such an innovative title.

A Fisherman’s Tale tells the story of a reclusive fisherman, living in a lighthouse. One morning he awakens to find himself turned into a puppet, with his scale model of the lighthouse suddenly coming to life. Inside the model you’ll see a smaller version of yourself imitating your every move. Outside the windows you’ll see a larger version doing the same.

This gives way to some mind-bending VR puzzles that make great use of the medium. A Fisherman’s Tale might be on the short side, but it packs heart and some eye-opening invention. If you couldn’t already tell, I’m a little smitten with it. It also helps that the Oculus Quest version, which released after the PC VR and PSVR versions, is a first-rate port.

This is Facebook’s second Oculus Quest weekend sale in as many weeks. Last week it offered a duo bundle including Sairento VR and Red Matter. It’s great to see Quest finally getting some content sales, having missed previous promotions available on Rift.

Will you be picking up A Fisherman’s Tale in this Oculus Quest weekend deal? Let us know in the comments below!

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December 24, 2019

The Best PlayStation VR Games of 2019

So it’s the end of the year and what a 12 months it has been for virtual reality (VR) fans. With hardware makers pushing out more and more headsets Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has taken a far more relaxed approach by letting PlayStation VR continue to do its thing. The headset has had some excellent videogames appear and here is VRFocus’ pick of the best.

PlayStation VR Group shot

First and foremost this is a list of the best PlayStation VR videogames which launched in 2019. Which means there are several titles which appear on other ‘Best of lists’ that won’t appear here. Beat Saber is a prime example. While the highly popular rhythm-action experience left Early Access in May, that was only for PC (including an Oculus Quest edition). The PlayStation VR version launched in November 2018, hence its omission.

The Best PlayStation VR Games of 2019:

Blood & Truth

Hailing from Sony London Studio, Blood & Truth was the biggest PlayStation VR exclusive of the year by a long shot. Mixing intense action gameplay with a tightly interwoven storyline and cinematic cutscenes, the title showcased what could be achieved with PlayStation VR. VRFocus’ review gave it a full five stars, saying: “From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.”

Ghost Giant

Zoink Games’ Ghost Giant, on the other hand, is a very different beast; loveable and kind-hearted. A puzzle adventure where you play the titular Ghost Giant, an invisible friend to a lonely boy named Louis. Placed in the centre of a living cartoon world, you can interact with a lot of the world, helping not only Louis but the other town residents as well.

Perfect for gamers of all ages, Ghost Giant is a relaxed experience full of child-like wonder, being able to open houses and peer inside to see the richly detailed worlds. Great for when you don’t anything too hectic.

No Man’s Sky: Beyond

A summer update adding VR support rather than a dedicated VR videogame, even so, No Man’s Sky: Beyond was a major addition from Hello Games. With a massive procedurally generated universe to explore, new planets to discover, unusual creatures to find and other players to team up with, No Man’s Sky: Beyond offers quite possibly the most VR gameplay for your money. Plus the there’s the added benefit that the update was free for those who already own the original version.

Unless you really don’t like sci-fi and flying around in spaceships, then No Man’s Sky: Beyond is a solid addition to any VR library.

Tetris Effect

How do you make one of the greatest, most iconic puzzle videogames even better? Give it to a team which includes Enhance Games and let them work their magic. Offering both VR and non-VR gameplay, the core Tetris mechanics remain untouched with some added extras for those well versed in the puzzle title.

The big change comes for the visual and sound design, with a feast for your eyes and ears. Needless to say, while the non-VR version does look and sound nice, the effects are far more pronounced and engaging. And when it comes to addictive gaming Tetris Effect doesn’t disappoint.

Trover Saves the Universe

When the guy who helped co-create Rick & Morty decided to found his own videogame studio and then create a VR title, you know it’s going to be a little different from the rest. Trover Saves the Universe has that weird and zany humour Justin Roiland is known for, combined with a third-person adventure, where you control Trover, a little purple eye-hole monster trying to save the universe from a beaked lunatic named Glorkon, who just so happens to have kidnapped your dogs and put them in his eye sockets. Exactly…

Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure

So what about proper multiplayer titles? While No Man’s Sky: Beyond does feature multiplayer, you can’t enjoy it when a few friends are around. That’s where Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure comes in handy. Exclusive to PlayStation VR, the title uses the social screen (TV) to allow up to four people to play locally, one in VR and three via the TV. The job is to collect treasure and not let the submarine you’re in suffer too much damage.

It’s a fast and frantic videogame where the VR player is the captain, with a different viewpoint and tasks to the other players. Thus encouraging everyone to have a go in VR. There is a single-player mode but Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure is all about the social gameplay.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted

What’s a ‘Best of’ VR list without a horror title thrown in to scare you. Bringing the classic franchise into VR, Five Night’s at Freddy’s: Help Wanted combines all the original mini-game levels with a bunch of new ones. Not for the faint-hearted, Five Night’s at Freddy’s: Help Wanted is full of jump scares as you try to survive the night in the Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza security office, or repair vents in the depths of Circus Baby’s Entertainment and Rental.

When it comes to playing VR horror keeping the lights on won’t help, you need nerves of steel and Five Night’s at Freddy’s: Help Wanted certainly helps test that.

Released all the way back in January by French studio InnerspaceVR, A Fisherman’s Tale is another puzzler for those who like something a little different. Clinching the VR Game of the Year at the VR Awards 2019, A Fisherman’s Tale is an experience about perspective and a little wooden sailor.

Delightfully charming in its design and gameplay, the single-player videogame centres around a lighthouse which you’re both inside and outside of. Confused? Don’t worry as it’s all about picking stuff up and learning how to manipulate your surroundings. Great for new and veteran VR players alike.

Vacation Simulator

A followup to the insanely popular Job Simulator, Vacation Simulator is like one massive toybox split across three different regions, a Beach, Forest and Mountain. Inside each one are loads of mini-games to complete as well as other fun stuff to play with. Challenges range from building sandcastles and making burgers to throwing snowballs and a little skiing.

With light-hearted humour throughout Vacation Simulator is another VR experience suited for all players, designed to showcase how immersive and unique VR technology can be in comparison to standard videogames.

Concrete Genie

Another title which isn’t purely VR, Concrete Genie’s main campaign isn’t VR compatible. Instead, the title has two ‘VR modes’, the ‘VR Experience’ campaign which has a basic narrative and is required to complete before unlocking ‘Free Paint’, so you can let your creative ideas go wild.

With a visually stunning aesthetic, Concrete Genie offers an interesting mix of VR and non-VR gameplay depending on what you fancy at the time. Plus it’s a creative stop-gap until Dreams eventually arrives in 2020.

Concrete Genie

December 20, 2019

Best VR Of 2019 Nominee: A Fisherman’s Tale Delivered Mind-Bending Puzzles

The road to UploadVR’s Best of 2019 awards starts here! We’re getting close to revealing our Overall VR Game/Experience of the Year after counting down to the reveal of our full list of categories and nominees soon. Today we’re looking at A Fisherman’s Tale, which is a mind-bending VR puzzler that consistently surprises with its inventive mechanics.

A Fisherman’s Tale is developed by Innerspace and published by Vertigo Games. In it you play as a tiny little puppet in a tiny little lighthouse. Located in the middle of your home is an even tinier model version of that same lighthouse that you can lean down to look at and see a replica of your surroundings, complete with a smaller version of yourself inside the replica that matches everything you do. And to complete the loop if you look out your window you’ll see a giant version of yourself in a larger home that’s also matching your every move.

What follows in A Fisherman’s Tale is a mesmerizing experience that shifts perspectives and really forces you to think outside the proverbial and literal box more than just a few times. It’s the rare sort of experience that leaves you mouth agape, in awe, and constantly muttering to yourself, “Oh wow, that was cool,” from start to finish.

The poetic narration, delightful visuals, cozy setting, and self-aware narrative beats help sell the experience even further. Unlike most games in this genre, in A Fisherman’s Tale you don’t need to be a savant at spatial awareness and tricky puzzle solving to find pleasure here — it’s just as much about making you think as it is about subverting your expectations.

In Jamie’s original review from earlier this year of the PC VR version he wrote:

“This isn’t simply swapping tiles and pushing buttons in order; it’s genuinely stimulating puzzling. Early levels have you bending your brain to the breaking point as you reason your way through the model paradox. At one point you turn a hefty obstacle into a level-progressing key. Later on, you repurpose some seemingly useless furniture to reveal hidden secrets. Oh, and then you turn a fish into a taxi service. Brilliant!

This is the kind of reality-defying gameplay that thrives in this medium.”

Luckily A Fisherman’s Tale was also ported to the standalone Oculus Quest and feels identical. If anything, it’s actually better with the added freedom and now stands as the best version of the game.

The only real negatives we found during our time with A Fisherman’s Tale is that it just feels a bit too short, coming in just around two hours, but the ride itself is amazing while it lasts.

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November 29, 2019

A Fisherman’s Tale Quest Review: There’s Nothing Fishy About This First-Rate Port

When we first reviewed A Fisherman’s Tale on PC and PSVR earlier this year, we said this:

“From slow-motion shootouts to trips across the universe and stories of loved ones lost, VR has already proven that each of its core design tenants can be tamed. But A Fisherman’s Tale might be the first to achieve a perfect storm of gameplay, immersion and narrative in a single experience. Though brief, it fuses experience and interactivity to really show what this medium is capable of. This is exactly what old seadogs aren’t meant to be capable of; something genuinely new.”

When I first asked developer Innerspace if it would port its ambitious puzzler to Quest (I think in late 2018), the team seemed skeptical it could be done. Well, they either underestimated their development skills or summoned some dark magic, because A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest is a peerless port of one of our favorite VR games of 2019.

I had feared that some of my enthusiasm for the game might have wained in the 11 or so months since I last visited it. I know that, for some, A Fisherman’s Tale’s brief length is a bit of a deal-breaker. But I found myself enchanted by its dizzying brand of brain-teasing all over again, arguably more so with the freedom provided by Quest.

In A Fisherman’s Tale you play as a reclusive puppet fisherman that awakens to find himself locked inside his lighthouse. In the center of the first room sits a model of that lighthouse, with a tiny version of yourself inside and a larger one outside, mimicking your every movement. Even 11 months on, I find myself stunned at the way the game’s puzzles click in your head, and I still marvel at the moments your brain breaks as you try to process what you’re seeing.

Crucially, the game’s winning art style holds up inside the standalone headset. It has, undeniably, been simplified somewhat, but often only in the most superficial and indifferent of ways. Lighting is a little mistier, for example, and some of the tiny objects plucked from inside the model house don’t carry the same fine details, but there’s nothing in the way of real distractions. Check out our comparison video above for an idea.

That aside, this is a 1:1 port that makes the game easier to enjoy than ever.

A Fisherman’s Tale Quest Review Final Verdict

Like other ports such as Superhot VR, A Fisherman’s Tale seems at its most natural on Quest. The irony isn’t lost on me; the game where you play as a puppet on a string is best-experienced wire-free. For the first time in a while, I found myself wishing I had more space for VR so I could naturally walk around its relatively small levels and bring myself that further bit into the experience. That speaks to just how immersive Innerspace’s micro-masterpiece really is. So grab your headset, because the fisherman’s returned home just in time from Christmas.

Final Score: 5/5 Stars | Fantastic

A Fisherman’s Tale is available on Oculus Quest now for $14.99. For more on how we arrived at this score, see our full review guidelines. We’re also giving you the chance to win the game on Quest on this week’s VRecap!

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November 29, 2019

Facebook Buys Beat Saber, Xbox Gives VR A Hard Pass & Win A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest – VRecap

We’ve hit the holiday season in a big way this week with news from Facebook & Microsoft – oh, and UploadVR’s very own showcase featuring big announcements, releases & updates for the upcoming year!

The first story in this week’s roundup is of Facebook’s acquisition of Beat Games, developers of the one and only Beat Saber. This, of course, is fantastic news for both companies, but it does pose a few questions: Will mods still be supported? Will the game truly be supported on other platforms? Or, as Ian questioned, will it become part of Facebook’s Horizon universe? Time will only tell on this one.

Phil Spencer came under fire a bit this week by saying there won’t be any Xbox VR because “nobody’s asking for it”. Oof. Even the Shu had something to say about that one.

The biggest release of the week is also up for grabs as this week’s competition. A Fisherman’s Tale is now available on Quest after its release on PC VR earlier this year, and I simply love it. But don’t take my word for it, our review is coming right up! There are 6 codes in the lottery this week, and all you’ve got to do is enter below.

GIVEAWAY: Win A Free Copy Of A Fisherman’s Tale On Quest!

And finally, we were amused and interested by your comments this week, including Alex’s rendition of how Sony must be reacting to Phil Spencer’s infamous comments.

We’ll catch you next week, but until then – which game reveal was your favourite from The Holiday VR Showcase? Let us know below!

The post Facebook Buys Beat Saber, Xbox Gives VR A Hard Pass & Win A Fisherman’s Tale on Quest – VRecap appeared first on UploadVR.

November 27, 2019

A Fisherman’s Tale: Watch The Oculus Quest Launch Trailer, Now Available

A Fisherman’s Tale is one of the most surprisingly excellent VR games of the year and it’s finally coming to Oculus Quest today by developer Innerspace and publisher Vertigo Games.

From early looks A Fisherman’s Tale always looked like it would be a charming and worthwhile experience, but it certainly surpassed our expectations when it first released way back in January. Earlier today during the Holiday VR Showcase we had the pleasure of revealing the launch trailer for the Oculus Quest port of the game, which you can check out down below or over on the UploadVR YouTube channel:

In A Fisherman’s Tale you play as a puppet confined to a little lighthouse home, but in the middle of the cabin is a small model of your dwelling. If you look inside you’ll see a smaller version of yourself matching your every move. It’s full of ingenious puzzles and some of the most creative mind-bending moments of VR we’ve seen yet.

When Jamie reviewed it, he had almost nothing but glowing praise: “A Fisherman’s Tale might be the first [VR game] to achieve a perfect storm of gameplay, immersion and narrative in a single experience. Though brief, it fuses experience and interactivity to really show what this medium is capable of. This is exactly what old seadogs aren’t meant to be capable of; something genuinely new.”

Cutting the cord and going wireless with 360 inside-out tracking would be a great way to play so this is a great fit for Quest. And if you’re interested then you’re in luck — A Fisherman’s Tale is out on Oculus Quest already as of today!

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November 25, 2019

Catch Up With Vertigo Games At The Holiday VR Showcase On Wednesday!

Wednesday’s nearly with us! The Holiday VR Showcase is fast approaching, and today we’re confirming not one but two updates we’ll have for you from the team at Vertigo Games.

First up is A Fisherman’s Tale, developed by Innerspace and published by Vertigo. As you probably know the game’s anticipated Quest port is due for release the very same day as the Showcase: November 27! We’ll have a first look at the game’s launch trailer before you can dive in for yourself.

Next up, we’ll have an update on one of our biggest E3 VR Showcase reveals: After The Fall. It’s been nearly six months since Vertigo debuted the game at our first-ever event. After The Fall is the team’s next flagship title, arriving in 2020, some four years after the launch of Arizona Sunshine. How’s it coming along? Tune in to find out!

Also confirmed for the show is the launch trailer for Budget Cuts 2 (along with another Fast Travel surprise), the first look at Radial-G: Proteus gameplay, the first Oculus Rift gameplay for Phantom: Covert Ops, and a developer walkthrough of Sentenced. We’ll also be picking off with our Holiday VR Showcase Pre-Show at 8:45am PT/11:45am ET/4:45pm GMT with an exclusive look at Firewall: Zero Hour’s mid-season updates!

Not enough for you? There’s plenty of other surprises to come, so don’t worry! Check back tomorrow when we’ll be teasing more titles for the big day.

So when and where should you be? Right here on Upload at 9am PT/12pm ET/5pm GMT on November 27.

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November 22, 2019

The VR Game Launch Roundup: Snowballs, Sailors and Seascapes

VRFocus brings you another roundup of all the virtual reality (VR) titles due to come out over the course of the next week. This week’s selection features a series of independent titles and re-release titles. Make sure to check out our accompanying video to get a short preview of each videogame.

Snowman – XOCUS

Test your hand-eye coordination in this icy, wave shooting experience. Protect your camp from hordes of incoming frosty aliens who have invaded earth. Utilise a number of weapons and team up with a combat robot who will cover your back while you quickly build a wall to protect your base. Play online against friends and set new records with a worldwide leader board.

Supported platforms: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift
Launch date: 26^th November

A Fisherman’s Tale – InnerspaceVR

Previously released January 2019, InnerspaceVR’s mind-bending puzzle adventure is now receiving the Oculus Quest treatment. Featuring the options of room-scale, standing or seated playing, users can shrink and grow in size as you play as this wooden puppet fisherman in this seemingly never-ending highly interactive lighthouse setting.

Supported platforms: Oculus Quest
Launch date: 27th November

Affected: The Manor – Fallen Planet Studios

UK-based developer Fallen Planet Studios has announced an Oculus Quest version of its popular horror VR title, Affected: The Manor, boasting new interactivity features to make use of the headset’s features. First released in 2016, experience this haunted house setting with two different routes and four different alternative outcomes for players, now featuring new manually opening door features to add to the realism.

Supported platforms: Oculus Quest
Launch date: 27th November

Fullchoke – Listo Games

Use a double-barrelled shotgun to perfect your clay target shooting abilities in winter, greenfield and desert settings. Compete with others around the world with an online leader board. Featuring the ability to adjust displays and resize targets to assist beginners.

Supported platforms: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality
Launch date: 28th November

Oceans We Make

Totalling in only 5 minutes in length, you have little time to explore the whole of this ocean environment. An ideal starter videogame for new VR users of any age, the player will discover the impacts of plastic pollution on the marine environment in this playable educational VR experience.

Supported platforms: Valve Index, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Windows Mixed Reality
Launch date: 28th November

November 15, 2019

Oculus Quest Release Dates Revealed For A Fisherman’s Tale And Vacation Simulator

We now know the release windows for upcoming Quest titles including A Fisherman’s Tale, Vacation Simulator and The Under Presents.

A Fisherman’s Tale, the mind-bending puzzle game that released earlier this year on PC VR and PSVR, was announced for Quest a few months ago at OC6. The game will launch on November 28 for the Quest, which will no doubt be a great addition for the platform given how much we loved it in our review earlier this year. The game also recently won big at the 2019 VR Awards, where it took home the coveted ‘VR Game of the Year’ award.

In other news, Vacation Simulation also has a confirmed Quest release date – you’ll be able to visit holiday locales on your Quest from December 13. Vacation Simulator is the latest title from Google-owned Owlchemy Labs, the developers of Job Simulator. The former is essentially a sequel to the latter, which released on PC VR and PSVR earlier this year.

The Under Presents, from ‘Virtual Virtual Reality’ developers Tender Claws, now appears in the ‘Coming Soon’ section on the Oculus Quest store. While we still don’t have a confirmed release date yet, appearing in the store as ‘coming soon’ has traditionally been a good sign that a release date reveal is imminent. The Under Presents is a Quest-exclusive title, funded by Oculus Studios, that is theatrically-centered and will feature a loop of “different live and recorded acts coming and going.” It was scheduled for a holiday release this year, which lines up with its new appearance in the ‘Coming Soon’ section of the Oculus Store.

Which upcoming Quest game are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments below.

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