Normally VRFocus’ Friday roundup of videogames to come doesn’t include today, but with slim pickings next week it was necessary to take some artistic licence. Even so, here are five virtual reality (VR) titles set to launch in the coming days.
BoomBox – Cyberspline Games Inc
Ok, so BoomBox is the first of two titles that are actually launching today. A rhythm-action experience by Cyberspline Games Inc hitting Steam Early Access, grab those digital drum sticks across 16 songs plus there are a further 100 pre-cleared songs for users to create their own maps using the editor.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality & Valve Index
- Launch date: 26th February
Arden’s Wake – Penrose Studios
An animated short from Penrose Studios, Arden’s Wake features Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider, Ex Machina) and Richard Armitage (The Hobbit) as the voice cast. Already an award winner picking up the Lion for Best VR at the Venice Film Festival, Arden’s Wake is the story of a young woman who embarks on a dangerous journey in a post-apocalyptic world.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
- Launch date: 26th February
Z-Race – XOCUS
For adrenaline fans who love to hurtle around futuristic tracks really fast, XOCUS’ upcoming Z-Race looks to be all that and more. Another Early Access title, Z-Race features 10 anti-gravity racers and 12 tracks across four terrains and an asynchronous global multiplayer mode.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
- Launch date: 2nd March
Stargaze – Played With Fire
A relaxing puzzle title set among the stars, Stargaze originally launched via Steam for PC VR headsets and now it’s Oculus Store’s turn. Inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s early 20th-Century novella The Little Prince, Stargaze is an interstellar journey where you play an astronomer observing life on other planets, each one a puzzle to solve using your telescope.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Rift (Oculus Store)
- Launch date: 4th March
The Climb 2 – Crytek
Time for the big VR title of the week, Crytek’s The Climb 2. Originally slated for a 2020 launch on Oculus Quest 2, this sequel will have you clambering up mountains and the side of buildings in no time. Alongside new maps are new features likes dynamic objects such as ropes and ladders that react to your weight.
- Supported platforms: Oculus Quest
- Launch date: 4th March
David Bond and Brian Pullen of Google will host a talk called Designing Human Avatars for Virtual Reality, in which the pair will discuss the lessons they learned designing avatars for YouTube VR, and beyond. The intention of the talk is for attendees to learn about emerging best practices in designing avatars for VR contexts, and come away with an appreciation of what doesn’t work in VR, and why.
The final new addition to the line-up comes from Drifter Entertainment and Epic Games, wherein Shen-Ming Spurgeon and Wyeth Johnson, respectively, will offer a tutorial session entitled Visual Effects Bootcamp: How VR is Going to Break All the Rules in VFX. This talk will be an introduction to content development from the point of view of a visual effects artist, exploring what real-time VFX looks like in a VR environment, as well as discussing the limitations, sacrifices, and ultimately, the collaboration necessary to achieve success while working in VR.