PlayStation VR is less than two years old yet its managed to become the most popular high-end headset with sales surpassing 3 million units. That’s been largely thanks to Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) massive PlayStation 4 user base and aggressive pricing of the headset, with almost continuous deals and discounts. Those continue today, with SIE announcing two new bundles each with a couple of popular titles thrown in.
The first bundle features Creed: Rise to Glory and Superhot VR. The latter needs no introduction as it has become a firm favourite with virtual reality (VR) fans for its slow-mo action. While Survios’ Creed: Rise to Glory is brand new, putting players in the shoes of Adonis Creed as he aims for championship glory.
The PlayStation VR Creed: Rise to Glory and Superhot VR Bundle includes the headset, PlayStation Camera, Two PlayStation Move Motion controllers, Demo Disc 2.0 and a digital game voucher for both titles. The bundle hits store shelves on 25th September – the same day as the launch of Creed: Rise to Glory – across the U.S. and Canada for $349.99 USD (MSRP) / $449.99 CAD (MSRP).
While the second bundle features Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Moss. Following a similar path as the last bundle, customers get a brand new videogame and one that’s been out a little while. Moss is the cute puzzle platformer featuring tiny mouse Quill from Polyarc which received a full five-stars in VRFocus’ review. Astro Bot Rescue Mission is the next title from Sony Japan Studio, featuring the lovable robots first seen in PlayStation VR Worlds.
The PlayStation VR Astro Bot Rescue Mission and Moss Bundle includes the headsets, PlayStation Camera, Demo Disc 2.0 and a digital game voucher for both titles. The bundle arrives across the U.S. and Canada on 2nd October, the same day as the launch of Astro Bot Rescue Mission, for $299.99 USD (MSRP) / $379.99 CAD (MSRP).
Currently there’s no news on whether these bundles will be made available in Europe or other territories. If that happens, VRFocus will let you know.
There are going to be some great new ways to pick up PSVR very soon.
Sony today introduced two new bundles for its PS4 VR headset, which it recently confirmed had sold over three million units. Both bundle the kit with some of its best games along with some of its most anticipated titles for the holiday season.
The first is a $349.99 USD/$449.99 CAD package that includes the headset, PlayStation Camera, two Move controllers and then a physical copy of Survios’ upcoming VR boxing game, Creed: Rise to Glory, and a digital copy of super-popular VR first-person shooter (FPS), Superhot. Both games make great use of the Move controllers. It launches on the same day as Creed itself on September 25th.
Next up is a cheaper $299.99 USD/$379.99 CAD set. This one doesn’t have Move controllers, but it does include a physical copy of the highly-anticipated Astro Bot Rescue Mission as well as a digital copy of the critically acclaimed VR adventure game, Moss. Both of these games are played with a DualShock 4, which you already have with your PS4 purchase, so there’s no need for the Move controllers. The bundle launches on October 2nd, which is when Astro Bot itself goes live.
Those are two pretty great bundles, though we’ll admit we’re surprised not to see Firewall Zero Hour included in either one. Sony is no doubt looking to pick up steam with PSVR sales as the headset enters its third holiday season.
Sadly both bundles are only confirmed for the US and Canada right now.
Can you believe it’s nearly September already? It seems like it was only yesterday that we were looking ahead to 2018 and imagining all the great VR gaming we were going to be doing. Now most of it’s behind us.
Fortunately, though, 2018 has saved the best for last. We’ve rounded up 13 games!
Firewall Zero Hour Platforms: PSVR Release Date: Out now
A hugely anticipated competitive shooter from First Contact Entertainment, Firewall pits two teams of four against each other in attack and defend game modes. It’s been compared to Counter-Strike and Rainbow Six, and we’ve fallen in love with it each and every time we’ve played it. Pick up a PlayStation Aim controller for the best way to play.
Bow to Blood Platforms: PSVR Release Date: Out now
We weren’t going to put Bow to Blood on this list until we actually played it. Turns out Tribetoy’s PSVR debut is a winning mix of strategic micromanagement and arena-based combat. You pilot flying ships in a televised tournament and must forge unlikely relationships in order to prevail. This may be a sleeper hit for PSVR.
Torn Platforms: Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: Out now
An intriguing new puzzle game and the first internally-developed project from Aspyr. Torn sees you explore an enormous mansion as you gather the memories of as renowned inventor. Puzzles ask you to complete circuits by locating symbols fitted to random objects and putting them in the correct place. It’s a mad scientist of a VR game and definitely worth your time.
Zone of the Enders 2: The 2nd Runner – MARS Platforms: Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: September 4th
First announced at Tokyo Game Show last year, this is a full remaster of Konami’s cult classic, Zone of the Enders 2, with full support for VR putting you inside the cockpit of Jehuty for the first time. The entire original game can be played inside your headset, and what we’ve played of it is promising, if a little confusing.
Transference Platforms:Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: September 18th
The next VR game from Ubisoft is developed in partnership with Elijah Wood’s Spectrevision. It’s a psychological thriller that mixes CG and live action elements to create a mysterious and disturbing exploration of the mind. There’s a free demo out right now on PSVR, and what we’ve played of the main game is hugely promising.
Creed: Rise to Glory Platforms: Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: September 25th
Raw Data and Sprint Vector developer Survios is back with what’s sure to be another knockout. Creed is based on the recent films spinning out of the Rocky franchise and has you using two motion controllers to box your way to the top. Survios’ new Phantom Melee Technology is promising a more immersive, convincing boxing system than we’ve seen so far in VR.
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission Platforms: PSVR Release Date: October 2nd
One of the surprise success stories from PSVR’s launch back in 2016 was a small platforming minigame in the free Playroom VR collection. Now, Sony Japan is building that experience out into a full game akin to Lucky’s Tale. Expect inventive use of VR as you make your way through several levels saving your adorable robo buddies. This is sure to be a great addition to your PSVR library.
Evasion Platforms:Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: October 9th
Archiact, the developer of Waddle Home (yes, Waddle Home) is trying its hand at making the next big VR shooter. Evasion features co-op bullet hell gameplay in which you fight your way through an alien planet-trashing just about everything in sight. PS Aim support on PSVR is sure to make the experience more immersive.
Defector Platforms: Rift Release Date: 2018
Don’t forget about this hugely promising spy game from Wilson’s Heart developer Twisted Pixel, which last we heard was still coming this year. It’s as cinematic as VR gets, mixing stylish gadget-based gameplay with exciting shootouts and massive setpieces that will have you skydiving and more. Expect big things from this.
Another one that might have slipped under your radar – Prey is getting VR support! Well, sort of. It’s actually an escape room-style DLC expansion in which you have to solve puzzles. There’s also going to be a multiplayer component in which players become shape-shifting mimics and disguise themselves in a room before a human player seeks them out. Verdict’s still out on this one.
Echo Combat Platforms: Rift Release Date: 2018
An expansion to the excellent Echo Arena was promised at Oculus Connect last year and it looks like it’ll be launching soon. Echo Combat brings gunplay into the series’ excellent zero gravity arenas. There’s already been several promising betas for the game, so expect this to be one of the big Rift games of the next few months.
A Fisherman’s Tale Platforms:Rift, Vive, PSVR Release Date: 2018
Firebird: La Peri developer Innervision is getting much closer to a game with its latest VR project, which has some incredibly inventive puzzles on offer. You play as a fisherman that has a scale model of his lighthouse inside his room. Look into it, and you’ll see a small version of yourself, while a bigger version can be found outside your window. Things get trippy fast.
Space Junkies Platforms:Rift, Vive Release Date: 2018
Ubisoft has a competitor to Echo Combat also coming this year. Space Junkies is another zero gravity shooter in which you grab power-ups and dual-wield weapons as you fling yourself around space, blasting other players. It’s a decidedly more arcadey take on the genre, and we can’t wait to see if it manages to build a community of its own.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission ist ab sofort für 39,99 Euro für PlayStation VR (PSVR) im PlayStation Store erhältlich.
[Update vom 20. September 2018]:
Die Devs von Sony Japan veröffentlichten einen neuen Gameplay-Trailer zum kommenden VR-Titel Astro Bot Rescue Mission für PlayStation VR (PSVR), welcher neue Einblicke und zusätzliches Footage gewährt:
[Originalartikel vom 3. August 2018]:
Sony gab das Veröffentlichungsdatum für Astro Bot Rescue Mission für PlayStation VR (PSVR) bekannt. Das VR-Jump ‘n’ Run soll am 4. Oktober im deutschen PlayStation Store erhältlich sein und euch auf die immersive Rettungsmission eurer mechanischen Crew schicken.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission für PlayStation VR (PSVR) – Ab 4. Oktober im PlayStation Store verfügbar
Innerhalb des VR-Plattformers übernehmt ihr die Rolle des Schiffskapitäns Astro, der sich nach einem unerwarteten Unglück auf die Suche nach seiner verschollenen Mannschaft begibt. Dabei hüpft, rennt und kämpft ihr euch durch zahlreiche Abschnitte, um die hilfsbedürftigen Crewmitglieder einzusammeln.
Insgesamt 26 abwechslungsreiche Level soll der VR-Titel beinhalten, an dessen Enden sich fiese überdimensionale Bossgegner befinden. Diese gilt es, mit verschiedenen Mechaniken zu besiegen, um auf die nächsten Planeten voranzuschreiten. Die Umgebungen sollen sich mit dem Spielfortschritt kontinuierlich verändern und euch dadurch reichlich Abwechslung fürs Auge und Gameplay-technisch für die Finger offenbaren. Ungefähr acht bis zehn Stunden Spielzeit sollen euch insgesamt erwarten.
Steuerung setzt der 360-Grad-Plattformer auf den DualShock-4-Controller, der eine entscheidende Rolle im Gameplay übernimmt. So wird der Controller direkt ins Spiel eingebaut und dient dadurch nicht nur zur Eingabe der Befehle, sondern gleichzeitig als geräumiger Lagerplatz für die geretteten Roboter sowie verschiedene Waffen. Benötigt Astro für eine brenzlige Situation ein spezielles Werkzeug, so kann er dieses direkt aus dem Controller herausziehen.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission erscheint offiziell am 4. Oktober im deutschen PlayStation Store für 39,99 Euro und als Datenträger. Die Vorbestellungen sind bereits eröffnet und bringen einige Goodies mit sich. Entsprechend erhalten Vorbesteller verschiedene Astro-Bot-Avatare, ein spezielles Design und den kompletten digitalen Soundtrack des Spiels.
Sony’s Japan Studio, the minds behind The Playroom VR (2016), today announced that their upcoming platformer Astro Bot: Rescue Mission is headed to PSVR in the US on October 2nd, 2018. European availability will come a day later, October 3rd.
Japan Studio Creative Director and Producer Nicolas Doucet announced the news via a quick video interview explaining some of the game’s core elements, which include a unique way of interacting with your cute little robot buddy, Astro. Using the Dual Shock 4 gamepad, you collect gadgets that you then use to help Astro on his way through levels to reunite him with his lost crew.
We went hands-on with the charming and cheerful Astro Bot: Rescue Mission back at E3 2018 in June, and walking out of the demo it was clear that Astro Bot has taken some classic Mario-style platforming elements and mixed them in VR to awesome effect.
The game is launching exclusively on PSVR; if the rest of the game, which Doucet told us would take around 8 – 10 hours to complete its 26 levels, holds true to the amount of fun we had during the E3 demo, it appears PSVR could be getting another system-selling hit on its hands. Check out our hands-on here for more.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission, the cute third-person platformer for PlayStation VR which was first announced in May and then came to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018 last month, now has a launch date for this October.
In a statement via the PlayStation Blog today, Japan Studio Creative Director Nicolas Doucet confirmed that Astro Bot Rescue Mission would be released on 2nd October, 2018.
The main Astro Bot character is an off-shoot of PlayStation VR launch title The Playroom VR. A PlayStation VR exclusive, in Astro Bot Rescue Mission players control Astro who happens to be captain of a spaceship. An accident happens and Astro loses all the crew and now its up to players to find them all.
With a game world that spans 26 levels across five locations, Astro Bot Rescue Mission features both puzzle solving and boss fighting mechanics, and of course plenty of jumping over platforms. The involve the player further and to make the experience that bit more immersive Japan Studio will get players to interact directly with the environment. This includes headbutting the scenery to reveal new paths, throwing shuriken to make new ledges or pop enemies, and even putting the DualShock 4 controller into alcoves to unlock secrets.
“Until the game is ready to land in your home, the Japan Studio Asobi! Team is working extra hard to make sure Astro Bot is great and features the high level of polish you’d come to expect from Japan Studio,” says Doucet.
If you like the look of Astro Bot Rescue Mission pre-orders will be available starting today, and it will be sold both physically and digitally for $39.99 USD. Those that pre-order the videogame from PlayStation Store will receive: 4 Astro Bot Avatars (Instant Reward), Astro Bot Rescue Mission Dynamic Theme, and the Astro Bot Rescue Mission full digital Soundtrack.
One of PSVR’s most promising upcoming games now has a release date.
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission from Sony’s Japan Studio will be launching in the US on October 2nd and EU on October 3rd, it was confirmed today. The game is now available to pre-order via the PlayStation Store for $39.99. Pre-order bonuses include four avatars for your PlayStation account, a dynamic theme for your PS4 menu and the entire soundtrack in digital form. The new video below gives you a whats-what of the game.
Astro Bot was born out of a minigame found in Japan Studio’s PSVR launch-era minigame collection, Playroom VR. Like Oculus Rift exclusive Lucky’s Tale, it’s a third-person platform in which you control a tiny robot on a mission to save his friends. Over the course of several levels, you’ll jump between platforms and take out enemies just like you would in a traditional platformer.
VR does bring some new ideas to the table, though, including using your DualShock 4 as a way to reach into the game world, throwing ninja stars to create platforms and more. We’re really looking forward to it, as you can tell from our preview earlier this year.
The cute little bots from The Playroom and The Playroom VR became the de facto mascots of the PlayStation 4, and the fact that their faces bear a vague similarity to a virtual reality (VR) headset meant that seeing them return for more adventures in VR for almost inevitable. At E3 2018, the VRFocusteam managed to try out the Astro Bot Rescue Mission demo and report their findings.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a third-person VR platformer, working in a similar way to other titles such as Mossor Lucky’s Tale. The player takes control of Astro, who is the captain of a ship whose crew has gone missing across various planets.
As with The Playroom, the conceit is that the bots live inside the Dual Shock Controller, and pop out from under the touch pad area as if it were a hatch. Its designed to be very cute and endearing, as well as making full use of the various functions of the Dual Shock 4 controller, requiring players to use the motion control aspects along with the touchpad and the standard buttons and thumb sticks.
Astro can jump, hover, run and the player can take action to help keep Astro safe, which becomes particularly challenging during the end-of-level boss fights. Players can use the VR to peek around the levels and find hidden items or different pathways to take.
One frustration noted was that there doesn’t seem to be much option for backtracking, which is a time-honoured tradition among platform and RPG videogame fans. The levels seem to have a kind of ratchet scrolling effect, so if you accidentally miss on of your objectives, it is difficult, of not outright impossible, to go back.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission is being developed by Sony Japan Studio for PlayStation VR, though a release date for the title is yet to be confirmed. You can check out the full hands-on video report below. VRFocuswill be sure to bring you the latest on new and upcoming VR titles.
Following the wave of pre-show announcements and conferences, here’s a final roundup of all our E3 2018 coverage. Vive Wireless Adapter news, Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot platforms clarified, Ready at Dawn interview, and we go hands-on with Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Trover Saves the Universe, Blood & Truth, Megalith, Beat Saber, and Firewall: Zero Hour.
Hands-on With Astro Bot Rescue Mission
Image courtesy Sony Japan Studio
Featuring the cute bots first seen in The Playroom (2013), Sony Japan Studio’s upcoming platformer Astro Bot Rescue Mission uses similar controls and gameplay mechanics as any other 3D platformer, but it has been created from the ground up with VR in mind. Our hands-on time at E3 2018 left us impressed and wanting more; the title launches exclusively on PSVR in the Fall. The game is one of many PSVR titles shown at Sony’s E3 booth.
HTC’s official Wireless Adapter for the Vive was first announced earlier this year, and made an appearance at the DisplayLink booth at E3 2018. An HTC spokesperson confirmed that the device was on track for a late summer launch. They also said that up to three Wireless Adapters could used in the same space without interference, with an ideal range of up to six meters from the transmitter.
Announced at Sony’s main E3 2018 showcase, Trover Saves the Universe is an action platformer presented with the unique comedic style of Justin Roiland, creator of Rick and Morty. Our hands-on time revealed a game with more ‘serious’ platforming than you might imagine, and plenty of fourth-wall breaking gags along the way.
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot Confirmed for PSVR and Vive
Image courtesy Bethesda
This standalone VR experience initially revealed at the early Bethesda E3 2018 showcase has now been confirmed to launch on PSVR and HTC Vive sometime in 2019. The game takes place two decades after the events of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (2017); you can check out the new trailer here.
Sony’s VR Announcements Were on the Sidelines at E3
Photo by Road to VR
Following Microsoft’s more traditional (and VR-free) E3 presentation, Sony’s event got off to an unusual start, switching venues and generally avoiding the ‘on stage’ style of delivery. But perhaps more surprising was the distinct lack of PSVR information within the main showcase. Aside from Trover Saves the Universe and a brief montage, the focus was entirely on non-VR, blockbuster titles. In this article we consider the significance of this decision.
Hands-on With the Latest Preview of PSVR Exclusive Blood & Truth
Image courtesy Sony
VR action shooter Blood & Truth left a great first impression when we tried the game in October, so we were keen to take an updated look at E3 this year. Fleshed out from the ‘London Heist’ experience in PlayStation VR Worlds (2016), Sony’s London Studio has been given more time to fully realise their vision. The new demo also impressed, and introduced a new ‘bullet time’ mechanic.
Launching as a timed exclusive on PSVR later this year, Megalith is a first-person arena brawler employing many familiar mechanics of popular MOBAs like Dota 2 (2013) and League of Legends (2009), with different heroes to choose from, each with unique abilities. Our hands-on left us keen to see the final game, as it has potential to deliver fun co-op brawling. The demo featured free locomotion plus ‘snap turn’, with other options being investigated.
We’ve enjoyed many hours of Beat Saber on PC VR systems via the game’s Early Access program on the Steam and Oculus stores, but this was our first try with the PlayStation VR version, which is set to launch later this year. This fast-paced VR rhythm game naturally benefits from motion control tracking accuracy, and we were pleased to find that the Move controllers were largely up to the task, but players will want to make sure their tracking setup is set up perfectly to avoid frustration.
This four-vs-four, objective-based shooter from First Contact Entertainment is shaping up well, delivering team-based multiplayer action similar to series such as Counter-Strike and Rainbow Six, but in an immersive style (particularly when played with the Aim controller) that PSVR users have been waiting for. The game is due to arrive some time in 2018.
Ready at Dawn CEO Talks Echo Combat, Commitment to VR
Image courtesy Ready at Dawn
We caught up with Ready at Dawn CEO Ru Weerasuriya on the E3 show floor to talk about the upcoming Echo Combat open beta, and the studio’s commitment to the medium. By the time the game launches, Weerasuriya says they intend to add “more functionality, potentially more modes, but more ways to play.” He said that the studio was “currently exploring a lot of ideas” to move the VR medium forward in the long term.
The third day of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018 has come to a close and with it, E3 2018 is over. VRFocus have been all over the show floor to find the latest and greatest virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) titles and products, and in the final recap video of the event you can see all the best moments from the team’s adventures.
Yesterday, the team got their hands on a number of new titles in including Arca’s Path VR from Rebellion and Dream Reality Interactive, Seeking Dawn from Multiverse Inc, and ARia’s Legacy from The Pixel Crushers along with a number of other videogames and hardware goodies.
Today however, the team started off with a trip to IndieCade to witness a number of different indie titles that were sure to bring new experiences to the table. XSEED’s Gungrave VR, which has released a new trailer as part of E3 2018, was the next stop for the team. Bringing back the classic PlayStation 2 title to VR it was sure to offer some intense first-person and third-person action.
Tendar by Tendar Claws and Survios’ Creed: Rise to Glory were the next stops, followed by a trip to the Sony booth to get hands on with Blood & Truth from the PlayStation VR Worlds developers. The team would come back to the Sony booth later on to spend some time with the lovable Astro in Astro Bot Rescue Mission for PlayStation VR. In between that though the team checked out Hyper Arena VR from Hyperbook Studio and finished up their busy E3 2018 schedule by checking out Kite & Lightnings weird and wonderful VR title, Bebylon: Battle Royale. You can see the full adventures of the day in the below video.
With E3 2018 now closed and the excitement of the event winding down, this year has been a bit of a quiet one for the immersive technology with the event as a whole taking a slower pace. That said, some big VR titles were revealed including Tetris Effect, Trover Saves The Universe, Ghost Giant, Prey: TransStar and Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot to name a few. Though the event is over, that doesn’t mean the fun stops and VRFocus will be sure to keep bring you all the latest, including hands-on previews. So make sure to stay tuned for more.
