Bloober Team’s next game is Layers of Fears, not Silent Hill
Bloober Team has announced Layers of Fears, contradicting the recent rumors about a Silent Hill 2 remake.
Blair Witch: VR Edition Out Today for PlayStation VR & PC VR
After initially launching Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition in 2020, Bloober Team and Incuvo expanded support to Oculus Rift last month with Blair Witch: VR Edition. Today, the teams complete the virtual reality (VR) set by releasing Blair Witch: VR Edition for PlayStation VR and PC VR headsets.
Blair Witch: VR Edition takes the original flatscreen version from 2019 and gives it a VR makeover, most importantly adding plenty of new interactive features to make the gameplay as immersive as possible. For instance, when exploring the creepy woods you’ll have your ever faithful pooch Bullet by your side with new commands the original didn’t have. Pet Bullet or give him treats which he’ll take right out of your hand.
There are plenty of other VR additions to play around with when you’re not getting absolutely terrified. Environmental objects like doors and cupboards can be opened by grabbing them, whilst puzzle elements such as padlocks or other mechanical elements have to be physically interacted with. Because of this the PlayStation VR version only works with the PlayStation Move controllers. It’ll also include plenty of unlockable Trophies.
Whilst the gameplay has been overhauled the story remains the same. You take on the role of former police officer Ellis who heads into the Black Hills Forest with Bullet to help join a search for a young missing boy. However, Ellis has a troubled past, suffering from PTSD and panic attacks that play out whilst wandering through the woods.
VRFocus was impressed by Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition, saying in its review: “If you’re a big fan of VR scares intertwined with a decent story then Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition will have you shaking in your boots.”
Blair Witch: VR Edition is available today on the PlayStation Store and Steam for $29.99 USD. PlayStation VR owners also have the choice to purchase a deluxe, physical version of the videogame which also includes the original soundtrack and Art of Blair Witch digital artbook for $34.99. Check out the new trailer below and for further updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Blair Witch: VR Edition Creeps Onto Oculus Rift Today
The Oculus Rift might have been discontinued this year but there’s still plenty of support for the PC-based headset. Today, Bloober Team has announced the launch of Blair Witch: VR Edition for the platform, bringing improved graphics to make the horror experience that little bit scarier.
The Oculus Rift edition continues Bloober Team’s expansion of its Blair Witch videogame, originally starting out on PC and consoles in 2019. It was then overhauled in 2020 as Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition, adding new control schemes and features tailored to virtual reality (VR) gaming. Now it’s time for Oculus Rift owners to step into the cursed Black Hills Forest and try to make it out the other side.
If you’ve played the original non-VR version then you’ll notice plenty of differences in Blair Witch: VR Edition. Whilst the narrative and locations remain the same in VR you’ll be able to interact with most objects, picking them up, throwing them, opening drawers, doors, and gates, even breaking branches if you so wish. The same goes for the puzzle elements with handles, buttons, opening locks with a key, and inputting padlock codes all requiring that physical touch.
One of the key mechanics in the videogame is your pet dog Bullet, who’s helpful not only as a companion in the creepy woods but also for sniffing out clues. You can pet Bullet, give him new collars, feed him treats, shake his paw and give him objects to sniff and hunt down.
If VR horror isn’t scary enough, Bloober Team also decided to add new sounds and in-game events to surprise and scare the player, including additional creature encounters. Blair Witch: VR Edition will also include better models, improved lighting, further draw distance, and improved AI.
VRFocus was impressed by Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition, saying in its review: “If you’re a big fan of VR scares intertwined with a decent story then Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition will have you shaking in your boots.”
Blair Witch: VR Edition will be available on the Oculus Store for Oculus Rift today, at 6pm BST (10am PT). There’s been no mention of a SteamVR version but the studio has confirmed a PlayStation VR edition will arrive this summer. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.
Konami/Bloober Team partnership adds more fuel to rampant Silent Hill rumors
Konami and Bloober Team officially announced a partnership, turning fans' heads even further in the direction of a new Silent Hill.
The VR Job Hub: Bloober Team, Dimension & TriggerXR
Every weekend VRFocus gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.
| Location | Company | Role | Link |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Concept Artist | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Combat Programmer | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Gameplay Programmer | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | VRX Artist | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Game Designer | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Level Designer | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Animation Programmer | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | 3D Technical Animator | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | 3D Animator | Click Here to Apply |
| Krakow, Poland | Bloober Team | Combat Designer | Click Here to Apply |
| Newcastle/London or remote in UK | Dimension | 3D Technical Animator | Click Here to Apply |
| Newcastle/London or remote in UK | Dimension | Real-Time Artist (Unreal Engine) | Click Here to Apply |
| Newcastle/London or remote in UK | Dimension | Producer (XR & Virtual Production) | Click Here to Apply |
| London, UK | Dimension | Producer (Digital Humans) | Click Here to Apply |
| London, UK | Dimension | Head of Finance | Click Here to Apply |
| London, UK | Dimension | Marketing Executive | Click Here to Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | TriggerXR | Senior Account Manager – Client Services | Click Here to Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | TriggerXR | Resource Manager | Click Here to Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | TriggerXR | Senior Manager – Mixed Reality | Click Here to Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | TriggerXR | Digital Project Manager – Mixed Reality | Click Here to Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | TriggerXR | Client Marketing & Deployment Strategist – Mixed Reality | Click Here to Apply |
Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to check as well.
If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).
We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.
Horror Layers of Fear VR Heads to PlayStation VR in April
Bloober Team is well versed in virtual reality (VR) horror thanks to titles like Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition and Layers of Fear VR. The latter has made its way to most VR headsets apart from PlayStation VR, a situation the studio is going to change by the end of the month.
Originally a standard PC title that made the leap to VR in 2019, Layers of Fear VR is a psychological horror redesigned to offer players greater interactivity and immersion, through making use of the technology. In this story-driven experience, you play the role of a Victorian-era painter aiming to finish his Magnum Opus. However, as the dark narrative unfolds your character delves deeper into his own madness, experiencing visions that fill the mansion with macabre artwork as well as changing its layout.
Developer Incuvo has ensured PlayStation VR players can thoroughly connect with this frightening world, physically interacting with puzzles and other gameplay elements. These will twist and turn as the maddening tale unfolds, set in a world inspired by 19th-century masterpiece paintings.
The 2019 VR release was fairly well received by players thanks to its mixture or set piece hallucinations and tell-tale jump scares to get the heart racing. The studio thankfully removed one item from the original flat version which was the white cursor dot. It’s a feature which can break seriously immersion in VR so its removal is a welcome one.
Layers of Fear VR is scheduled to launch for PlayStation VR on 29th April 2021, retailing for $19.99 USD. PlayStation VR owners have got plenty of titles to look forward to this month with the likes of Star Wars Pinball VR, Maskmaker, Altdeus: Beyond Chronos and Alvo arriving. For further updates keep reading VRFocus.
Layers Of Fear Listed As ‘Coming Soon’ On PlayStation Store For PSVR
A store listing on PlayStation 5 consoles indicates the Layers of Fear is coming soon to PSVR.
The listing, pictured below in a screenshot captured by UploadVR, can only been seen on the PlayStation Store when using a PS5 console and doesn’t seem to appear elsewhere, including on the desktop version of the store available online.
The game is tagged as ‘Just Announced’ when listed in a search results, implying that maybe the store page was sent online early ahead of an official announcement.
There’s no release date, only ‘coming soon’ and the page says that PS Move and PSVR Aim controllers are required to play, along with a PSVR system. On other platforms, there’s no shooting mechanic in Layers of Fear, so it’s likely this is just an error and a PS Aim controller won’t be needed. Along with the placeholder title graphic, it’s likely that the page is still incomplete.
Originally a PC and console title, Layers of Fear received a PC VR port in late 2019, before coming to the Oculus Quest midway through last year. We weren’t the biggest fans of Layers of Fear in our PC VR review, however a PSVR port is still nonetheless good news for those who might have been waiting for it to come to the platform.
We talked to the developers of Layers of Fear, Bloober Team, last year about the challenges of bringing the game to Oculus Quest. When we asked about plans to bring some of their other titles, such as Layers of Fear 2, to VR platforms, they wouldn’t say yes or no and said “who knows what the future will bring.”
Keep an eye out for more details on Layers of Fear for PSVR in the near future.
The Medium review: A horror game stuck between two worlds
It tries to be both a modern psychological horror and retro throwback without quite nailing either
Review: Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition
When Blair Witch launched into cinemas in 1999 it would mark a new era for horror films, one which would see countless imitations utilising the shaky, handheld footage look. In 2019 Bloober Team, the studio behind horror titles such as Layer of Fear VR brought the world a Blair Witch videogame for consoles and PC, receiving widespread praise for its psychological gameplay. Now the team has redesigned the experience especially for virtual reality (VR) – namely Oculus Quest – showcasing why the technology works so uniquely well with the horror genre.
If you’ve played the original version then, for the most part, Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition will feel very familiar, it’s the same story involving former police officer Ellis heading into the Black Hills Forest with his pet pooch Bullet as they help join a search for a young missing boy. Ellis has a troubled past, suffering from PTSD and panic attacks which the videogame portrays to great effect whilst wandering the woods inhabited by the malevolent witch of local legend. As an Oculus Quest title, the graphical fidelity has obviously taken a knock but in the process of switching to VR, the sheer heart-pounding scare factor has been increased.
An important factor in most VR titles is interactivity, not so much having stuff to do more the way you can connect with it. An important aspect when porting a standard videogame into an immersive one. So the redesign adds those factors which help connect you to the digital world, being able to pick up items such as the torch or the mysterious camcorder. One of the biggest changes is the way you can interact with Bullet, who is a vital grounding point when you’re wandering the woods at night. You can send him off to search for clues or have him by your side, he will sit there so you can pet him – great if moments get a little too much. Or grab a stick and play fetch for a bit.
Needless to say Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition isn’t for the faint-hearted. While there aren’t loads of jump scares – a common technique in other horror titles – Bloober Team goes for that constant fear of threat, playing on your mind with sounds rustling from the bushes or Bullet suddenly growling when he senses something nearby. That’s not to say there aren’t moments where you don’t want to turn around like the sequence inside the house for example. It’s not an action videogame after all so you don’t have any weapons as a safety net.
So Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition is atmospheric, no doubt about that. Walking through the woods either in the daylight or at night can be a chilling experience – daytime always feels like a respite – but there are a few little factors that can stutter it. First of all, it’ll depend on whether you’re playing on Oculus Quest or Oculus Quest 2. The formers OLED display works far better during the night time sequences, with Quest 2’s LCD offering more of a dark grey. On the flipside, Quest 2’s improved performance allows for greater detail, easily seen in Bullet’s fur, so objects don’t look quite as bland as on Quest 1.
One aspect ported from the 2019 original that’s hit and miss is the cut scenes. These 2D videos are the same in VR so whilst they help the story along, that sense of presence and fear which has been so well built up is then lost as the chapter ends and the cut scene begins.
When it comes to things to actually do these are fairly spread out with Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition featuring a lot of wandering, following Bullet and occasionally getting lost. There are a few environmental puzzles along the way, with most revolving around the camcorder and special red tapes which Bullet helps you find. These can make items appear or even rewind past actions to help clear the way. It’s a mechanic that works even better in VR than the original.
It’s important to note that Bloober Team has ensured that Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition caters for most players when it comes to comfort. Full locomotion is available for maximum immersion as well as teleportation and vignette tunnelling should you need it. Sub-titles are automatically on so it’s worth dipping into the settings to switch them off – nothing worse than the atmosphere being ruined by loads of bright text just dumped on top.
The horror section on Oculus Quest is a strong one, with Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition having stiff competition from the likes of Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted, Lies Beneath and The Exorcist: Legion VR. It can hold its own, however, offering decent psychological horror for its 5-6 hour duration. If you’re a big fan of VR scares intertwined with a decent story then Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition will have you shaking in your boots.
‘Blair Witch: Quest Edition’ Review – Real Psychological Thrills Worthy of the Name
Games built on film franchises are rarely good for a reason. Many suffer from comparatively lower budgets and seem to fundamentally lack creative flexibility. More often than not, this ends up leading to a clumsy replication of the source material and a big disappointment on the part of the player. Thankfully, this isn’t true for Blair Witch, the story-driven psychological horror game first launched on PC in 2019, and now rebuilt for Oculus Quest. The VR port is a bit rough around the edges, but even with its momentary jankiness and lower graphical fidelity it delivers a dark, bone chilling story that forces you head first into insanity.
Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition Details:
Available On: Oculus Quest
Release Date: October 29th, 2020
Price: $30
Developer: Bloober Team
Reviewed On: Quest (2019)
Gameplay
Rebuilt for VR, Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition immerses you in the haunted forest first conjured up in The Blair Witch Project (1999), the breakout ‘found footage’ horror film which spawned a slew of sequels, books, and video games.
Taking on the role of ex-policeman Ellis, you join a search party for a missing boy who’s gone missing in Maryland’s Black Hills Forest, a place where even daytime feels dark and claustrophobic. Things aren’t as they seem though, as Ellis battles with demons (both literal and personal) and marches deeper into his own troubled past as he picks up a trail leading to the boy. No spoilers here, but there’s multiple endings depending on actions you take throughout the game.
The game suggests wearing headphones for a more immersive experience, but you’d be forgiven for sticking to Quest’s built-in audio if you want to keep some filter between you and what lies ahead. Honestly, the game is intense and comes with a trigger warning because of the realistic depictions of post-traumatic stress, and—you know—horrible monsters chasing you through the forest.
Jump scares are few and far between, but are timed well enough to keep you on your toes. In the end, it’s less about fighting the monsters head-on, and more about unraveling the story through the eyes of a man who is recovering from PTSD in the worst place imaginable. You only have a flashlight, old-school cellphone, CB radio, a camcorder to reveal hidden secrets and play found footage, and your trusty German Shepard, Bullet. No guns and no melee weapons.
Although sometimes one of the biggest immersion breakers (more on that in Immersion), Bullet is overall an awesome addition. He alerts you to baddies ahead, uncovers key items, and keeps you on the trail which sometimes isn’t where you’d think to go. It’s so much nicer having Bullet around than a constantly chattering guide to force you through the experience, and also leaves you with your own thoughts on how to accomplish tasks that lie ahead. You can pet him, call him back with your whistle, command him to seek, and let him sniff items to get you on the right trail.
The cellphone is a cool addition too, as you receive calls and text messages that give some flavor to the story. Dialogue between you and your significant other Jess never feels super important to the story, but there are times when an SMS will really creep you out. The radio does essentially the same job to stay in contact with the rest of the search party, albeit without text messaging.
My most favorite addition by far is the camcorder. Found footage scattered throughout the game not only lets you see key moments in the story as they’re captured by a certain antagonist, but also lets you magically conjure elements in your location like a key item, or clear a pathway that was formerly blocked. There’s a few times in the game when looking directly at monsters results in your grizzly death too, which forces you to physically look away from any oncoming demon and follow a trail revealed by the bewitched camcorder.
Outside of using the camcorder there aren’t a lot of puzzles to solve, which is a shame. Puzzles are mostly momentary fetch quests which don’t rely on anything more than a good spatial memory of the level. Inventory is also pretty lackluster, as objects magically disappear from your hands, never to be seen again. Love it or hate it, the game’s body-mounted holsters were always a source of confusion, forcing me to look down to accurately grab the cellphone and not the radio, or the flashlight and not the camcorder. Some physical separation here would have made it much less frustrating. A journal of all your findings was equally pretty useless, and should really only be used if you’re taking the game in much smaller bites than I did.
In the end, it took me around five hours to play straight through, although your mileage may vary as you seek to unlock multiple endings. Immersion-breakers aside, I really enjoyed my time with Blair Witch. Its apparent lack of sidequests makes it worthy of really only a single playthrough and not much more.
Still, it was an intense trip that was soaked with existential dread and phycological terror. Sure, you can die and be thrown back to your last checkpoint, but it’s the bumps in the night and the unexpected thrills that definitely leave its mark.
Immersion
While the story and overall basic structure of the game’s one-way trip through Black Hills Forest is really well done, some of it felt somewhat shoehorned into VR. Cut scenes are done via immersion-breaking 2D windows which I really wish simply weren’t there.
Gripes aside for a moment: the games tension comes in a wide assortment of flavors that really seeps into your reptile brain. Creepy bumps in the night scare you away from the periphery of levels, dilapidated interiors force you to confront grizzly deaths, and the threat of meeting a demon around any corner is very real. Disjointed bits of the game confused you, and keep you wondering what’s real, or if any of it’s real in the first place. Photos of supposed victims litter the world, and you’re always left guessing if you’ll find your own polaroid snapshot among the bunch. Ok, more gripes now.
One of the biggest things you’ll notice is overall graphical quality. On the original Quest, it’s predictably lower than the PC or console versions as most levels are muddy and samey feeling. I’m still waiting on receiving my own Quest 2, so I wasn’t able to verify whether the headset’s extra horsepower from the Snapdragon XR2 significantly improved render distance and texture quality, two of my main gripes. Bloober Team says Quest 2 improves the quality of textures, 3D assets like dog fur, and foliage density.
The king of jank though is undoubtedly Bullet, which is a crying shame. Oftentimes I’d find him running at full clip into a cluster of trees, where he’d remain in his infinite forward bound. He’s sweet and helpful, which offsets this a bit, but seeing him run through a minecart or robotically readjusting to get through obstacles was still a let down. You can pet him, tussle his ears and even feed him for a laugh, but there’s hardly ever a peaceful moment when it really makes sense to take the time.
As is, it’s still pretty amazing what the studio was able to do on the modest Quest 1 hardware. Much of the game is dark and very foggy, which forces you to focus on near-field objects. It’s not to say you can’t sense the game chunking away and loading the bits just outside fog—there was definitely some jank there, as trees would pop in and out of view at times. Loading screens are also a bit of a pain, as you’ll be stopped multiple times throughout any of the 17 chapters to load a new section. Thankfully there isn’t any backtracking, so these screens only really appear in about 20-minute intervals.
Comfort
While the game has been re-engineered around the need for VR support, and many of the standard locomotion and comfort options are available, level layout requires you to go up and down inclines like hills and bumps in the road, which can be a little uncomfortable. One instance of an impossibly twisted house was a turn off, although fairly brief.
Both hand and head-relative forward locomotion is available alongside the ability for smooth forward and teleporting. Comfort-specific stuff, like variable snap-turn and VR blinders are also available to keep you from feeling too queasy as you make your way through the densely-packed levels.
Thankfully the game comes with both standing and seated standing modes, which comes with a manual height adjuster for fine-tuning.
The post ‘Blair Witch: Quest Edition’ Review – Real Psychological Thrills Worthy of the Name appeared first on Road to VR.