Something For The Weekend: Post-E3 PlayStation VR Deals

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018 has come to an end, but that does not mean the excitement needs to end. VRFocus has put together a number of deals on virtual reality (VR) titles from the PlayStation store so you can keep the excitement of the week going strong. From fighting demons with big guns, flying through the skies over Paris, or walking with dinosaurs, there is something for everyone. As always, be sure to check back every weekend for even more deals right here on VRFocus.

DOOM VFR

“Ultimately DOOM VFR stands as a fine example of just what can be achieved with the FPS genre in VR as of today, lining-up against Robo Recall as an action-heavy experience that throws the rulebook out of the window. It’s true that the visual quality has suffered dramatically and the control systems could be seen as far too awkward by many, but the fact that DOOM VFR pushes so hard against the VR grain makes it well worth any PlayStation VR owner’s time and money.” – Read VRFoucs’ Editor Kevin Joyce’s review of DOOM VFR.

DOOM VFR is available now for £14.99 (GBP) down from the usual £19.99.

gran turismo sport image

Gran Turismo Sport

If you are looking to lose yourself in one of the most stunning racing titles on the PlayStation 4, then look no further than Gran Turismo Sport. With support for PlayStation VR, players can get behind the wheel of over 170 of the world’s most sought-after vehicles, with true-to-life visuals and stunning realistic handling. Once more, with PlayStation VR, players can fully immerse themselves and head out to the track, feeling the rush of the race as they drive at top speed and take every turn as tight as possible. This is how racing was meant to be.

Gran Turismo Sport is available now for £15.99 (GBP) down from £49.99 with a Digital Deluxe Edition available for £24.99 (GBP) down from £59.99, with PlayStation Plus members getting an extra 5% discount on both titles.

Volume

British based developer Mike Bithell is known for his popular indie title Thomas Was Alone and Volume. The latter of which has a VR expansion which is available for free within the base game. Players are tasked to sneak around and avoid enemies, traps, and all sorts of bad things as they try to steal from the rich and give to the poor. Making use of a number of gadgets to get the job done, players will need to navigate through 100 levels of stealth action, along with then being able to enter Volume: Coda which offers plenty more of the stealth action, all within PlayStation VR.

Volume is available now for £3.29 (GBP) down from £14.99 and includes the free Volume: Coda VR expansion.

Light Tracer Screenshot

Light Tracer

“Light Tracer is a well-crafted VR platform title. Once you get used to the controls, it becomes challenging enough to keep you coming back for more. There are some very frustrating elements, but not enough to spoil the gameplay entirely. Having said that, Light Tracer is at its best when played in relatively small doses. Like a plate of snacks to nibble on instead of a feast, but still just as tasty.” – Read VRFocus’ Staff Writer Rebecca Hills-Duty’s review of Light Tracer.

Light Tracer is only £3.29 (GBP) down from £9.99.

PlayStation VR Worlds

Easily the must have PlayStation VR title, PlayStation VR Worlds offers players a number of different experiences to lose them self in and witness the full extent of what VR has to offer. The pack includes moments such as The London Heist, Ocean Descent, Scavengers Odyssey, VR Luge, and Danger Ball. If you don’t have this title in your collection yet then make sure to pick it up and try all the experiences.

PlayStation VR Worlds is available now for £15.99 (GBP) down from £24.99 with an extra 5% discount on offer for PlayStation Plus members.

Eagle Flight

Have you ever wanted to fly through the skies as though you were a bird? In Ubisoft’s Eagle Flight, players take to the skies of Paris and experience the freedom of flying like never before. Set fifty years after humans vanished from the face of the Earth, wildlife and nature have reclaimed the cities, offering a breathtaking city playground to explore all though the joy of flight.

Eagle Flight is available now £15.99 (GBP) down from £34.99.

Resident Evil 7 - Family

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard

Do you have what it takes to survive in an abandoned farmhouse in the American South. With a new perspective and a new engine, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard marks a new earn of survival horror where players will find themselves immersed in the action like never before. The photorealistic world is full of danger and every action could be your last.

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard is currently £14.99 (GBP) down from £19.99 with PlayStation Plus members getting an extra 5% discount.

Bloody Zombies

“The visual design of Bloody Zombies has obviously taken VR into account throughout, with the 2D characters appearing like cardboard cutouts when the VR player moves their view alongside the action opposed to in front of it. This is obviously why nDreams – a publisher that has solely committed to VR content – took an interest in Paw Print Games’ Bloody Zombies to begin with. And they were right to do so, as while Bloody Zombies doesn’t reinvent the scrolling beat-‘em-up wheel, it does offer a convincing argument for 2D videogames making the jump to the more immersive medium.” – Read VRFocus’ Editor Kevin Joyce’s review of Bloody Zombies.

Bloody Zombies is currently on sale for £4.49 (GBP) down from £10.99.

ARK Park

Dinosaur theme park in VR, need we say more? ARK Park gives players a chance to experience multiplayer action within a world full of interaction and stunning creatures. Explore freely at this gran virtual theme park where there is no set plot line and engage in a range of activities.

ARK Park is currently available for £24.99 (GBP) down from £44.99 with PlayStation Plus members getting an xtra 10% discount.

Football Nation VR Tournament 2018 (Formally VRFC: Virtual Reality Football Club)

“VRFC: Virtual Reality Football Club remains one of the best sports experiences VR has to offer. More than that however, it’s also one of the best social VR experiences currently available, with the tension of competition and the misery of defeat likely to help make new friends (and potentially enemies) across the VR community. VRFC: Virtual Reality Football Club is a welcome foundation for sports simulations in VR, and with the FIFA franchise now surpassing 25 editions (not including the many spin-offs such as FIFA Street and FIFA World Cup), it’s a wonder to think exactly how much of VRFC: Virtual Reality Football Club will remain in VR football 25 years from now.” – Read VRFocus’ Editor Kevin Joyce’s review of VRFC: Virtual Reality Football Club.

Football Nation VR Tournament 2018 is available for only £6.99 (GBP) right now on sale from £9.99 for PlayStation Plus members.

That is all for this week but remember that VRFocus gathers all the best sales and deals every week, so check back next weekend at the same time to discover more.

February 8, 2018

Border Patrol: Erste Einblicke in Paw Print Games neuen VR-Titel

Das Entwicklerstudio Paw Print Games (bekannt für Bloody Zombies für Oculus Rift, HTC Vive und PlayStation VR (PSVR) gewährt erste Einblicke in ihr neues VR-Projekt Border Patrol, für das derzeit noch Finanzierungspartner gesucht werden. Aktuell befindet sich der Titel noch in den Kinderschuhen, die Entwickler stellen ihre Ideen in Form eines Prototyps jedoch bereits jetzt vor und gewähren dadurch einen Ausblick auf die mögliche Zukunft des innovativen Spiels.

Border Patrol – Mischung aus Papers, Please, Robo Recall und Robot Aperture in VR

Das Entwicklerstudio Paw Print Games bleibt ihrer Linie treu und sorgt weiterhin für die Entwicklung innovativer Titel für VR-Brillen. Bekannt wurden die Entwickler durch ihren 2D-VR-Side-Scroller Bloody Zombies, den der Publisher nDreams veröffentlicht hat. Das Beat’em up setzt auf traditionelles Gameplay und umhüllt dieses mit einem neuen virtuellen Gewand.

Das jüngste Projekt heißt Border Patrol und soll das Gameplay des Indie-Titels Papers, Please mit einer Sci-Fi-Welt im Stil von Robo Recall sowie einzigartigen und humoristischen Spielelementen vereinen.

Die Spieler dürfen sich also auf ein virtuelles Erlebnis freuen, indem man die Rolle eines Grenzaufsehers übernimmt, der sich mit den bürokratischen Problemen von Immigrationspolitik für Aliens und Roboterwesen beschäftigen darf. Das Ganze soll mit einer ordentlichen Prise Humor und Action verfeinert werden und zusätzliche VR-Spielelemente nach Valves Robot Aperture integrieren.

Doch die Veröffentlichung wird noch einige Zeit in Anspruch nehmen, denn zum aktuellen Zeitpunkt befindet sich das Projekt erst in der Anfangsphase. Derzeit suchen die Verantwortlichen nach Finanzierungspartnern, um ihr Spiel in einer finalen Form umsetzen zu können. Dafür stellen sie momentan einen Prototyp vor, der in einer rohen Form die Ideen veranschaulichen soll.

Wir werden euch über weitere Informationen zur Weiterentwicklung des innovativen VR-Projekts und zukünftige Partnerschaften auf dem Laufenden halten.

(Quellen: VR Focus | Paw Print Games | Paw Print Games Twitter)

Der Beitrag Border Patrol: Erste Einblicke in Paw Print Games neuen VR-Titel zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

February 6, 2018

Bloody Zombies Developer Paw Print Games Unveils Border Patrol

British studio Paw Print Games had a successful virtual reality (VR) debut in 2017, releasing 2D beat-em-up Bloody Zombies for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR thanks to a publishing deal with nDreams. Today, the team has revealed a snippet about its next dedicated VR title, Border Patrol.

Border Patrol

Taking to Twitter, Paw Print Games is currently in the process of looking for a funding partner to bring the experience to life, having already built a prototype presentation to showcase the teams ideas.

Aside from the above image the studio also gave a brief overview of what Border Patrol will be like, saying: “Think VR Papers Please with the lighter more humorous tone of Robo Recall and inspections with wow moments inspired by Valve’s Robot Aperture Demo.”

For those that haven’t heard of Papers, Please, it’s a 2013 videogame by developer 3909 where you play an immigration inspector on the border between the fictional communist state of Arstotzka and neighboring Kolechia, after both countries end a 6-year war with each other. As for the other two titles, most VRFocus readers should be very well aware of Valve’s Robot Aperture Demo and Epic Games five-star rated Robo Recall for Oculus Rift.

Bloody Zombies

Border Patrol certainly sounds like Paw Print Games is turning its VR development up a notch, possibly moving from 2D and looking to create a 3D virtual world that’s much more hands on and interactive than Bloody Zombies visceral, action oriented design.

Hopefully Paw Print Games will acquire the funding it needs to create Border Patrol. If it does VRFocus will of course keep you updated on the latest developments.

December 20, 2017

The Best HTC Vive Games of 2017

The HTC Vive will soon be approaching the second anniversary of its consumer launch, and as such there’s been a practically literal flood of software made available for the head-mounted display (HMD) over the past 12 months. Sifting through Steam and Viveport to find the best videogames available can be a tiresome task, and so VRFocus has compiled a list of the movers-and-shakers from 2017.

The below selection of videogames, in no particular order, represents the best that the HTC Vive has to offer. From AAA releases to indie titles that managed to latch onto a unique facet of virtual reality (VR), offer a huge and diverse playscape or a compelling, immersive experience, the HTC Vive’s portfolio of videogames has never looked better.

HTC Vive mixed image

Fallout 4 VR – Bethesda Game Studios

While many have found the control systems and graphical quality of Fallout 4 VR questionable, there’s no denying that Bethesda Game Studios has delivered one of the most enduringly compelling virtual worlds. The wealth of exploration and interaction opportunities offered in Fallout 4 VR is second-to-none, including Bethesda Game Studios’ own The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR, which launched on PlayStation VR in November 2017.

L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files – Rockstar Games

The most recently released title in this selection – and the last AAA VR release of 2017 – L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files is the antithesis of Fallout 4 VR. While it’s true that L.A. Noire: The VR Case Files features a free-roaming open world, the substance in the videogame isn’t about your interaction therein, but rather with the characters you meet along the way. Not quite to the point of developing relationships, but arguably one of the greatest role-playing experiences as the player is cast as a detective and must interrogate both witnesses and suspects to solve each of the included seven cases.

DOOM VFR – Bethesda Game Studios

Bethesda Game Studios’ other big VR title for HTC Vive, DOOM VFR proposes the exact opposite first-person shooter (FPS) gameplay formula to Fallout 4 VR. While Fallout 4 VR is based entirely around its open world setting, DOOM VFR presents tight-knit corridors and a linear path to its gunplay. In accordance with that tighter construct however, DOOM VFR is arguably the best FPS yet seen in VR, holding strong against Epic Games’ Robo Recall.

Manifest 99 – Flight School Studio

A surprisingly successful experience that blurs the line between videogame and interactive film, the heavily stylistic approach to Manifest 99’s visual design is as intriguing as the story it tells. The player interacts with the world through variable teleportation options, each offering a unique perspective of the events unfolding. This results in an adventure that can be experienced at your own pace; Manifest 99 isn’t a film that continues when you look away, it’s a story in which you are a key character.

Bloody Zombies – Paw Print Games

Bloody Zombies broke out of the mould by forcing old school videogame mechanics headfirst into a brand new medium. A side-scrolling beat-‘em-up akin to Final Fight or Streets of Rage, Bloody Zombies offers four-player co-operative gameplay regardless of how many players own a VR HMD. The added advantage of playing a 2D videogame in VR is depth – both in terms of gameplay and into the world – as using a HMD allows players to cast their view around the landscape, finding additional paths or hidden secrets not visible on a 2D monitor.

Bloody Zombies VR gif

Blasters of the Universe – Secret Location

Wave shooters in VR are two-a-penny, so what makes Blasters of the Universe any different? Well, it has a storyline – an actual, genuine story with plot twists – behind the frantic shooting action. It also features a huge variety of customisable weaponry, noted as one of the videogame’s best features in VRFocus’ review of Blasters of the Universe, which is based on an inventory built from unlockable components. Thus, there’s also a progression system accompanying that storyline. Blasters of the Universe isn’t just a highscore chase; it’s a videogame with genuine depth.

Blasters of the Universe

REZ Infinite – Enhance Games

REZ Infinite is simply the way REZ was always meant to be played. Enhance Games looked back at the much loved Dreamcast classic and decided that modern technology could bring something new to the experience; and they weren’t wrong. REZ Infinite redefines the rhythm-action genre and even – according to designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi – holds a key to what could be coming next from Enhance Games.

Rez Infinite AreaX 02

Cosmic Trip – Funktronic Labs

Funktronic Labs has taken the real-time strategy (RTS) genre and turned it on its head. Conducting all of the action from a first-person perspective, Cosmic Trip makes the player feel like less of a god and more a commander on the battlefield lining-up with the grunts and cannons. According to the RTS mainstays, players must balance the gathering of resources with the development of new aggression properties, and Cosmic Trip places you at the centre of all your survey.

cosmic trip 3

Battlezone – Rebellion Studios

Originally a PlayStation VR exclusive, Battlezone came to HTC Vive in good form. Arguably still one of the best action videogames in VR, UK-based Rebellion Studios positioned a steep learning curve next to an open campaign progression system, customisable inventory and four-player co-operative gameplay. Piloting a neon tank has never been more fun, and rarely has modern VR.

Battlezone screenshot

Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality – Owlchemy Labs

Rick and Morty is an irreverent commentary on many of the ills of modern society and alternative culture. Adapting this to a videogame could’ve proven a difficult task – VR or otherwise – as there’s a depth in the humour that could be irreparably lost in trying to make a linear, passive experience more open to player interpretation. So who better to adapt the franchise than Owlchemy Labs, a studio which had already proven its ability to achieve the exact same goals with the hugely popular Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives? Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is a videogame that’s hard to define by genre, and instead argues to be defined by experience; and in that Owlchemy Labs has crafted a VR compelling slice of VR.

rick and morty 1

October 28, 2017

Oculus Creep Into Their Store’s Crypt, Return With Gear VR And Oculus Rift Horror Sale (Updated)

The temperature is getting colder, the nights are getting darker, and there’s more than a few unsavoury noises coming from beyond the foggy darkness. It’s the witching hour draws near and Halloween is just a short while away.

Throughout the few couple of weeks we’ve been keeping you up to date constantly on all the latest Halloween related updates, be they related to new content as we’ve seen today with Luden.io’s pumpkin-filled update for city destruction sandbox videogame VRobot. Limited time bundle deals, as we’ve seen from HTC Vive adding Star Trek: Bridge Crew into the sales deal for a short time. New releases such as OBSCURA, The Exorcist: Legion VR and Stifled. Even augmented reality (AR) videogames are getting in on the act with Scooby-Doo Go, another dog – this time a ghostly one – in the form of Bydo’s Return and of course the inevitable update from Niantic Labs for Pokémon GO.

For Oculus themselves they have several items in the offing; including Echo Arena‘s 2017 Halloween Bash, with the VR multiplayer title receiving a makeover with mysterious sights, new costume options to customise your avatar and a number of spooky and peculiar holiday-themed toys for you to play around with – if they don’t decide to play with you, that is. There’s been a small focus on re-advertising some fright filled experiences as well, with the likes of ABR VR receiving a new trailer upload on Oculus’ YouTube Channel.

ABE VR screenshot The best news for Oculus Rift owners though must surely though be the newly announced Halloween sale which has, for the second year in a row, now gone live on the Oculus Store. Seventeen Oculus Rift along with sixteen Samsung Gear VR videogames and experiences have been reduced in price for a limited time. The full list is below.

Oculus Rift:

AFFECTED: The Manor
Arizona Sunshine
Bloody Zombies
Boogeyman
Dark Days
Dead Secret
Don’t Knock Twice
Dreadhalls
Drop Dead
HordeZ
Into The Dead
Killing Floor: Incursion
Narcosis
Obscura
Syren
Wilson’s Heart
Witchblood
Update:
We’ve also been informed that additionally included in the sale, though left out of Oculus’ own list (and hence this post originally) for some reason is Paranormal Activity The Lost Soul.

Gear VR:

AFFECTED: The Manor
Bad Dream
The Brookhaven Experiment: Mobile
The Cathedral: Allison’s Diary
Dark Days
Dead Secret
Deadhead VR
Dreadhalls
Drop Dead
Haunted
The Hospital: Allison’s Diary
Into the Dead
The Rabbit Hole
Sammy
Witchblood
Zed Shot

There will no doubt be more Halloween related updates coming soon, be sure to stay informed by checking back regularly with VRFocus.

October 22, 2017

Something for the Weekend: All the Best PlayStation VR Deals

The PlayStation VR recently celebrated its first year of commercial availability with a sale on many software titles via the PlayStation Store. However, now that sale has closed, yet several titles are still available for a reduced price. VRFocus looks at the US PlayStation Store to bring you the best titles and downloadable content (DLC) available at a discounted price today.

The current sale on PlayStation VR content on the US PlayStation Store has an expectedly spooky theme. With Halloween fast approaching, it’s no surprise that experiences revolving around zombies and supernatural goings-on are featured in the latest round of price reductions. You can find every PlayStation VR title currently available at a reduced price below, including direct links for purchase from the US PlayStation Store.

Bloody Zombies

nDreams’ second PlayStation VR title, Bloody Zombies, launched last month to significant acclaim. Despite being a 2D scrolling beat-‘em-up, developer Paw Print Games has cleverly implemented the virtual reality (VR) compatibility, woven deeply into a co-operative videogame that doesn’t demand all players have access to a head-mounted display (HMD). Bloody Zombies is available to purchase via the US PlayStation Store for $11.09 USD, down from $14.99, for a limited time.

DYING: Reborn

One of Oasis Games’ first PlayStation VR titles, DYING: Reborn casts the player as an investigator who gets to unravel the case of a lost sister and the series of eerie events following the disappearance. The player will explore a series of fragments that together form three chapters of Mathew’s story. DYING: Reborn can be purchased via the US PlayStation Store for $4.99, down from $9.99, until 31st October 2017.

DYING: Reborn Ultimate Bundle

An expanded package including the above DYING: Reborn for PlayStation VR as well as the PlayStation Vita edition of the videogame, DYING: Reborn Ultimate Bundle includes six Chapters in the twisted story of Mathew, who went out to look for his missing sister only to find himself waking up in a dilapidated and eerie hotel with seemingly no way out. The DYING: Reborn Ultimate Bundle is now available to purchase for $12.49, reduced from $24.99.

Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul

The long-awaited PlayStation VR edition of Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul launched back in August 2017, and with it brought a new style of horror to VR. Armed with a flashlight, you find yourself exploring what appears to be a quiet average looking home in a woodsy neighbourhood. Before long, you discover you’re not alone as you unravel the mystery of what’s gone on in this house and struggle to survive the terror that begins to hunt you. This original story, based on the mythology of the massively popular Paranormal Activity film franchise, is built from the ground up for VR. You can check out VRFocus’ own Nina’s thoughts on Paranormal Activity: The Lost Soul in a hands-on video, and purchase the videogame at a 30% discount from the US PlayStation Store.

Resident Evil VII biohazard

One of the PlayStation VR’s biggest hits to date, Resident Evil VII biohazard is on sale for $35.99, a reduction of 40% from its typical price. PlayStation Plus members can also save an extra 10% when purchasing from the PlayStation Store. Furthermore, all of the currently available DLC options are discounted, including the Resident Evil VII biohazard Season Pass, Banned Footage Vol.1 and Banned Footage Vol.2.

Thumper

The final videogame currently available at a discounted price on the US PlayStation Store is arguably at odds with the Halloween theme of the other titles on offer; Thumper is a rhythm-action experience featuring blistering speed and brutal physicality. Playing as a space beetle, players will scream down the endless track and crash through punishing obstacles with simple controls. Thumper is available to purchase at a discounted price of $11.99, saving 40% from the typical price of $19.99, until 31st October 2017.

September 19, 2017

Bloody Zombies Review: Streets Of Rage For A New Age

I grew up as a Genesis kid back in the 90s. The Sega Genesis ruled my free time as I poured hours upon hours into the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star, Aladdin, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage. Back then sidescrolling beat ’em up action games were atop the game industry as one of the most popular and exciting game genres. You don’t see modern takes on the formula very much these days, so consider me surprised the first time I learned about Bloody Zombies.

Bloody Zombies is a sidescrolling beat ’em up that’s very similar to Double Dragon, Battletoads, and other such games but it has one massive new feature: VR support. When you play Bloody Zombies in VR it’s still the same core game — you’re running from left to right, fighting zombies, performing combos, and slowly picking your way through levels — but it feels more like you’re looking at little action figures on a diorama than playing a video game.

At the heart and soul of any good sidescrolling brawler is pacing. The moment-to-moment gameplay mechanics are important but unless enemies, level variety, and new gameplay additions are spread out well then the whole thing is going to come off as more disjointed than it should. Pacing is definitely an area that Bloody Zombies tends to struggle with a bit. Many of the enemies, even the earliest ones, take a long time to kill meaning that you’ll have to land several multi-hit combos to finally take them out. It’s not too difficult, per se, but it just means that level length is artificially inflated since enemies are punch sponges.

The gameplay is shaken up quite a bit with the inclusion of special abilities that you can equip and find throughout levels though. For example, by holding down the RB button on an Xbox One gamepad I could switch between different specials that let me do anything from massive launch attacks to subtle evasions. This helps implement a sense of growth and progression, but I never found that any of the specials really changed my approach to combat enough to feel revolutionary. For the most part I just used the same handful of combos and aerial launch techniques at the end that I’d been using since the start.

Thankfully there is a healthy mix of enemies and levels to play through, but the game moves so slowly it’s hard to really appreciate the variety. Enemies pour into some sections for what feels like forever and by the time you’re done with the waves you’re chomping at the bit to finally move on. Characters move too slowly by default and enemies have far too much health which contributed the game overall feeling quite sluggish.

Visually it’s quite nice unless you look too closely at certain flat textures that feel like they’re lacking the detail character models are. This is even more noticeable in VR when you can lean forward and get close up close to the action. Looking side-to-side to see the entire level sprawled out is a nifty treat, but loses its appeal after a few minutes. Eventually you’ll end up just playing the game exactly as you would on a 2D screen and not moving your head too much. Since this game supports both play modes the VR features feel like a bit of an afterthought that may have been added on after the game was nearing completion as an additional marketing gimmick.

Whether you’re playing on PC with a Rift or Vive or on PS4 with a PSVR you can play with or without VR support to your heart’s content, which is actually the source of the game’s best feature: asynchronous multiplayer. Since Bloody Zombies can be enjoyed both with and without VR that means couch co-op is back in a big way. One person can be inside a headset while others are outside and playing the same game side-by-side. It evoked some feelings similar to those found while playing titles like Playroom VR on PSVR back at launch, but Bloody Zombies sports online multiplayer as well.

Final Score: 5/10 – Mediocre

Bloody Zombies has a confusing existence. On the one hand the gameplay is fun enough to entertain for a few hours, especially if enjoyed with friends, but it lacks enough pull as an original concept to really offer much in the way of innovation. For all intents and purposes this is a very by-the-numbers sidescrolling brawler with a zombie theme that just so happens to let you look around at levels in a VR headset. Unless you’re dying for a Streets of Rage-esque experience in VR then you can probably survive by just passing on this one.

Bloody Zombies is available for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift on Steam and the PSN Store for PSVR at the price point of $14.99. Check out these official review guidelines to find out more about our process.

Tagged with: Bloody Zombies, ndreams, Paw Print Games

September 13, 2017

Competition: Win Bloody Zombies On PlayStation VR

Zombies, eh? Can’t live with them. Can’t live without them because they probably killed you in the first instance and got brains all over your living room sofa – and you’d just finished making the payments on the thing as well. Urgh – typical! Thankfully the mediums of videogames, television and film have taught us the best way to deal with the undead is to offer swift retribution to the cranium with bullets or a blunt object. The other option is to head to a mall. Or a pub. Although neither option seems to particularly work most of the time, and your safe haven is rapidly overrun no matter what you seem to do. So instead it’s probably best to take the battle to them.

One such videogame where you do just that is Bloody Zombies, developed by Paw Print Games and published by virtual reality (VR) dedicated UK studio nDreams. The PlayStation VR title is unique experience that brings VR and non-VR players together in a 2D world. The VR players are able to change their viewpoint and ‘see behind’ the 2D, giving new perspective to the level. VRFocus recently gave Bloody Zombies a 4/5 score in its review, Editor Kevin Joyce declaring that it offers “a convincing argument for 2D videogames making the jump to the more immersive medium.”

We’ve teamed up with nDreams and Paw Print Games to give VRFocus readers the chance to win one of three codes for Bloody Zombies on PlayStation 4/PlayStation VR. The codes are specifically for the EU store, so you will need a European account in order to claim/play it.

You’ve until midnight (UK Time) on Thursday, 21st September 2017. To enter all you have to do to is use the app below and be either a follower of VRFocus on Twitter, be a subscriber to our YouTube channel or visit our Facebook or Google+ pages. That’s it. You get an entry for any of those so make sure you check everything out.

Be sure to enter via the widgets below – best of luck!

Win Bloody Zombies on PlayStation VR (EU ONLY)

September 12, 2017

Review: Bloody Zombies

A side-scrolling beat-‘em-up may not have been high on your list for expected virtual reality (VR) experiences, and yet UK studio nDreams have brought one to high-end head-mounted displays (HMDs) as their second title for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. In doing so, the publisher has made a landmark statement about 2D visuals and how traditional videogame genres can be adapted to VR.

Taken at face value, Bloody Zombies is a fairly generic scrolling beat-‘em-up with a touch of modern flair. Light and heavy attacks combine to offer a selection of combos, while throws, collectable weaponry, dash and jump attacks offer some tactical variation. So far, so Streets of Rage. However, Bloody Zombies also includes an interesting specials system wherein the player can collect items mid-battle to unlock new abilities commanded by Street Fighter style inputs.

At the start of the videogame these are basic swings and uppercuts, but as the player(s) progress they become significantly more elaborate. Additionally, with repeated play it becomes apparent that these specials are randomly generated: the player will be given a set of moves at the start of the videogame that are needed for progress, but beyond that it’s luck of the draw. This makes for an interesting element when replaying Bloody Zombies on additional difficulty settings.

And replaying Bloody Zombies is something that you’re likely to do, given its assortment of gameplay options. Intended as a multiplayer experience, Bloody Zombies allows up to four players in any one game, either locally or online. Furthermore, it allows for any combination of VR and non-VR players in that group of four, affording a wealth of different players an opportunity to get stuck into the zombie mashing.

Bloody Zombies When playing in VR your on-screen avatar will be depicted wearing a HMD (a nice visual touch, though purely cosmetic) and while no bonuses are offered for doing so, the VR player does have one distinct advantage: viewpoint. When using a HMD the player has the opportunity to pan the camera in line with their head movement, thus allowing for a significant amount of control over the angle at which they view the action.

Played out from left-to-right in a traditional scrolling beat-‘em-up fashion, the player(s) in VR able to look further ahead or back and can often see things that aren’t noticeable on a traditional 2D monitor, and Bloody Zombies has of course been designed to take this into account. Hidden areas may only be revealed when a player in your team has the command of their camera offered by a HMD, allowing you to grab power-ups or bonuses that may otherwise have eluded you.

The visual design of Bloody Zombies has obviously taken VR into account throughout, with the 2D characters appearing like cardboard cutouts when the VR player moves their view alongside the action opposed to in front of it. This is obviously why nDreams – a publisher that has solely committed to VR content – took an interest in Paw Print Games’ Bloody Zombies to begin with. And they were right to do so, as while Bloody Zombies doesn’t reinvent the scrolling beat-‘em-up wheel, it does offer a convincing argument for 2D videogames making the jump to the more immersive medium.

80%

Awesome

Verdict

August 6, 2017

Waiting to Play Bloody Zombies? Take a look at These new Screenshots

On Friday nDreams and Paw Print Games announced that side-scrolling zombie brawler Bloody Zombies would be released across all formats on 12th September 2017. While there’s still a few weeks to go until launch, VRFocus has some new screenshots to for you to peruse in the meantime.

Bloody Zombies is an online four-player videogame that allows players, whether on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or PC, to all play together.

Featuring easily accessible moves and brutal chainable combos, players will be able to unlock special moves and discover melee weapons to expand their zombie-slaying abilities. VR players will get an enhanced viewpoint, allowing them to uncover in-game secrets and provide tactical support.

Checkout the new screenshots below. For further Bloody Zombies updates, keep reading VRFocus.

Bloody Zombies