Every so often Humble Bundle rolls out an awesome new limited time offer and there’s one available right now for the next couple of weeks. Called the “VR Discovery” bundle, the deal combines seven videogames and one soundtrack for one ridiculously cheap price.
The games on offer aren’t some random bottom of the bin ones either, they actually showcase how varied VR titles can be, from comedic single-player adventures to co-op multiplayer and rhythm action games.
Love cooking with mates? Then try Resolution Games’ Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale where up to four players have to serve hungry customers as fast as possible. Looking for a puzzle title that’s atmospheric with an engrossing storyline, you want Red Matter? It takes place in an alternate future on an abandoned base on Rhea, one of Saturn’s moons. When it comes to comedic Squanch Games’ Trover Saves the Universehas got you covered. Trover is a purple eye-hole monster trying to save the universe from a beaked lunatic named Glorkon who has kidnapped your dogs and put them in his eye sockets (yup no joke).
There’s more multiplayer mayhem to be found in Blaston, another Resolution Games title, this time a PvP shooter where two players duel it out in slow motion. While Panoptic is a local multiplayer game of cat and mouse, where the VR player is the Overseer trying to hunt down tiny beings controlled by a mate on PC. And then you’ve got Synth Riders, the rhythm action title that features tracks from bands like Muse.
Rounding out the VR Discovery bundle roster is Tower Tag and its accompanying soundtrack. Tower Tag is a sci-fi PvP shooter with 10 maps, 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 and 4v4 matches and Team Deathmatch, Elimination and Goal Tower gameplay modes.
So how much does this all cost? As a charitable endeavour, Humble Bundle runs a pay what you want scheme with a small starting price. The “VR Discovery” bundle with all that content starts at £9 GBP with buyers encouraged to top that up if they can, enabling more donations to be given to organisations like the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund or GamesAid.
For all the latest Humble Bundle VR deals, keep reading gmw3.
In the chart above, Resolution Games is demonstrating the massive influx in sales relative to how sales have been going the last few years. The vertical axis of the chart is blank so we don’t know how much these games are making, but it still shows a clear and enormous influx of new sales for all of their games. And in the case of Bait!, a free-to-download fishing game with microtransactions, Resolution Games says it has been downloaded 4 million times across all platforms now.
Since most of the titles in Resolution Games’ catalogue aren’t newly released the biggest takeaway from a chart like this is simply that a lot of people bought the Oculus Quest 2.
“At Resolution Games, we are seeing our titles reach significant revenue milestones more quickly than ever before, and I can confidently say that current headsets are contributing to it,” says Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “The onus is now on the developers to continue to develop the type of content that more mainstream gamers are used to in order for VR to attract the broader audience that it deserves, which is what we strive for at Resolution Games.”
We’ve reached out to Resolution to try and get a number with regard to sales or revenue for their paid titles and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
In the chart above, Resolution Games is demonstrating the massive influx in sales relative to how sales have been going the last few years. The vertical axis of the chart is blank so we don’t know how much these games are making, but it still shows a clear and enormous influx of new sales for all of their games. And in the case of Bait!, a free-to-download fishing game with microtransactions, Resolution Games says it has been downloaded 4 million times across all platforms now.
Since most of the titles in Resolution Games’ catalogue aren’t newly released the biggest takeaway from a chart like this is simply that a lot of people bought the Oculus Quest 2.
“At Resolution Games, we are seeing our titles reach significant revenue milestones more quickly than ever before, and I can confidently say that current headsets are contributing to it,” says Tommy Palm, CEO of Resolution Games. “The onus is now on the developers to continue to develop the type of content that more mainstream gamers are used to in order for VR to attract the broader audience that it deserves, which is what we strive for at Resolution Games.”
We’ve reached out to Resolution to try and get a number with regard to sales or revenue for their paid titles and we’ll update this story if we hear back.
Today, prolific virtual reality (VR) creator Resolution Games has not one but two announcements regarding a couple of titles. Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is getting new content whilst Cook-Out: Sandwich Tale will be making its way to PC VR headsets on Steam soon.
Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs is getting another Spooky Levels update, taking players to the fourth and final Terror Peak world to defeat the dreaded Dr. Frankenswine. The addition of these free levels will bump the total number of studio created levels to 104. Whilst there won’t be anymore after this, the videogame does of course feature a level builder for an endless of player-created content.
As for Cook-Out: Sandwich Tale, it launched for Oculus Quest and Rift back in September 2020 and will soon be making its way over to Steam. Thus expanding support to Valve Index and HTC Vive as well as Oculus Rift. No date has yet been set with Resolution Games merely stating it’ll arrive “in the coming months.”
Rovio Entertainment’s bird flinging puzzler hit in early 2019, allowing fans of the franchise to step into this world like never before. You can move around the 3D structures to pinpoint the optimum location to launch Red and his gang of birds and bring the pigs buildings down.
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Talewas one of VRFocus’ favourite VR party videogames of 2020. Supporting up to four players, everyone is tasked with helping prepare delicious sandwiches for hungry customers, each with their own particular preferences. Gameplay turns into a frantic race to slice, grill and perfectly plate up orders.
Resolution Games is working on another couple of projects for 2021 including Demeo, a turn-based role-playing game (RPG) for multiple platforms. Its also helping publish Odd Raven Studios’ Carly and the Reaperman for Oculus Quest.
As the studio announces further details regarding its current and future projects, VRFocus will let you know.
It’s been quite the year for the Oculus Quest platform, both positive and controversial. The standalone headset has gone from strength to strength with a growing catalogue of videogames and let’s not forget about the arrival of Oculus Quest 2. Whether you’re new to VR or not, here are VRFocus’ recommendations from 2020.
Below you’ll find 10 of the best videogames for Oculus Quest and this list is by no means exhaustive. It really was difficult narrowing down the selection and there are many more great titles on the store.
The Best Oculus Quest Games of 2020
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
For those who love a good zombie apocalypse Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is worth a look. Having to survive the mean streets of New Orleans, you’ll deal with dangerous humans and walkers alike. Scavenge houses for useful parts to keep you healthy or to craft more weapons, whilst uncovering the underlying storyline.
Go in silent with blades or a bow to avoid attracting attention or make some noise with pistols, rifles and more – just be ready for the horde. Plus in January 2021 a free horde mode ‘The Trial’ will provide wave-based action.
Cubism
Simple, elegant puzzle gaming, Cubismis the work of solo developer Thomas Van Bouwel. Featuring 60 puzzles, twist and turn them to try and fit the various colourful pieces inside. Easy to pick up yet difficult to put down Cubism is an indie gem to enjoy.
Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition
The horror genre has been well represented in VR and Bloober Team’s Blair Witch: Oculus Quest Edition is a great example why you should avoid the woods at night. Taking the standard 2019 title and giving it a VR twist, you have to explore the creepy woodland looking for a missing lad.
Along the way you have to deal with some strange events as well as your characters own PTSD and panic attacks. Lucky, by your side is your faithful pooch Bullet who can find hidden items as well as alert you to danger. Full of suspense and puzzles to solve, this isn’t for the faint of heart.
Until You Fall
When you just want a pure arcade hack-n-slash Schell Games’ Until You Fallis an energetic roguelite which ticks all the right boxes. Set in the neon fantasy world of Rokar you play a Rune Knight tasked with ridding the land of evil.
Gameplay revolves around runs through the world which changes each time due to procedurally generated levels. Combat is melee based, where you buy and upgrade various swords and knives adapt and conquer each run. Die and you return to the beginning a try again. Hectic and brutal, this is one videogame to get your heart pumping.
Population: One
Mixing the massive battle royale genre with VR’s interactive gameplay is Population: One. Taking place across one giant map which supports 18 players, across six squads with three players each, drop pods launch you onto the battlefield to see who can survive the longest.
Weapons and useful items are littered throughout the world as well as resources to build quick platforms for defensive and offensive capabilities. You can also climb anything you want and then glide across the map to gain an advantage. A relentless first-person shooter (FPS), one to keep you entertained for hours.
Phantom: Covert Ops
For a far more subtle shooter where you can be as stealthy or gung-ho as you like then nDreams’ Phantom: Covert Ops is a good choice. Playing as an elite operative infiltrating an enemy base, the unique element here is that you’re entirely confined to a kayak throughout.
So you can silently paddle through waterways, hide in reeds, and then snipe enemies to complete the task. Or with some C4 and the assault rifle tear the place up, your call. Completing mission-specific objectives or finding hidden secrets will unlock levels in the Challenge Mode, so there’s more to keep you entertained after the campaign is over.
Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted
The only other horror title on this list, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted goes for the classic jump scare, using it to great effect. A compilation of all the previous Five Nights at Freddy’s plus some made for VR content, all the levels are bite-sized mini-games where you have to survive the night.
With killer animatronics hunting you down encounters can include playing a security guard keeping an eye on monitors or crawling into claustrophobic ventilation systems to repair them. You know they’re coming, but it doesn’t make it any less scary!
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale
Pure multiplayer madness for up to four people, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is all about preparing delicious lunches for your customers. They all have their own preferences with some more exacting than others, so it’s up to you and your team to deliver, no one person has all the ingredients. Therefore good communication and some speedy chopping skills are in order.
You have access to a fridge full of ingredients as well as a grills to toast (or burn) ingredients. Plus you’ll need to clear and clean plates as no customer wants their sandwich on a dirty plate. There’s also a single-player mode where you can team up with a kitchen robot assistant to tackle the various campaign levels. Good clean/messy fun.
In Death: Unchained
In a similar roguelite vein to Until They Fall, In Death: Unchained has procedural levels and single run-throughs where death puts you right back at the start, a little wiser and a little stronger. Here though, all you have is a bow – a crossbow can be unlocked – and an assortment of magical arrows to take down Templar Knights, demons, evil monks and other unearthly creatures.
One for those who love a challenge, there’s plenty to keep you entertained as the developer has just released a new gameplay mode called ‘Siege of Heaven’. Plus, like many on this list if you have an Oculus Quest 2 there are visual enhancements which make the world more impressive.
The Room VR: A Dark Matter
Fireproof Games took its hugely popular mobile series The Room and built The Room VR: A Dark Matter specifically for VR gaming. With an original storyline set in London, circa 1908, you play a detective called to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a renown Egyptologist from the British Institute of Archaeology.
Que elaborate puzzles, dark magic and fantastical gadgets to aid the investigation. These are all fully interactive to help engross you in each element plus the gameplay uses specific teleportation points so it should be a very comfortable experience for all players.
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale serves up four-player cooperative action on Oculus Quest and Oculus Rift today. Should you grab your apron? Find out in our Cook-Out review!
You might not hear it over the racket of rhythm games, but VR has a secret love affair with the cooking genre. It seems like every other week we’re hearing about a new indie hopeful, looking to claim the crown as a proper Overcooked replacement for headsets. Of all of them, though, Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale comes closest to earning a Michelin Star. Or four of them.
Cook-Out’s four-player cooperative campaign deftly handles the delicate balance between hectic fun and overwhelming mess. The objective is simple; orders come in and you must stack the right ingredients in the right order, serving them up before diners get impatient. In execution, of course, it’s anything but basic, getting players to shout over each other as the orders mount, time runs thin and, in all likelihood, something catches on fire.
But, more importantly, Cook-Out is a thoughtful, VR-first take on what’s become a staple party game formula, switching out mad dashes across kitchen floors for expedited physicality. Onions must be chopped, dishes scrubbed and plates aligned with both precision and haste. These are all actions that would be allocated a simple button press in a traditional game, but take on a hurried new form in VR. Things start out reassuringly manageable, with simple orders that are quickly handled. Level-by-level, though, new and more chaotic elements are introduced.
New types of customers bring increasingly stressful demands. Werewolves, for example, order huge piles of food that make filling an order a war of attrition, while cats require their sandwiches to be perfectly aligned, getting you to place ingredients on plates with care. Eventually, you’ll encounter raccoons that are out to steal food and unlock dish-cleaning and food-grilling mechanics. It isn’t long, then, before the game reaches the desired level of riotous anarchy, with tensions and voices rising, escalating into shrieks of panicked commands and cries of concern as timers run down. Every time it threatens to tip over into oblivion, though, there are time-saving potions that speed up chopping or washing to help you out – a handy if slightly inelegant solution to sudden difficulty curves.
Cook-Out Review –Comfort
Cook-Out is a largely stationary game with no real comfort issues. Any movements you make are physical and you can even adjust the height of the workspace to your liking.
What works best in VR is the silly stuff. It’s hilarious to toss toasted bagels onto plates, steal ingredients from other players and fire projectile ketchup across the room. To that point, it’s a shame more gold hasn’t been mined by adding more cooking elements beyond chopping and grilling, too. Flipping pancakes, spit-roasting meat or peeling vegetables – there are plenty of other interactions that could have made Cook-Out all the richer. As it stands, though, there is a hearty recipe for fun here.
Developer Resolution Games is no stranger to the joys of casual VR multiplayer of course, but what places Cook-Out above last year’s also-enjoyable Acron is structure. There’s not just a set of party modes in place here but a full, multi-hour campaign across three main areas with a healthy number of levels, each with three separate stages to perfect. Cook-Out doesn’t risk falling into the same trap so many other VR party games do – a fun core mechanic with no longevity to anchor it – there’s plenty of reasons to return here to see the story through to completion. And, after that, there are the expected extras like an Endless Mode to enjoy too.
It’s best seen – and most cohesive – with four players, but you can make do with a party of two or three. Solo-play with an AI companion is an option but rather defeats the point a bit.
Even with all these elements, what Cook-Out doesn’t quite have is the erratic unpredictability of Overcooked, a game where new environmental designs twisted the core mechanics on their head on a routine basis. Different types of customers might have different demands for their dishes, but each still requires the same basic process, and I can’t help but wonder what kind of game Cook-Out would be if its physics adhered more closely to the laws of nature, having you accidentally slice the tops off of ketchup bottles or maybe even making sure you don’t catch your own fingers when using a knife. Needless to say, there’s plenty to build on from this solid foundation.
Where it does match its clear inspirations is its aesthetic. Cook-Out boasts a fun fairytale of a kitchen, with appreciated details fleshing out the world around you. Werewolves overbear on you menacingly with hungry grins, while rabbits straight out of Wonderland impatiently wait on food. As you play you’ll unlock new cosmetics for your knife, leading up to a disturbingly demonic cleaver.
Cook-Out Review Final Impressions
Cook-Out has all the ingredients for a good time in social VR, then, even if it isn’t especially original. A hectic, multi-hour campaign anchors some of the most engaging, demanding and frantically brilliant party gameplay you’ll find in VR. I wish it had gone deeper with its best ideas and embraced the platform more holistically, but you won’t find a better tribute to Overcooked anywhere else inside a headset. Compliments to the chef.
What are the biggest new VR games for September 2020? Find out in this month’s full rundown!
After a slow August, the year’s releases are picking up steam as we head into the holiday season. September should offer a little something for everyone, from hardcore zombie action in a new Walking Dead VR game to family-friendly party thrills in Cook-Out. Let’s dig in to the new VR games for September 2020.
New VR Games September 2020
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale (September 3rd)
Resolution Games – Rift, Quest
Resolution Games’ latest VR party game, Cook-Out, riffs on Overcooked, getting up to four players to work together to make sandwiches as quickly as possible. It promises a hectic good time as ingredients fly and customers, including werewolves, get peckish.
Falcon Age (September 3rd)
Outerloop Games – Quest
A heartfelt adventure telling the story of a girl and her feathered companion, Falcon Age comes to Oculus Quest for the first time. We liked it a lot on PSVR, and have high hopes for this port.
Stride (September 4th, Early Access)
Joy Way – PC VR
The Early Access release of this highly-anticipated Mirror’s Edge VR-lookalike is just around the corner. Stride will come armed with an Endless Mode to try out its brand of VR free-running. We’ve been hands-on with it already, and it shows promise.
Solaris: Offworld Combat (September 24th)
First Contact Entertainment – Rift, Quest
After a last-minute delay in August, Solaris moves its fast-paced multiplayer arena shootouts to the end of September. First Contact was behind the excellent Firewall: Zero Hour, so Solaris should be in safe hands.
Budget Cuts (September 25th)
Neat Corp – PSVR
It’s suffered multiple delays but it looks like September will finally be when we get our hands on the PSVR version of Budget Cuts. Will this seminal stealth title measure up on the platform?
The Walking Dead: Onslaught (September 29th)
Survios – PC VR, PSVR
Another long-delayed game, The Walking Dead: Onslaught impressed up with its return trailer in August, so we have high hopes for this one. Survios is a VR veteran, so fingers crossed it pulls it off.
Agence (TBD)
Transitional Forms – PC VR
First coming to the Venice Film Festival this week, Agence is a new type of VR experience that has players interacting with tiny AI-driven characters. This is definitely one of the more ‘out there’ experiences releasing this month.
What’s your pick of the list for new VR games September 2020? Let us know in the comments below!
This month has seen prolific virtual reality (VR) developer Resolution Games release Wonderglade for Oculus Quest as well as an online sharing update for Angry Birds VR: Isle Of Pigs’ Level Builder. Now the studio has revealed that Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale will be released on Oculus Quest and Rift in a couple of months.
Image credit: Resolution Games
This is a frantic, sandwich building party title for up to four players, the goal is to feed ravenous customers who aren’t your normal everyday Joe. These include the mouse-like Villagers who enjoy an uncomplicated sandwich with a few toppings. On the other end of the scale is the Werewolf who prefers a mighty bite, often requesting sandwiches that are 3 to 5 times the size of a standard lunch.
Each player has their own prep station where they can slice and dice ingredients, cook others and hopefully create a delicious sandwich in the process. Players will have various bread options available, from normal white bread to bagels, dark bread and baguettes. Bread’s no good without a filling so staples like cheese, lettuce, tomato, ham and more are available.
Even though Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is designed around multiplayer there will still be the option of AI partners if you want to play solo. There will also be some sort of practise mode to get you acquainted with the kitchen – although the studio has yet to release further details.
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale has a release date of 3rd September 2020 for the Oculus headsets. It won’t be exclusive as the studio has previously mentioned other headsets will follow but hasn’t said which or when.
It’s not the only title Resolution Games has planned for 2020 as its other multiplayer title Blaston is slated for an Oculus Quest launch this Fall. This is a PvP shooter where two players duel. As further details arise, VRFocus will let you know.
id Software co-founder Tom Hall is joining VR-dedicated studio, Resolution Games.
The developer is joining Resolution as a Senior Creative Director. Resolution confirmed to Upload that Hall will be working at the studio full-time, though will be operating remotely in San Francisco; Resolution itself is based in Stockholm, Sweden. The team also confirmed that Hall will be working on “unannounced projects” at the studio.
Hall is an industry veteran, having helped found id alongside John Romero and John Carmack (who, obviously went on to do some VR work of his own) in 1991. Though he left the studio in the early stages of developing Doom, he later joined Duke Nukem developer 3D Realms and went on to co-found Ion Storm alongside Romero. That studio also developed titles like Deux Ex.
“These are still the early days of what will become a fascinating technology woven into our lives, and I can’t wait to see what bold, fun experiences we can make together,” Hall said in a prepared statement.
Resolution is best known for accessible VR games like Acron: Attack of the Squirrels and Angry Birds: Isle of Pigs. Currently the team is working on two announced projects, including Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale. Last week at the Upload VR Showcase: Summer Edition we also revealed the first gameplay for Blaston, a VR dueling game in which players face off in 1 vs 1 matches. These types of experiences are very different to the games Hall worked on in his 30+ year career. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the developer’s work at Resolution Games, then.
Earlier this year Resolution Games teased its next title in development, a social party videogame called Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale. Today,the studio has revealed further details including platform support as well as the first trailer.
The culinary virtual reality (VR) title is set within the cook’s cabin of a fairytale forest, where four players have to collaborate to keep the orders going out for some hungry enchanted creatures.
Players will have their own stations set around a revolving table where they can place their culinary creations. While the gameplay is designed around multiplayer it can also be played solo with an AI partner.
“Kitchen games have always been something of a pressure cooker,” admits Gustav Stenmark, the game’s producer, “but with Cook-Out, we’re really trying to turn up the heat. Not only will you be preparing meals, but you’ll need to fight off a number of nasty customers who seem absolutely set on making trouble — like jesters who will hide parts of your orders, or thieves who will keep pilfering your ingredients. We’ve designed Cook-Out to be played with a team — and believe me, you’re going to need all the help you can get in this kitchen!”
Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale is slated for release later this year, coming to Oculus Rift and Oculus Quest first with other headsets to follow.
Check out the first trailer for Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale below which Resolution Games enlisted the help of three prominent Swedish chefs to create. These include Sofia Henriksson, Swedish MasterChef 2020 winner and Gabriel Jonsson, Swedish MasterChef 2019 winner.
Resolution Games seems to be all about multiplayer VR experiences at the moment. From the previously released Acron: Attack of the Squirrels, also in the works is Blaston, a competitive PvP dueler. As further details for Cook-Out: A Sandwich Tale are revealed, VRFocus will let you know.
