Category: Deadness

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The VR Drop: Horror on the High Seas

Welcome to another VR Drop, that time of the week where gmw3 looks ahead at what’s to come in the world of virtual reality (VR) videogames. It’s a nicely packed week ahead, whether that’s brand new releases, older titles getting some love on a new platform or indie creations seeing an official launch.

Paper Birds

Paper Birds – 3DAR

An oldie but a goldie if you love interactive VR stories, Paper Birds originally hit Meta Quest back in 2020 and now it’s the turn of PC VR headsets. From 3DAR, the creators of Gloomy Eyes, Paper Birds is a 30-minute tale that tells the story of young musician Toto (played by Jojo Rabbit star Archie Yates) as he searches for his lost sister. You can then interact with the world to aid Toto’s journey.

Deadness – ALIEN Studio

Time for some dark, suspenseful VR horror in the form of Deadness from ALIEN Studio. Set in an old research facility that has seen better days, you have to explore this hell hole whilst sitting in a wheelchair; thus adding to the tense atmosphere. Carefully manoeuvre through the corpse-filled corridors and try to find clues as to who you are and why you’re there. Not for the faint of heart.

Deadness

Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual! – HappyGiant

PlayStation VR may not be the hot ticket it once was but developers are still showing the headset some love. After a Meta Quest and PC VR launch in 2021, HappyGiant is bringing Sam & Max: This Time It’s Virtual! to Sony’s headset next week. Join the crime-fighting duo as a rookie and complete various training challenges whilst helping Sam and Max solve a selection of otherworldly crimes.

  • Supported platform(s): PlayStation VR
  • Launch date: 23rd February

Admiral Wars – DB Creations

Get that thinking cap on as you need to formulate the best naval strategies in Admiral Wars. Set for a Meta Quest App Lab release, Admiral Wars features both single-player (against AI) and PvP multiplayer gameplay modes. Order your fleet into position and look out the window whilst they take down your enemies or watch as your carefully planned attack backfires and your ships disappear into the depths. As this is an early access launch, in the future DB Creations expects to add additional features including a solo campaign.

MarineVerse Cup

MarineVerse Cup – MarineVerse

Another VR experience on the high seas but without all the carnage and mayhem (sort of). MarineVerse Cup has been on Meta Quest’s App Lab since the distribution platform launched last year. Now MarineVerse Cup is making the official leap to the main store, a competitive sailing game offering three boat types with realistic mechanics so you can learn how to sail – without worrying about falling off.

  • Supported platform(s): Meta Quest
  • Launch date: 24th February
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Deadness Brings February Chills to PC VR

There’s been a real dearth of new virtual reality (VR) horror videogames of late, which is a shame because there’s nothing quite like getting scared shitless in VR. Coming to the rescue this month is Deadness, a monster-filled scare-fest that certainly looks like it’s got terrifying potential.

Deadness

Set in an old research facility where some horrible events have taken place, Deadness is a tense, atmospheric horror where survival is more about careful expiration and hiding; rather than shooting everything in sight.

Developer ALIEN Studio has released some haunting screenshots, a couple of which show the ability to use weapons. However, how useful they actually are across the entire game remains to be seen as the team states one gameplay detail: “Trying to hide from the undead will make your heart race and take your breath away because you cannot kill what is already dead.” So hanging around trying to pop a few heads might not be the best tactic.

Visually, Deadness certainly looks the part. The research facility looks grim and very unwelcoming with hands emerging from walls and corpses strung up to ceilings. Just on the aesthetics alone Deadness could be one of the most frightening VR titles to emerge this year.

Deadness

Deadness also employs one other major gameplay component that should ramp up the atmosphere, you’re sat in a wheelchair the entire time. Just like last years’ A Wake Inn, in Deadness you have to physically manoeuvre yourself around the facility, meaning you either stay still to shoot or use both hands to get out of harm’s way.

Whilst this can help increase the tension as well as provide an intuitive control scheme, as A Wake Inn proved if the mechanic isn’t executed correctly it can become more frustrating than scary as the game progresses. You can see the wheelchair movement mechanic in action in the video below.

You won’t have too long to wait to find out. ALIEN studio plans on releasing Deadness for Valve Index and HTC Vive via Steam and Viveport on 22nd February 2022. For continued updates on the latest VR horror titles, keep reading gmw3.