Espire 1: VR Operative has (another) new release date, and it’s very close. The game is now set to launch in just a few days, on November 22.
The upcoming VR stealth action game has been pushed back several times already. It had an initial August launch date set, which then got pushed back to late September. However, the game was then delayed again a day before release, with an unconfirmed new release date. Publisher Tripwire Interactive and developer Digital Lode stated that the delay was to work out lingering “stability and performance issues.”
However, despite the many delays, November 22 is now the (hopefully) final release date. Espire 1 will launch on all platforms simultaneously, including the Oculus Quest and Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows MR headsets and PlayStation VR.
Although the game’s delays have been frustrating, we’ve only had positive things to say about the gameplay itself. It won our Best in Show at E3 earlier in the year, with David writing that the “ambitious design coalesces into a smooth, exciting VR game that innovates not only in terms of building a stealth shooter for VR, but also in terms of comfort options for players.”Jamie also tried a preview of the game in September on his Rift S and noted a few things he loved and a few things that could be improved.
Stealth action experience Espire 1: VR Operative was due for a multiplatform release back in September before developer Digital Lode cancelled the launch with one days notice. With the release window then shifted to a more ambiguous ‘Fall 2019’ the studio and its publisher Tripwire Interactive then went a little quiet. Now it looks like Espire 1: VR Operative will be arriving within the next week.
The studio released details this weekend in response to a PlayStation Blog post – as well as PlayStation Store listing – last Friday specifying exact dates. Well it seems as though there was a miscommunication between the companies, leading to Digital Lode taking to its Discord channel to set the record straight.
The statement notes:
“I’m sure most, if not all, of you have seen the PS Blog post as well as the release date posted on the PS Store. Both of these dates (26th and the 19th) are not quite right and is the result of some miscommunication within Sony as our exact date has been in flux.
“Per the transparency I’ve attempted to upkeep with all of you, the reality of it is that we’re targeting somewhere between those dates and we’re pretty confident in that. I won’t take too many questions on the exact date because I don’t want to mess up marketing plans. That said, I’ve told you guys I would strive to not just drop news of the release the day of and (thus far) I plan to keep my word on that.
“We are still hashing some things out on the certification approvals for both Oculus & Sony. We feel pretty confident that the remaining loose ends in certification won’t hinder us on our date choice, but it’s ultimately in the hands of first party.
“I would expect some more updates and/or official reveals coming early next week, so stay tuned!”
So it sounds like the multiplatform launch is still happening there’s just no exact date at the moment.
VRFocuspreviewed Espire 1: VR Operativeduring the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 back in June, and liked the demo. Putting you inside a robot drone, you can run around gunning down enemies or take a stealthier approach, being able to climb surfaces for the best position. When further details are made available VRFocus will let you know.
Today’s PlayStation State of Play broadcast by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) featured several virtual reality (VR) titles, one of which was the now delayed stealth title Espire 1: VR Operative.
Espire 1: VR Operative was due to launch today for PC virtual reality (VR) headsets like HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Valve Index as well as Oculus Quest. But the team issued a statement delaying that release, now stating a ‘Fall 2019’ release window. The reason for this was said to be new issues found which could crash the videogame.
The State of Play broadcast featured the PlayStation VR version still claiming a release date of ‘September 2019’. While great for PlayStation VR owners, what’s unclear at this present time is whether that release window is now out of date or could the PlayStation VR version could arrive before the PC one.
The title is the first virtual reality (VR) experience from Australian team Digital Lode, with Tripwire Interactive (Killing Floor: Incursion) publishing. A stealth experience giving players full control over whether they want to play it sneaky or go in all guns blazing.
As an Espire agent on a top-secret mission, players don’t need to risk their own life anymore, instead dropping into an Espire model 1 robot which can be remotely controlled. This machine offers superhuman abilities to scale heights and leap massive distances to stay ultra-quiet and remain unseen. Of course, if spotted then the unit can take a few hits in a firefight, respawning in a new body if the old one gets destroyed. To make for a comfortable first-person shooter (FPS) Digital Lode has created the ‘Control Theatre’ (seen below).
VRFocus previewed Espire 1: VR Operativeback in June 2019 during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), finding that the title: “As a single-player VR experience Espire 1: VR Operative needs two aspects to keep players engrossed, an entertaining storyline and variety of gameplay. VRFocus can’t comment on the former at present. The latter, on the other hand, looks like it has plenty of potential.”
If the release delay does also include the PlayStation VR version – the video probably wasn’t updated in time – then VRFocus will let you know as soon as possible.
Delays in videogame launches are nothing new as developers endeavour to fix last-minute problems for a smooth gameplay experience. However, these usually tend to come in two factors, a delay announced well before the actual release date or nothing at all. Today’s delay of Espire 1: VR Operative by Digital Lode and Tripwire Interactive is a little more unusual in the fact that it’s happened on launch day. The team has been very open and honest about what’s happened, releasing the following statement below.
Message from Tripwire Interactive and Digital Lode on the delay:
Hello everyone,
We here at Digital Lode and Tripwire Interactive have been excited to see the anticipation for Espire 1: VR Operative growing over the last few months. With that said, we have some important news to share about the release date. While originally planned for tomorrow, September 24th, we unfortunately need to push the launch day back a bit further. We know this is not ideal and apologize for any plans we may have interrupted.
So what has happened to cause this change?
A few things:
Throughout the year, we’ve been taking Espire 1 out to shows and meeting excited fans at events such as E3, Gamescom, PAX and others. During that time we’ve gotten invaluable feedback from those players and realized we would not be able to incorporate as much of it as we would like into the launch build.
And, while working with our partners doing Quality Assurance checks around the release candidate builds, it became clear that there were a few lingering issues that were not so readily apparent in previous testing. Currently we have found some stability and performance issues, that while not always impacting the player, will be frequent enough with sustained play that we feel it would hinder your enjoyment.
So what is happening now?
Work continues to incorporate player feedback, and the team is full on investigating the root causes of the issues and working to apply targeted fixes. Effective immediately, we are pushing the release date back by several weeks while the team works on these issues. As the investigation continues we’ll be able to provide some more details on where the ship date has moved to. We hope to provide more on that front in the very near future, but are still targeting a Fall 2019 release.
Espire 1: VR Operative, Digital Lode and Tripwire Interactive’s hotly-awaited VR stealth combat game, may have been delayed a day before it was originally set for release back in September, but now the studios say the time is nigh for the game’s launch; it’s now slated to arrive on November 22nd.
Update (November 20th, 2019): Espire 1: VR Operative is officially slated to arrive on November 22nd, coming to Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, and PlayStation VR.
The original article follows below:
Original Article (September 23rd, 2019): Originally planned for release on September 24th, Digital Lode and Tripwire Interactive announced today—one day before its planned launch—that Espire 1: VR Operative is going to be delayed by several weeks.
The studios say in a Steam community post that launch, which is now slated to take place sometime in Fall 2019, has been delayed due to “a few lingering issues that were not so readily apparent in previous testing.”
“Currently we have found some stability and performance issues, that while not always impacting the player, will be frequent enough with sustained play that we feel it would hinder your enjoyment.”
The game has been under development for a few years now by the Melbourne-based Digital Lode, and was previously scheduled to release sometime in August. The studios subsequently pushed back launch to September 24th, an announcement that came only a few days before the end of August.
Espire 1 is a story-based single-player VR game centered around stealth and espionage, with not only a healthy does of gun combat, but plenty of novel locomotion and game mechanics to boot. Take a look at the GDC 2019 gameplay play-through to see a bit of what Espire 1 had on offer:
Espire 1 is priced at $30, and is targeting a variety of platforms, including HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, Windows VR, PSVR, and Oculus Quest.
Espire 1: VR Operative was slated to finally release on PC VR, Quest, and PSVR all at the same time tomorrow on September 24th but is getting delayed once again, this time for “several weeks” to work out lingering “stability and performance issues.”
Digital Lode and Tripwire made the announcement via an update posted on the Espire 1 Steam page today, just a mere day before the slated release. Launch issues are something that have plagued other VR games, such as Budget Cuts, previously.
According to the update:
“Throughout the year, we’ve been taking Espire 1 out to shows and meeting excited fans at events such as E3, Gamescom, PAX and others. During that time we’ve gotten invaluable feedback from those players and realized we would not be able to incorporate as much of it as we would like into the launch build.
And, while working with our partners doing Quality Assurance checks around the release candidate builds, it became clear that there were a few lingering issues that were not so readily apparent in previous testing. Currently we have found some stability and performance issues, that while not always impacting the player, will be frequent enough with sustained play that we feel it would hinder your enjoyment.”
As unfortunate and frustrating as the timing is, if it leads to a better game then it’s for the best. We’d been suspecting something was up considering we hadn’t yet received review code as of today, which is highly unusual.
The update goes on to say that they’ve decided to push the release date “back by several weeks while the team works on these issues,” but are still targeting a Fall 2019 release, which presumably means before December at the latest.
Jamie recently tried out a preview build of the game from the comfort of his own Rift S and had a lot of positive things to note, but did take issue with the less than intelligent AI and poor sound detection, both of which could spell trouble for a VR stealth game.
Previously we’d played it on the Oculus Quest, as well as on the original Rift, and even awarded it our Best of Show honor at E3 2019. It’s one of our most anticipated VR games of the year and we’re eager to see if this delay helps the team polish it up more before launch.
In the meantime, keep an eye on Panther VR, a new stealth game from the creators of VR Dungeon Knight currently on Kickstarter.
Espire 1: VR Operative is getting ready to step out of the shadows.
We’ve been looking forward to this VR stealth game from Digital Lode for longer than we can remember. This week we finally got an extended look at the game, free from the constraints of industry demo booths.
The good news is that the game holds up under the added scrutiny, though there’s certainly room for improvement. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the key elements that really make the game shine, along with a few we’re hoping to see improved before the launch of the final build on September 24.
What We Love
The Freedom
Like the best stealth games, there’s no one way to play Espire 1. Right off the bat, you can choose to play the game as a ghost, passing through areas unseen, or go loud with gunfire. The former is itself open-ended, with hidden paths to find and the choice of knocking out enemies or leaving them be.
Playing it as a shooter is certainly an option, though it doesn’t come with as many end of level rewards. But Digital Lode makes some clever adjustments, keeping the enemies flowing when in high alert and implementing a health system that adds a touch of strategy (more on that in a bit). Ultimately it’s up to you how you play Espire 1.
The Health System
If Espire 1 had a simple regenerating health meter, it’d be simply far too easy. But, if there were no way to replenish health at all, it’d probably be a little too difficult. Digital Lode’s solution is wonderfully logical. When under fire, you accumulate damage over time. To stitch up, you’ll need to repair yourself.
To do this you use a rod located to the left of your UI. When you grab it, glowing orbs representing damage will appear in front of you. You need to hold the rod over each until they disappear. It takes a little time, meaning you’ll need to find a safe space to repair instead of replenishing health in the middle of battle.
The Sticky Cam
Perhaps one of Espire’s most thoughtful inventions is its take on the stealth sticky cam. Holding the trigger on either controller when your hand is free sprouts a small camera from the back of your hand. Its capture is displayed on a small screen on the side of your UI. You can use this to carefully peek around corners in tight spots without the risk of being captured.
Better yet, though, you can actually grab the camera with your other hand and toss it. It’ll stick to any surface, allowing you to hide away and wait for the perfect time to make your move. You can even emit sounds that will cause a distraction, clearing the way. It’s a strikingly organic addition to the game which can be a little tricky to fully utilize (I have a terrible VR throwing arm) but overall it’s a lot of fun.
The Hold-Up
This one is of personal affection for fans of Metal Gear Solid. Sneaking up behind an enemy, holding a gun at them and physically saying ‘Freeze’ into your headset’s microphone holds baddies up. You can then retrieve weapons from their hands or simply knock them out.
But take caution when using this option; baddies can also decide to sprint off at any moment and grab help. That’ll definitely put a quick stop to your no-kills streak.
The Little Touches
Aside from what we’ve listed here, there’s a lot of other little touches that really make Espire 1 sing in its best moments. When you make a fist, for example, you can see your robotic hand reinforce itself, ready for impact. If you drop your repair rod on the ground, it makes a waypoint towards your objective.
What Could Be Improved
Sound Detection
Noise is a key part of any stealth game. It gives consideration to your each and every movement. But this is one of the areas that Espire struggles with; while firing many weapons will sending the guards running, other actions go confoundingly unnoticed. In one level I had an automatic turret taking potshots at me while a guard walked on by in oblivious bliss.
It’s an awkward omission in a game that otherwise puts so much consideration into every tiny element. From what I could tell, my footsteps would go unnoticed too. Perhaps this would simply make the game too hard, but it’s pretty jarring all the same.
Enemy AI
There’s a lot happening at any given moment in Espire 1; multiple enemies patrolling different routes in various stages of alert. Once you’re discovered, all of these systems sort of fall in on themselves as the enemy’s singular focus becomes finding you and taking you down.
At these moments the cracks in the game’s design can start to show through. Enemies sprint in only to stare at barren patches of walls or run off to completely irrelevant areas. Worse yet, the exact same lines of dialogue are repeated ad nauseam, sometimes by the same characters. It gives your pursuers the impression of lifeless robots (ironic, given that you yourself are a drone).
Espire 1 releases on September 24th, 2019, for all major headsets including Oculus Home for Rift and Quest, Steam for all SteamVR headsets, and PSVR. We’ll have a full review later this month!
After going dark for about a year post-reveal, achieving our Best of Show at E3 2019 award, then a sudden delay, stealth action game Espire 1: VR Operative finally has a confirmed release date of September 24, 2019.
Today publisher Tripwire Interactive and developer Digital Lode confirmed that the VR stealth action game has a real, firm release date. That September 24th release will be for all platforms including Rift, Vive, Index, Windows VR, Quest, and PSVR at the same time.
And, to sweeten the pot even more, if you pre-order Espire 1 on Steam starting today, then you can get Killing Floor: Incursion 100% for free. It’s a very different type of shooter with a focus on narrative-driven survival gameplay against zombies with a full two-player co-op campaign. We quite liked it. And if you pre-order on the PSN Store for PSVR, you’ll get 15% off starting on August 30th.
It’s being crafted as a single-player only narrative-driven experience with several different missions, but it will also be wildly replayable with challenges, leaderboards, and unlockable cheat codes as well — similar to what was done with Defector.
Fingers crossed this one turns out as good as it has the potential to be. We’ve only got less than a month left to see how it ends up. Let us know your thoughts down in the comments below!
Originally, developer Digital Lode and publisher Tripwire Interactive had planned on releasing stealth adventure Espire 1: VR Operative during August yet no date was ever confirmed. Today, that release window has shifted slightly, with the teams announcing a September launch date as well as pre-order bonuses.
To coincide with today’s announcement you’ll be able to pre-order Espire 1: VR Operative via Steam later today. PC customers who pre-order the videogame on Steam will receive a free Steam copy of Tripwire’s first VR title, Killing Floor: Incursion. From 30th August, North American PlayStation VR fans (no word on a European offer) who pre-order on the PlayStation Store will receive a 15% off discount.
Espire 1: VR Operative impressed when VRFocusdemoed the title during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 in June, finding that being a sneaky robot who could perform superhuman feats of strength and agility was just as fun as you’d imagine.
The premise behind Espire 1: VR Operative is that you play an Espire agent on a top-secret mission. In this futuristic world, you don’t need to risk your own life anymore, instead dropping into an Espire model 1 robot which can be remotely controlled. This machine allows you to scale heights, and leap massive distances to stay ultra-quiet and remain unseen. Of course, should you get spotted – or prefer the gung-ho approach – then you can take a few hits in a firefight. Should you lose then you’ll respawn in a new body.
Developed as a single-player VR experience with individual story missions and scenario missions that use the story mission environments for short challenges, one of the main features employed in Espire 1: VR Operative is the “Control Theatre.” This has been designed to eliminate VR motion sickness in first-person videogames, shrinking the world to the size of a floating tablet, with the Control Theatre visible in the player’s peripheral vision.
Espire 1: VR Operative is scheduled to launch on 24th September 2019, on headsets including Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, and PlayStation VR. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Espire 1: VR Operative, reporting back with any further updates.
We’ve all thought it; VR must be great for horror games, right?
And it’s true; Resident Evil 7 and The Exorcist VR are some of the most compelling, immersive experiences you can have in a headset. But I’d argue that, recently, another genre has sneaked out of the shadows to threaten the VR gaming crown. Stealth could soon be the new king of immersive play.
Two Gamescom demos really hammered home that point. The first was, of course, Espire 1: VR Operative, Digital Lode’s hugely promising ode to Metal Gear Solid. The other is Phantom: Covert Ops, nDreams’ lovably ridiculous mix of sneaking and water sports.
Espire is a giddy experience and deeply nostalgic for any fans of Metal Gear Solid 2. In fact, everything from reloading your non-lethal sidearm to shouting ‘Freeze’ when holding up unsuspecting enemies is directly lifted out of Hideo Kojima’s stealth sandbox. If it were any less of a game you might consider that a slight, but rediscovering these ideas in VR is something of a revelation.
Digital Lode’s ambitious foundation is that, if a player can think it, they should be able to do it too. Knocking a guard’s head with the butt of a pistol sends them straight to sleep, walls can be scaled and any dropped weapon can be picked up and fired. It’s the closest I’ve seen a VR stealth game get to the idea of dropping the player’s physical body in the world and having it drive every element of the game’s mechanics.
Phantom is essentially the same game just…on water. Sneaking into enemy bases and sabotaging machinery all from the comfort of a kayak requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. That’s ironic given the consideration put into making the game’s movement as believable as possible. Paddling through streams feels entirely natural, from alternating strokes to pushing yourself away from walls with one end of an oar. It’s perhaps more streamlined than Espire, with stripped back options and encounters, but what it loses in player freedom, it more than makes up for in immersion.
There’s two sides to the coin, though. When you’re in control, VR stealth makes you feel like a kid sneaking into a backyard to steal your ball back. It’s alive and electric in a way most other games can only hope to capture. But when you’re caught, things can crumble away a bit.
I noticed the AI in both of my demos felt a little rusty. In Espire, when a guard caught me peaking out from behind a corner, a crew of goons sprinted to the same spot only to stand around aimlessly before running off with little coordination. For a game that otherwise emulates Metal Gear with uncanny precision, it was disappointing to see the veil lift in that moment. Phantom’s baddies, meanwhile, acted like headless chickens once I hid under a walkway.
This is a complex problem, one that both nDreams and Digital Lode told me they were working on. Realistically, I’m not expecting huge improvements between now and launch; there’s only so much you can ask of modestly-sized teams like these, especially Digital Lode (which, in many respects, they’re exceeding those expectations). The truth of it might be that we don’t see that final puzzle piece fall into place until Ubisoft lends its slick production skills to the rumored Splinter Cell VR. But, again, these are games that are about not being seen and, when all that’s expected of an enemy is to stick to their patrol routes, everything runs like clockwork.
And for now, clockwork will do just fine. Espire 1 and Phantom are both coming later this year and I can’t wait to properly sink my teeth into them.
