Something for the Weekend: Steam’s Halloween Havoc

You may have noticed something of a theme these last few days on VRFocus. But such is inevitable when there’s a holiday such as Halloween going on, and so it’s only natural that this week on Something for the Weekend we highlight just a few of the videogames currently on offer in the Steam Halloween sale. Which does have more than a few virtual reality (VR) experiences up for grabs a reduced price.

Before we begin it should be noted that a lot of the titles in the sale, which incidentally does have its own VR section on the Steam store page, are also a part of Halloween sales elsewhere. In particular the Oculus Store sale. For information on that check out our post detailing all the titles involved in the sale for both the Oculus Rift and the Samsung Gear VR.

Steam descriptions and links to all the games can be found below. Please note: All Halloween sales end on 1st November 2017.

Compatibility: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, OSVR

“The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a first-person story-driven mystery focused on exploration and discovery. Occult-minded private detective Paul Prospero communicates with the dead to discover the fate of a missing boy and the mystery behind a dark ancient force inhabiting Red Creek Valley.”

Available as a bundle comprising the game and VR mode, the title is available for £4.38 (GBP) at a discount of 80% off.

A Chair in a Room : Greenwater

Compatibility: HTC Vive and Oculus Rift

A Chair in a Room: Greenwater is a tense virtual reality horror game set in America’s Deep South. Drawing on elements of Southern Gothic and using settings of derelict towns, run-down motels and murky, decaying swamps, A Chair in a Room will take you through an investigation of institutional corruption, religious immorality and murder, which can only be unlocked by searching deep within your own psyche.”

Available at 50% off, for a price of £9.49 (GBP).

Blue Effect VR

Compatibility: HTC Vive and Oculus Rift

“Welcome on Planet Exo-277. A place where your abilities will be tested. This world belongs to the alien race that doesn’t know what defeat means. You will be facing enemies that are ruthless, cruel and mainly terrifying. Survive and become the famous warrior in the universe!”

Also currently available at half price, Blue Effect VR is on sale now for a price of £5.49 (GBP).

Organ Quarter

Compatibility: HTC Vive and Oculus Rift

Organ Quarter is a VR survival horror game focused on what made survival horror great: labyrinthine environments, resource management and well-balanced puzzling. An homage to the slow, methodical survival horror experiences of the ’90s, explore the compelling nightmare world of the Organ Quarter and enjoy the most intimate horror experience yet.”

Having just received a patch taking it to version 1.03, Organ Quarter is on sale now at 20% off, for a price of £15.19 (GBP).

HORROR OF THE DEEP

Compatibility: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR

“Fallen into a giant old dungeon, unclear for any destiny, you have to descent deeper and deeper to a place, where even all cries will be silenced.”

This title is in Early Access and requires the use of a gamepad, or keyboard and mouse even in VR mode. HORROR OF THE DEEP is currently on sale for £3.91 (GBP), giving you a 30% discount.

Bogeyman 1 + 2 Double Pack

Compatibility: Oculus Rift

“Live your childhood nightmare and try to survive against the Boogeyman. Equipped with only your flashlight, survive each night until the morning light. Search the house for useful items such as glow sticks, cherry bombs, and coffee to help you fight back. The weather will change each night, lights will break, toys will come alive, things will go bump in the night. Learn the hiding places, and sounds of the Boogeyman to stay ahead.”

The first game is also available on the Oculus Store seperately. The bundle of 1 and 2 together has an 89% discount at present and you can buy both titles for £1.12 (GBP).

Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion: HD Renovation

Compatibility: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR

“Spooky and her mansion of creepy cuties are back in Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion: HD Renovation! Can you survive 1000 rooms of adorable terror? Or will you break once the cute facade dissolves, and you find yourself running for your life from the unspeakable, hideous creatures that dwell and write in the bowels of this house? They wait for you. They wait, and they hunger for your encounter…”

The recent recipent of an update adding endless mode, Steam achievements and an additional ending, Spooky’s Jump Scare Mansion: HD Renovation is available on Steam for £4.68 (GBP) for a discount of 33% off.

Rise of Insanity

Compatibility: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR

“Impersonate into the role of the doctor of psychology and get into psychedelic detective story, located in American ’70s, with professional dialogues and realistic graphics. Dark atmosphere of uncertainty is surrounding the player, who by explorating of many locations, meet logical puzzles, and events like…flying through deepest parts of human’s consciousness.”

Another title currently in Early Access, the horror title by Red Limb Studio is presently on sale at £4.49 (GBP) – a 10% discount on the usual price.

Emily Wants To Play

Compatibility: HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and OSVR

“It’s 11pm, and you are at the last house on your route. The lights are on, and the front door is opened. But, the windows are all boarded up and the grass is overgrown. It seems like a strange place to deliver a pizza, but at least, it looks like someone is home…”

Emily Wants To Play is currently available at a 60% discount fot a sale price of £1.59 (GBP).

Second Viveport Developer Awards Nominations Announced and Some Frightening Deals

It’s almost time for Halloween and the virtual reality (VR) industry has been getting into the spirit of the occasion with events and spooky deals. Oculus has discounted several scary titles and HTC’s Viveport is doing the same. HTC has also announced the second wave of nominations for the Viveport Developer Awards.

Currently experiences on offer through Viveport are:

A Chair in a Room: Greenwater by Wolf & Wood Interactive – 25% off – £14.24 (£18.99)

Daylight’s End VR Edition by Groove Jones – 80% off

Emily Wants to Play by SKH Apps – 80% off – £0.70 (£3.48)

The Night The Carsons Disappeared by NostalgicBear VR – 50% off – £0.70 (£1.39)

AChairInARoom3

As for the Viveport Developer Awards this second round of nominations featured:

Allumette, by Penrose Studios; Cloudlands: VR Minigolf, by Futuretown; Mars Odyssey, by Steel Wool Game and Arcade Artist, by Groove Jones. These join the first selection: Altspace VR, by Altspace VR; Pearl, by Google Spotlight Stories Soundstage, by Hard Light Labs and The Body VR, by The Body VR.

This week HTC has made several announcements, earlier today the company revealed a partnership with InterContinental Hotels Group to allow guests to demo the HTC Vive in their rooms or in special areas. And there was the unveiling of Vivepaper, which creates a range of interactions for print content, allowing users to activate of 360-degree photos and videos, 3D models, 2D content, and audio thanks to the headsets front-facing camera.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of HTC Vive and Viveport, reporting back with any further announcements.