Espire 1 publisher Tripwire Interactive might just be teasing some news for the stealth series at next month’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase.
Following yesterday’s announcement of the show, which takes place at 10am PT on April 20, Tripwire noted that it would be “be sneaking over there with something big.”
A lot of replies and comments immediately ran to Tripwire’s staple series, Killing Floor, which already got a VR spin-off in Killing Floor: Incursion. It could well be that this announcement is a Quest port of that game or a new entry in the series.
But the use of ‘sneaking’ has us wondering if Tripwire is instead referring to Espire, a stealth game it published on headsets in 2019, developed by Digital Lode. We’d gladly welcome a sequel to the game, which was originally inspired by titles like Metal Gear Solid.
Or, of course, it could be teasing something entirely new.
Either way, we’ll find out next month. Other games confirmed for the showcase include Among Us VR and Cities: VR, but Meta is also promising brand new game reveals. Don’t forget that it won’t be the only VR showcase this year – Upload will be back with our traditional summer show in June, too.
What are you hoping to see at the showcase? Let us know in the comments below!
A new content update, dubbed the Invictus Update, is available now for Espire 1: VR Operative on Oculus Quest and Quest 2.
The update brings a mixture of new content and some quality of life changes based on community feedback.
The biggest main addition is support for the Oculus Challenges feature on Quest headsets, which allows the developers to set new challenges that will see players competing for high scores on challenge-specific leaderboards online. These challenges will change weekly and be accessible on the Espire main menu. There’s also Oculus mobile app integration, so you can easily invite your friends to compete against your score.
The update also includes a new map, Coober Pedy, based on a South Australian mining town of the same name. There’s 3 new challenges associated with the map — an elimination challenge, a hostage rescue challenge and a sneaking challenge.
In terms of quality of life changes, the game has an updated main menu design along with some minor UI changes for the leaderboard and challenge summary screens. There’s also a few bug fixes that should resolve some problems with cutscenes in the main campaign, as well as adding or removing some assets that were causing problems on select maps.
Even though Espire 1: VR Operative launched a couple of years ago across most major platforms, lately, developer Digital Lode has been concentrating on improving the experience for Oculus Quest owners. Today’s free Invictus update continues that trend, adding a new map, challenge elements as well as quality of life improvements.
Players will now be able to test their skills in the Coober Pedy map, located in a remote underground mining town in South Australia of the same name. This new scenario is all about infiltrating Ophis’ headquarters, with the town made up of a hotel, church, and series of caves interconnected by a series of twisting tunnels. A new map also means new challenges, these are:
Horcotes Elimination Challenge: Go in quiet or with guns blazing in this new Elimination Virtual Challenge. Explosives and turrets are scattered throughout the map.
Cicurina Hostage Rescue Challenge: Locate and free the heavily guarded hostages and don’t forget the tools and tactics at your disposal. Throw objects to distract guards with sound, sneak up behind a guard for a “hold up,” or activate bullet time to steal a guard’s weapon right out of their hands.
Crassipes Stealth Challenge: Use the cover of darkness to make your way through the level without being spotted and take care to avoid activating the mines.
The other big addition in the update is Oculus Challenge Leaderboard support for each new Virtual Challenge. These allow players to compete for first place, new ones appearing in the main menu each week. The challenges are integrated with Oculus’ mobile app, where players can invite friends during the limited time each challenge is open.
While the Invictus update certainly adds plenty of new content if you’ve recently updated your Oculus Quest to v33 you may have noticed occasional issues with Espire 1: VR Operative. This was confirmed by Digital Lode on its Discord, saying earlier today: “We are sorry to hear that some players are experiencing occasional ‘hitches’ when playing Espire 1 on the latest Quest OS update. Unfortunately the latest “v33” Quest OS update has an incompatibility with Espire 1, causing occasional ‘hitches’ to occur. This issue is limited to the Quest 2 headset only, on the latest “v33″ update. We have been working with our partners at Oculus to address this as quickly as possible and a fix should be coming in the next OS update, v34! In the meantime, if there are any possible workarounds, we will let the community know immediately!”
Considering Quest’s software updates are monthly there shouldn’t be too long to wait, although they usually land towards the end of each month. For further updates on the issue, keep reading VRFocus.
If you time it right then there can be some great savings to be had on high-quality virtual reality (VR) titles and currently Humble Bundle’s latest is difficult to beat. For only the second time the platform is offering a VR-specific deal where you can get up to eight PC VR titles for an incredible discount.
Called the Humble Spring into VR Bundle, the limited time offer allows gamers to unlock a selection of videogames depending on how much they wish to spend, with proceeds helping to support charitable endeavours. So for a minimum of 71p you can pickup zero-g sci-fi title Detached. Bump that up to at least £10.66 GBP and you’ll unlock Star Trek: Bridge Crew, Surgeon Simulator: Experience Reality, Swords of Gurrah and Espire 1: VR Operative.
Literally for a few pence more – £10.77 to be precise – you can add three more titles to that list, Job Simulator, Sairento VR and Borderlands 2 VR. Of course, if you are feeling charitable because you’re saving so much – total price would be £160 for all of them – you can up the bundle donation as you see fit.
The main charity highlighted for the Humble Spring into VR Bundle is Stop AAPI Hate, an organisation described as “a national coalition addressing anti-Asian racism across the U.S.” It was founded by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and San Francisco State University’s Asian American Studies Department. But you can select a different charity should you wish to support one more local to you or focused on a field close to your heart.
In any case, the Humble Spring into VR Bundle is a great deal if you’ve been looking to expand that VR library with a nice mixture of titles, especially as there’s no Steam sale currently. VRFocus will continue its coverage of the latest VR software and hardware deals, reporting back with further updates.
Digital Lode launched its stealthy shooter Espire 1: VR Operative for multiple headsets back in 2019 including Oculus Quest. When the Quest 2 arrived in 2020 the videogame was updated to make use of that extra processing power. Today, the Oculus Quest/Quest2 edition is getting further improvements by way of more content including new guns and challenges.
When it comes to the new weapons the campaign will now feature a sawn-off shotgun and the Spectre SMG. As you’d expect from a sawn-off shotgun any idea of stealth is quickly thrown out the window. Just liked you’d do in a videogame such as Doom, using this gun in Espire 1: VR Operative is all about stomping around the environment guns blazing. Thanks to its compact size you can holster the sawn-off shotgun as either the primary or secondary weapon. And because it’s reloaded via magazine clips there’s no need to deal with individual shells. To access the gun you’ll need to complete the Shotgun Virtual Challenges.
As for the Spectre SMG, this comes equipped with a suppressor and an extended 45-round magazine. The gun has a unique firing mode where one round is fired on a trigger squeeze with a second firing upon release with reduced recoil. Once again, the Spectre SMG has to be unlocked so you can use it in the campaign, via the SMG Virtual Challenges.
There are also two new challenges to test those skills on. The Furcata Virtual Challenge is supposedly Digital Lode’s most difficult hostage rescue challenge to date, with multiple starting points, skilled marksmen, and well-guarded hostages. Then you have Mangua, a brand-new Takedown challenge which: “offers branching paths and rewards players who explore with special weapons to help complete their objectives,” the studio explians.
The Espire 1: VR Operative Spectre Update is live today as a free add-on if you already own it. For those that don’t, Espire 1: VR Operative is in Oculus’ Daily Deal with a 25% discount available.
Espire 1: VR Operative is set in the near future where the days of having to physically infiltrate secret bases are gone. Now they use remote Espire Model 1 robots to do the job that allow you to easily scale walls and scurry through buildings to remain unseen or grab that shotgun and go for a more direct, gunfight approach, rebooting into a new unit when too much damage is taken.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Espire 1: VR Operative, reporting back with further updates.
Espire 1: VR Operative (2019) launched across all major VR headsets this time last year, bringing a mix of high-flying acrobatics and stealth combat to the table. Now developer Digital Lode says Espire 1 has generated “over $3 million in revenue” since its November 2019 launch.
While revenue reports around the industry aren’t a usual sight, Espire 1: VR Operative seems to have benefitted greatly from its simultaneous release on SteamVR headsets, PSVR, and Oculus Quest.
Launched on November 22nd, 2019, Digital Lode and publisher Tripwire Interactive say the game “continues to remain popular in the VR space as a top-selling title on the Oculus Store and one of the few VR titles to earn over $3 million in revenue.”
Taking on the role of futuristic drone operator, you slink around, avoid security cameras, defuse trip mines, and gank plenty of faceless baddies that get in your way—a bit like a VR version of Metal Gear.
In our review of Espire 1, we noted that, although rough around the edges, the game excels in delivering some familiar stealth combat in a more immersive package, letting users do some superhuman acrobatics while traversing its multi-layered levels.
To celebrate its one year launch anniversary, Digital Lode has released an Anniversary Update on the Quest and Quest 2 versions of the game, which includes a number of visual, performance, and gameplay enhancements. Improvements specific to Quest 2 include:
Increased pixel resolution and clarity with less aggressive dynamic foveated rendering
Higher mesh resolution for guards and other characters
Bullet impact particles from the PlayStation VR version added
Added ricocheting bullets for players and guards
Unique bullet impact sound effects added for each surface type
Color-graded and optimized for the Oculus Quest 2 LCD screen
Enhanced audio: When the player crouches down, the game’s soundtrack dynamically submixes the music down while increasing the sounds of footsteps and voices of guards
The version supporting the original Oculus headset also benefits from improved shaders and materials, increased performance, and better loading times.
VR sneak’em up Espire 1 is the latest game to get the Quest 2 upgrade treatment, and we’ve got a first look below.
Espire 1: VR Operative was one of the most ambitious VR games on Quest when it first launched last year and, in many ways it still is. A full, single-player stealth campaign influenced by the sandbox-style freedom of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell? It was a big ask but developer Digital Lode largely delivered.
Not only that but Espire 1 managed to release right across the broad spectrum of headsets, making its Quest version an even more impressive thing. With the new update, the team builds on the foundations it established on Quest 1 on both versions of the headset. Both Quest 1 and 2 will see updates, though some features are exclusive to Quest 2. Today, then, we’re testing out the Quest 2 version with the patch against the original Quest 1 edition before the update hits next week. Take a look.
Espire 1 Graphics Comparison
There are a few things to talk about here, then. First, there’s the expected benefits: the Quest 2 version does away with fixed foveated rendering and there are updates to shaders and materials that you should see across both headsets.
Moving towards Quest 2, though, there are a few differences on the visual front where Digital Lode has brought the game closer to the PSVR version. The first is to do with bullet impact particles, which make a more noticeable dent on the new headset and create finer sparks. More improved, too, are the meshes for enemy guards. You’ll also see the bullet ricochet effect not evident in the Quest 1 version reintroduced here.
But actually some of the biggest changes to the game here are on the audio front. Whereas in Quest 1, bullets make the same sound no matter what surface they hit, Quest 2 reintroduces context-sensitive sound effects. So shooting glass with sound different to firing at concrete, for example.
Taken on their own, each of these updates may seem small, but they all add up to a game with richer texture than before. The patch will be live for all Quest users on November 17th.
What did you make of our Espire 1 graphics comparison? Let us know in the comments below!
Our list of the best VR stealth games is stepping out of the shadows to help you on your next sneaking mission.
Stealth is one of those genres that seems like a perfect fit for VR. The ability to physically hide around corners, distract enemies by making noises and then knock them out when they get close feels incredibly empowering, and one of the best expressions of how the medium can enhance traditional games.
But making a good, comprehensive VR stealth game is incredibly hard; not only do you have to accommodate all those elements, you have to make sure enemy AI doesn’t fold under the weight of these systems. This list of the 10 best VR stealth games definitely isn’t free of those issues, but they’re all encouraging signs developers are getting closer to nailing the perfect experience.
Republique might not make the most exciting use of VR, but you can’t deny that it’s a good stealth game in its own right. Camouflaj first dived into VR with this port of its third-person episodic series, which borrows liberally from Metal Gear Solid and other series. There are some neat features here for the VR version and the campaign’s quite lengthy, but this is definitely more your traditional stealth experience that just happens to be playable in VR, putting it at the tenth spot of our best VR stealth games list.
9. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Quest, PSVR, PC VR
Though it might be one of the overall best games on this list, Saints & Sinners scores towards the high end of our top ten given that its stealth is only one small part of the overall experience. The option to sneak through enemy encampments and avoid walkers definitely has tactical advantages and works pretty well, too. Ultimately, though, it’s more fun to stab zombies than it is evade them, so Saints & Sinners comes near the start of our best VR stealth games list.
Panther VR is a hugely ambitious stealth game that aims to let players pick and choose how they navigate through its levels. And developer Wolfdog Interactive has certainly proven its commitment to the Early Access release in the past year, having released plenty of updates to help improve the gameplay. We’re looking forward to Panther’s full release, which is when we’ll really be able to judge if it can climb the ranks of the best VR stealth games.
7. Arashi: Castles of Sin – PSVR
It’s not quite VR’s answer to Tenchu, but Arashi: Castles of Sin still offers around five hours of rock-solid sneaking, tasking players with taking down six Japanese warlords. Open level design gives you some say in how to get from point A to B, and a range of weapons can make for some intentive scenarios. Plus, Arashi features VR’s goodest dog, who can distract enemies on command. Sold.
Jurassic World is definitely on the short side (a second part is still to come later down the line), but what’s already here works really well. Remember the classic kitchen scene from the original Jurassic Park? This is basically that incredibly tense moment stretched across an entire game, asking players to sneak through environments and avoid becoming dino-food. Once the second part arrives we’re hopeful this’ll rank higher on our best VR stealth games list.
Of all the games inspired by Metal Gear Solid on this list, Espire 1 is definitely the most blatant. The game directly lifts a lot of the key features first established in MGS2 but finds new use from them in VR. You can actually say ‘Freeze’ into your headset’s microphone to hold up enemies, for example, and then knock them out cold with the end of your gun. Weak enemy AI holds the game back from being something really special, but we’re hoping to see this franchise expand with a stronger sequel in the future.
Like Saints & Sinners, stealth is really only an option in Sniper Elite VR, but it’s much more intrinsic to the gameplay. When you’re not nestled up in a sniper nest you’re crawling past enemies, scoring headshots with silenced pistols and trying to make it as far into a level as possible before the game’s up. And by building on its work with the existing series, Sniper managed to be a consistent, comprehensive and fair stealth experience. It’s an easy pick for one of the best VR stealth games, then.
Once again, stealth is merely an option in the Hitman series but, whereas Sniper Elite and Walking Dead emphasize action first, Agent 47 is all about sticking to the shadows and fighting back only when absolutely necessary. Adopting a first-person perspective for the first time completely changes the sneaking in IO’s iconic series, making every careful lean from behind the corner a potential run-ruining decision. But it really gives you the feeling of sneaking through areas you shouldn’t be in, making it one of the best VR stealth games.
Lots of VR stealth games aim to give players an expansive set of tools to play with. The result is something that’s often a fun sandbox, but crumbles when you expect enemies to properly react to your discovery. Phantom is a smartly constrained experience in that sense – not only is the kyack-based gameplay completely immersive, but it keeps enemies at a distance and makes their reactions much more believable. Add in some great weapons and inventive use of the game’s sole location, and Phantom: Covert Ops remains one of the best VR stealth games to date.
Budget Cuts 1 may have launched with some problems but Neat Corp has addressed a lot of those issues over time and, more importantly, worked with Fast Travel Games to greatly expand on its premise in Budget Cuts 2. This is VR stealth at its physical best: teleportation-based movement that gives the world context without breaking immersion, skill-dependent gameplay that leaves you feeling lethally effective in your best moments and an utter clutz in your worst, and tongue-in-cheek humor that makes this one of VR’s funniest games. For that reason, the Budget Cuts series finds itself at the top of our best VR stealth games list.
What did you make of our list of the best VR stealth games? Let us know in the comments below!
Indie developer Digital Lode released its first virtual reality (VR) title Espire 1: VR Operative for multiple headsets at the end of last year, offering an action-packed stealth experience. Today, the studio has revealed details on its next big update which adds plenty of new features as well as other improvements.
Dubbed the Espire 1: VR Operative Assimilation update, players will be able to enjoy 14 new challenges accessed via three new game modes; Intel, Weapons & Climbing.
The Intel mode has four levels to complete, a warehouse, office complex, Italian Villa and Copperhead Output. Players need to locate and hack intelligence from all workstations in the area, then reach the extraction point. While the Weapons gameplay mode offers seven courses. Aiming for a high score, players have to eliminate static, moving and explosive targets to achieve leaderboard success.
Lastly, the Climbing mode requires overcoming puzzles where speed and timing are vital whilst avoiding the fast-moving crushers. There are three challenges to complete but players do need to have finished the “Reech Division” mission in the campaign first.
As for the new weapons players will be able to find the Espire semi-auto SMG and a sawn-off shotgun inside the Intel and Weapon challenge modes.
To improve the overall gameplay experience in Espire 1: VR Operative Digital Lode has added a recalibration option in the menu to adjust the location/size of the belt and chest holsters, changing the dominant hand and the recorded standing height. There’s also a selectable manual vault when climbing feature, turning off the standard ‘auto vault’ mechanic.
Other additions include:
Leaderboards improvements (Quest + PC only)
Leaderboard UI redesigned
Players want to filter the leaderboard to see their friends
Players want to view a leaderboard for any mission or challenge from within the main menu. Previously they had to start or even complete a mission just to see the leaderboard
Integrate the leaderboards with Oculus’ new “Scoreboard” app (Quest/Rift)
Fix various leaderboard-related bugs (leaderboard score not saved if user is temporarily disconnected/reconnected to their wifi when the mission finishes)
Grip interactions and physics pass
Should be easier to grab a sidearm from your belt without having to look down at your belt
Fixed an issue where players crouch down and try to grab a guard’s body, they often instead pick up a sidearm from their belt
Fixed an issue where players would attempt to grip a guard’s body and simultaneously ‘distance-grip’ the guard’s gun
Improved the physical properties of all props and objects in the game. They should now behave more realistically when interacted with.
The Espire 1: VR Operative Assimilation update will be made available for Oculus Quest and PC VR headsets on 5th May. The PlayStation VR version will arrive later, no date has been revealed at the moment. For further updates on the videogame, keep reading VRFocus.
Enjoyable VR sneaker Espire 1: VR Operative is soon to get its next big update with plenty to talk about.
Next week on May 5, PC VR and Oculus Quest players will be able to download the Assimilation Update. Headlining the patch is the addition of 14 new challenges, which include some new weapons to sample, too. Challenges include new combat and traversal-based trials as well as four new Intel ops, where you’ll have to gather documents and data before reaching an extraction point. One of these challenges, Copperhead Output, will be the game’s biggest to date.
But many of you will no doubt be interested to hear what performance improvements Update 1.6 brings to Espire 1. First up, developer Digital Lode says load times have been dramatically reduced, going from 28 seconds in some cases to an average of just 4. The team has also done a pass on various other aspects of the game, like handling weapons, lighting and just general campaign tweaks, so expect to see improvements there.
Elsewhere 1.6 introduces a new onboarding sequence for the first mission to help you get to grips with the game. Plus Digital Lode has added in the ability to remove auto-vaulting when climbing walls among other tweaks.
It’s great to see Epsire 1 getting long-term post-launch support. We were really impressed with the game when we played it for review, but others have encountered a range of technical bugs that brought the experience down for them. Hopefully with these continued updates, the game gets up to snuff for everyone.
That said, while the update for the game will be going live on PC VR and Oculus Quest headsets next week, Digital Lode says it will hit PSVR at a later date. The console edition of the game is thought to be the most technically challenged so we’ll definitely want to see how update 1.6 shapes up there.
Will you be checking out this Espire 1 update? Let us know in the comments below!
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