Something For The Weekend: Feel The Rush Of Oculus

Another week, another weekend and another chance to pick up a great deal on a number of titles. To help you out VRFocus has put together some of the best virtual reality (VR) deals from the Oculus Store for both Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR owners, to help you find your next favourite. As always be sure to check back every weekend for even more deals right here on VRFocus.

Sprint Vector

“There’s very little to dislike in Sprint Vector. Sure there will be times when that competitive edge over takes you, getting annoyed when you fudge a jump but that’s to be expected. The single-player has enough to get you started with a few hours of gameplay, yet it’s the multiplayer that’ll have you coming back for more. Here’s hoping that Sprint Vector draws in enough of a crowd to sustain it, rather than becoming another multiplayer focused experience that gets forgotten about. Which would be a shame, because from where VRFocus is standing Sprint Vector is another hit for the studio.” – Read VRFocus’ Senior Staff Writer Peter Graham’s review of Sprint Vector here.

Sprint Vector is currently on sale for £18.39 (GBP) down from £22.99 and in fact is having a free weekend until 8am BST on 9th April should you want to try the title out before purchasing to celebrate the newly released update.

Ground Runner: Trials

Step into the driving seat in this fast paced sci-fi Hoverbike shooter in which players must go up against the odds sing speed, grace and combat. By using the motion controls to track your hand motions on the bikes controls and the weapons you have to use, Ground Runner: Trials will give you an adrenaline rush unlike no other as you become the most skilled hoverbike pilot there is.

Ground Runner: Trials is currently on sale for for £7.99 (GBP) down from £14.99.

The Climb screenshot

The Climb

From hoverbikes to scaling heights, The Climb will give you the exhilaration of extreme solo climbing as you climb higher then you ever have before. Take your time and enjoy the view or complete to have the faster time on the leaderboard with both touch and gamepay controls. Powered by the CryEngine, The Climb is a realistic climbing experience without having to leave your own house.

The Climb is currently the low price of £18.99 (GBP) down from £29.99.

Arizona Sunshine

“Arizona Sunshine is by no means a masterpiece, however it is a significant step closer to the VR experiences that early adopters know the technology is capable of. Hesitating to innovate too much, Arizona Sunshine cleverly picks-and-chooses from the key mechanics that have proven to work in four years of PC VR development and brings them to PlayStation 4 feeling almost new. Vertigo Games has created a hugely enjoyable FPS videogame for the early days of VR, but one which will undoubtedly look dated in just a few months.” – Read VRFocus’ Editor Kevin Joyce’s review of Arizona Sunshine on PlayStation VR here.

Arizona Sunshine is currently on sale for £18.39 (GBP) down from £29.99.

I Expect You To Die screenshot_04

I Expect You To Die

Live out the life of an elite secret agent in this puzzle title that will test all your skills as you attempt to survive deadly situations in immersive and dangerous locations. Can you complete each of the operations using problem-solving skills and your wits along with the power of telekinesis that you also have? No matter what the situation, keep your cool and try to get out alive by using ever resource you have. Can you be an elite secret agent?

I Expect You To Die is now only £10.99 (GBP) down from £18.99.

Rez Infinite AreaX 02

Rez Infinite

Winner of Best VR Game at The Game Awards 2016 and the return of a legendary title, Rez Infinite invites players to once again return to the full 360-degrees of mind-blowing synesthesia. Blast your way through waves of enemies and giant transforming bosses full of colours and sounds that sync and bled to the techno soundtrack that fills this title. Rez Infinite offers a fully immersive experience unlike anything else and is sure to give players a wild ride.

Rez Infinite is available for only £10.99 (GBP) which is down from £18.99.

Galaxy Golf

If you are looking for a new way to play crazy golf then why not take a trip to the outer reaches of our Galaxy in Galaxy Golf. Defy gravity as you work your way through tricky terrain and mini-planets in as few shots as possible. Play it safe and go for par or will you launch your ball into an orbit hoping for a hole-in-one? With simple one-touch controls and the freedom of VR to move, aim and view, Galaxy Golf will keep you entertained for some time as you take a golfing trip around the galaxy.

Galaxy Golf is currently over half price on sale for £0.79 (GBP) down from £3.99.

Wheel Rush

Get into the driving seat once again as you burn rubber on a space speedway with no speed limit. Featuring an endless track with obstacles to avoid and plenty of ways to earn points, Wheel Rush is a title that will give you the thrill of riding fast with no limits in your way. Just try not to cash as you race to become the faster rider in the galaxy.

Wheel Rush is currently on sale for the super low price of £0.08 (GBP) down from £0.79.

RUSH

“Take a dive into the adrenaline-pumping world of wingsuit flying with Rush. The intense VR action will have you on the edge of your seat as you soar down mountainsides at breakneck speeds. Weave through canyons, dodge outcrops, and plummeting down sheer drops as you race towards the finish line.”

RUSH is currently only £2.99 (GBP) on sale from £5.99.

Paint VR

Lastly today is something a little bit different as Paint VR is on sale. Have you ever wanted to bring your artist skills to life in VR? Well, with Paint VR you can do just that as your imagination is the only limit here. With a range of different brushes and tools to aid you in creating your next masterpiece, Paint VR is an immersive way to escape the real world and paint.

Paint VR is available for only £1.99 (GBP) right now on sale from £3.99.

That is all for this week but remember that VRFocus gathers all the best sales and deals every week, so check back next weekend at the same time to discover more.

May 10, 2017

Moonshot Galaxy Lands on PlayStation VR

A title that combines the game of golf with a physics puzzler, Moonshot Galaxy was previously known by the title of Galaxy Golf when it was first released on Steam for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift and now it is coming to PlayStation VR with updated content.

The basic concept of the game mirrors the game of golf in that the aim is to sink the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible, with golf scoring used to track progress. That, however, is where the similarity ends as there are no virtual golf clubs involved. Instead, the player uses a PlayStation Move controller to pick up the ball and throw it, paying attention to the parabolic arc for best accuracy.

“The sense of presence offered by virtual reality with motion controllers is unlike anything you can experience with flat-screen gaming. On top of that, we designed Moonshot Galaxy to be a unique game unlike anything else you can play in VR. The feeling of navigating these miniature worlds and reaching for the perfect shot is compelling, and seems to keep players coming back for more,” said Mars Jokela, Director of developer Liftoff Labs.

Moonshot Galaxy changed it’s name from Galaxy Golf after early feedback from Steam users indicated that the title was causing confusion as it didn’t reflect the puzzle-based gameplay.

“We collected comments, reviews, and conducted a VR player survey. The results were pretty consistent, in that the brand generated an assumption that the game would simply be ‘Golf in Space.’ It’s not. The game is really more of a physics puzzler, so in response, we chose a brand more aligned and true to the experience, which wouldn’t deter people who would have otherwise enjoyed the game,” said Jokela.

Moonshot Galaxy is now available on the PlayStation Store for $9.99 (USD). An update to the version on Steam is also available to add the content developed for the PlayStation VR version to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift with Touch.

VRFocus will continue to bring you news on new VR videogame releases.

May 4, 2017

Big Fish Games Renames Galaxy Golf ‘Moonshot Galaxy’ Ahead of PlayStation VR Release

Big Fish Games, a producer and distributor of casual videogames for PC and mobile has announced that Moonshot Galaxy a virtual reality (VR) that previously launched last year under the name Galaxy Golf will be coming to PlayStation VR.

Created by Big Fish’s newest internal studio, Liftoff Labs, Moonshot Galaxy is an interstellar golfing title where players navigate challenges in four branches of the universe in this puzzle adventure.

Moonshot Galaxy

“For our debut in VR development we wanted to make a game that took full advantage of what makes VR different from traditional games. VR provides depth perception, so it’s great for exploring spaces and understanding the dimensionality of the world and using that understanding for gameplay,” said Mars Jokela, Director of Liftoff Labs in a statement. “We wanted it to be mellow and accessible, low pressure, and where reaction time wouldn’t be a factor. Moonshot Galaxy has a friendly pick-up-and-play design which makes it an excellent choice for newcomers to VR.

“We also wanted a game that was highly replayable and challenging to master. We added a ‘Pro Mode’ to offer more game time to seasoned VR fans and trophy hunters. I’m thrilled to bring Moonshot Galaxy to PS VR and I think players will find it an innovative and fun addition to their game collection.”

Galaxy Golf originally launched for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR, and Google Cardboard. Players who bought that iteration of the title will automatically receive the full Moonshot Galaxy update as it goes live on each VR platform.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Big Fish Games, reporting back with the latest updates.

September 9, 2016

‘Galaxy Golf’ Review

Galaxy Golf by developer Liftoff Labs disguises a fun physics puzzler as a game of arcade golf in virtual reality.

Galaxy Golf Details:

Official Site
Developer: Liftoff Labs
Publisher: Big Fish Games
Available On: Steam (Vive, Rift)
Reviewed On: HTC Vive
Release Date: August 24th, 2016

Gameplay

The courses in this game are actually 3D planets. The player is able to manipulate the planets around them by pulling the trigger on the motion controllers and grabbing the surface, pulling themselves around in order to look and see the best possible route to the hole. You can adjust where you want the ball to go by simply grabbing it with the trigger and moving the controller up or down. A translucent blue line will indicate the trajectory of the ball.

The player must utilize the planet’s gravity in order to get the ball as close to the hole as possible. So, rather than hitting forewords like in normal golf, the player must send the ball into orbit around the planet and avoid obstacles along the way.

As the levels progress the holes get more and more difficult, slowly introducing water features, asteroids, lava and several other obstacles. When combined, these planetary features offer an interesting challenge for the player and add a nice variety to the gameplay. There were several tense moments where I was sure my ball was going to be intercepted by an asteroid, but then it just barely squeaked by.

There are two different courses with 9 holes each: Pleasant Hills and Frosty Brimstone. Each level has their own unique style offering different challenges.

Overall the gameplay is fun and challenging; it can be frustrating at times but when you finally figure out how to knock a stroke off your game it can be rewarding.

Immersion

When you first boot up Galaxy Golf you’re immediately surrounded by cartoonish miniature planets floating in 3D space. Melodic celestial music plays in the background as you float above the planet sized golf courses. After being inside the game for about 10 minutes I felt relaxed and absorbed as I tried to figure out the best way to the hole.

Floating in space with the hypnotic soundtrack is a great way to unwind. For many players, myself included, this is what VR is all about. You come home from a long day at school or work and sometimes you just want to launch a giant golf ball into orbit around a planet that’s bursting with a massive volcano; it’s an escape to something totally different.

Comfort

Galaxy Golf was exceptionally comfortable my entire playthrough. The controls were intuitive and manipulating planets was as easy as gripping the planet’s surface and cruising around. Using the motion controls to aim where the ball would go felt natural and easy. Since this game was built for room scale, you can also simply walk around your play space and view the planets that way (walking around the planets is actually pretty entertaining). I expect that most players won’t experience any sort of motion sickness when playing this game.

Conclusion

Overall Galaxy Golf is a well-polished experience. From the sleek user interface to the intuitive controls it’s easy to just pick up and play. However, many VR users are looking for a more substantial gaming experience. The game only manages to serve as a minor distraction for maybe half an hour at a time. It would have been nice to see maybe different ways of manipulating the ball or different kinds of shots that you can take other than just being able to control the height and power you put behind the ball. I found myself wishing it was longer; as I was finally hitting my stride I was sad to see that there were only two levels with nine holes each. Ultimately, Galaxy Golf has a lot of potential and a great concept; at $5 it’s definitely worth checking out.

The post ‘Galaxy Golf’ Review appeared first on Road to VR.