‘Swords of Gargantua’ Gets Rogue-lite Adventure Mode in New Update

Swords of Gargantua (2019), the multiplatform combat arena from Yomuneco and gumi, now includes a new rouge-lite adventure mode that tasks players with going into what the studios call ‘The Tesseract Abyss’.

The new update is said to put players into the deepest layers of the 4D space known as the ‘Tesseract’, tasking players to earn weapons and coins while they battle increasing difficult foes along the way.

Available in both single and multiplayer, the Tesseract Abyss is now live on all supported platforms, which includes Steam and Viveport (Vive, Rift, Index, Windows VR), and the Oculus Store (Rift, Quest).

Tesseract Abyss Features

  • Level up your character – Player rank goes up as your performance does. As your rank increases so do abilities of your choosing.
  • Become stronger through your abilities – You can use your earned coins to strengthen your abilities, such as overall HP or your strength. Therefore, the more you play Tesseract Abyss the further you can progress!
  • Increase strength through weapon crafting – You can combine duplicate weapons to make stronger versions of themselves. Depending on your strategy, you can collect and strengthen a lot of weaker type weapons or earn more powerful weapons later on and speed up the process.
  • Give yourself a temporary boost through artifacts – Artifacts are consumable items that players can purchase for temporary buffs, such as strength or health boosts. They can be purchased with coins and then brought into battles.
  • Carry items into the abyss – Bring your items and weapons into battle! Up to four weapons and/or artifacts can be brought into battle

The post ‘Swords of Gargantua’ Gets Rogue-lite Adventure Mode in New Update appeared first on Road to VR.

Sign-up for Swords of Gargantua’s 2nd Closed Beta Test

Last month Japanese studios Yomuneco and gumi Inc. launched their first closed beta for upcoming action title Swords of Gargantua. This week the developers have begun a second closed beta, but this time they’re accepting a much bigger pool of players to join in and provide feedback.

Swords of Gargantua

Just like before, if you’re keen on applying you’ll need an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset and then head on over to Swords of Gargantua’s Discord channel. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the #beta-apply channel. If accepted, all beta testers who share their feedback through a provided survey will be given the opportunity to have their name added to the credits as a Closed Beta Tester.

For this second beta test Yomuneco has included several new additions, including a new combo system that amplifies your damage after a successful block, dodge or parry, more weapons to fight with – a Samurai sword and Club – plus instead of pre-set enemy waves, now players will fight enemies based on how well they perform. The stronger you are, the harder the enemy.

The Swords of Gargantua closed beta is already running so sign-up as quickly as possible to avoid missing out. The beta will run until Sunday, 7th April 2019.

Swords of Gargantua

Designed as proper hack n’ slash style adventure, with Swords of Gargantua the studio has paid particular attention to making the sword-based gameplay as realistic as possible. Thus ensuring every player movement is finely tuned and mirrored directly in the virtual world.

This isn’t a solitary experience either. With a cross-platform four-player co-op mode you can collaborate with friends on taking down all sorts of dangerous enemies. There will be a variety of weapons for different gameplay styles, with a total of 30 to unlock across 100 single-player missions, while multiplayer will feature native voice chat, allowing you to develop strategies with your team before heading into combat.

VRFocus saw an early version at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018, saying in the preview: “What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat.” Yomuneco has yet to reveal a launch window or date for Swords of Gargantua, when it does VRFocus will let you know.

Test Those Hand-to-Hand Skills as Swords of Gargantua Announces a Closed Beta

Japanese developer Yomuneco Inc. first showcased its sword-wielding action title Swords of Gargantua during the Game Developers Conference (GDC) last year, followed by a demo version a few months later for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Today, the studio is seeking players for a new closed beta due to launch this month.

Swords of Gargantua

Yomuneco Inc. will be running the closed beta test for all Steam users globally from 15th February 2019 all the way through to Friday 22nd February (JST). Spaces will, of course, be limited, so for a chance to win a closed beta key, you’ll need to join the Swords of Gargantua Discord channel and leave a comment in the #beta-apply page.

“Winners will get a private message on Friday, February 15 with a Steam key giving them access to the beta. If players share their feedback via Discord and finish a survey after the beta test, their name will earn a place in the staff role credits in-game,” the studio tells VRFocus.

Swords of Gargantua is a proper hack n’ slash style adventure, with the studio paying particular attention to finessing the sword-based gameplay, aiming to perfectly mirror your real-life movements. This isn’t a solitary experience either. With a real-time online multiplayer you and three other teammates can collaborate on taking down the enemy. There will be a variety of weapons for different gameplay styles and native voice chat, allowing you to develop strategies with your team before heading into combat.

Swords of Gargantua

There will be waves of enemies to vanquish, all ranging in size and strength. The ultimate goal, however, is to get past these pesky foes to meet the gigantic nemesis, Gargantua.

While there’s a good chance plenty has changed since VRFocus last saw the title almost a year ago, for the first preview of Swords of Gargantua we said: “It’s very early days for Gargantua, with this demo really only offering a teasing taste of what’s to come. What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat.”

VRFocus will be continuing its coverage of Swords of Gargantua, reporting back with the latest updates.

Yomuneco Release Playable Demo For VR Sword Fighting Title Gargantua

The upcoming online action role-playing game (RPG) virtual reality (VR) title Gargantua, from Tokyo-based VR developer Yomuneco has received a number of new details. The most notable of these is the finalization of the title for the project which is now Swords of Gargantua, along with a release window and a playable demo. 

Swords of Gargantua

Swords of Gargantua invites players into a world dominated by a race of giants called the Gargantua, where up to four players will join together and fight in epic real-time battles against these giants and their forces all for the sake of humanity. The title features intense realistic battles where every hit, block, punch, and interaction deliver satisfying feedback through a unique collision system that has been designed for the title. No more swinging swords through an opponent, unless of course you are intending to cut through their neck perhaps.

The online co-op of the title will allow players to rally friends or join a random squad and fight together in beautifully-designed stages. Teamwork and communication skills will be a key part of success, along with your fighting ability, as you all try to overcome the challenges that await you.

Swords of Gargantua

VRFocus was able to get hands on with the title back at the Games Developer Conference (GDC) 2018 where Senior Staff Writer Peter Graham previewed Swords of Gargantua saying: “It’s very early days for Gargantua, with this demo really only offering a teasing taste of what’s to come. What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat. As development continues VRFocus will be keenly watching Gargantua‘s progress.”

Yomuneco has now released the first public playable build of the title as well, which is compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The demo is a small taste of what players can expect in the full release, when it releases into Early Access later this year. Bugs may pop up in the demo but you can download it to try for yourself now.

As work continues on Swords of Gargantua, VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest. With a release planed for later this year into Early Access, players won’t have to wait long to experience this intense title in full. You can see the latest trailer for the title below as well.

Yomuneco Discuss Their Multiplayer Co-Op Sword Fighting Title Gargantua

Japanese based Yomuneco are trying to change the way videogame players interact with characters while sword fighting. VRFocus spoke to Kiyoshi Shin, CEO of Yomuneco Inc. and Producer of their latest virtual reality (VR) title Gargantua about how it’s making sword fighting more realistic.

GARGANTUA - Screenshot

With the title as it is you may think, Shen says, that Gargantua is the name of a giant within the videogame. But in fact the the title gets its name of a pentalogy of French novels, The Life of Gargantua and of Patagruel, which was written in the 16th Century by Francois Rabelais.  Though they don’t exactly follow the same story, Gargantua is set in a fictional land where robots and humans are fighting for control of the world. With two generations of giants existing, humans are now trying to overthrow the mechs and regain control.

Utilising an Oculus Rift, VRFocus got hands-on with Gargantua at this year’s Game Developers Conference, getting to grips with the various melee weapons, as well as learning techniques and ways to deal with enemies. Through a combination of a tutorial and then getting stuck into various waves of enemies, you learn how to use each weapon, as well as how ebst to use shields and the lock-on mechanisms to both attack and defend yourself.

Shin explains that the majority of VR videogames consist of first-person shooters (FPS), something that Japanese videogame developers and audiences are less interested in. Instead, they’re more focused on role-playing games (RPG’s), fighting big bosses and wielding large swords. With Gargantua they’re hoping to bring elements of RPG’s into VR; specifically those with sword fighting. Yomuneco have developed a new collision system which can detect where enemies are hitting the player’s arm – something missing from previous VR sword fighting games.

He indicates and showcases on his right arm where a sword can hit, and the development the technology around it. However Shin’s biggest source of pride is making Gargantua for four player co-op. At the moment Gargantua is being developed for the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, however he says that it might also be coming to mixed reality (MR) headsets. Gargantua will have around six hours of gameplay and will be focused on PC VR. Shin believes that what they’re doing in terms of new developments and systems will help make fighting bosses altogether more enjoyable and fun. Magic and spellcasting are also set to be introduced to Gargantua in the future, allowing player the chance to try different tactics. Replayability is also set to be high with random waves of enemies and bosses waking up – so you’d best keep on your toes whenever you go in because it’ll be different every time.

Gargantua will be released at the end of 2018 and will be available to play for four people, to find out more watch the video below.

 

GDC 2018: Hands-On With Intense Combat-Focused RPG Gargantua

GDC 2018: Hands-On With Intense Combat-Focused RPG Gargantua

I’ve demoed a lot of VR games over the years. Some of them never get released, some of them actually get finished, and some of them still wallow in limbo somewhere between Early Access and Completed Project. Regardless of how the game ends up though, it’s very rare that a VR game really impresses me anymore. I’ve seen most of the mechanics people try to use for tricking the brain and I’m seldom surprised. Gargantua from Yomuneco on the other hand is a game that surprised me.

Going into my demo at GDC 2018 I knew very little about the game or company. As it turns out, Yomuneco is partnered with Gumi and is made up of veteran AAA Japanese developers that have credits on games like Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XIV, Guilty Gear, Shadow of the Colossus, Grandia, The Last Guardian, Lunar: Silver Star Story, and several others. Now they’ve got my attention.

Gargantua is being designed as a co-op focused action-RPG with a heavy emphasis on intense, visceral combat. The multiplayer will be class-based and feature a variety of weapons, upgrade paths, and abilities to develop over the course of the game. For the sake of my demo, I was just a relatively standard melee fighter without any bells or whistles.

The demo began in a dark, drab dungeon environment that served as a lite tutorial. I was playing on an Oculus Rift using Oculus Touch so the control sticks let me move smoothly across the environment and snap rotate to adjust my view. When in combat there was a clever dodge mechanic at play that, when toggled, let me take a step either forward, backward, or to either side using my actual feet to trigger a quick dash move. This was nifty during combat because it let me get out of the way of attacks and close distance for melee strikes. When moving the FOV dimmed and narrowed to cut back on motion sickness, which they said could be toggled for the full game.

In terms of melee combat, Gargantua has one of the better systems I’ve seen in a VR game so far. The physics system detects when your weapons collide with other solid objects (such as enemy bodies, weapons, or walls) and causes your weapons to stop moving. This is a big change from most other VR games in which your swings just pass through everything as if they were translucent, like Skyrim VR. When I slash a bandit in that game it feels like I’m cutting air, but in Gargantua the haptic feedback and visual stoppage of my weapon really communicates another level of intensity.

Perhaps even more unique than the weapon collision system is that you can lock the camera onto enemies while you’re fighting as well. This works a lot like it does in Zelda or Dark Souls games, meaning a reticle appears on the enemy and it helps focus your sight on them while they move around, so you can do things like strafe and flank enemies. It was a little bit jarring at first to have the camera moving a bit beyond my head tracking control, but I quickly adapted to the movement. It feels like a great way to ensure that the first person melee combat goes smoothly.

My only taste of combat came in the way of a single room with waves of enemies descending upon me over time. The developers mentioned that these sorts of encounters aren’t planned for the full game, but are just there for demo purposes, which I sincerely hope is true since I’ve had my fill of wave-based encounters in VR.

It was a bit difficult to tell if my block was successful or if the enemy was hitting me since the visual effects were often red in both cases. There were some minor bugs here and there as well, which is to be expected. The dungeon and outdoor environment that I explored both had a strong sense of scale with beautiful scenery, waterfalls, and white stone designs. That’s fitting since it’s the level designer also worked on The Last Guardian.

Unfortunately I only got to try a single player tease of the game, but playing Gargantua with up to three other people seems like an ideal arrangement, especially once other classes are added into the mix.

The developers at Yomuneco tell me that they’re planning to release a free, small demo version of Gargantua on itch.io “very soon” with an Early Access release to follow near end of summer. The full game is planned to launch around the end of the year for both Rift and Vive. A PSVR version is in development, but there are no dates for that version yet, pending Sony approvals.

Let us know what you think of Gargantua so far down in the comments below!

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Preview: Gargantua – Tense Japanese Combat Mayhem

If there’s one thing virtual reality (VR) headsets have a lot of it’s shooting experiences. While melee combat does crop up here and there, in titles like Raw Data and Sairento VR, there’s not many focused purely on sword-based gameplay (besides the likes of Fruit Ninja). Japanese videogames tend to lean towards melee combat – you can’t have missed all the giant, ludicrously oversized swords in anime – and its that trend developer Yomuneco has continued with, Gargantua, its second VR title, being shown at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2018 for the first time.

GARGANTUA - LogoThe early demo Yomuneco had on display ran on Oculus Rift, set in a dark fantasy universe where long ago Giants created the Gargantua to do their bidding, the Gargantua eventually revolted and destroyed the Giants. Then many years later the Gargantua made the same mistakes, creating humans to be their slaves who in turn revolted and turned against their creators.

For this showcase the demo was split into two, the first part was all about learning the controls wandering, around and getting used to everything. Several stuffed dummies were setup to hack away at, helping practice those swings using several weapons including a sword, dagger, and an axe. Flail wildly and it was easy to whittle down the limited stamina wheel quickly, without really even noticing.

GARGANTUA - Screenshot

Just like any good melee-focused videogame there’s the option to dual wield depending on play style. While this kind of worked – Gargantua uses a smooth locomotion system combined with a vignette for comfort – it was far easier to combine the movement controller with a shield instead. General movement was slow yet purposeful, however for those keen on two-handed combat the studio has put a dash system in place when those close encounters get a bit too much, using a button press and head lean to get out of harms way.

Whilst not instantly noticeable from the dimly lit corridors at the start, the landscape design and artwork found latter on is something to behold. It might be due to the fact that one of the artists at Yomuneco happened to work on Shadow of the Colossus, with grand hallways that seem to stretch into infinity.

After taking in the eerie sights and sounds its time to get down to business, with the second part of Gargantua focused solely on that melee combat, starting a wave sequence that begins with one knight, eventually ending with three to vanquish. It’s here that Yomuneco has spent its time perfecting hand-to-hand combat, with attacks feeling solid and weighty, especially when trying to block an opponent.

GARGANTUA - ScreenshotNaturally, this being an early demo there were the odd bugs and glitches, but nothing gameplay breaking that ruined the experience. Throwing weapons was possibly the oddest mechanic. Weapons could be picked off the floor with the grab button which could then be released without dropping it. However, this also meant that throwing a dagger required clicking the grip button at the right time. With immersion being such a big part of VR entertainment, the natural reaction is to open your hand when throwing something rather than essentially gripping it instead, a system that took a moment to get used to.

It’s very early days for Gargantua, with this demo really only offering a teasing taste of what’s to come. What was shown is certainly exciting, with an intriguing storyline mixed with gritty aesthetics and fluid combat. As development continues VRFocus will be keenly watching Gargantua‘s progress.