Review: Final Space VR – The Rescue

Final Space: The Rescue

Virtual reality (VR) has proven to be a great avenue for IP owners to explore when they’re looking to connect with fans in new ways. Prime examples include Owlchemy Labs’ Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners by Skydance Interactive, servicing fans desire for new content just in a different medium. The latest to follow this path is Olan Rogers’ Final Space series which has concluded after three seasons, leaving fans of Gary, Mooncake, Hue and the rest of the Galaxy One gang yearning for something more. The question is, can Final Space VR – The Rescue live up to the cartoons’ legacy?

Final Space: The Rescue

In the hands of Knockout League creators Grab Games, Final Space VR – The Rescue drops you in the shoes of either Gary, Avocato, Nightfall, or Tribore on a mission to rescue the beloved, planet-destroying Mooncake. This all-new adventure pits you against a new foe STVN, an AI looking to utilise Mooncake’s extraordinary powers for nefarious means.

There’s a lot to get excited about – if you’re a Final Space fan – as this is an official tie-in. Gary and the gang all sound exactly as they should, with their own character traits such as Tribore’s classic phrasing. The still image cut scenes all look like they’ve been taken straight out of the cartoon and if you’re playing in co-op mode, seeing friends embody the animated cast really does look awesome.

What Final Space VR – The Rescue actually delivers though is a fairly generic shooter that’s very short and noticeably repetitive in single-player. The campaign plays out over three chapters, each one took roughly 30-40mins to complete on the normal difficulty setting. A harder mode is available but there isn’t really anything to encourage you back in, one shot straight through felt enough.

Final Space: The Rescue

Essentially an elaborate wave shooter as you get locked down in rooms which you have to clear before moving on, enemies come in three flavours. You’ve got the robots (called S.A.M.E.S) with a basic grunt that charges, one with a rifle that keeps its distance (they do actually dodge and dive out the way a little), small annoying bugs which scuttle across the ground then leap at your face and flying drones. Other than the boss sections to break up the gameplay, walking through room after room facing the same basic opponents is a real misfire considering the amount of creatures Final Space featured over its 33 episodes.   

To deal with these foes you can pick up a selection of weaponry along the way, a Pistol, SMG, Shotgun, Plasma Rifle and Grenade Launcher. None of them requires ammo and they all reload automatically. The four guns can instantly be reloaded by hitting the trigger at the correct moment. This quick reload feature is common in shooters but in a VR game where you’re dual-wielding, it becomes an unnecessary burden as the bar isn’t always in view.

You can arm yourself to the teeth though. Holding a total of four weapons – one on each shoulder and one in each hand – it’s very easy to switch between them depending on your strategy for each situation. They can all be held with both hands for a better aim yet without any recoil why bother, simply go out two shotguns blazing.

Final Space VR - The Rescue

Final Space VR – The Rescue is noticeably lacking other interactive elements. There’s nothing to pick up as cookies to help heal you are automatically collected by walking through them and the same with door key cards. You don’t have to climb anything and there are no grenades to throw, the closest you’ll get is being able to gun butt enemies.   

So the single-player isn’t really selling Final Space VR – The Rescue. However, Final Space was never just about one character and it is in the co-op where the experience really shines. There’s a random matchmaking option if you need it although what you really want is a bunch of Final Space loving mates to team up with. Offering clear voice chat – with the settings allowing for fully open or activated by pressing A or X – the experience quickly falls into place as everyone unleashes some Final Space banter.

There is something missing though. And it wasn’t until the third chapter that the realisation struck, it’s devoid of Final Space’s crazy action sequences. Almost every episode seemed to feature Gary and the team doing some death-defying leap down onto a planet or flying into a sun. There’s none of that here. The outlandishness of the cartoon hasn’t been brought over, feeling very safe in comparison to what could’ve been created.  

Final Space has a legion of loyal fans and that’s exactly who Final Space VR – The Rescue is being catered towards. If you’ve never seen the show and you buy this as a single-player shooter you’ll be disappointed. It looks good, sounds great and plays well yet there’s so much missing to make this an awesome sci-fi FPS. You need friends who love the cartoon to truly get something out of Final Space VR – The Rescue. Another concern was that there was no teleport to be found and no additional gameplay modes. A co-op like this would’ve benefited from a horde mode or something to keep you coming back for more. Final Space VR – The Rescue had its fun moments but just like the show, it ended too soon.  

Review: Final Space VR – The Rescue

Virtual reality (VR) has proven to be a great avenue for IP owners to explore when they’re looking to connect with fans in new ways. Prime examples include Owlchemy Labs’ Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners by Skydance Interactive, servicing fans desire for new content just in a different medium. The latest to follow this path is Olan Rogers’ Final Space series which has concluded after three seasons, leaving fans of Gary, Mooncake, Hue and the rest of the Galaxy One gang yearning for something more. The question is, can Final Space VR – The Rescue live up to the cartoons’ legacy?

Final Space: The Rescue

In the hands of Knockout League creators Grab Games, Final Space VR – The Rescue drops you in the shoes of either Gary, Avocato, Nightfall, or Tribore on a mission to rescue the beloved, planet-destroying Mooncake. This all-new adventure pits you against a new foe STVN, an AI looking to utilise Mooncake’s extraordinary powers for nefarious means.

There’s a lot to get excited about – if you’re a Final Space fan – as this is an official tie-in. Gary and the gang all sound exactly as they should, with their own character traits such as Tribore’s classic phrasing. The still image cut scenes all look like they’ve been taken straight out of the cartoon and if you’re playing in co-op mode, seeing friends embody the animated cast really does look awesome.

What Final Space VR – The Rescue actually delivers though is a fairly generic shooter that’s very short and noticeably repetitive in single-player. The campaign plays out over three chapters, each one took roughly 30-40mins to complete on the normal difficulty setting. A harder mode is available but there isn’t really anything to encourage you back in, one shot straight through felt enough.

Final Space: The Rescue

Essentially an elaborate wave shooter as you get locked down in rooms which you have to clear before moving on, enemies come in three flavours. You’ve got the robots (called S.A.M.E.S) with a basic grunt that charges, one with a rifle that keeps its distance (they do actually dodge and dive out the way a little), small annoying bugs which scuttle across the ground then leap at your face and flying drones. Other than the boss sections to break up the gameplay, walking through room after room facing the same basic opponents is a real misfire considering the amount of creatures Final Space featured over its 33 episodes.   

To deal with these foes you can pick up a selection of weaponry along the way, a Pistol, SMG, Shotgun, Plasma Rifle and Grenade Launcher. None of them requires ammo and they all reload automatically. The four guns can instantly be reloaded by hitting the trigger at the correct moment. This quick reload feature is common in shooters but in a VR game where you’re dual-wielding, it becomes an unnecessary burden as the bar isn’t always in view.

You can arm yourself to the teeth though. Holding a total of four weapons – one on each shoulder and one in each hand – it’s very easy to switch between them depending on your strategy for each situation. They can all be held with both hands for a better aim yet without any recoil why bother, simply go out two shotguns blazing.

Final Space VR - The Rescue

Final Space VR – The Rescue is noticeably lacking other interactive elements. There’s nothing to pick up as cookies to help heal you are automatically collected by walking through them and the same with door key cards. You don’t have to climb anything and there are no grenades to throw, the closest you’ll get is being able to gun butt enemies.   

So the single-player isn’t really selling Final Space VR – The Rescue. However, Final Space was never just about one character and it is in the co-op where the experience really shines. There’s a random matchmaking option if you need it although what you really want is a bunch of Final Space loving mates to team up with. Offering clear voice chat – with the settings allowing for fully open or activated by pressing A or X – the experience quickly falls into place as everyone unleashes some Final Space banter.

There is something missing though. And it wasn’t until the third chapter that the realisation struck, it’s devoid of Final Space’s crazy action sequences. Almost every episode seemed to feature Gary and the team doing some death-defying leap down onto a planet or flying into a sun. There’s none of that here. The outlandishness of the cartoon hasn’t been brought over, feeling very safe in comparison to what could’ve been created.  

Final Space has a legion of loyal fans and that’s exactly who Final Space VR – The Rescue is being catered towards. If you’ve never seen the show and you buy this as a single-player shooter you’ll be disappointed. It looks good, sounds great and plays well yet there’s so much missing to make this an awesome sci-fi FPS. You need friends who love the cartoon to truly get something out of Final Space VR – The Rescue. Another concern was that there was no teleport to be found and no additional gameplay modes. A co-op like this would’ve benefited from a horde mode or something to keep you coming back for more. Final Space VR – The Rescue had its fun moments but just like the show, it ended too soon.  

Enter Final Space on Meta Quest Today

Final Space: The Rescue

Netflix cartoon Final Space may have come to an end after three seasons but that’s not the last we’ll hear of Gary, Mooncake and the rest of the gang. Today will see the arrival of Final Space: The Rescue for Meta Quest, a cooperative shooter taking fans on a brand new adventure.

Developed by Grab Games – creator of boxing title Knockout LeagueFinal Space: The Rescue tasks you with rescuing Mooncake from an unnamed force, shooting your way through wave after wave of Final Space enemies; most of which seem to be robots.

The cartoon series was all about the squad of the Galaxy One working together and that’s no different in this VR experience. Whilst you can play solo, Final Space: The Rescue supports four-player co-op, where you can choose to play as Gary, Avocato, Nightfall, or Tribore. You’ll be able to utilise an arsenal of weaponry to fight through the onslaught of opponents.

Apart from the most recent gameplay trailer (seen above), Grab Games hasn’t released too many details regarding other facets of Final Space: The Rescue such as weapon variety, if there are multiple modes or any other gameplay features that don’t include shooting.

Final Space: The Rescue

What is expected is plenty of nods and easter eggs to the popular TV series, much in the same way Owlchemy Labs’ Rick And Morty: Virtual Rick-ality did back in 2017. VRFocus would expect to see the likes of the Lord Commander, Bolo and maybe even the appearance of KVN along the way.

Final Space: The Rescue launches today at 6pm GMT/10am PST (13th January) for Quest 1 & 2, with SteamVR and PlayStation VR editions arriving at a later date. For continued updates keep reading VRFocus.

Enter Final Space on Meta Quest Today

Netflix cartoon Final Space may have come to an end after three seasons but that’s not the last we’ll hear of Gary, Mooncake and the rest of the gang. Today will see the arrival of Final Space: The Rescue for Meta Quest, a cooperative shooter taking fans on a brand new adventure.

Developed by Grab Games – creator of boxing title Knockout LeagueFinal Space: The Rescue tasks you with rescuing Mooncake from an unnamed force, shooting your way through wave after wave of Final Space enemies; most of which seem to be robots.

The cartoon series was all about the squad of the Galaxy One working together and that’s no different in this VR experience. Whilst you can play solo, Final Space: The Rescue supports four-player co-op, where you can choose to play as Gary, Avocato, Nightfall, or Tribore. You’ll be able to utilise an arsenal of weaponry to fight through the onslaught of opponents.

Apart from the most recent gameplay trailer (seen above), Grab Games hasn’t released too many details regarding other facets of Final Space: The Rescue such as weapon variety, if there are multiple modes or any other gameplay features that don’t include shooting.

Final Space: The Rescue

What is expected is plenty of nods and easter eggs to the popular TV series, much in the same way Owlchemy Labs’ Rick And Morty: Virtual Rick-ality did back in 2017. VRFocus would expect to see the likes of the Lord Commander, Bolo and maybe even the appearance of KVN along the way.

Final Space: The Rescue launches today at 6pm GMT/10am PST (13th January) for Quest 1 & 2, with SteamVR and PlayStation VR editions arriving at a later date. For continued updates keep reading VRFocus.

Slapstick VR Boxing Game Knockout League Hits Quest Next Week With Cross-Buy

Another contender is stepping into the ring on Oculus Quest. Grab Games’ Knockout League hits the platform soon.

The slapstick VR boxing game will launch on the standalone headset on October 17. An Oculus Store listing for the game confirms as much.

knockout league steam 1

Knockout League is a little different from other VR boxing games like Creed: Rise to Glory and The Thrill Of The Fight (both of which are either on or coming to Quest). While the game does have a deep combat system, it’s far from a simulation. Your enemies, for example, range from a mad scientist using technology to confront you to, well, a tea-drinking octopus named Sir Octopunch. Need I say more?

We were quite fond of Knockout League when it first launched on PC VR headsets. “Knockout League is a VR game that makes no qualms with trying to hide what it is or fool you into thinking it’s something more,” we wrote. “This is about as direct a translation of the classic Punch-Out!! arcade-style gameplay as you’re going to find and it absolutely works, even if it lacks some originality.”

The game’s since come to PSVR too.

The store listing confirms that the game will support cross-buy. That means if you bought the Rift version of the game on the Oculus Store, you’ll get it for free on Quest. Otherwise, it’ll cost $19.99.

There’s plenty more Quest goodness on the way, too. Synth Riders is due before the end of the month and Pistol Whip finally arrives in early November. Best charge those headsets.

Will you be buying Knockout League Quest? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Slapstick VR Boxing Game Knockout League Hits Quest Next Week With Cross-Buy appeared first on UploadVR.

Review: Knockout League

The majority of sports titles in recent years have gone down the route of increased realism, incorporating features like facial mapping to bring it as close to the real world as possible. Knockout League goes in a totally different direction, recalling classic arcade gameplay for a simple but engaging fighting title.

If you are after some exercise, then Knockout League will have you covered – mostly in sweat. The tutorial is fun and easy to follow, and quickly sets you up for the procession of ludicrous opponents you are about to face.

One of the main draws is the comedic stylings of the contenders you are put up against, like a pirate with an honest-to-god hook hand. Early opponents are regular human boxers, giving you chance to get your feet under you and get the hang of punching, blocking and dodging. The latter two are particularly important as this is the point where you will realise that you need to learn your enemy’s patterns in order to succeed.

For the most part, adopting an offensive style will do you no favours, as opponents will cheerfully no-sell your attacks and punt you into the middle of next week with two attacks. You’ll be getting plenty of cardio by dancing out of the way of swords, hooks and tentacles waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Shades of classic Nintendo arcade fighter Punch-Out will be called quickly to mind, though thankfully Knockout League lacks the brutal difficulty of the former title. In fact, the difficulty curve feels about right, though frequent breaks are recommended – to rehydrate yourself if nothing else.

Graphically, it looks great. The animations are smooth and do a great job of telegraphing what attack is coming next. The cartoonish style works well, particularly for the various outlandish characters that enter the ring.

Curiously, there are little 2D animated biographies that you can choose to watch that give you some background on each fighter. It’s a nice little touch and somewhat unexpected for an arcade-style title like Knockout League.

Knockout League Iron Maiden

Knockout League isn’t very long, but it has a pleasing rhythm once you have learned all the required movesets. There is some annoyance to be found, though, particularly as at times it doesn’t seem to matter where or when you hit an opponent, it doesn’t register since you haven’t struck at the mandated ‘vulnerable’ moment.

Aside from providing a fun way to work up a sweat, there’s not huge amount of point coming back to Knockout League once you’ve defeated all the available opponents. There is a fitness trainer mode that does a decent job at burning some calories, but its not the sort of thing that will hold your attention for long.

Overall, Knockout League is an entertaining arcade fitness title. As long as you are expecting the kind of arcade-style pattern matching and not a proper boxing simulator, you are quite likely to derive some entertainment out of Knockout League, as well as get some decent exercise from it.

80%
Awesome
  • Verdict

Watch Counter-Strike in AR With gameviewAR

Grab Games have revealed gameviewAR, a new augmented reality (AR) spectator application built on Google’s ARCore to let viewers get closer to Counter-Strike then ever before.

gameviewAR Screenshot 01

Built using Unreal Engine 4 and Google’s ARCore, gameviewAR opens up a wide range of opportunities for viewers to enjoy their favourite content in a whole new way. Thanks ARCore, more devices and users then ever are now ready to make use of the technology and enjoy AR content right in the palm of their hand. With a focus on eSports, users will for the first time be able to direct the viewpoint themselves as they walk around the play area, watching the action unfold right in front of them.

Currently a preview of gameviewAR is available to download on the Google Play Store right now and comes loaded with a select number of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) ESL matches. Viewers will be able to watch this in AR and have full control over what they want to focus on with complete freedom to zoom, rotate, lea in or even walk around the play field. Complete with video playback controls users will be able to scrub through replays at the tap of the screen letting them watch highlights over and over again. If that does not already sound like enough then why not also record clips directly from gameviewAR and share them out with your friends all without having to leave the action.

gameviewAR Screenshot 02

With more videogames planned to be supported in the future, including tournament coverage and more, users who want to experience the heated moments of an eSports match in AR will be able to thanks to gameviewAR.

Elsewhere the developers of gameviewAR, Grab Games, also worked on Knockout League where players entered a boxing ring with an Octopus and the John Wick Chronicles. Both of these VR virtual reality (VR) titles offered different experiences to the players but were generally well put together. Now, with the company wokring on gameviewAR they can take the knowledge learned from their past titles and applied it to what is already shaping up to be an interesting way to enjoy eSports content. You can see a video of gameviewAR below.

VRFocus will be sure to cover all the latest on gameviewAR in the future so be sure to stay tuned for more.

Knockout League Review – Punch-Out!! Gets The VR Treatment

Knockout League Review – Punch-Out!! Gets The VR Treatment

Let’s make this very clear: Knockout League is about as close as you’re going to get to a VR iteration of Nintendo’s classic arcade-style boxing game, Punch-Out!! The developers at Grab Games know this, I know this — we all know this. But with that being said, it absolutely works here.

Knockout League is both thrilling to play but easy to learn. Anyone can pick up their motion controllers of choice and jump into the ring against one of nine different characters and that accessibility is a big part of what makes it feel so great to play.

Just like Punch-Out!! the characters in Knockout League get gradually more difficult as you go along. The first batch are extremely simple and likely won’t require any retries on the standard difficulty settings as you just need to evade and counter when you see an opening, but that isn’t the case for many of the later opponents. For example, Showtime is a pompous, shades-wearing, conceited, and arrogant piece of crap. Ever since I first laid my eyes on him I was dripping with hatred. He was extremely frustrating to fight, like all three of the final batch, and made me want to pull my hair out a bit.

Thankfully the difficulty curve feels just about right. The second and third batch of enemies is much more difficult than the first, but it doesn’t take such a drastic leap that it feels unbeatable. Having nine opponents is a good number, but it does feel like it could use a bit more depth. At the very least a handful more opponents, some alternate game modes, or especially multiplayer, would have gone a long way. Or at the very least a bit more excitement pizzazz put into the environments and rings themselves.

And one of the underappreciated features that Knockout League introduces are short, animated stories for each of your opponents. Watching them is totally optional and they’re just in flat 2D, but they do a great job of building up their personality and giving a backstory to the name and face.

In addition to fighting each of the nine named opponents there are four different training mini-games too that range from dodge drills, block drills, focus mitts, and the speed bag. They’ve got a very Fruit Ninja meets boxing vibe, which totally works for the tone the developers were going for here.

The presentation is very 80s-themed and reminds me of not only Punch-Out!!, but Ready 2 Rumble Boxing as well. Gone are the days in traditional gaming that sports games were allowed to be fun and silly — every sports game on the market now is obsessed with nothing but realism.

Let me tell you also — Knockout League will make you sweat. And I don’t just say that as an overweight, out-of-shape gamer, I say that as someone that really felt like they got a workout from playing this game. The training games really keep you active and fighting opponents is great exercise for your core and back due to all of the bobbing and weaving.

Final Score: 7.5/10 – Very Good

Knockout League is a VR game that makes no qualms with trying to hide what it is or fool you into thinking it’s something more. This is about as direct a translation of the classic Punch-Out!! arcade-style gameplay as you’re going to find and it absolutely works, even if it lacks some originality. There is no better option out there if you want to punch some silly, often irritating, cartoon characters in the face — just don’t go in expecting a revelatory application of VR technology.

Knockout League is now available on Steam, Oculus Home, and the PSN Store. Read our Game Review Guidelines for more information on how we arrived at this score.

Tagged with: , ,

Vive Studios Title Knockout League Goes Multi-Platform

It is generally expected that first-party videogame titles will remain safely hoarded within a single platform’s ecosystem. There are the occasional exceptions, a number which has now been incremented by one with the announcement by Vive Studios that its newly launched title, Knockout League will be going multi-platform.

Knockout League is a light-hearted boxing simulator that aims to give players a workout whilst pitting them against a variety of opponents, including some ludicrous ones such as an oversized octopus with a moustache. Players must learn to duck, weave, jab and uppercut in order to put their opponents down on to the mat.

Developed by Vive Studios in conjunction with Grab Games, Knockout League will be made available on Htc Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, making it the first Vive Studios title to be released on the PlayStation VR. According to the Vive Blog post announcing the release: “Our goal is to support the developer ecosystem and push them to generate revenue and build a community around their game. This will be Vive Studios’ first title available for PlayStation VR and with PSVR’s enthusiastic and engaged community, we knew Knockout League would be a perfect fit.”

The arcade-style gameplay of Knockout League is designed for a single player, which pits the user up against nine competitors in a style reminiscent of Nintendo classic Punch Out! With each win, players can progress on to tougher opponents who all have their own styles and tactics. It’s also possible to face stronger versions of competitors you have already faced in Grudge Match mode.

Despite the comedic stylings of Knockout League, Vive Studios and Grab Games aimed to create a title that encourages fitness, even including a special fitness mode which includes a calories tracker. The developers note that over 3.5 million calories were burned during the title’s Early Access period.

Knockout League Iron Maiden

Knockout League is now available on Viveport, PlayStation Store, Steam and Oculus Store, priced at $29.99 (USD).

For continued coverage of new and upcoming VR released, keep watching VRFocus.

Arcade Boxer ‘Knockout League’ to Land on PSVR February 13th

Sony has finally released word on when PSVR owners will be able to get their hands on the popular VR boxing title Knockout League; it’s officially coming to PlayStation VR February 13th. The game has been in Early Access on SteamVR, Viveport, and the Oculus Store for almost a year. It’s uncertain if the PSVR release will mark the game’s exit from Early Access on the platforms listed above.

Update (02/11/18): According to a recent PlayStation blog post, ‘Knockout League’ will be landing on PSVR headsets February 13th. It comes alongside PSVR titles ‘Drunk n Barfight’, ‘Sprint Vector’, ‘Pop Up Pilgrims’, and ‘CubeWorks’.

Original article (12/13/17): Announced at PSX 2017, the full version of Knockout League, with its 9 opponents and training modes will make the transition to Sony’s VR platform. Played from a first person perspective, with motion controllers enabling 1:1 fist tracking, boxing is a natural fit for the current generation of VR hardware. Knockout League differentiates itself from other VR boxing games with an arcade presentation reminiscent of Nintendo’s classic Punch-Out!! series, and opponents with wildly different personalities and fighting styles.

As we described in our early access review of the PC version, the gameplay is rather strenuous, requiring rapid, energetic movements to succeed, meaning Knockout League will likely be an effective workout title for PSVR too. It is currently rated on the Virtual Reality Institute of Health and Exercise as equivalent exercise to rowing for burning calories.

Developer Grab Games specialises in AR/VR experiences, having created John Wick Chronicles (2017), Knockout League, and other mobile apps. Their current major project is the ‘Grab AR Tabletop Platform’, which was showcased at Google’s hardware event in October.

The post Arcade Boxer ‘Knockout League’ to Land on PSVR February 13th appeared first on Road to VR.