Incuvo’s VR adaptation of its popular open world survival game Green Hell is getting a three-part DLC that’s said to bring a bunch of new content to the game, which includes new story, gameplay mechanics and more. It’s also set to get the long-awaited multiplayer mode at some point too.
Called ‘Spirits of Amazonia’, the three-part DLC doesn’t have a release window yet, however Incuvo says it’s currently testing the long-awaited multiplayer update now, which will allow four players to play in co-op mode.
“We know that this is taking a long time, however, we want to ensure that we take the time necessary to thoroughly develop and test the multiplayer mode in order to provide the best possible experience for our players,” the studio says on its Discord (invite link).
The ‘Spirits of Amazonia’ DLCs are said to offer new story, gameplay mechanics, and immersive content. Just what that all entails, we’ll have to wait and see.
Unfortunately, what isn’t included in the updates: crossplay between the VR and flatscreen version of the game, something the studio says isn’t possible since they are fundamentally two different builds. The VR version was built from the ground-up, and not an additional ‘VR mode’ to the original Green Hell like we’ve seen with games like The Forest (2018), which does feature crossplay between PC and VR headsets.
The studio hasn’t mentioned whether it will support crossplay between its various VR platforms, which now includes PSVR 2, Quest 2, and SteamVR headsets.
In the game’s Discord FAQ, Incuvo says crossplay “is still up in the air, but no promise for now.”
It’s time for another VR Gamescast with Jamie and Harry!
This week we’re back to recap last week’s Upload VR Showcase. We featured more new game reveals than ever before, so we’re going through a list of the biggest reveals including games like Killer Frequency, Gambit, What The Bat and new gameplay from Among Us VR. What were your favorite reveals from the show? Let us know in the comments below!
There’s also a lot of reviews to get through. We’re circling back to The Last Clockwinder after its launch earlier this month. Is this a VR puzzle game you have to check out? We also catch up with the new PC VR port of Green Hell and compared it to last April’s Quest version. Finally, we talk about Mothergunship: Forge. Is this crazy new VR shooter ready to tackle the VR greats? We weigh in.
The VR Gamescast goes live every Thursday covering the week’s headlines and reviews. Join us either on YouTube or the podcast service of your choice.
Green Hell VR on PC offers a much more authentic and demanding experience than the Quest edition, though that won’t necessarily make it better for everyone. Read on for our Green Hell VR PC review!
You know that Green Hell VR is getting something right when I say it’s a really frustrating game. It turns out that getting lost in the jungle, shrouded by endless vegetation, covered in leeches and dying of thirst is no walk in the park. Your mileage with Incuvo’s mostly excellent port of the Creepy Jar flatscreen game is going to depend on how much you enjoy that punishment.
But first, let’s recap the rather unique situation with Green Hell VR. This is actually the second edition of the game to be ported to headsets from Incuvo. The other, Green Hell for Quest, released earlier this year and presented a stripped-back edition designed specifically for the standalone headset. It was a logical move that made for a much more accessible and welcoming game ideally suited to the platform.
Green Hell VR on PC, meanwhile, is near enough the full-fat experience; a one-to-one conversion of the original game with the full map, story and set of items to craft. The only thing that’s missing is co-op support, though this is set to arrive in a future update.
Green Hell VR PC Review – The Facts
Platforms: PC VR via Steam Release Date: Out Now Developer: Incuvo Price: $24.99
Without question, this is the more demanding of the two ports. Green Hell VR on PC has more threats to confront and the larger world makes it far easier to end up walking in circles. It’s much more common to spend long gameplay sessions feeling like you’re not really getting anywhere as you wonder where you’re meant to go next and scavenge for scarce sources of water and food that won’t poison you.
But this, in fairness, is the original Green Hell experience, and anyone disappointed with the streamlined Quest version will be happy with just how closely this edition of the game matches the flatscreen one. If you give Green Hell VR on PC the time and dedication needed to master its overwhelming systems you’ll be richly rewarded.
The basics of any survival game apply here. Stranded in the rainforest, you’ll need to search for food and water to appease ever-depreciating meters, build initially simple structures that allow you to safely cook and sleep, and explore more of your surroundings, defending yourself from various threats. But Green Hell isn’t just about surviving for as long as possible – there’s a full story here that sees you search for a means of escape and anyone that doesn’t go for the more generic, last man standing survival approach will appreciate this option (and, for the latter camp, there’s a standard survival mode too).
Judged on the pacing and complexity of its systems alone, Green Hell was already a success. Creepy Jar nailed the survival loop the first time around, and the same grueling sense of reward you garnered from gradually discovering new crafting recipes and expanding out a comprehensive list of threats and remedies is alive and well here. It’s also a meaty game with well over 10 hours for the main campaign.
When it comes to the VR integration a series of smart UI choices, physical interactions and that touch of immersive magic really help lift the game. Green Hell VR correctly borrows features from other VR games, like The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners’ body-based inventory and backpack system, combined with just a dash of the weighty handling of Boneworks. Axes need to be swung with force to chop trees, for example, and spears can be hurled across the jungle with enough power.
The best ideas, though, are the ones that Incuvo’s had itself. You could take the entire rest of the game away and just leave me with a spear to fish in rivers and lakes and I would have told you this was one of the best VR experiences of the year. There’s something utterly hypnotic about patiently standing like a statue as water rushes past your ankles, ready to plunge your spear into an unsuspecting stingray as it nears you. It’s an alive, electrical moment that really gets to the heart of why you should play a survival game in VR, and there’s plenty of similar instances throughout.
Not every element of the VR experience is to the game’s benefit, though. While I appreciate the desire to bring the entire original game into headsets, the port doesn’t seem to acknowledge that traversal on a flatscreen and in VR are two very different things, and trekking through the jungle with a sea of giant leaves and grass obscuring your view is much more tedious here. Combat, too, is hard to get a grasp on and often ends with you mindlessly swiping away at a predator without much sense of if you’re having any effect.
But, when you catch the first sight of the morning mist winding through the bamboo as the rays of sun pierce onto the riverbank, it’s tough not to view Green Hell VR as something of a miracle.
Green Hell VR PC Review – PC vs Quest
The differences between the two versions of Green Hell VR are nothing short of staggering. The Quest version scales back the map, ecosystem and even just the types of structures you can create. Visually the game is far more complex on PC, too. If you want a hardcore, demanding survival experience, then the PC VR version is unquestionably the way to go.
I will say, though, that some of the Quest’s revisions do actually speak to VR better than the PC edition. Crafting, for example, is a much more physical process, requiring you to mash items together and then tie them with rope, or hammer logs into the ground when creating structures. The PC VR version keeps the simple crafting table, which doesn’t feel half as intuitive. I’d also argue that, while the PC edition’s map stays true to the original, the Quest version’s pared-back plant life makes it much more navigable and less tedious to explore.
Ultimately the answer to which version you should buy depends on what you want out of a VR game. If you want a deep gameplay experience akin to a flatscreen game with smart VR controls, PC is the way to go. But if you want something that’s more thoughtfully designed for VR, less frustrating, arguably more immersive and you don’t mind the difficulty trade-offs, the Quest version is for you.
That is to say the game is gorgeous – diverse and lush in all the ways you’d expect, with its beauty often serving as a lure for dangers lying in wait. This has always been a game of gruesome delights and never has that been more true in VR as you inspect sickly-red blotches lining your legs or wrap bandages around oozing gashes. It’s a technical beast, too, with every tree ready to be cut and item waiting to be picked up. If you’ve been looking for a new VR game that goes beyond the performance possibilities of standalone hardware, this will more than satisfy.
Having said that, it definitely feels like much more could have been done to help with performance for those that need it. Even on Low graphics settings with a 3070 Ti I’d still get some hitches and slowdown in this version of the game, but it never makes any concessions in terms of the sheer amount of interactive items and vegetation around you. This is fine for those with the rigs to handle it but it would also be great to get a mode that reduces the number of superficial items like leftover bottles and vases that have no actual use. At the very least I’d welcome the ability to remove these from the game world yourself for the sake of performance.
Green Hell VR PC Review – Final Impressions
Green Hell VR is easily one of the most impressive VR conversions we’ve seen and sits alongside the Quest edition as Incuvo’s best work yet. It’s an uncompromising experience that retains the masochistically moreish survival gameplay whilst smartly translating a lot of the original’s core features to VR. If you want the closest translation of Creepy Jar’s brutal experience in VR, this is the way to go.
But adhering so closely to the original doesn’t necessarily make the PC VR version of the game superior to the Quest edition. Dense jungles might be easy to trek through on a flatscreen, but it’s far more tedious in VR, and some of the concessions Quest makes in this regard ultimately suit the platform better. The great news is that, whether you want a deep, demanding survival game with complex systems, or a more welcoming conversion that’s more considerate of VR design, there’s a version of Green Hell VR for you.
UploadVR recently changed its review guidelines, and this is one of our new Recommended review labels. You can read more about our review guidelines here.
What did you make of our Green Hell VR PC review? Let us know in the comments below!
Incuvo’s PC VR port of jungle survival game, Green Hell, is out now.
A launch trailer for the game debuted at the Upload VR Showcase today. Green Hell VR of course already released on Quest 2 earlier in the year, and we were big fans of that version. The PC VR edition, though, is a little different.
Green Hell VR PC Launch Trailer
On Quest, developer Incuvo stripped back the original flatscreen game to fit on the standalone headset. The result was a smartly scaled game, and one of our favorites of the year so far. But today’s PC VR release translates the entire original game to VR. The original map and set of structures is all included, with motion controls implemented too.
It’s essentially the original survival game in VR, then. You’ll need to maintain your character’s health and sanity as you hunt for food, fend off predators and search for a means of escape.
We don’t have a final review for you today but, rest assured, we’ve been playing this version of the game and will look to deliver those impressions very soon. Incuvo also says it’s bringing the experience to PSVR in some form next year, which likely means some kind of PSVR 2 version, if we’re lucky.
Are you going to be picking up Green Hell VR? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for the new VR games June 2022 list? We’ve got you covered with our full rundown.
June is promising to be a packed month for new VR games and announcements. Alongside a raft of launches for Quest and PC VR headsets, we’ll be back with the Upload VR Showcase on June 9 for yet more reveals and trailers! Let’s take a look at what’s coming your way this month.
New VR Games June 2022
Upload VR Showcase June 9, 8am PT
First off, if you haven’t heard the news, make sure to mark down the Upload VR Showcase on June 9 at 8am PT. We’ll be back with our bi-annual show to announce new VR games and reveal more trailers and gameplay for titles coming soon. Who knows, we may even have a few surprise launches.
Wings 1941 (June 2) – Quest
An arcade shoot ’em up in the style of Capcom’s classic 1942, Wings 1941 has you guiding different aircraft through 10 levels as you dodge bullets and return fire. The promise of a co-op campaign has us especially interested in this one.
First Person Tennis (June 2) – Quest
This take on VR tennis is jumping off of App Lab and onto the full Quest store very soon. Get ready to serve and return like a pro with both online multiplayer and single player modes.
The Last Clockwinder (June 2) – Quest, PC VR
A single-player co-op puzzler in which you take control of a robot and record your actions, working with your past recordings to form a production line. Expect mind-bending puzzles that have you thinking outside the box.
Green Hell VR (June 9) – PC VR
The PC VR version of this flatscreen survival game is finally ready for launch. As opposed to April’s Quest 2 launch, Green Hell VR on PC brings the entire experience to headsets, offering a demanding challenge as you fight to stay alive in a harsh jungle wilderness.
Mothergunship: Forge (June 16) – Quest 2, PC VR
A new VR wave shooter building off of the original Mothergunship, Forge lets you build ridiculous weaponry with a constant barrage of attachments to add to your wrist-mounted gauntlets.
Demeo: Curse of the Serpent Lord (June 16) – Quest, PC VR
The fourth free campaign for Demeo is nearly here. There’s still a lot to learn about what’s to come in Curse of the Serpent Lord, but we do know a two-player mode where each user controls two characters is on the way.
Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok (June 17) – PC VR
A classic adventure series returns for some VR dungeon crawling. Expect to wield magic and take on fantastical beasts in what’s intended to be the first in a series of VR experiences.
Kayak VR: Mirage (June 28) – PC VR
A visual arresting take on kayaking in VR, this physics-driven experience lets you take part in single-player exploration and races across several stunning environments.
Ragnarok Hellfest DLC (TBA June) – Quest, PC VR
One of our favorite VR rhythm games is getting DLC featuring artists from one of the biggest metal festivals on the planet. Expect from tracks from bands performing at this year’s event and themed levels to play in.
Stride Multiplayer (TBA June) – Quest, PC VR
Dropping at some point this month, the long-awaited multiplayer update for Stride will bring online parkour to virtual arenas.
And that’s the list of new VR games June 2022 line-up! What are you planning on picking up? Let us know in the comments below.
Green Hell VR is due to launch on PC VR headsets next week, and we’ve got an exclusive first look at how it’s shaping up.
Just a few months back Incuvo released its Quest version of this survival game, based on the flatscreen original from Creepy Jar. And it was a smart, streamlined port – large areas of dense jungle had been condensed to help the game run on standalone hardware, the types of buildings and items you could craft had been reined in but new mechanics and interactions helped the game feel native to VR. The result was a much more approachable game that anyone could jump into, though fans of the original may have been disappointed with the simpler, undeniably easier gameplay.
If you’re in the latter tribe, you’ll want to keep an eye on Green Hell VR for PC.
Green Hell VR PC: Exclusive Gameplay
As you can see in the video above, this is the full-fat experience. Green Hell VR on PC aims to bring the entire original game into headsets, which means you’re getting the full map, a larger array of structures and items to craft and features missing from Quest like the ability to inspect and apply bandages to injured legs. The result is a much more ambitious take on the game than what’s come before but, from what I’ve played so far, Incuvo has done a great job of fitting the game onto headsets.
As with the Quest version, this is still an intensely physical experience. Trees need to be chopped with a hearty swing of an ax, spears are chucked with heft to shoot them across the jungle and an endless number of sticks and stones need to be gathered and nestled away in your backpack. There’s also a greater array of plant life and wildlife in this version, which means more threats just as much as it does more opportunities. If you prefer the much more demanding experience of the original game, then this is probably the version you’ll want to play in VR.
There are a few changes where the Quest version actually fares better, though. Extensively reworking the game for standalone allowed Incuvo to add new actions, like physically tying ropes around joints or knocking logs into the ground when making structures, but these are curiously absent here. Granted both the PC and standalone versions are set to see post-launch updates, so we could see other features come in over time.
As for performance and visuals, Incuvo says this isn’t the final build of the game so there are still improvements and optimizations to come. The footage above is taken on low graphics settings just to avoid any performance hitches, but I did have the game running pretty decently on a 3070 Ti with medium graphics settings, where it looked really good. Hopefully we’ll get a fully stable version at launch next week.
Green Hell VR is set to launch on PC June 9, during the Upload VR Showcase. Tune in to the show for a brand new look at the game!
However, the Quest 2 and PC VR version also differ from each other. While both stem from the original flatscreen version, the Quest 2 release is a slightly abridged, streamlined version of the game, designed to work better on the standalone system.
This upcoming PC VR version, however, is a complete port of the original game. According to Incuvo, this includes “a wider terrain to explore, higher graphic fidelity, and different UI and mechanics yielding an even more immersive survival experience”
You can watch a new story trailer for the PC VR release embedded above.
“After two years of work we are thrilled to launch our game on Steam. The decision to split the PCVR and Quest launches was right, over these few extra weeks, we managed to polish important elements in the game to make it worth the wait,” said Incuvo CEO Andrzej Wychowaniec in a prepared statement.
Creepy Jar, the developers behind the original flatscreen release of Green Hell on PC and consoles, signed a contract in 2020 with VR developers Incuvo to bring the game to VR on PC VR and Quest platforms. A new extension of that contract, announced this week, will see Incuvo port, publish and distribute the title on PSVR in 2023, with development starting after they finalise the PC VR release this month.
While that’s great news for PSVR fans, a few things remains unclear. First off, it’s not specified whether the release will be for the original PSVR headset or the upcoming PSVR 2 headset for PS5. The former seems unlikely, but we still don’t have a release date for PSVR 2. This year looks unlikely, with a release sometime next year now a safer bet. If that were the case, releasing on PSVR 2 would make the most sense for Green Hell, especially given Incuvo CEO’s recent bullish comments.
However, it’s also not known which version will come to PSVR. While all VR versions of the game stem from the original flatscreen release, the recently-released Quest version is a slightly abridged, streamlined version of the game, designed to work better on the standalone system. However, the upcoming PC VR release is a complete VR port of the original, with all the bells and whistles. It will be interesting to see which version Incuvo chooses to bring over to PSVR next year. We also know that Incuvo is working on new game modes, including co-op support, so hopefully that makes its way into the PSVR version at launch too.
Incuvo launched the highly recommendedGreen Hell VR for Meta Quest 2 in April, with the PC edition expected to arrive during May. What wasn’t expected this week was confirmation that a PlayStation VR version is coming but players will have to wait until 2023 to survive the hellish Amazonian jungle.
PlayStation VR support was initially teased almost a year ago but details dried up as Incuvo focused on the Quest 2 and PCVR editions, both being pushed back from their original 2021 launch dates. The news sees Incuvo sign an appendix to its partnership agreement with Creepy Jar – the developer behind Green Hell – for the “porting, publishing, and distributing Green Hell VR on PSVR.”
“We are very pleased that Creepy Jar has decided to entrust us with bringing their brand to another platform important to the VR market,” said Andrzej Wychowaniec, CEO of Incuvo in a statement. “Our attention is focused on the upcoming release of the PCVR edition of Green Hell VR on Steam, but we are looking forward to the opportunity to leverage our experience, and proceed with the adaptation of Green Hell to the specifics of Sony’s platform.”
Green Hell VR has been completely reworked and rebuilt from its flatscreen cousin, specifically tailoring it to virtual reality (VR) gameplay. So while the narrative about trying to survive the harsh realities of the rainforest and finding your partner remains the same, you’re far more involved in the specifics this time around. There are over 60 VR gameplay mechanics employed in the videogame, from making a spark to light a fire, to wrapping leaves around injured limbs.
Green Hell VR – PC version
Giving Green Hell VR: Quest Edition a four-star review, gmw3 said: “Incuvo has become a pro at porting flatscreen titles like Blair Witch and now Green Hell into VR because the team know the level of interaction players expect…As long as you don’t judge it by Green Hell and take Green Hell VR: Quest Edition on its own VR merits then you’ll find a rewarding survival experience.”
The PlayStation VR version of Green Hell VR is slated to arrive by end of 2023. That could well put its launch under the PlayStation VR2 banner but the studio has yet to confirm this. The new VR headset is expected to arrive next year, with rumours suggesting Q1, although Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) hasn’t mentioned anything currently.
For continued updates on Green Hell VR, keep reading gmw3.
Green Hell VR developer Incuvo sounds bullish on PSVR 2.
Speaking to Gamerant, CEO Andrzej Wychowaniec touched on the subject of Sony’s new headset and the features he was looking forward to. Particularly, Wychowaniec said he was looking forward to what the new Sense controllers could offer along with new features like eye tracking.
“These solutions will be crucial to the progress of VR gaming, as they will allow developers to invent entirely new kinds of experiences,” the developer said, adding that PS5’s Tempest 3D audio tech could also deliver much more immersive experiences.
As for how he thinks the headset might perform in the market, Wychowaniec was optimistic that PSVR 2 could match the original PSVR’s 5 million units and then some.
“I certainly hope that the new headset will repeat the success and will accelerate the market growth and bring new possibilities in terms of features, user experience, and a fresh dose of competitiveness which always stimulates technological innovation,” he said. “It’ll also be good for developers. New platforms mean new sources of income, as well as the opportunity to raise the quality standards. So basically better games. I believe that Sony will succeed again, and NGVR [next-gen VR, a codename cited by PSVR Without Parole last year] will bring millions of new VR enthusiasts to the community.”
Currently Incuvo is working on two different versions of Green Hell VR. The first is a Quest release that launched earlier this month as a streamlined version of the game designed specifically for the mobile headset. The full Green Hell experience is also coming to PC VR, with launch planned in the near future. Currently, though, Incuvo hasn’t confirmed if the game might also come to PSVR 2. We thought the Quest version was great, giving us high hopes for future editions.
Currently we know about the specs and design of Sony’s new VR headset, but still don’t have an idea of when it might launch. Rumors and speculation have been pointing to a Q1 2023 release due to the stresses of the component shortage. You can keep track of everything we know about the headset right now over here.
