Incuvo has plenty of plans to support the Quest version of Green Hell VR following launch last week.
We spoke to the studio’s Radomir Kucharski about the new survival game in a studio interview. As you likely know by now, Green Hell on Quest is more of an adaptation of the original PC game, reworking the campaign to fit on the standalone headset rather than porting the experience 1:1. One feature that hasn’t yet made it into this version of the game though is co-op support. Kucharski confirmed to us that support for such a mode was in the works.
“We would like to add [a] cooperative mode later on with a DLC,” Kucharski said. “We don’t have any fixed date but we’re already working on it. We’ve actually make a couple of tests and it’s great fun to use a coconut and play and use it as a ball. It was fun to throw it to another player and get it back. We think that co-op is going to be a huge thing in the game, it’s got so much potential. We definitely want to bring it to the game.”
Seeing how the Quest version’s physics-based gameplay will hold up in co-op will definitely be interesting. The original Green Hell, meanwhile, has been treated to story expansion packs and updates since its launch. Could we expect to see that content reach Quest too?
“There are no fixed plans for that but we would like to support the game long-term and we’re definitely considering adding new content to it, adding new DLC content and probably new game modes,” Kucharski told us.
It definitely seems like there’s a lot more of Green Hell VR: Quest Edition to come, then. For now, we think this version of the game is a really smart retooling of the original, though purists will want to wait to see how the upcoming PC VR version, which is a more direct port, will shape up.
We sat down with the developer of Green Hell VR to talk about the just-released Quest version of the game.
Green Hell is out now on Quest and it’s A. very good and B. quite different to the original version of the game. Developer Incuvo has gone back into the Creepy Jar original and worked out how to get the experience to properly work for mobile VR, redesigning areas and reworking mechanics to work with motion controls. We spoke to the studio’s Radomir Kucharski about some of the changes and the work to bring the game to Quest.
Kucharski also talks about the future of the game, including progress on the already-confirmed co-op support and if the original game’s DLC expansions could make it into the Quest version too. Need more? Check out our video comparing the Quest and flatscreen versions right here.
Don’t forget that this is just one version of Green Hell VR. The PC VR version is still in development and is expected to retain a lot of the core elements of the original game. We’ll be looking forward to testing that edition out in the future.
Are you playing Green Hell VR this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!
Ever since Incuvo announced that it was working on a virtual reality (VR) version of Green Hell, the prospect of trying to survive the Amazon in VR has been an exciting one. Dealing with a highly hostile – yet very real – environment, containing a myriad of creatures and plant life just seems too good to pass up, especially as the flatscreen mechanics have been entirely reworked for immersive gameplay. And Green Hell VR: Quest Edition does deliver if you’re new to the franchise, whilst those who’ve lived in Green Hell will find a more cut back experience.
The core principle and narrative of the original title remain the same, you play Jake Higgins, an anthropologist who finds himself alone in the Amazonian rainforest, having to survive on what little equipment he has and what he can scavenge from the jungle, all whilst looking for his lost colleague. You’ll have to avoid eating deadly mushrooms and try not to get killed by even deadlier jaguars, and just like every good VR survival videogame, Green Hell VR: Quest Edition is about getting physically stuck in rather than menu and inventory management.
Once the tutorial and 2D movie presentation – never a great addition to a VR game but expected when porting a pancake title – you’re then left on your own to find the right path through the dense jungle. And it is dense. Incuvo has done a remarkable job on the visuals, creating lush, thick green foliage to cut through that also hides plenty of threats. If the jungle had been fairly sparse due to the Meta Quest 2 hardware you could understand it yet you’d be disappointed the atmosphere wasn’t there. Nope, no need to worry on that front, Green Hell VR: Quest Edition looks the business. Not PC level quality, of course, but still enough that when the rain starts coming down and you’re trying to build shelter you almost feel drenched.
That atmosphere doesn’t purely come from the variety of plants that make up the undergrowth. Hacking them back you’ll quickly spot Capybara run and hide or see fish in the clear streams to catch. For more dangerous animals you get a slight audio warning. At the first appearance of a snake, I was proper wary having no items to heal or properly attack it apart from a big stick. Not fancying a poisonous bite it was best to steer clear rather than testing the stick out. Plenty of other beasties also litter the floor like scorpions and spiders, so it’s always worth keeping an eye on where you’re walking.
Bigger enemies, on the other hand, were more intermittent, thankfully. Crocodiles, pumas and even indigenous enemies rarely appeared, although that’s likely a bonus considering the simplified nature of the combat. Especially as one attack from them can easily take a large portion of your health bar creating serious wounds to heal.
And that’s where utilising the jungle comes into play. You’ve got a backpack that can be grabbed from over either shoulder to store vital supplies, maintaining stats like hunger as well as your psychological condition. Set to the medium difficulty these vitals weren’t too difficult to manage, for the most part, so if you want a true challenge you’ll want to up that. Even so, this led to a fairly well-paced 10-hour campaign, great when compared to other VR videogames, a bit short when compared to Green Hell.
The trump card here though is that physical gameplay. You have to use a machete (or craft an axe) to chop down trees to gather wood, creating fires by placing sticks in silhouettes before striking flint to make that much-needed spark. You’re more involved in the process unlike Green Hell, and because of this, the development team have reduced the resources required for crafting. As is the amount of things you can build and find in the jungle, streamlining the whole experience for the standalone headset.
Green Hell VR: Quest Edition’s reworking features dozens of awesome little VR-specific mechanics. Use any rock face to smash open coconuts or break a stone up to gain flint, grab the journal off your chest to look up crafting/plant information or press the face of your solar-powered smartwatch to sleep, check vitals or use the compass. All seemingly mundane actions that add up to form a cohesive, engaging whole. Healing is another good one, actually wrapping leaves around your arms when you’ve sustained an injury. That coconut half you’ve just created, use it to drink water from a river or use both hands cupped together when nothing else is available.
The experience isn’t all beautiful survival synergy though. There were a few little glitches and stutters along the way. The first happened before the campaign had even begun, offering no hands or pointer to select the movement system going in, not a great start. In the main menu the right-handed pointer didn’t work. Occasional stuttering came from too many items in view, so don’t suddenly empty your entire inventory onto the ground, Green Hell VR won’t like that. Whilst the hand and arm modelling is okay, there were times when trying to interact with the watch was awkward due to my virtual wrist being at an odd, almost breaking angle.
Even so, playing Green Hell VR: Quest Edition was a great deal of fun and satisfied that expectation. Moments like the first time I noticed leeches on my arm instantly grossed me out as I plucked them off, a completely new VR experience for me. Or deciding out of the two different mushroom species I held in both hands which I should eat and the effect that would cause. Fighting crocodiles is all well and good but I do love the smaller elements as well.
When it comes to accessibility and comfort Green Hell VR features all the options that are becoming standard in VR. Walking and teleport locomotion, snap and smooth turning, a blink mode, left-handed support, vignette, and seated/standing swapping.
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. There is a linear element to the whole thing – you’re not given complete free roam – with a general path laid out before you, yet the jungle has enough pathways and hidden nooks that you can still explore and find a cave to safely bed down for the night. Then, once the campaign has finished there’s always Survival Mode, to keep the jungle experience alive. 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.
Green Hell on Quest isn’t the same game as the flatscreen original, but look past the changes and you’ll find a great VR survival game. Here’s our Green Hell VR: Quest Edition Review.
Let’s get this out of the way first: Green Hell VR’s Quest Edition is not the same experience as the flatscreen game. While this take follows the same core story beats as the original jungle survival title, it’s a more focused and streamlined version that reduces the number of items and structures you can make, threats you’ll encounter and the overall size of the map. It’s an eyebrow-raising move from developer Incuvo (taking over the reins from Creepy Jar), albeit one rooted in sound logic; Quest is a standalone headset after all, and the dense foliage and wide-open areas simply wouldn’t be able to run on the platform without severe performance hits.
And, yes, some of the depth of that initial experience is lost in the transition. The Quest Edition is inarguably shorter and easier than the original. But, — before you grab that pitchfork — I really don’t think you should get too up in arms about these changes. Firstly because a full version of Green Hell in VR with all the bells and whistles is still on its way to PC in a few months’ time, and secondly because the Quest version is actually still a great game in its own right.
One thing that’s unchanged in Green Hell Quest (which is what I’ll call it from now on to avoid confusion with the upcoming PC VR version) is the narrative. You’re still protagonist Jake Higgins, who finds himself separated from his partner, Mia, on a return trip to the Amazonian rainforest and must fight for survival as he searches for a means of escape. If you’ve played the original game then this campaign will play like an abridged version, with many of the key areas of the map returning, only now connected by shorter areas in-between.
Green Hell VR: Quest Edition Review– The Facts
Platforms: Quest 2 Release Date: April 7 Price: $26.99
Similar, too, is the survival cycle. Getting by day-to-day means Jake will have to build camps, hunt for food and craft resources as he cares for himself. Playing through story mode on the second hardest difficulty, the balance here feels just about right, with enough demand on your nutrient intake to keep it constantly in the back of your mind without getting so demanding as to occupy your every minute, and you’ll quickly make a mental map of which resources are most common and most useful just as you would in, say Song in the Smoke.
It’s in the minutia of these systems that Green Hell Quest sees some key changes.
What you can build and how you build it has been radically overhauled not only to cover for performance but also to reflect the fact that crafting in VR is a much more physical and even tiring process.
A leaf hut, for example, is quickly assembled in the original game by repeatedly chopping away at a tree with a single button press, quickly scooping up the leaves and logs produced as a result with a few clicks, and then instantly throwing it all into the building site to watch it get stitched together. On Quest, every ax swing that hits that tree is from your own movement, and then logs have to be lined up to silhouettes and knocked into place before a rope is wound around joints to bind them and leaves are applied on top.
It’s a much lengthier, more manual process that’s ultimately more rewarding, and the trade-off of requiring fewer resources to actually craft structures is a smart one. There’s nothing more satisfying than the thick thump that comes from knocking a stick into the mud and then winding your arm around two connecting points to tie them up. Incuvo really honed in on how to play to the platform’s strengths in the absence of some other features.
There are other VR-specific benefits, too. Any stone surface in the game can be used to snap tree logs and cut coconuts for example, rather than having to rely on items held in your hand, and you’ll be leaning down to scoop up water into your hands, firing arrows by pulling the bow back yourself, or even accessing your inventory and notebooks much in the same way you did in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.
More controversial are the landscaping changes. As soon as you leave the opening tutorial area it becomes abundantly clear that significant parts of Green Hell’s map have been cut down to size, with the Quest version far more navigable and direct. It’s not quite linear, but you can almost always spot the path you’re meant to take, and most of the important points of interest are spaced out by less than a day’s worth of travel.
And that’s where things start to get a little murky. Less travel time means less stress on your resources; you’ll still need a regular rotation of fats, carbs, proteins, water and sleep, but far more of the map is within reach before any of those meters could drop from a full bar down to a life-threatening depletion. Green Hell Quest is, then, a little less hellish. You can hack your way through the forest in under 10 hours (though it’s still a lengthy game by VR’s standards), but you can still ratchet up the difficulty like you can in other versions of the game to give yourself as demanding a survival experience as possible, should you want it.
With that said, the redesigned levels do mean that the Quest version is able to retain a staggering amount of vegetation and wildlife that really make each of these areas feel alive and far more detailed than a lot of other games on the platform. Leafy greens smother any and every surface and it’s rare not to walk into an area and see a capybara, armadillo or other such critter immediately scatter off. Fish dart back and forth through clear waters and birds hover about treetops and cliff edges almost as if they’re tethered to particular spots. Particularly effective are the smaller nasties like scorpions, spiders and snakes, which have you combing the floor for threats whenever their audio cues trigger.
Not only are these areas aflush with detail but, for the most part, they run incredibly well too. You will notice the game start to stutter if you introduce too many items to an environment and, to that end, the game could use a system for permanently ridding yourself of spoiled food and other wasted items, but I was surprised at just how solid it ran if I wasn’t deliberately trying to push it to its limits.
Some losses are felt more than others, though. The gory gashes and rashes you’ll accumulate on your arms and legs in either combat or adventuring are a particularly masochistic delight in the original game, but they’re stripped back to some cuts and scrapes on your arms here, and some of the hostile creatures have been removed too.
In fact, it’s actually quite rare that you’ll encounter bigger enemies in the game, making the action something of an afterthought. Pumas and Jaguars are still likely to cut straight through you if you’re not properly prepared but I also encountered hardly any human enemies in my playthrough. I suspect that may have something to do with how primitive the hack n’ slash combat feels in VR, whereas the other survival elements still thrive.
Still, it’s by no means a pushover – even one attack from a predator can mean quickly bleeding out and slipping off of a log most likely means saying goodbye to a large chunk of your health bar.
As you can probably tell, then, the scales are constantly tipping back and forth on Green Hell Quest. Some of the cuts made to this version really sting, whereas the game also gains a lot from the added VR interactions. Set all that aside for a second, though, and imagine there wasn’t an original version of the game to compare this to. Would there actually be a fun VR survival title here?
My answer to that would be a resounding yes. This is still a deep and taxing survival game that proves to be an impressive showcase for just how large and detailed environments can be on Quest 2 and, beyond the story mode, there’s also the straight up survival mode that lets you revisit the game to push yourself further, should you wish.
Green Hell VR: Quest Edition Review – Final Impressions
Green Hell on Quest is a game you have to take on its own merits. Similar to how Superhot VR offered a streamlined take on a strong central idea, this chops away at the original game’s foundations to deliver a focused version of a great survival game. True, it’s a much more straightforward experience with simpler crafting and fewer threats, but the meticulous attention paid to VR interaction and physicality, not to mention the still-impressive scale and performance makes this one of the better flatscreen conversions VR has seen over the past few years. If you really don’t want to compromise on the original experience in VR then you should wait for the PC VR version arriving later down the line but, for anyone interested in a more tailored title, Green Hell’s Quest version is a worthy rumble through the jungle.
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.
This review was conducted on the Quest 2 version of the game. What did you make of our Green Hell VR: Quest Edition review? Let us know in the comments below!
Looking for the new VR games April 2022 list? We’ve got you covered with our full rundown.
With March madness out of the way (check out our Cosmonious High and Moss: Book 2 reviews), April is shaping up to be another solid month for VR releases, especially on Quest. We’re kicking things off with the launch of Green Hell VR next week and there’s some competition stiff in the city-building genre too. And don’t forget we’re likely to see a lot of new Quest games announced as part of the Meta showcase coming later this month.
For now, though, let’s dig into the new games and updates that are coming your way very soon.
New VR Games April 2022
The Under Presents Live Performances (April 1) – Quest, PC VR
First up, if you’re a fan of live VR events, take note that actors will be returning to The Under Presents this month. You can jump into the social VR experience at certain times to find people roaming the theatrical wasteland offering dynamic performances. If you haven’t tried it before then you’re in for a treat; there’s nothing else quite like this in home-based VR.
Green Hell VR (April 7) – Quest 2
After a SteamVR showing earlier this year, the Quest 2 version of Green Hell VR ends up as the first out of the gate. Survive in a tropical jungle where just about everything wants to kill you, crafting items and foraging food. It’s a full port of the existing flatscreen game. The PC VR version should be following along in May or June.
Meta Quest Gaming Showcase (April 20)
Okay, so not something you’re actually going to play but if you’re at all interested in VR gaming then you’ll no doubt want to tune into the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase on April 20. Expect new game announcements and fresh looks at upcoming titles, including news from Among Us, Cities: VR and Tripwire Interactive. We’ll of course bring you all the latest.
Little Cities (April 21) – Quest
Published by nDreams, Little Cities is a relaxed city builder in which you populate idlyic islands with roads, buildings and services as you look to establish sprawling urban hot spots. Playing from a god mode view, you lay down tracks and place hospitals and schools as you seek to meet the needs of your citizens. It’s a promising project, but it’s not the only city builder coming to Quest this month.
Cities: VR (April 28) – Quest 2
Yes, you read that right, the other VR city building simulator will release just a week after Little Cities. Cities: VR, however, is a spin-off of the popular Skylines game that brings many of its core mechanics to Quest 2. Expect a richly detailed management sim with the ability to bring your creations to life like never before.
Ultrawings 2 (April) – PC VR
After missing its March window, the PC VR version of Ultrawings 2 is now looking to launch sometimes in April. We’re hoping for a visually upgraded take on one of our favorite VR games of 2022 thus far, with five different aircraft to pilot across tons of missions. HOTAS support shoulod hopefully make this the definitive version of the game, too.
Requisition VR (April) – PC VR
Hinge developer Arcadia is back with a new zombie survival game with co-op support. Fashion weapons out of household items and take the fight to the undead like never before. This is an early access build of the game now, so expect more to be added in the coming months.
And that’s the list of new VR games in April 2022! What are you planning on picking up? Let us know in the comments below.
Incuvo Games announced that its upcoming VR adaptation of Green Hell (2019), the popular open-world survival game, is officially coming to Quest 2 this month.
Green Hell VR: Quest Edition is coming to Meta Quest 2 (re: not the original Quest) on April 7th, priced at $30. The studio is offering a 10% discount on pre-orders from now until launch. Check out the Quest Store listing here.
At some point the VR version is supposed to feature co-op functionality, however this is slated to arrive as a postlaunch update, the studio says in a tweet.
Incuvo is also launching a version for Steam VR headsets, which is slated to arrive sometime in May 2022. Meanwhile, the studio says it’s making Green Hell VR “the most complex and authentic survival game for VR,” as it’s based on the critically-acclaimed flatscreen game from Creepy Jar.
Like the PC VR gameplay trailer released in February, the new Quest Edition trailer showcases things like making tools, chopping down trees, hunting, building a base, fighting against amazon fauna, and protecting yourself from enemies in melee combat.
Incuvo says the new trailer has however been captured on Quest 2 natively, which is a good sign for such a dense and rich environment that should be filled to the brim with interactive items.
The list of virtual reality (VR) titles set to arrive this month continues to grow thanks to Incuvo. The studio has just announced that its survival experience Green Hell VR: Oculus Edition is on its way next week for Meta Quest 2.
Yes, that’s right just for Meta Quest 2 as more and more developers utilise the processing power of the newer standalone model to create bigger, and richer VR videogames. The news also comes with a delay for PC VR users looking forward to stepping into the Amazon, as the studio focused efforts on getting the Quest 2 version out first.
“To ensure the best possible experience for all Steam VR users, we decided to push back the PCVR version a little bit to allow us to implement the valuable feedback we got from the demo earlier this year,” said Andrzej Wychowaniec, CEO at Incuvo SA in a statement.
As you may already know, this is a port of Creepy Jar’s Green Hell, completely reworked for VR. That means physical interactions like firing a bow, making a spark to light a fire, wrapping leaves around injured limbs and much more. There is now “over 60 different gameplay mechanics” to learn and master as you try and survive the deadly rainforest.
To do that you’ll need to utilise the Amazon’s flora and fauna, hunt, or run for your life when jaguars, crocodiles, scorpions, and snakes appear out of the undergrowth. Encounter indigenous tribes and try to solve the overarching mystery that has multiple endings to unlock.
Green Hell VR: Oculus Edition will be coming to Meta Quest 2 next week, Thursday 7th April, for £22.99 GBP. In the run-up to launch there’s a 10% pre-order discount available. As for the PC VR version, Incuvo aims to have that ready for May. Check out the new trailer below, and for further updates, keep reading gmw3.
Green Hell VR releases next week on April 7 for Meta Quest 2, with the PC VR version slightly delayed until May following recent feedback.
In what’s become a slew of recent announcements, survival game Green Hell is the latest title to announce a very imminent and sudden release date.
We knew that the game was slated to release in the first half of the year, but we weren’t expecting something so soon. More notably, the PC VR version has been delayed and the Quest version will release first.
Alongside the Quest release date, there’s also a new trailer for that version of the game, embedded above, featuring footage exclusively from the Quest 2 port. While we had seen some snippets of Quest footage, this is the best look at that version of the game yet. It’s certainly not as crisp and detailed as the PC VR version, but it also doesn’t seem as bad as it could be. That being said, we’ll reserve our judgement until the full release next week.
Hello Adventurers!
It’s OFFICIAL! 𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘝𝘙: 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘌𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 is 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 𝟕𝐭𝐡 on Meta Quest 2!
Because of that, developers Incuvo made the decision to delay the PC VR release to May. “To ensure the best possible experience for all Steam VR users, we decided to push back the PC VR version a little bit to allow us to implement the valuable feedback we got from the demo earlier this year,” said Incuvo CEO Andrzej Wychowaniec in a prepared statement.
Green Hell VR is available to pre-order on Meta Quest 2 now, with a 10% discount until release. Original Quest headsets are not supported, and the PC VR release will follow in May.
Green Hell VR is in desperate need of optimizing and fine-tuning, but it’s much closer to getting there than you might expect. Read on for our preview!
I went into Green Hell VR’s Steam Next Fest Demo fearing the worst. Everything we’ve seen from Incuvo’s latest VR port has looked quite good, but perhaps a little too good. Surely somewhere between the original’s dense vegetation and sheer ambition of its survival systems, the developer was biting off more than it could chew. After all, the bitter taste of the deeply disappointing Hitman 3 PC VR support from last month still lingers in the mouth.
And, sure, Green Hell VR isn’t quite there yet. But it’s a fair bit closer than I thought it would be.
Green Hell VR Hands-On
For starters, this isn’t a straightforward PC VR port of the gritty survival adventure. Whilst Green Hell VR does translate the entire original game into headsets, it’s benefited from a top-to-bottom reassessment of how every element could and should work on its new platform in a way that reminds me of the effort Hello Games went to with No Man’s Sky. As you might expect, a lot of that equates to added labor; tree trunks and plants are efficiently chopped to size with a machete, ropes are climbed one arm after the other, and bandages are applied by rolling them around your arm or leg.
You’ll spot a lot of interactions — like dressing those wounds — directly lifted from The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. The placement of your notebook on a shirt breast pocket is the same, and the inventory system is practically identical, relying on an over-the-shoulder backpack that can be suspended in mid-air. It’s encouraging to see more titles finally adopting some of the design lessons that game taught us two years ago now, and Green Hell VR feels all the better for it.
There are some smart shortcuts, too. When I need to build a campfire, for example, I don’t have to dig into my backpack to find tinder and twigs – if they’re in my inventory I can simply point at the designated area and press the grip button to automatically place them there. Some of these moments do seem finicky — from accidentally picking up the wrong item from a distance to just not picking up anything at all — but some extra time and polish could smooth that out.
Beyond controls, I’m just a huge fan of the way the original game’s body horror is given unnerving new life in VR. Later on in the 20-ish minute demo, you take a tumble and are left with huge cuts on your arm and leg. They’re really rather gruesome – oozy, gleaming, and, based on the trailers, just a taste of the misfortune that awaits in the full game.
But, much like those grotesque injuries, problems do fester beneath the surface. You might have heard by now that performance in this demo isn’t great and that was certainly my experience. With a 3070 Ti on medium settings, I was experiencing regular judders and texture pop-in that detracted from the otherwise stunning set-building. Incuvo has gone as far as to put a note about optimizations to come in the game’s opening, and we can only hope it doubles down on that promise in the weeks and months to come before launch.
There’s also something to be said for the trials of navigating the jungle in VR. Even in just the starting area, it’s tough to pick different plant types apart, and, while this is certainly authentic, I can imagine becoming quickly frustrated trying to tell them apart in the wider world. A priority system that highlights plants you’re on the hunt for could go a long way to relieving some of that stress. As for the UI in general, the overlay and subtitles currently take precedent, and it’s a strange senstation not to be able to bring your hands over the top of health and stamina meters which, again, I hope is fixed for full launch.
And don’t forget there’s still a lot of elements not revealed in this demo. Hunting and combat will be two key aspects that the game could really live or die by, but you don’t get a taste of them here.
Overall, though, I came out of this demo far more optimistic than I thought I’d be. Green Hell VR certainly needs a lot more work to get it in fighting shape, and that’s without having even seen the Quest 2 version supposedly arriving in the same launch timeframe. But it’s got the right design philosophy to carry the experience and a few of its own unsettling twists to help the game stand out. We’ll of course save our final verdict for a full review when the game launches later into the first half of 2022.
The Steam Next Fest is underway until next Monday 28th February, giving you plenty of time to delve into some of the awesome virtual reality (VR) videogames coming to PC VR headsets. One that gmw3 has certainly been looking forward to is Incuvo’s Green Hell VR, the immersive port of Creepy Jar’s popular survival adventure.
Green Hell VR – PC version
With Incuvo having already ported the likes of Blair Witchonto VR headsets there has been a lot of interest regarding Green Hell VR. It’s a far bigger beast than the horror title, an open-world experience set in the Amazonian rainforest, a huge, inhospitable jungle where most of its inhabitants are trying to kill/eat you.
The demo introduces you to the first 30-40 minutes of the campaign depending on how quickly you decide to follow the prompts, teaching you the basics of inventory management, healing, crafting a fire and such. If you’re already well acquainted with the original Green Hell the main difference you’ll notice are the controls, healing requires actually wrapping a leaf around your arm whilst lighting a fire requires finding flint to create a spark with your machete.
Those that are already well acquainted with VR controls should find the mechanics instantly familiar. Incuvo has stuck with VR norms that are intuitive, picking a useful item up can be put instantly in your backpack over your shoulder. Your notepad is on your chest for easy access, selecting items to craft or giving you information about items you’ve discovered.
Green Hell VR – PC version
The ability to physically interact with everything highlights how much Invuco has rebuilt for VR players, with minimal button presses – although there is the occasional one like pressing the button on the walkie talkie.
While the demo doesn’t feature any dangerous animals or locals to fight what I really wanted to get from the teaser was a true sense of being in a dense jungle. Where plants just seem to grow on top of one another and where one miss-step could lead to me becoming lost in this amazing world. So of course the first thing I did was look for the closest unidentified mushroom and eat it, you know, just to see what happens! As it turned out the first random shroom I found was edible so no harsh effect there (which was kinda disappointing).
Ultimately, I now really want to spend more time in Green Hell VR and see if I could actually survive a virtual Amazon. Incuvo plans on releasing this immersive adventure for PC VR and Meta Quest platforms this spring, so there isn’t too long to wait.
(@GreenHellVR) 
