HTC Vive Previews – Page 3 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

January 15, 2020

Preview: Scraper: Gauntlet – Dynamic Shooting Range Action

Labrodex Studios is a developer which enjoys experimenting with both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology – especially when it comes to dogs. Last year the studio released its first VR experience in the form of Scraper: First Strike, a first-person shooter (FPS) that’s a little underrated. Rather than make a sequel the studio has gone off on a little tangent and created Scraper: Gauntlet, another FPS set in the same universe offering a different gameplay experience.

Scraper: Gauntlet

From first impressions Scraper: Gauntlet is looking to emulate the fast and frantic fixed wave shooters that dominated the VR scene in the early years. You’re equipped with a couple of heavily modifiable gauntlets on each arm, offering both offensive and defensive capabilities, all of which can be upgraded depending on the choices you make.

Scraper: Gauntlet is essentially a VR training simulation, with the storyline centred around humanity fighting a war against deadly robots. As an operative of the Human Resistance Force (HRF), it’s your job to defeat the Humech forces and to do so you’re sent into a lab to retrieve a deadly new weapon. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just grabbing it having to unlock the schematics by playing through a succession of levels.

Inside the main lab which functions as the central hub you can wander around via teleporting but for the actual levels themselves, you’re fixed to one location. This has its pros and cons depending on who plays the title. Because there’s no need to worry about moving the team has ensured the gameplay should be comfortable for all players. Labrodex Studios seems very well aware that a bog-standard wave shooter might not be an exciting prospect in the VR era of videogames like Stormland so while Scraper: Gauntlet doesn’t employ movement it tries several other tricks to facilitate dynamic gameplay.

Scraper: Gauntlet First up are the level options. You’re not simply thrown into wave after wave of enemies, missions and their subsequent levels do offer choice. You can select one of three each time you’re in the lab, offering a mixture of waves, anywhere from 2 to 6 that VRFocus noticed. In addition to waves, each mission has specific variables such as the enemies encountered, buffs to health/damage and more. Far more essential, missions will gift one upgrade towards improving the weapons, shields or core attributes if completed. Succeed or fail, the mission options will differ each time you play.

Then there’s the gauntlet itself, a mini powerhouse of a weapon system. Located on both arms for dual-wielding, there are three guns to select; the Interrogator (a mini, mini-gun), the Trajector (a bouncing grenade) and the Pulsar (a charged energy beam). Plus there are the two shields and a very handy anti-gravity fluctuator which is basically force grab, picking up enemies to then fling them about like ragdolls.

The assortment covers every eventuality within each level, whether a robot is charging straight at you or sneakily using some cover to hide behind. One failing of a lot of wave shooters is the lack of enemy intelligence, standing there like the Terminator barely doing anything apart from shooting. Scraper: Gauntlet doesn’t seem to suffer this same fate. The basic soldier robots run straight for cover and will use it to get closer, at points even laying on the ground to take shots. Others have their own shields to move and fire mortars. Naturally, one type does exist which full-on charges but that’s kind of expected considering the electrified pole in its hands.

Scraper: Gauntlet Levels tend to consist of around 5-6 enemies and once a wave is complete a couple of options then appear for the following section, altering the difficultly for a fresh challenge.

A stationary wave shooter always feels a little more of a hard sell in today’s market, as VR fans want more and more from each experience. Variety is the spice of life and Labrodex Studios is definitely trying to make sure Scraper: Gauntlet has that to ensure broad appeal. This early version feels like development is coming along nicely, although VRFocus would love to see some sort of co-op implementation to enjoy with a mate.

October 30, 2019

Preview: Monster Reapers VR – Ghostbusting 2016 Style, Not 1984 Style

The Halloween season doesn’t need to be about scaring yourself half to death in virtual reality (VR), monsters jumping out of every darkened corner. It can still be ghoulish and amusing at the same time which is what titles like Borrowed Light Studios’ Spectro and Virtual Uppercut Studios’ Monster Reapers VR are all about. Having just hit Steam Early Access, Monster Reapers VR aims to offer some good old fashioned haunted house ghost hunting, it’s just a shame about the movement mechanics.

Monster Reapers VR is a rogue-lite shooter where you find yourself inside a haunted mansion which needs clearing out. In a similar fashion to In Death, the title is about repetition, venturing inside and seeing how far you can get before you’re killed, returning to the lobby to try again. During each run through you are able to collect coins which can then either be used upon death to upgrade abilities, weapons and so forth.

On first inspection Monster Reapers VR is an enjoyable ghost hunting experience. In one hand you start with a crossbow to kill these wayward spirits – later upgrades include guns – while the other hand casts magic. In the beginning, all you have is Light and Vortex, the former illuminating hidden ghosts which float overhead while the latter can suck up damaged ghosts, dropped coins, and rustle furniture to uncover more ghosts and coins. As you progress you can access further magical abilities

And that’s the general premise, running around these rooms rattling furniture and clearing them out. As the levels are procedurally generated the layout is different every time plus there are extras to find like chest rooms with additional buffs. To get the really good equipment you need to ascend the various floors, vanquishing a big boss in the process. Virtual Uppercut Studios has managed to nail a really good looking visual style and the weapon handling works fine, so what happened with the locomotion?

Monster Reapers VR

This has to be VRFocus’ biggest gripe with Monster Reapers VR in its current form. The title uses smooth locomotion in combination with either snap or smooth rotation. On paper that sounds fine but the implementation not so much. So to explain. As any VR player knows, when shooting any enemy in a 360-degree environment you’re going to physically turn, it’s natural. However, in Monster Reapers VR this will set the movement controls askew.

When starting, forward is forward and so on, on the Oculus Touch sticks. Yet if you physically turn, say a full 180°, then those controls will be reversed. Obviously, this is even worse if you turn 45°. Which makes running around shooting spooky spectres a little awkward. Using snap turn slightly alleviates the issue but comes undone with multiple enemies. The only solution is smooth turning and keeping your feet planted. Great if you’re a hardcore VR player who can handle fully dual-stick locomotion, not so much for everyone else. And as far as VRFocus could see, there were no other locomotion options apart from increasing/decreasing the vignette intensity.

Which quite honestly removes a lot of the enjoyment of Monster Reapers VR. If you like snap rotation then playing Monster Reapers VR is a constant battle, removing that immersive sensation of freedom VR can offer. Virtual Uppercut Studios has detailed lots of new content it plans on adding during Early Access such as locations, enemies and weapons. But that will all be for nought if Monster Reapers VR is frustrating to play.

October 15, 2019

Preview: Spectro – Perfect for Some Halloween Style Escapades

Originally unveiled in 2016, Borrowed Light Studios’ Spectro has made several appearances over the years, quietly disappearing then reappearing much like its content theme. It has always looked like an enjoyable concept. Making onto VRFocus’ ‘Best Mobile Games Coming in 2019’ list at the start of the year. That course has changed somewhat with the studio launching Spectro into Early Access on Steam, purely for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. In any case, it’s a nice easy going mix of action and puzzle gameplay.

Spectro

Looking like a mash-up between Ghostbusters and Luigi’s Mansion, Spectro is a single-player experience putting you in the shoes of a paranormal investigator tasked with saving the town of Wierdwood. The only way to do this is to venture into a haunted tower filled with ghosts and other mysteries to recover the Mask of Okeem and save the day.

What this means is blasting lots of ghosts level by level, working your way to the top. And for the most part, it’s a fun, if somewhat simple gameplay experience. You’re armed with a plasma blaster weapon thing which can weaken the malevolent spirits wandering the tower, before sucking them up and trapping them. These ghosts come in a variety of styles, small nippy ones which fire green balls of energy, others which throw bombs (which can be hit back), and massive angry looking ones which get in the way.

Battling these spirits is the high-light of Spectro, dashing in and out of rooms avoiding their projectiles, each capture feeling suitably satisfactory – there’s no wrestling them like in Ghostbusters, however. This does mean Spectro works really well with the smooth locomotion option, allowing for strafing and quick movement. For those that require comfort options don’t worry they have been included, there’s ‘Blink’: a point to point teleportation system, or ‘Dash’; which is essentially the same you just see a quick movement. All work well enough, but due to the tight conditions of each level, smooth locomotion does offer a little more flexibility.

Spectro

The levels aren’t just about fighting ghosts. Glinting items in each room indicate coins to be had which can then be spent in the store buying better weapons, health and other items. You can also open treasure chests with hidden keys to unlock better guns offering improved damage, speed and ammo capacity.

To progress each floor has a not so hidden totem (it grows bright blue), once collected it starts a brief treasure hunt where you need to find five objects as fast as possible. Using the totem then allows you to pinpoint a room with a secret door, behind which is a staircase to the next floor. The gameplay is all fairly playful in its nature with the only real difficulty coming from groups of ghosts.

Spectro is very much a family-friendly ghost-busting experience with nods to similar spooky film and videogame favourites. Its random level generation should provide enough variety to replay the tower over and over to gain the best upgrades. Even in Early Access form, VRFocus found Spectro to be a solid title with no noticeable bugs so far, paving the way for Borrowed Light Studios to turn this decent start into a hit.

September 10, 2019

Preview: Viro Move – More Moves Than You Can Sweat to

Virtual reality (VR) and fitness seem to be going hand-in-hand more than ever, as developers realise the market for losing calories whilst playing videogames. Titles like BoxVR and Beat Saber offer energetic experiences with one core gameplay mechanic. But what if you want more, something that combined the punching, sword-swinging and threw in some gun rhythm like Audica. Well, you’d have Viro Move, a title that really wants to make you sweat and feel the burn.

Viro Move

Recently showcased at Gamescom 2019, developer Fit Reality is currently in the middle of its Move More fitness challenge, tasking a select group of players who registered to post their best scores across each fighting style: Boxing, Shooting, Sword Play and Mixed Weapons.

It’s this variety which makes Viro Move not only stand out from others in this field but also gives you more to think about and a greater overall challenge. The question is, can a videogame with all these styles be as good as a master of one?

If you’ve spent any time with any of the aforementioned videogames then you’ll feel almost right at home with most of Viro Move. The boxing has colour coordinated balls to hit, orange for left, blue for right, with a giant red ball for both fists. As you’d expect, there are also obstacles in the form of rock formations to dodge, removing the multiplier when hit, plus the ball formations require hooks, uppercuts and so forth.

Viro Move

The swords are also fairly self-explanatory for anyone who has played Beat Saber, although there are more multiples in Viro Move. The shooting section offers the biggest difference between the three main styles, with lasers to dodge and targets which can only be hit during certain indicated moments. As such all three do a commendable job of getting you active in different ways.

However, Viro Move’s raison d’être is its mixed weapons mode. This is the true test and the one which really makes a lot of the other fitness apps look pale and relaxed in comparison. This is thanks not only to the sheer amount of movement Fit Reality employs but also the mental dexterity to switch up when needed. With one style you can get into a groove, swinging the swords around as if you’re some sort of ninja. That familiarity goes straight out the window when switching between shooting, punching and swordplay.

An option is available for automatic switching but there’s no fun in that. Guns can only be unlocked by pointing the controllers straight out in front, gloves by placing the controllers behind your back, while swords are over the shoulder. They all give an added dimension to your movement, twisting and flexing muscles for what feels like a proper workout.

Viro Move

That makes Viro Move an exciting prospect to become one of the best VR fitness videogames on the market. Because of the movement required, however, you need plenty of space just to be sure – which may cause home users issues. Most roomscale experiences generally require around 2m x 2m of floor space which is fine for most homes. Viro Move’s recommended minimum is three meters wide by two meters deep, with an actually suggested floor area of 4m x 3m. VRFocus did play it in a 2.2m x 2m area and it did feel tight, not unplayable just very tight. Having a clear play space is essential.

Fit Reality certainly wants to enter the VR market with a bang and Viro Move is definitely going to do that. All the individual components work perfectly well, there didn’t seem to be any issues with latency, and it was nice to have some scenic outdoor locations to play in – rather than all the neon-landscapes so often used. If you thought other fitness titles made you sweat wait until you get hold of Viro Move, when that will occur is another matter altogether.

September 2, 2019

Preview: Hotel R‘n’R – Be That 80s Rockstar

Limp Bizkit’s ‘Break Stuff’ may have waxed lyrical way back in 2000 about venting anger by smashing stuff up but for musicians, that’s almost second nature. Not modern artists of course but back in the 70s and 80s it was almost a rite of passage for rock stars to destroy the hotel they were staying in. While they could afford the repair bills most normal folk probably haven’t thrown the TV off the balcony into the pool below. Which is where Hotel R’n’R comes into scratch that destructive itch.

Hotel RnR

The work of Wolf & Wood, the team behind epic horror series The Exorcist: Legion VR, the team have melded classic rock folklore with that urge to break stuff. Supposedly all the great stars of that era signed some sort of deal with the Devil to become rich and famous, and that just so happens to be where Hotel R’n’R kicks in with you playing a failed rock musician who just didn’t have the skills and ends up in Hell. One quick signature later and you’re back up top with one mission, break a lot of stuff.

Hotel R’n’R’s premise really is that simple. Grab a bottle, and smash it on the floor. Pick up a toaster and hurl it out of the window. Basically, take whatever you can find and make sure none of it looks like new when you leave. All so you can rack up as big a bill by the end as possible, which is the scoring gauge. Each level has several challenges to accomplish which will then unlock the next hotel, just be prepared for plenty of repetition.

The first couple of goes are great fun, working out what breaks and what you can actually achieve. That joy becomes a little dampened when trying to progress when you realise more tools are required to really up the score. Luckily, Hell has a handy Pawn Shop where you can spend your monies on useful items like boxing gloves, baseball bats and even C4. The better the item the more exorbitant the cost, so that first hotel room starts to become real familiar as you destroy it for the 50^th time.

As Hotel R’n’R is still in Early Access there are still a few small issues to resolve. Tracking seems to be one. During the smashathon hotel management naturally come knocking, first a maid, then the manager and finally security – once security arrives it’s all over. When the maid and manager turn up you can stop them coming in by way of three locks on the door, requiring a quick bit of handy work to keep things sealed. This proved tricky at points – using an Oculus Rift – with hands either sticking or simply not moving at times, which isn’t ideal for this fast-paced section.

There also seemed to be some inconsistency when stuff breaks (or doesn’t break). Lobbing a vase across the room there’s a 50/50 chance of it breaking while ripping a clothes rail off worked but using it to damage other items didn’t. Which all got somewhat frustrating when trying to complete a challenge.

What’s good though is the attention to and level of detail in the hotel. Drawers can be ripped out, sinks smashed, fruit has a satisfying splat when connecting with a wall and the TV can be thrown! There are also several mini-games located in Hell should you want a break whilst still earning cash.

Hotel R’n’R is mindless virtual destruction at its most brazen and chaotic. Wolf & Wood offer players what every good VR title should, lots and lots of interactivity that gets you moving, immersing you in a digital world which almost seems real. It isn’t perfect by any means and certainly isn’t one for the puzzle aficionados out there but don’t discount Hotel R’n’R’s devilish gameplay too quickly.

August 24, 2019

Preview: Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son – Become the Coffee Bean

When listing some of Bill Murray’s greatest films what do you automatically go for, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Zombieland or how about Groundhog Day? The latter might not be most people’s first choice for a virtual reality (VR) videogame but that’s exactly what Tequila Works is going for with VR sequel Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son. Demoed for the first time on the PlayStation VR stand during Gamescom this past week, the title is a mixture of mini-games designed to make everyone happy.

Groundhog Day

Due to the restrictions of a games show most demos tend to be the first level or sometimes midway through the title depending on how far development has progressed. What Tequila Works had on offer was in fact three curated segments showcasing the mini-game elements of Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son.

Just like the 1993 film, you’re stuck in a time loop. However you’re not playing Bill Murray’s arrogant self-centred character, Phil Connors, instead, you’re Phil Connors Jr, who just so happens to take after his father. To get out of the situation you need to solve puzzles, or more accurately, help solve people’s problems putting them before yourself.

So first up you needed to make an awesome coffee to lift your brother’s spirits. This was a two-stage mini-game with the first part taking place inside the coffee machine. To know coffee you have to be coffee and in this instance, that means smashing apart beans in timed sequences. This particular section offered the most challenge with coffee beans weirdly floating in the air to be destroyed as quickly as possible using glowing orbs to throw at them.

Groundhog Day

After that came the outside of the coffee machine, lining up water pipes, pulling levers to hopefully pour this wondrous cup of coffee (should really have been tea). The third was a far more artistic affair, with you trying to impress a young graffiti artist by spray painting an animal design. Whilst not requiring a great deal of accuracy, so long as the relative stencil outline was met then all was good unlocking a paint mode to test those spray painting skills.

The film was always a good-natured comedy and Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son certainly gives off that vibe. In gameplay terms, the mini-games were amusing enough for a few minutes yet there was no chance to really connect with the story and the characters. A Tequila Works staff member did note there would be greater interactions and dialogue which will hopefully lift the experience above just another mini-game compilation. Additionally, there was no sign of the main time loop mechanic the whole story premise is based around which was a real shame.

Plus it’s important to get this right. Groundhog Day was a comedy gem. It may not have been a massive blockbuster but the film has garnered millions of fans around the world, becoming synonymous as the time loop movie copied many times over. As such, doing a disservice to this beloved film will likely see some intense backlash.

Groundhog Day

To be honest, VRFocus isn’t too worried. Tequila Works is well versed in VR development having released The Invisible Hours, a rather good murder mystery, back in 2017. Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son arrives in less than a month’s time on 17^th September for multiple headsets – not just PlayStation VR – so you’ll soon know whether to watch the film again or play the VR sequel.

August 9, 2019

Preview: Special Force VR: Infinity War – Proof Some Games Need Early Access

The beauty of virtual reality (VR) first-person shooters (FPS) is that they can be far more natural in their design layout and implementation than standard videogames. There are far less complicated button layouts to worry new players as you can have a trigger for firing your gun and then grab for almost everything else. Yet some experiences like to try and change things up a little, playing around with the norm – for better or worse. It’s the latter that Special Force VR: Infinity War seems to have taken upon its Early Access release.

Special Force VR: Infinity War

Essentially a VR reimagining an old PC title from 2004, Special Force, the title is being developed by Korean teams Reality MagiQ and Dragonfly. Special Force VR: Infinity War is a military-style experience that’s primarily focused on multiplayer combat. While it does state single-player compatibility on Steam, this is purely in the form of AI inside multiplayer maps.

Which is fine. It means you can jump into a match without having to worry about waiting for real players to arrive, they can actually spawn into a running match if there are positions available – up to eight players can compete. However, there’s no difficulty setting that VRFocus could find, so the AI doesn’t go easy on anyone which can be a baptism of fire as you get used to the controls.

The controls are where things get interesting/frustrating. As discussed in the first paragraph, usually videogames of this ilk will have a system involving waist-mounted guns and interactive reloading of some sort. Special Force VR: Infinity War has none of this. Each character can hold a main and secondary weapon, switched using the face buttons which works reasonably well. Reloading on the other hand – or more accurately manual reloading – still needs plenty of attention. The easiest way is to finish the clip and let the weapon auto-reload. Which is never ideal in a firefight. There’s no way to grab and remove a clip plus you don’t have anywhere to select another clip from. Pressing the trigger in the clips vicinity seems to work, just not 100 percent of the time.

Special Force VR: Infinity War

There are VR titles that want to tune you into the experience and environment by doing away with HUD information. This would look to be the case with Special Force VR: Infinity War as the only info is an ammo count on the gun. Yet for some unknown reason, the match timer is in bright white, ticking away at the top of your vision – you can see it in the videos and screenshots. That annoyingly stays there the entire duration. Ideally, if there’s no HUD then there’s no HUD, so put that sort of info on a watch which can easily be looked at without ruining the immersion.

Movement is another bone of contention. It’s purely direct, smooth locomotion so for those that do suffer there’s a heavy vignette available (not adjustable). The problem is that it just doesn’t have the fluidity and accuracy this style of videogame needs. It can be controller or head-based allowing for some adaptability, however, much like the reloading; switching between walking and running was erratic at best. You’re only hope of surviving if spotted out of cover is the brutal recoil, even when holding a rifle with both hands.

Even with that negative stuff being said it’s good to see a reasonable selection of options at this early stage, with three modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Demolition, while each of the four has several load-outs to choose from, such as assault rifles, sniper rifles, SMG’s, and pistols. Plus there’s a shooting range to test everything out.

Special Force VR: Infinity War has lots of little issues throughout at this stage. It’s not bad or completely unplayable, just very rough in its present form. Going after the Onward/Pavlov VR/Contractors crowd won’t be easy, this is very tough company to be in, all three of which are still Early Access titles themselves. If Reality MagiQ and Dragonfly can sort out the more glaring issues quickly, then Special Force VR: Infinity War might become the competitive esports experience it is trying to be.

June 19, 2019

Preview: Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded

Magic has long enthralled mankind for generations, offering a fascinating twist on reality that’s both entertaining and perplexing in equal measure. There have been many a famous magician, from Houdini all the way up to current street magicians like Dynamo. When it comes to stage magic, duo Penn & Teller are up there with the best, mixing magic with comedy and a little danger (as well as debunking). Collaborating with Gearbox Software, the pair have created a rather intriguing virtual reality (VR) experience called Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded which could well be a highlight for any local VR gathering.

Penn and Teller VR

Gearbox Software shared a brief demo of Penn & Teller VR during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) this month, allowing VRFocus to gain a sneak peek behind the curtain. It’s one of those sort of videogames where discussing it can reveal too much, as once the twist is spoilt there’s no going back. You have been warned.

The title is made up of 14 tricks (or ‘Bits’ as they’re referred to). Each Bit is essentially one magic trick which can either be performed with a friend or solo. For the demo, VRFocus got to see several of these, as well as some other parts of the experience. These were Bits involving the game paper, scissors, stone; a sawing in half trick and a water tank escape.

In Penn & Teller VR you are the magician which means you tend not to put the headset on as often, controlling the sequence via a monitor. This is because of the videogame’s other fiendish feature pranking. So the Paper, Scissors, Stone game is a prime example. Here both VR player and non-VR player enter into the classic game, trying to beat each other as usual. The twist is that you can then automate the hand movements without the VR player knowing. So while they’re happily trying to win, blissfully unaware they’re no longer playing you that frees you up to prank your mate. In VRFocus’ case, the Gearbox Software team member playing then snuck up and tapped me on the shoulder for a surprise scare.

Penn and Teller VR

Highly amusing, it’s easy to see how with a few friends Penn & Teller VR could be the party title to beat Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes. The water tank escape, on the other hand, called ‘YOU be Houdini’ was a solo experience. Chained into a tank – for added effect both hands were put through the Oculus Touch strap – there were loads of padlocks each with different key shapes (circles, triangles, squares etc.) which needed to be unlocked by random keys being dropped in. The aim is not to drown – probably best not played if you have a fear of water or tight spaces – and needless to say, VRFocus failed but managed to survive thanks to the duo.

They’ve certainly tried to make Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded more than just the Bits by themselves. You can go into the famous ‘Monkey Room’ which guests for Penn & Teller’s live shows in Las Vegas wait in before going on stage, and the pair have recorded videos going into greater details regarding their tricks.

What’s impressive about Penn and Teller VR: Frankly Unfair, Unkind, Unnecessary & Underhanded is that it really plays to VR’s strengths, offering an experience that’s distinctive and a refreshing change for some of the other releases on the horizon. VRFocus does have one quibble at this point, and that’s longevity and repetition. Will 14 Bits be enough? Because once you and your friends are in on the gag it no longer becomes entertaining or funny, killing any pranks in the process. Hence why most magicians keep their tricks a secret.

June 12, 2019

Preview: Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot – Nazi Stomping Mayhem

During the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018 Bethesda had three virtual reality (VR) titles to talk about one of which was Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot. For 2019 only Cyberpilot returned with no other VR titles even mentioned. Thankfully, the studio did have new content to share, showcasing how development had progressed.

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot

Just like the rest of the franchise Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot still pits you against Nazis in an alternate universe where they won the second World War. This time however you get to control a selection of Nazi war machines, turning these instruments of death against their creators.

2018s demo featured a Panzerhund; a large mechanical dog equipped with a flamethrower, while for 2019 Bethesda showcased a giant walking mech, outfitted with a machine gun on the right hand and a rocket launcher on the left. Gameplay hasn’t actually changed that much in the past year, with Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot offering a linear environment design in where you walk through a war-torn city wiping out all the enemy foes.

The mech has the exact same control scheme as the Panzerhund, with the left HTC Vive touchpad providing movement controls while the right controller handles turning. There are a few small differences, however. As you’re controlling a mech you find yourself sat inside a cockpit, with a selection of light dotted around the frame indicating health and weapon overheat. When managed correctly using a nice burst of fire rather than holding down the trigger overheating shouldn’t be a problem. Other neat features included a temporary shield which could be activated for short periods via a big red button and the healing mechanic. Take too many hits and you can completely heal the mech back to full strength, the only problem is that you’re complete defenceless whilst doing so.

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot

The gameplay is very much a destroy everything affair, an action romp that’s easy to get to grips with and comfortable to play. Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is a lot slower than its flat screen brethren, offering nowhere near the same intensity and flavour. That begin said, it offers a different approach which the series hasn’t necessarily seen before. Thankfully, it’s not on rails, so you can wander around and take your own approach through the narrow streets.

Enemies came in three main designs, the standard trooper who tended to stay in place with their mates providing perfect fodder for the minigun. Then there were the mid-tier dudes, mechanically augmented to take more damage and deal more out; clever strafing and a few well-aimed missiles sort them out. And then there were the really big foes, appearing towards the end of the demo, these require careful management of all systems to bring them down.

Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot might be a VR title putting you inside war machines but the essence of the franchise is in many ways still there. VRFocus has now experienced two of its segments and currently like what has been showcased so far. Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot is now scheduled for release on 26th July 2019, supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, so there isn’t too long to wait to see how the entire experience turns out.

May 29, 2019

Preview: Winter Fury: The Longest Road – More Tank Please

After first hearing about Winter Fury: The Longest Road VRFocus was fairly excited to take the videogame for a spin, with the promise of both on foot first-person shooter (FPS) action and some armoured fun in a tank. While the premise is sound, that early excitement was somewhat overzealous as you’re about to find out.

Winter Fury

The first virtual reality (VR) videogame by Spidermonk Entertainment (staffed by former Activision and THQ veterans), Winter Fury: The Longest Road is about one Allied soldier’s lone battle against Axis forces in WWII. You’re given a special, experimental tank (supposedly) with which to wipe your foe from the battlefield, but alas, being able to cause carnage across Europe in the 1940s just wasn’t quite meant to be.

Feeling very much like an older Call of Duty (number three possibly), Winter Fury: The Longest Road is essentially a fancy wave shooter. There’s no running around so it’s super comfortable to play, with each leg of a level taking place at a different location down the titular road. You tend to be located in one of two areas, either on the back of the tank or in a concrete/sand bunker of some sort, mowing down German forces (everything they say is in German for realism).

The much-touted tank you can’t actually drive, moving automatically in a third-person viewpoint until it gets to an area which then switches to first-person. When on the back of the tank you’ll have access to a nice .50-cal heavy machine gun which does a superb job of killing anything you point it at, men, men on horses, trucks, even other tanks. The same goes for some of the bunkers, which either have gun emplacements or you can resort to the pistol on your hip, or the machine gun on your chest (a Thompson naturally). Both the heavy and regular machine guns work a treat, but the pistol aim does seem to be slightly off that aren’t really up close.

Winter Fury

Spidermonk has gone for semi-realism when it comes to certain aspects of Winter Fury: The Longest Road and more arcade-like designs in others. For example, the machine guns can be used single handed, but as you’d expect, pepper the environment – you’d struggle to hit a mountain with the MG. So holding the Thompson with both hands improves the aim while mounting the .50-cal on a sand bag or wall improves accuracy greatly. On the flipside, reloading is a stripped back affair, with a couple of quick actions needed for the heavy, while a standard weapon has an almost rapid reload effect when done correctly.

This makes for a rather lively WWII shooter where you only need to worry about health as the ammo is infinite. It’s also worth mentioning the grenades, as the studio has created a rather interesting mechanic. On the Oculus Touch controller the grip button grabs the grenade as you’d expect, with a white arc appearing from your hand. This denotes where the grenade will travel and can then be locked in place by pressing the trigger. You then throw as normal and watch as your perfectly placed explosive does the damage – no more fumbles or shit throws wasting valuable grenades. It’s a handy little system.

As Winter Fury: The Longest Road progresses things do begin to improve on the tank front, with one level involving a destroyer which needs to be sunk. There are brief – too brief – moments where you get to control the cannon and fire shells – still no direct tank control – but for the most part the destruction comes back to the mounted weapons.

Winter Fury

At present Winter Fury: The Longest Road is a bit of a weird one. You can tell the team have a decent pedigree in this style of videogame, and there are individual elements that shine – the sniper is another one. Yet the gameplay just feels a little reined in, as if the studio didn’t want to go too big too soon. VRFocus will be keeping an interested eye on this one while in Early Access, and advise everyone does the same.