Imaginati Studios – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

April 4, 2018

It’s Time to Save the Day in Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR

Yesterday FoxNext and Imaginati Studios launched the first ever virtual reality (VR) experience based on the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR. Supporting PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift (which VRFocus used) it time for another gameplay video to give you a brief look at the first part of the experience.

The videogame is set in the new Planet of the Apes universe between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes films. In it you play one of the apes which has been captured by military personnel and taken to a heavily armed base, as humanity search for a cure for the Simian Flu which as killed millions.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is all about using your evolved ape skills to escape the base with a few of your buddies, clambering up walls, swinging from pipes and taking down a hostile helicopter with a machine gun that’s been left laying around (handy that!).

As you’ll see, the gameplay video features the first half of Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR so not to spoil the end action sequences. This is all about learning those walking and climbing controls – there’s no teleportation here – where you have to swing your arms to walk, both together to jump and climbing is well climbing – so long as the ledge/pipe is highlighted then it’s good to grab.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR screenshot3

As you’ll see in the video – and VRFocus noted in the review – Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is very linear. Don’t expect to free climb wherever you damn well please, the developers have a story to tell and there’s no way round that. On the other hand you’ll soon be gunning down hostiles with your M16 or shotgun – both of which attach to your hairy back in someway – in no time.

Crisis on The Planet of the Apes VR is available to purchase now for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, being sold for £11.99 GBP on PS Store, £10.99 on Oculus Store and on Steam there’s a 33 percent discount, dropping the price from £11.39 down to £7.63. For any further updates on Crisis on The Planet of the Apes VR, keep reading VRFocus.

April 3, 2018

Review: Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR

Blockbuster films and videogame collaborations have never had any easy history, generally because the content is rushed together in the hope of being a cash cow for all involved, resulting in some below average (horrendous) titles coming to market. Even with virtual reality (VR) still in its infancy there has already been some good and some not-so-good experiences seeing the light of day. The latest comes from FoxNext and Imaginati Studios with Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR, and it’s safe to say this is one of the better ones.

With 20^th Century Fox rebooting the Planet of the Apes franchise Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR sits in between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes films. So the Simian Flu has wiped out a massive portion of humanity with those left living in little pockets of the globe. Of course there’s a military base somewhere still performing experiments trying to find a cure by rounding up evolved apes to test on. This is where the Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR starts, entering the base, with the only goal being to escape its confines.

For the first half of the experience Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is all about getting used to being an ape and the various running, jumping and climbing all of that entails. While the climbing sections are fluid and easy to navigate, with highlighted ledges and pipes to traverse the same can’t be said for the other two. The title is as linear as you can get in a VR experience, there’s no exploration with multiple routes or any puzzles to solve as the walking mechanic is a mixture of point-to-point teleportation and arm swinging – like that found in Sprint Vector. A white ape silhouette will appear which you then have to swing your arms to move to. While its design is crafted around helping you tune into the character its actual operation is far clunkier than it is fluid – especially in the latter sections being chased by a helicopter. And if you’re not exactly on the right spot the next highlighted location doesn’t appear until that extra inch or so is moved.

Thankfully in the action oriented latter sections where you get an assault rifle and shotgun this system is replaced by a red ape silhouette which can be quickly dashed to. This is great for jumping from cover to cover, grabbing new ammo magazines and continuing the fire fight. Another neat little feature is the ability to grab cover to hide – good for those players with bad knees – so you can dip in and out with relative ease.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR screenshot3

It’s easy to see the high production values in Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR. Levels look impressively grim and dilapidated, and the animations on both the humans and apes certainly help to make it a suitably immersive experience. The same goes for the audio, with the final helicopter section of particular note as it sweeps around overhead.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is by no means one of the best VR experiences out there, but as a film tie-in it certainly sets the bar high. Because it’s so closely linked with its film brethren is the possible reason for the linearity, playing out as an interactive movie sequence. There also seems to be no additional extras involved, nothing to find or keep you coming back for more, so once completed – it shouldn’t take any longer than two hours to finish on normal – that’s your lot. If you’re a fan of the Planet of the Apes franchise then Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is certainly worth checking out, everyone else may find it too constrained and short lived.

60%

Awesome

Verdict

March 1, 2018

PlayStation VR Offers Pre-Order Discount for Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR

A couple of days ago 20th Century Fox announced virtual reality (VR) experience Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Scheduled to launch in April 2018, for PlayStation VR owners at least, pre-orders are now available offering a 33 percent discount.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR screenshot2

The discount on PlayStation Store is open to all PlayStation owners – not just those with PlayStation Plus – dropping the price from $14.99 USD down to $10.04. There’s one small cravat, the offer only seems to be listed on the US store, currently there’s no listing on the European store.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is based on the new rebooted version of the iconic franchise, set between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes films. If you’ve seen the films you’ll know that the Simian Flu wiped out half of humanity over five years whilst evolving primates. In the videogame players take control of an ape with advanced intelligence, captured and held prisoner in a heavily guarded scientific facility as mankind desperately searches for a cure.

Known only as Specimen 139, they’ll need to free themselves and their fellow apes in a bid to return home to Caesar, climbing, jumping and shooting their way through the chaos of this newly created apocalyptic world. As you play an ape you’ll also get to move like one. Imaginati Studios has created a system where players will need to swing their arms in the real world just as an ape might move. And that also goes for combat, grabbing a piece of cover with hands to move in and out of cover..

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR_screenshot

“The Apes franchise supplies the perfect opportunity for players to become part of an apocalyptic world from the perspective of a different species for the first time ever,” said Martin Alltimes, CEO, Imaginati Studios. “We wanted to balance visceral combat with a plot-driven narrative that leaves you questioning your innate allegiance to humanity.”

As for the PC version, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is listed on Steam and Oculus Store but there are no pre-order options available. If they do appear, VRFocus will let you know.

February 27, 2018

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR Coming This April

Last year 20th Century Fox’s Foxnext VR Studio and UK-based Imaginati Studios announced a virtual reality (VR) project based on the Planet of the Apes franchise. Today, the companies have revealed the first details alongside a gameplay video for Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR, which is scheduled to launch in April 2018.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR_screenshot

Supporting HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is a first-person experience set between Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes films. With the Simian Flu wiping out half of humanity over the previous five years whilst evolving primates, players take control of an ape with advanced intelligence, captured and held prisoner in a heavily guarded scientific facility as mankind desperately searches for a cure.

Players will need to climb, jump and shoot their way through the chaos of an apocalyptic world, escaping with your fellow apes in a bid to return home to Caesar.

“VR has always held the promise of bringing together the cinematic storytelling of film and the deeply immersive interactivity of games. ‘Crisis on the Planet of the Apes’ VR takes this potential to the next level,” said Foxnext VR Studio senior VP and GM Brendan Handler, reports Variety. “We set out to give the fan a lead role in this dark Planet of the Apes world – to feel the ape’s strength, power and movement as he fights his way to safety.”

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR screenshot1

This isn’t the first VR experience from Foxnext, with the studio having released Alien: Covenant In Utero in 2017 and The Martian: VR Experience during 2016. More recently Foxnext is behind the Isle of Dogs VR experience in collaboration with Felix & Paul Studios which is getting an exclusive release on Google Pixel and Pixel 2 via Google Spotlight Stories.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR will be released through the usual channels for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR on 3rd April 2018. For any further updates on the videogame, keep reading VRFocus.

February 27, 2018April 3, 2018

‘Planet of the Apes VR’ Launches Today on PSVR, Rift & Vive, Launch Trailer Here

20th Century Fox’s VR game division FoxNext VR Studio today launched their Planet of the Apes-themed game for PSVR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Called Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR, the first-person action-adventure game takes place between the events in Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), where you play as an intelligent ape imprisoned in a heavily guarded scientific facility.

Update (04/03/18): ‘Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR’ is now out, and with a fresh launch trailer to boot – linked above and at the bottom of the article. The original article announcing the game follows below.

Original Article (02/27/18): Produced in partnership with Imaginati Studios, the game takes place during the throws of the deadly strain of Simian Flu which has decimated the human population. You, an ape with human-level intelligence, are tasked with escaping the testing facility by banding together with your fellow primate test subjects, and returning to Caesar, the series’ intelligent chimpanzee leader. Yes, you’re an ape with an M-16 and a grudge.

Crisis on the Planet of the Apes VR is slated to arrive on all supported VR platforms on April 3rd for $15.

“The Apes franchise supplies the perfect opportunity for players to become part of an apocalyptic world from the perspective of a different species for the first time ever,” Martin Alltimes, CEO, Imaginati Studios. “We wanted to balance visceral combat with a plot-driven narrative that leaves you questioning your innate allegiance to humanity.”

FoxNext had a hand in several VR experiences including Alien Covenant: In Utero VR Experience (2017) and a 360 behind-the-scenes look at the making of Isle of Dogs (2018) film made with Felix & Paul Studios, but Planet of the Apes VR is FoxNext’s first VR game as such. The studio’s second VR game based on the Alien franchise is also currently in production.

The post ‘Planet of the Apes VR’ Launches Today on PSVR, Rift & Vive, Launch Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.