Among Meta’s avalanche of Quest gaming news today, the company revealed that Bulletstorm, the co-op shooter first launched on flatscreen in 2011, is coming to VR for the first time.
The game is currently under development by Incuvo, known for Green Hell VR, and the game’s original developers People Can Fly.
If you haven’t played the original, or the remastered version Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition (2017) on flatscreen, Bulletstorm sets itself apart from other shooters by emphasizing skill points, which you earn by creatively dispatching the enemy.
Here’s how Incuvo describes the VR version:
Back in 2011, Bulletstorm introduced the world to the “Skillshot.” Kick an enemy into a cactus? Skillshot. Crush one under a hot dog cart? Skillshot. Grab one with your Energy Leash and fling ‘em into a burner? Definitely a skill shot. Today, People Can Fly and Incuvo (developer of Green Hell VR) announced they’re bringing Bulletstorm to the Meta Quest Store. Skillshots new and old, as well as the action-packed story—all of it recreated from the ground up to take advantage of VR.
Today’s announcement of the co-op shooter also arrived with a gameplay trailer, showing off the game’s skill-based carnage, fast-paced locomotion, and massive monsters.
It’s not clear when we’ll see Bulletstorm on Quest 2, or what other platforms it might arrive on in the future. In the meantime, take a look at the trailer below:
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.”
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.
Welcome to another VR Job Hub where every weekend gmw3 gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and now Web3 industries, in locations around the globe to help make finding that ideal job easier. Below is a selection of roles that are currently accepting applications across a number of disciplines, all within departments and companies that focus on immersive entertainment.
Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there are always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hubto check as well.
If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (community@gmw3.com).
We’ll see you next week on gmw3 at the usual time of 3 PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.
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.
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.
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.
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.
