London Studios – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

September 26, 2021

The VR Job Hub: PlayStation London Studio, XREAL Games & Tilt Five

Every weekend VRFocus gathers together vacancies from across the virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) industry, 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.

Location	Company	Role	Link
Remote	XREAL Games	Game/Level Designer	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	HR Intern – FTC 12 Months	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	Lead 3D Character Artist	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	Lead Online Programmer	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	Lead Technical Artist	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	Senior Game AI Programmer	Click Here to Apply
London, UK	PlayStation London Studio	Senior Level/Mission Designer	Click Here to Apply
San Francisco, CA	Tilt Five	Head of Communications	Click Here to Apply
San Francisco, CA	Tilt Five	Software Engineering Manager	Click Here to Apply
San Francisco, CA	Tilt Five	Software Engineer in Test	Click Here to Apply
San Francisco, CA	Tilt Five	Systems Software Engineer	Click Here to Apply

Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hub to 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 (pgraham@vrfocus.com).

We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.

July 22, 2019

Sony London Studio Will ‘Continue and Build on’ Blood & Truth Story and Features

London Studio, the British team behind PlayStation VR adventure Blood & Truth may have released a free demo last week to showcase the title but it has much greater plans in store. That announcement saw the studio tease details on a new update due to arrive later this week, so VRFocus caught up with Stuart Whyte, Director of VR Product Development to find out more.

Blood & Truth - Screenshot (E3 2018)

Blood & Truth has been out for a couple of months now and London Studio has been working on several new updates which will help to extend the life of the experience, including a New Game + mode so that you can replay the entire storyline again and pick up the items you missed, getting 100% completion in the process.

Leaderboards will be introduced across all levels and Challenges so you can compete against your mates – or anyone else for that matter. Whyte also confirms that the team is working to expand the roster of Challenges with more due to arrive in the months to come.

The most interesting part of the interview comes when Whyte indicates that the Blood & Truth franchise may become bigger than just one videogame if fans love the experience. Seeing as the response to Blood & Truth has been overwhelmingly positive, then fans may see more of this gritty London narrative.

Blood & Truth - Screenshot (E3 2018)

It was certainly one of VRFocus’ favourite PlayStation VR titles of 2019, giving the videogame a full five star review, commenting: “While you don’t have the freedom of Borderlands 2 VR for example, with Blood & Truth you have a far more focused videogame that knows what it wants to achieve, and that’s put a smile on your face. From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.”

Whyte is also very positive about the VR videogame industry as a whole. Thanks to lots of experimentation over the last couple of years he expects to see ‘new genres and new types of games’ coming to VR systems in the future.

Check out the full interview below and for further London Studio updates, keep reading VRFocus.

July 17, 2019

Undecided on PlayStation VR’s Blood & Truth? Then try the new Demo Tomorrow

Sony London Studio released its action blockbuster Blood & Truth a couple of months ago for PlayStation VR, to near-universal acclaim. If you happen to own the headset and have yet to buy the virtual reality (VR) title then you’re in luck, tomorrow a free demo will be arriving.

Blood and Truth

The demo will feature the first mission from Blood & Truth, giving players enough of a sample to tempt them into purchasing. Compatible with two PlayStation Move controllers (recommended) or a DualShock 4 controller, the first mission gives a good sense of the action movie-style the studio was aiming to deliver. Players are tasked with infiltrating an enemy compound, engaging in an intense rooftop shootout before taking part in a car chase.

Inspired by London Studio’s PlayStation VR Worlds mini-game The London Heist, Blood & Truth is set in the seedy underbelly of London’s criminal underworld. Players take the role of former Special Forces soldier Ryan Marks who returns to find his family has become involved with a ruthless syndicate and he needs to save them.

Blood & Truth was that good VRFocus gave the videogame a full five star review, commenting: “While you don’t have the freedom of Borderlands 2 VR for example, with Blood & Truth you have a far more focused videogame that knows what it wants to achieve, and that’s put a smile on your face. From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.”

Blood and Truth

It seems the studio also has another surprise in store this month, preparing a new update due to arrive on 25th July that includes some fun post-game extras.

At present Blood & Truth is the biggest exclusive PlayStation VR release of 2019 but there’s plenty more to come, with Iron Man VR and Concrete Genie expected at some point later this year. VRFocus will continue its coverage of PlayStation VR and Sony London Studio, reporting back with the latest updates and announcements.

June 3, 2019

PlayStation VR’s Blood & Truth Storms to the top of UK Charts

Generally, when it comes to virtual reality (VR) titles featuring on normal videogame charts, the occurrences are few and far between. When it does happen it tends to be thanks to PlayStation VR, with Farpoint doing extremely well back in 2017 with a number two spot in the UK listings. Today, that has now been beaten, with Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) London Studio taking the number one spot on the UK charts with Blood & Truth.

Blood and Truth

The charts showcase the best selling videogames up to 1st June at UK retail locations, so only physical copies are counted. Only two new titles made it into the top ten, the other being Cricket 19: Offical Game of the Ashes achieving the No.6.

Blood & Truth managed to outperform multiplatform videogames like FIFA 19 (only by 400 copies reports GameIndustry.biz), Team Sonic Racing and Days Gone. Overall it was a tight race for chart supremacy this week, with No.40 and No.1 only separated by a little over 6,000 copies.

While it is surprising the title has done so well given the niche nature of VR in comparison to the other videogame platforms, Blood & Truth has proven itself to be a highly commendable experience, mixing high action gameplay with a tightly interwoven storyline and cinematic cutscenes. VRFocus gave it a full five-star review, saying: “From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.”

Blood and Truth

Hopefully, with achievements such as this, it’ll not only show that VR is financially viable when done correctly but also attract more gamers to the technology as well as developers interested in exploring new markets and creative potential.

Blood & Truth isn’t the only PlayStation VR title to arrive recently, with Squanch Games’ Trover Saves the Universe, Steel Wool Games’ rather scary Five Night’s at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted and Everybody’s Golf VR all now available.

There are going to be plenty more on the way in 2019, with the likes of fairy tale puzzler Luna scheduled for this month, No Man’s Sky: Beyond arriving this summer and of course, Iron Man VR. VRFocus will continue its coverage of PlayStation VR, reporting back with the latest updates.

May 28, 2019

Review: Blood & Truth

With every PlayStation VR sale, no matter what else is included you’ll always get a copy of PlayStation VR Worlds; a collection of mini-games of sorts, one of which is The London Heist. Created by Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) own London Studio, this was a gritty, story-based shooter with plenty of action. If you’ve been wanting more of the same – and got your headset at launch – then the long wait is finally over, as PlayStation VR returns to London’s dangerous criminal underworld in Blood & Truth.

Blood & Truth isn’t a sequel to The London Heist merely taking inspiration from the title, offering players a chance to dive into a Hollywood action movie that sits somewhere between Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Bad Boys 2. Right from the word go London Studio skirts the line between videogame and the growing virtual reality (VR) genre of interactive experience, endeavouring to immerse you into the role of hero, as you become more and more invested in the plot (no matter how outrageous) to protect and save the lives of those around you.

The storyline is just as important as the gameplay in Blood & Truth as there are significant moments spent inside of cut scenes – whether you like them or not. You’re cast as Ryan Marks, an ex-soldier who has come back home, and like any good gangster related script, family is revered and most sacred above all else. So when a ruthless criminal overlord decides to take what Marks’ family has built, it’s up to him to put things right.

Once the story foundations have been set it’s time to have some fun. Blood & Truth is all about intense set pieces, with lots of guns and nifty little nods to the action movies we all know and love. Get the calibration set right for the PlayStation Move controllers and you should have very little issue dual wielding weapons or holding some of the larger guns two-handed. At either hip are your trusty pistols which can be customised and upgraded with attachments such as iron sights and a suppressor. There’s a gun range to test out mods should you need it. These can also be swapped on the fly mid-level, with revolvers and other pistols becoming available. The same goes for the bigger guns (assault rifles/shotguns) which appear across certain areas and attach to your back.

Blood and Truth

There never really seemed to be an issue when grabbing for any weapon, and accuracy even at long range was always spot on. The same goes for reloading. All ammo is kept on your chest, so all you need to do is grab it and bring the clip/shells near the gun the rest is automatic; allowing for quick reloads when under fire.

Because of the linear nature of the gameplay, London Studio has managed to employ a super comfortable system of movement which should suit most players. Actual level exploration is fairly limited, with Blood & Truth employing a sort of point-to-point teleportation system. Locations are highlighted by a white arrow and there can on occasion be two or three points to choose from, giving the illusion of multiple routes. Locomotion between these points is very smooth and steady – no blink teleportation – plus there’s also the option to strafe left or right if a point is available nearby (imagine being behind a desk and moving to either corner). Actual movement options beyond the standard configuration is fairly limited, with a ‘Comfort Mode’ available which adds a vignette should you need to.

Rather than fall into the trap of making a pure first-person shooter (FPS), London Studio has done a decent job of mixing up the gameplay as often as possible, adding in little puzzle elements like picking locks and breaking through security devices, to more high-octane moments like car chases or escaping crumbling buildings. Thankfully, gunplay was always quick and fluid, with explosive barrels always setting off a nice little slow-mo moment if an enemy is caught in the blast.

Blood and Truth

There are a decent number of chapters to play through offering several hours of gameplay on the easier modes. As Blood & Truth is a single-player experience to keep you coming back once the story has been completed, a hard mode will really test those skills, while challenge modes will unlock with online leaderboards to compete against friends. Also included is a Game+ mode so you can go through the story again with everything you’ve unlocked, plus there are plenty of little hidden extras to find if you love gaining 100% on a title.

Blood & Truth has some great voice acting and the motion capture is some of the best seen in a VR experience. If VRFocus is to be really picky then some of the scenes do feel like they drag on a bit too long, when you just want to get stuck back in, and there were a couple of glitch moments that were both funny – a gun was still in hand during a cut scene which meant a handshake couldn’t be interacted with – and game stuttering – an overhead rail section just didn’t want to work. Nothing too OTT.

While you don’t have the freedom of Borderlands 2 VR for example, with Blood & Truth you have a far more focused videogame that knows what it wants to achieve, and that’s put a smile on your face. From start to finish Blood & Truth is one hell of a ride, a finely choreographed John Woo movie that’s all about sheer entertainment.

100%

Awesome

Verdict

July 4, 2018

Preview: Blood & Truth – A Shooter Worth Waiting For

One of the videogames that caught PlayStation VR owner’s attention during Paris Games Week (PGW) 2017 was the announcement by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) regarding a new project from The London Heist developers London Studios called Blood & Truth. As that was over six months ago – and sometime since VRFocus last played it – it was time to check out a new build of the action spy caper to see how development was progressing.

Blood & Truth - Screenshot (E3 2018)

London Studios took an updated version of Blood & Truth to the recent Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, giving PlayStation VR fans a chance to see if this point-to-point first-person shooter (FPS) could improve upon more disappointing titles like Bravo Team. While there were plenty of minor updates that aren’t instantly noticeable, the major one being pointed out by the team was the ability to dual wield guns for the first time.

While it may seem obvious that if you’ve got two PlayStation Move’s in your hands that a gun would be nice in both, it’s not always feasible depending on the type of gameplay and what the developer wants to achieve. In the case of Blood & Truth however that addition is more than welcomed.

As VRFocus has mentioned in previous previews, Blood & Truth employs a fairly linear teleportation system similar to that of Arktika.1 where you have pre-set locations to move to. Unlike Arktika.1 where there were only minimal points to choose from – keeping you barely in cover – Blood & Truth is far more realistic, with each point keeping you hunkered down and protected as best as possible.

Blood & Truth - Screenshot (E3 2018)

It’s these situations when you’re hiding behind a wall or car, bullets hailing down on you from several locations that dual wield certainly has it uses. It affords that additional strategy element allowing you to shoot through a window the other hand can’t comfortably reach or in the middle of a gunfight grant you a few extra bullets without reloading. On that subject, it’s not instantly instinctual to reload a gun with another still in your hand but that is possible in Blood & Truth. All that means is the ammo just doesn’t last as long.

Those that enjoyed The London Heist will rightly be looking forward to Blood & Truth. The linear nature of the experience maybe a negative to some yet that’s the nature of a highly story driven adventure where you can play a spy. The new demo also showcased a new area – previous demos have featured a casino shoot out and chase/interrogation scene – a dilapidated multi-storey building.

Again, while the main path is set you are given some freedom in how you approach some of the set pieces – what cover you choose for example. Having to work your way up the building in an effort to free your mum, London Studios want to get you involved in more than just shooting bad guys so there are climbing elements thrown in for good measure.

From what VRFocus has seen so far Blood & Truth looks to be a promising experience for PlayStation VR. There’s always that question of repetition, shooting enemies and keeping in cover which can only be answered with a proper hands-on review. As development continues VRFocus will keep you updated.

June 14, 2018

More Blood & Truth Screenshots Released

London Studios first came to prominence among fans of virtual reality (VR) with the release of PlayStation VR launch title PlayStation VR Worlds. Last year, the studio announced that it was delving into the seedy world of organised crime in London with Blood & Truth. Fans can now get a closer look at what the title will look like.

Blood & Truth extends the ideas presented by London Studio’s PlayStation VR Worlds sub-game The London Heist, putting players in control of a Special Forces officer trying to take down a crime lord.

Blood & Truth screenshot

The main character of Blood & Truth is named Ryan Marks, who returns to London to find that his family have been drawn into the dark world of a criminal syndicate, and he needs to do whatever it takes to extract them from the danger they are in.

Players will be able to shoot down criminal thugs by using the PlayStation Move controllers as guns, and explore hideouts to discover secrets or hunt down criminals in high-seed car chases through the streets of London.

The developers hope to create an experience which lets players choose their own method of responding to a situation, whether it is a simple run-and-gun tactics, or carefully planting explosives. Players will also be able to choose dialogue to move the story in the preferred direction.

VRFocus were fortunate enough to get a hands-on preview of Blood & Truth, saying: “It’s great to see The London Heist given an opportunity to return players to the gritty world it created and offer that same level of immersion in a fantastic looking depiction of London once again, however it’s difficult to escape the feeling that the need to target mass market audiences has resulted in a protagonist more Broadchurch than The Krays. The locomotion system will undoubtedly deter the core audience but is perfectly welcoming to newcomers.”

The new screenshots can be viewed below. Further news on new and upcoming VR projects will be covered here on VRFocus.

Blood & Truth - Screenshot (E3 2018) Blood & Truth screenshot

November 29, 2017

Sony’s Stuart Whyte Discusses ‘Blood and Truth’ and Future of PlayStation VR Content

On the October 30th Sony London Studios announced at Paris Games Week (PGW) that it was working on Blood and Truth for the PlayStation VR. VRFocus wrote a preview piece and Nina Salomons also created a video preview of Blood and Truth if one would like a more in-depth understanding of the videogame. Based on one of the experiences in PlayStation VR Worlds named London Heist, players explored the love letter to Cockney gangsters,with Sony London Studios deciding to expand on it to create an ever bigger experience. VRFocus spoke to Stuart Whyte, Director of VR Product Development for Sony London Studios about Blood and Truth as well as how he sees the future development of PlayStation VR content.

PlayStation VR Worlds had five different experiences that allowed Sony London Studios to get their hands dirty when it came to making virtual reality (VR) content. It enabled the developers and creators of the team to play with genre, control systems and gameplay interactions. The team have been working on content for the PlayStation VR from the very start. This not only gave them a great learning experience for what seemed to work for the PlayStation VR, but also allowed them to build a game engine from the ground up to support their vision of creating AAA videogames for the platform as well. Whyte explains that when they started no middleware engines were out there, which led the developers to really push the limits of what the PlayStation VR is capable of.

Blood and Truth is a VR title that has quickly become one of PlayStation VR’s most highly anticipate titles. A first-person shooter (FPS) that puts players into the role of Special Forces veteran, Ryan Marks, he’s on a mission to save his family from the criminal overlords that rule modern day London. It’s a love letter to the John Wick or James Bond action movies that leads a player to immerse themselves in the dark underbelly of the criminal’s penthouses, casinos and derelict buildings scattered across London.

As mentioned previously, the developer created their own engine from the ground up for Blood and Truth. Their previous experience in creating what is essentially five VR videogames in one, have allowed the developers to think of new ways to move within a VR experience. Unlike most VR videogames Blood and Truth has adopted a node mechanic which teleports players to pre-designated destinations, allowing a player to simultaneously move forward and dual wield weapons. While Blood and Truth locomotion is handled through button presses, players can still dodge, hide and stand up to make the best use of the cover system. Great for taking cover and shooting across a poker table in a casino.

PlayStation VR is doing extremely well in reaching customers, with holiday sales spurring consumers on and PlayStation VR taking Amazon’s top seller spot for Black Friday it’s safe to say that Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) bet has paid off. With over 100 videogames and the first year anniversary of the PlayStation VR now past, Whyte explains that SIE is focused on users interested in gaming. To find out more about what he hopes PlayStation VR and Blood and Truth will do for the VR gaming community, watch the video below.

November 23, 2017

Hands-on with PlayStation VR’s Blood & Truth

Those who doubted Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE’s) investment in the PlayStation VR and haven’t bought one due to lack of content must have been presently surprised at the large amount of virtual reality (VR) videogames recently announced, such as Megalith, Bow to Blood, and Apex Construct to name a few.

Blood & Truth screenshot If fans of the PlayStation VR tried PlayStation VR Worlds when it came out and enjoyed ‘London Heist‘ they will likely be presently surprised with the PlayStation VR exclusive videogame Blood & Truth, currently expected to launch in 2018. VRFocus tried the videogame at Develop:VR where there were two different types of demos available. A more in-depth preview that took our journalist Kevin Joyce around 10 minutes can be found here. The video preview below is based on the shorter five minute demo that focused primarily on a casino shoot out and chase/interrogation scene.

Blood & Truth puts players into the shoes of elite special forces soldier Ryan Marks as he desperately tries to save his family from a gangster overlord in modern day London. Taking full advantage of the PlayStation move controllers, users click on the move button to jump from one marker to another. Adopting the node mechanic for movement that was used in Oculus’s Rift Arktika.1, it allows players to choose from pre-designated points. This enables players to simultaneously shoot and move in a space at the same time. Though during the chase sequence in the hotel corridors this is not enabled, it helps when you can shoot fire extinguishers and everything slows down, allowing you to take a shot at enemies as they appear. When Nina from VRFocus tried the demo, she did not feel any simulation sickness at all when using the node mechanic or the chase scene where this was disabled.

Blood & Truth asks players to pick locks, plant bombs, break into enemy hideouts and interrogate Marks’ victims, where you have the option to be nice or become more aggressive. Nina talks more about the Blood and Truth in the video preview below, where she discusses the various types of gameplay you can adopt, what it was like playing the five minute demo and what to expect when playing Blood and Truth.

For further updates on Blood & Truth, keep reading VRFocus.

November 13, 2017

Preview: Blood & Truth – The London Heist is out for Revenge

The two The London Heist virtual reality (VR) experiences showcased by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) prior to the release of the PlayStation VR hinted at bigger things to come. Eventually offered as part of London Studios’ PlayStation VR Worlds launch package, it seemed almost as though the immersive world established so early on wasn’t given a true opportunity to shine. Little did we know however, that this was far from the case, as London Studio continued to work on a fully fleshed-out London gangster VR experience, Blood & Truth.

Blood & Truth screenshot Revealed as part of SIE’s Paris Games Week press conference, Blood & Truth has quickly become one of the most highly anticipated PlayStation VR titles amongst the core audience. It’s a first-person shooter (FPS) that aims to immerse the player within a story of crime and violence, taking on the role of a Special Forces veteran, Ryan Marks, with a score to settle against the perpetrators of organised crime.

Blood & Truth is a depiction of a gritty east-end underworld, but is somewhat cartoonised by ill-advised radio chatter. Marks will communicate with as-yet unseen characters automatically as the player progresses, offering a bigger picture to the story unfolding as well as hinting as to what the next objective might be. Sadly, Marks’ quips frequently fall flat and the world of chaos you are cast into begins to feel far less intimidating. This isn’t a case of James Bond’ing the situation with confidence and charisma as much as a Jonathon Ross impression of a smarmy university student.

Unsubtle character development aside, the forced conversation does help in the delivery of objectives without relying to heavily on on-screen prompts. The linear path the player treads is decorated with points of interaction and the videogame does well to establish a reason for each action through plot and direction. You’re climbing the ladder and crawling through that air duct for infiltration; you’re monitoring the video cameras to find your mark unguarded; you’re blowing up a casino floor because it’s owned by the bad guys; you’re killing hundreds of armed enemies because they are the bad guys.

Blood & Truth screenshot All of this is conducted with a very simple control system on two PlayStation Move motion-controllers. The player will see highlighted circles upon the floor (including an arrow to determine the direction they will be facing upon arrival) and can move between them using the large Move button on either controller; despite the system sounding similar to the Oculus Rift exclusive ARKTIKA.1, there is no fade between movement with the player forcibly walked between locations. Once locked into a position the player can strafe along a cover surface should one be available by using a face button (located left or right of the central Move button in relation to the strafing direction) or interact with objects using the motion detection of the controllers.

While the nature of the movement system and the linear level design may make Blood & Truth sound fairly pedestrian, the preview build available to VRFocus was heavy on action. After the stealth-advised introduction every scene was heavy on numbers of armed enemies and the player is encouraged to regular move and strafe in order to take advantage of cover, especially when you remain able to look and shoot independently while moving.

Coming to the end of the preview build VRFocus was offered the first taste of dialogue options set to feature in Blood & Truth. While much deeper examination is required to determine what effect (if any) different decisions will have on the gameplay later in the videogame, given the choice between aggression or compassion was interesting; especially when it’s altogether possible to ignore this completely and go straight for the kill. It would be strange to provide such a series of decisions for the player without having a recompense later, but London Studios are still keeping that information under wraps.

Blood & Truth screenshot At present Blood & Truth is something of a mixed bag. It’s great to see The London Heist given an opportunity to return players to the gritty world it created and offer that same level of immersion in a fantastic looking depiction of London once again, however it’s difficult to escape the feeling that the need to target mass market audiences has resulted in a protagonist more Broadchurch than The Krays. The locomotion system will undoubtedly deter the core audience but is perfectly welcoming to newcomers, and by the time Blood & Truth launches next year there is a great expectation that PlayStation VR will have more of the latter than the former.

There’s still a long way to go until we get to see more of what Blood & Truth can offer, and whether the gameplay loop presented here can be equally as entertaining when stretched out over several hours opposed to a simple 10 minutes demonstration. Of course, VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details on Blood & Truth along the way.