It looks like arcade classic The House of the Dead 2 will get a remake soon
The House of the Dead 2: Remake just got an ESRB listing, so it looks like the arcade classic is finally getting a remake from Forever Entertainment.
Flint: Treasure of Oblivion turns Treasure Island into a tactical RPG
Flint: Treasure of Oblivion is a new tactical pirate RPG set entirely in the world of Treasure Island.
This strategy game about photorealistic ants will have you bugging out
Empire of the Ants is a real-time strategy game starring photorealistic ants, and it's just as wild as that premise sounds.
ATV Drift & Tricks Crashes onto PlayStation 4
A new PlayStation VR compatible title from Microids has launched rather quietly this week. ATV Drift & Tricks is now available for PlayStation 4, both digitally via the PlayStation Store and as a physical boxed product at retail, published by Funbox Media.
An arcade-style experience, ATV Drift & Tricks offers both single-player and multiplayer gameplay across eight modes: League, Time Trial, Quick Race, Hot Lap, King of the Road, Golden Helmet, Last One Standing and Hunter. Multiplayer is available on online and via split-screen, the latter of which is an oft forgotten feature in the modern videogame industry.
The videogame features a variety of tracks set across multiple environments, including deserts, forests, mountain regions and lakes Oases, all filled with opportunities to pull off some crazy stunts and drifts. ATV Drift & Tricks is also compatible PlayStation VR, and Funbox Media suggest that this makes it the first virtual reality (VR) quad bike videogame. However, the full extent of the support for VR is not currently known. How the speed and elaborate stunts will translate to VR is certainly a question that needs to be answered.
ATV Drift & Tricks is developed by Microids, a studio which is not only well versed in developing racing videogames but also has prior experience with the PlayStation VR head-mounted display (HMD). The previously released dirtbike racing videogame Moto Racer 4 also featured support for the PlayStation VR, and other titles from Microids in the genre include Speed Demons, Crazy Cars: Hit the Road and the forthcoming Gear Club Unlimited for Nintendo Switch.
ATV Drift & Tricks is available at retail with a suggested retail price (SRP) of £24.99 GBP, however both Amazon and Play Asia are offering the videogame under that price tag including UK delivery. The digital version launched prior to the retail edition, on 26th October 2017, and is now available from the PlayStation Store priced slightly lower, at £15.99.
Funbox Media are making a significant effort to support PlayStation VR at retail, also publishing Big Moon Entertainment’s Syndrome and the seemingly delayed Quar: Battle for Gate 18. VRFocus will keep you updated with any further PlayStation VR titles set to be published by Funbox Media.
Moto Racer 4 Features Fast-Paced, But Limited, PS VR Support on PS4
Adding limited VR support to a game that would appear to be a good fit for comprehensive support seems to be a trend lately in the games industry. Perhaps it’s a way for developers to experiment without sinking too many funds into VR development, or perhaps it’s symptomatic of a larger issue with adoption numbers. Either way, more and more developers are opting for small slices of their games in VR rather than the entire experiences.
Joining the ranks of Gran Turismo Sport, the recently released Moto Racer 4 also only supports VR for a small handful of race types, although they claim that won’t always be the case. The game is published by Microïds and developed by Artefacts Studio.
The full game (which the above trailer incorrectly states is already fully playable in VR) features 15 different game modes between single and multiplayer with up to 10 total racers in local and online multiplayer. Additionally, you can race in both asphalt (high-speed racing bikes) and Dirt modes (stunt-filled Motocross).
But unfortunately only the single player Time Attack and Hot Lap modes are supported as of this time. Luckily, according to an official press release, “Microïds and Artefact Studios will progressively and freely make all game modes and races, already available in Moto Racer 4, compatible in VR,” but there is no time frame on the rest of the game’s content.
I tried Moto Racer 4 with the PS VR headset and while it was disappointing that I couldn’t play the entire compliment of game modes, such as with Driveclub VR [Review: 7/10] for example, the sense of speed was unmatched inside Sony’s HMD. There aren’t many racing games to choose from yet with support for the PlayStation headset, so Moto Racer 4 was a bit liberating in a way. Driveclub VR provides an excellent outlet for cockpit-based racing, but sitting atop a bike in Moto Racer added a more visceral nature to the speed and made me feel more vulnerable.
That being said, it doesn’t look too great visually. Playing the game inside the headset’s downgraded resolution transforms a game that was already only average into something visually sub-par by modern racing game standards. The framerate is reportedly improved on the PS4 Pro version, both inside and outside of the headset, which lets it run smoothly, but still leaves a bit to be desired in terms of graphical fidelity.
Strangely, even though Moto Racer 4 is also available for PC via Steam, there doesn’t appear to be any support for the Vive, Rift, or OSVR headsets at this time, but maybe that can be incorporated later on like the rest of the game modes.
“It was the first time we’ve worked on this feature, and we known that it would be a challenge to make it comfortable for a moto racing game, certainly more difficult than a car race,” said Production Director at Artefacts Studio, Olivier Gaudino during an interview. “During production, we have been faced with motion sickness, and we had to work particularly on camera settings in regards to the bike and the locations. We tried several adjustments in order to reduce motion sickness, VR tests were interesting since each person had a different sickness reaction. Finally, we found a way to reduce the motion sickness, and the immersive experience is really strong during the races, in GP mode and Dirt mode as well.”
At this time with such a limited VR offering, it’s hard to recommend Moto Racer 4 as a racing game if you’re intrigued by the VR support. Additional game modes will be added to Sony’s headset at this time, but right now there just isn’t enough to do. If you’re a fan of the franchise in general and would like to try it outside of the headset however, you’ll find a capable arcade racing game with plenty to do and lots of bikes to ride.
Moto Racer 4 is now available on PlayStation 4 with limited PS VR support as well as on Xbox One and PC.
Tagged with: artefact studios, microids, Moto Racer 4, motocross, playstation, PS VR, ps4, racing
Moto Racer 4’s Two Wheeled Action Arrives on PlayStation VR
Microids and Artefacts Studio revealed in June that the next instalment of their motorbike racing series, Moto Racer 4 would feature virtual reality (VR) support for PlayStation VR. At the time the developer said the title would be a day one launch experience for the headset but it never arrived, then last week VRFocus reported it should be arriving tomorrow from information on an Amazon listing. Moto Racer 4 has in fact arrived today, with PlayStation VR support intact, albeit with some cravats.
Moto Racer 4 features revealed so far include over 15 single player and multiplayer modes which include King of the Hill, where racers have to get their timer down to zero first; Last Man Standing will eliminate the last player through a check point and Survival, where have to pick up time by going through checkpoints, lasting as long as possible. Online multiplayer mode for 2 – 10 players, motorbike and rider customization, and over 100 motocross and asphalt challenges, alongside 18 races across 3 open environments.
But for those that want to immerse themselves in this racing world with PlayStation VR, only a couple of modes are available. In a press release Microids revealed that only Time Attack and Hot Lap options would be available in VR. So it looks like multiplayer might not be available just yet, but game modes will progressively be added in the future, although when is currently unclear.
Checkout the new trailer for Moto Racer 4 below, and as VRFocus learns more about further game mode support we’ll let you know.
PlayStation VR Title Moto Racer 4 Delayed Until November
It’s almost been two weeks since Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) launched PlayStation VR. Most of the videogames that were scheduled to arrive on launch day did, but one was missing Artefact Studios and Microids’ racing title Moto Racer 4. The title had previously been confirmed as a launch experience back in July, but a listing on Amazon now puts the date as 4th, November 2016.
Moto Racer 4 isn’t solely a PlayStation VR title on PlayStation 4, it also supports Xbox One, PC and Mac, interestingly the listing on Steam gives a release date of 3rd, November 2016.
The videogame is set to feature over 15 single player and multiplayer modes, which include King of the Hill, where racers have to get their timer down to zero first; Last Man Standing will eliminate the last player through a check point and Survival, where have to pick up time by going through checkpoints, lasting as long as possible.
Over 100 motocross and asphalt challenges are available, alongside 18 races across 3 open environments. On the multiplayer side, for consoles there will be local two player, then online matches that’ll feature up to ten players.
There are some differences in pricing as well. The videogame will come in two guises, a standard edition and a deluxe edition. The standard Moto Racer 4 is priced at £22.99 GBP on Steam, while the Deluxe version is £39.99. For PlayStation VR users the Deluxe Edition will cost you £49.99 via Amazon. The Deluxe Edition includes: metal case including game disc, Season Pass for access to all the upcoming content, including a game mode and additional content of 3 Riders Packs.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Moto Racer 4, reporting back with any further announcements.
The Best of PlayStation VR Launch: Racing Games
Racing videogames have been one of the most popular genres in the industry for over a decade, routinely selling large numbers of units in the holiday period. Is it any surprise that Electronic Arts’ near-annual Need for Speed titles arrive later in the year? Or that both Sony Interactive Entertainment and Microsoft both bring a first-party produced racing videogame to market in time for the holiday season annually? Well, PlayStation VR is no different, with a selection of racing videogames set to be ready and waiting at launch.
While Gran Turismo Sport has been delayed into 2017, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s other big PlayStation 4 racing franchise, DriveClub, will be making its PlayStation VR debut alongside the head-mounted display (HMD) on 13th October 2016. Also arriving at launch will be Microids’ Moto Racer 4 and, though not 100% confirmed for day one itself, Oculus Rift launch title Radial-G: Racing Revolved will be available within the launch window of the device.
“Where’s Project CARS?” You may well ask. Well, although Slightly Mad Studios initially confirmed a PlayStation VR release for Project CARS, we’re yet to see it running on the device or get confirmation of a release date. Furthermore, there’s currently no information on whether the studio plan on patching in the PlayStation VR support for free, offering it as additional downloadable content (DLC) in the same fashion as DriveClub VR, or re-releasing the videogame as a new entity altogether. Of course, VRFocus will keep you updated with any movements on that front.
DriveClub VR – Sony Interactive Entertainment
DriveClub VR was a ‘Will it? Won’t it?’ title for some time. Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed early-on in the PlayStation VR’s unusually public development cycle that a prototype for DriveClub VR had been developed, but never discussed a potential consumer release. In fact, when the announcement of Gran Turismo Sport supporting PlayStation VR came it was assumed that the lessons learned through DriveClub VR had been cannibalised for Polyphony Digital’s latest effort. This, thankfully, was not true, as in VRFocus’ experiences with the videogame DriveClub VR stands as one of the best virtual reality (VR) racing videogames to date.
Radial-G: Racing Revolved – Tammeka Games
Tammeka Games’ Radial-G: Racing Revolved has proved to be a hugely popular racing experience amongst Oculus Rift early adopters, and the UK studio is hoping to recreate that success on console. Launching on PlayStation VR with the exact same content suite – including all patches and updates that have been offered on PC since launch – Radial-G: Racing Revolved’s unique brand of high-speed science-fiction racing (unique in that we haven’t seen an F-Zero or WipEout release for quite some time) in a first-person perspective will surely find a keen audience on PlayStation VR.
Moto Racer 4 – Microids
Little is currently known about the release of Moto Racer 4 on PlayStation VR, bar Microids’ confirmation that it will be available at launch. Both single-player and online multiplayer modes have been revealed, though it’s not yet known whether Moto Racer 4 will allow for non-VR players to race against VR gamers, or whether the online multiplayer will be open at all to PlayStation VR owning competitors. In fact, it’s not currently known whether the PlayStation VR compatibility will be open across the entire videogame or restricted to a standalone gameplay mode.
| The Best PlayStation VR Launch Titles | ||
| The Best Horror Games for PlayStation VR | The Best Platform Games for PlayStation VR | The Best Racing Games for PlayStation VR |
| The Best Party Games for PlayStation VR | The Best Shooting Games for PlayStation VR | |