British virtual reality (VR) specialist nDreams has quite the varied roster of titles under its belt, including The Assembly, Danger Goat and Shooty Fruity. The team are currently developing a new first-person shooter (FPS) called Phantom: Covert Ops, a stealthy experience with a rather unique movement mechanic for this style of videogame. And from first impressions, the title is looking very promising.
Depending on the style of gameplay, for a lot of VR experiences movement is one of the core mechanics developers need to get right or it can ruin the entire project. Plenty of consideration has to go into how players move around, with teleportation being the default currently. While there are videogames like Catch & Release which employ a rowing mechanic, nDreams has taken this idea, popped you into a kayak, and based the entire title around staying on the water.
Think of Phantom: Covert Ops kind of like Call of Duty on water, taking out enemies and infiltrating a base to stop some nefarious plot. So to start with Phantom: Covert Ops is an entirely seated experience – as far as the single-level demo goes – with it best to be seated on a swivel chair rather than a sofa. This helps with mobility, not only for paddling the oars but for situations where an enemy may appear to your extreme left or right.
With rowing being such a pivotal mechanic it’s reassuring to see that not only does it work well using the Oculus Touch controllers for Oculus Quest, but the system also enhances the experience. Rather than simply pushing forward on a stick to run, rowing helps to connect you with this virtual world, slowly moving the paddles to glide across the water silently. Also good to see is the lack of a stop/brake button. If you’re going too fast and need to hide in some reeds to avoid being spotted careful use of those oars are needed. Even little things like using an oar to push away from the river bank have been wisely added.
So the rowing is good, what about the rest? As mentioned you don’t get out of the kayak, as such everything you need to be a deadly covert operative is right at hand. There’s a silenced sniper rifle, silenced pistol with a laser pointer, a submachine gun and of course some C4 when you want to have some fun. Because you can approach each challenge however you like. Be a saint and try to sneak through without hurting a soul, or quietly kill a few guards in key positions so you can get through. If that all sounds too much like hard work then some well-placed explosives certainly attract a lot of attention.
Yet Phantom: Covert Ops really is about stealth more than big gun action, and that’s due to the kayak. There’s no strafing, suddenly hiding behind cover with a quick flick of the thumbstick, and that quite honestly is a good thing. Sure you can start rowing like mad which works. However, that also means you can’t fire back, as both hands are needed. Meaning thought has to be put into each scenario and action. Phantom: Covert Ops is a thinking person’s shooter.
One level may be all that nDreams is showcasing at the moment of Phantom: Covert Ops and that’s fine. What’s been shown has great promise and VRFocus can’t wait to see more. Now the main worry is focused towards a variety of levels. As a single-player experience nDreams needs to have a rich campaign in place as well as an assortment of challenges. A launch is expected later this year, so there isn’t too long to wait to find out.
But that doesn’t mean we disagree on everything. Much like how the former Top Gear and current presenters of The Grand Tour – James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson – do actually agree on some things. Such as how the old Ford Mondeo was a really good car, that the UK should remain in Europe and, most importantly, that Heinz sandwich spread is delicious. There are also some things that we universally agree on, at least in terms of the Editor and writing team. I can’t speak too much for Nina as she does her own thing.
But, like I say that’s very specific. 
The reticule is gaze-controlled so where you move your head to look is where the target goes, and here’s where the trickiness comes in. Because of that you have to be very careful with your movements. You’re in a twisting route with hazards ahead so you obviously want to plan a route. In a normal videogame you’d have no problem as you’d be holding a controller and through that you’d hold the little target steady without any issue as you peruse the way ahead on the 2D screen. In VR however, you are surrounded by the world and as you’re there you want to look around in a 3D way. Except, of course that if you move your head, you risk moving the ball. It becomes a matter of self-control and deliberate movements. Looking ahead and moving your eyes while keeping focused on your head position. Likewise moving your head to control is a subtler approach than a normal controller where it’s far easier to measure your pressure and momentum via a thumb stick.