Absurd Viking-themed music rhythm game, Ragnarock, is coming to the Oculus Quest store next week.
Developer WanadevStudio confirmed that the game will be getting a full release on the official store page on October 21 via Twitter. Previously Ragnarok had been available on Oculus App Lab, which makes it one of a handful of recent games to graduate off of the experimental store, in which games are only discoverable through specific links, and into a headlining slot.
Ragnarock Oculus Quest Store Release Confirmed
Ragnarock is like a wave of other VR music games inspired by Beat Saber, only this time with a decided focus on metal. The game features 30 different tracks in which players hammer drums to matching symbols at the front of a Viking ship while others row. There’s multiplayer for up to six players in which you can race to the finish with the best performance, but you can just play by yourself too.
Themed environments including trips to Asgard and Nidavellir help round out the package. A PC VR version also launched in full in July after a stint in Early Access. Check out a trailer above.
We went hands-on with the game around launch and came away impressed with what it offered. October 21 is a busy day for Quest owners, as similarly rock-themed VR music game, Unplugged, and Resident Evil 4 VR release that day too.
Are you going to be picking up Ragnarock on the Oculus Quest store next week? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s fair to say that virtual reality (VR) gamers have no shortage of choice when it comes to rhythm action titles. Long gone are bulky peripherals like plastic guitars in favour of far more physical (and entertaining) gameplay mechanics where you can wave your arms erratically to a thumping beat. New releases were starting to get a little predictable until Ragnarock came along. Developed by French team WanadevStudio, Ragnarock perfectly encapsulates the addictive rhythm these videogames should possess.
Ragnarock initially arrived as a Steam Early Access title at the beginning of 2021, instantly standing out thanks to the song selection and gameplay styling. Combining epic Celtic rock and metal tracks from the likes of Alestorm, Gloryhammer, and Saltatio Mortis with simple four-drum interaction, it instantly felt like a breath of fresh air. Especially as you’re on the back of a boat commanding a bunch of blokes to row faster rather than some neon-drenched cyberpunk level you’ve seen a thousand times before.
At its core Ragnarock is a drumming videogame all about scoring as many points as possible, you do this by hitting the notes bang on time to the music, you know, like every other rhythm action title. The quirk here is that Viking inspiration being at the helm of a longboat because you only gain points by travelling a certain distance, not hitting perfect strikes. Instead, perfect drumming allows you to build up combo energy – first blue then yellow – which can be unleashed by hitting one of two side shields. Doing so your crew lets out a triumphant roar and row even faster (a speed boost essentially).
Do this well and you’ll be awarded either a bronze, silver or gold medal depending on the distance, with each song having three difficulty levels to work through on solo mode. WanadevStudio has been very careful to ensure Ragnarock can be tailored to all preferences with a ridiculous array of customisation options so you can tweak the height of the drums, vertical angle of the hammers, inward pitch of them and much, much more. Ragnarock easily has the most options seen in this type of experience.
Playing with those options can get a bit fiddly at points but once you’ve settled on the settings the gameplay does shine. It isn’t as complicated as some of the genre leaders – Beat Saberor Synth Riders for example – so there’s no trying to give you a full-body workout or spin you around 360-degrees but that’s alright, Ragnarock doesn’t need it. There’s an instantly addictive quality to banging those drums and the music is a perfect fit, from heavy metal riffs to more euphoric melodies, each track is satisfying to play through.
And highly energetic, you are drumming after all. A few songs in on medium difficulty and you’ll soon feel it in your arms and shoulders. It’s also quite nice not having to dodge barriers and just concentrate on drumming away with a big smile on your face.
When it comes to adding depth and a competitive vein Ragnarock provides a couple of choices. Solo, you can activate a ghost of your previous best effort to race against, or there’s the PvP mode. Here you can create your own session or join another open one, competing against a maximum of five other players for the top spot. This does add plenty of replay value, especially when a few mates are involved.
On a side note, whilst this review is for the PC VR version WanadevStudio has released Ragnarock for Oculus Quest as an App Lab title. This tends to mean the videogame isn’t ready for an official launch on the Oculus Store but from initial testing and playthroughs works every bit as well as its PC-based cousin.
Ragnarock impressed before and now that the official PC VR launch has taken place Ragnarock has got even better, finessing what was already an enjoyable experience. The same essence is still there but now there are more tracks, a few extras like new hammers to unlock, and some cool new levels to look at. Ragnarock is a joy to play, reigniting that passion for rhythm action videogames. Currently, Ragnarock is the best rhythm game to launch in 2021.
Welcome to VRFocus’ regular Friday roundup of the virtual reality (VR) videogames set to launch over the next week. Here are five new titles for those who love puzzle games, sports games, open-world adventures and more. If you’re after some freebies then definitely check out the VRFocus free VR game selection.
Gravitational – Studica Solution
Gravitational is a physics-based puzzle videogame set in a future where gravity can be manipulated. You play Sebastian, a scientist at GraviCorp, one of many companies developing gravitational travel and control systems. After an incident, you have to solve the various puzzles on route with all your locomotion being entirely wheelchair-based. The digital launch is on the 13th whilst the physical retail version will arrive on 16th July.
Supported platforms: PlayStation VR
Launch date: 13th July
Walkabout Mini Golf – Mighty Coconut
Originally an Oculus Quest title, Walkabout Mini Golf is now heading to PC VR headsets. There are seven 18-hole courses to try and master, from snowy, rocky peaks to beautiful, cherry blossom-filled valley’s, with an unlockable Night Mode to ramp up the difficulty. It supports both solo and online PvP multiplayer with cross-platform gameplay.
Making its way from PC onto Oculus Quest (no cross-platform support), A Township Tale is an expansive co-op adventure designed for up to eight friends to team up on one virtual server and go on quests. Everyone has to choose a profession (blacksmith, woodcutter, miner, archer or warrior) to aid the group and make use of the crafting materials found exploring the dangerous landscape to build new equipment and improve their gear.
Love rhythm action videogames but wish more had a rock/metal vibe to them? Enter Ragnarock, a PC VR title that launched late in 2020 and is set to leave Early Access next week. Providing both solo and PvP multiplayer modes where the former allows you to race against your ghost, the soundtrack features the likes of Alestorm, Gloryhammer or Wind Rose.
Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing – UNIVRS Inc.
Based on Studio TRIGGER’s anime, Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing hit Oculus Quest last year and now it’s time for PC VR headsets and PlayStation VR. Featuring a new storyline within the magical universe, you’re a guest student at the famous Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy. Grab your flying broom and compete across more than ten tracks whilst unlocking customisation options.
Viking-themed VR drumming game Ragnarock is emerging from Early Access on Steam to officially release on July 15 and the developers are planning for a release on Oculus Quest this summer as well.
We reached out to a representative of the developers to ask whether it is coming to App Lab or the full Oculus Quest store, and heard back that it will be available on App Lab at first but the developers are confident they will get a release date from Facebook for store release. Ragnarock has more than 1,000 ratings on Steam since it launched in December 2020 and it carries overall overwhelmingly positive reviews.
You can check out the early access trailer here:
The game is made by Lyon, France-based studio WanadevStudio and features metal and rock music from artists like Alestorm, Gloryhammer and Wind Rose. Ragnarock also includes multiplayer modes with up to 6 players racing against one another. The idea is that you’re a Viking captain in a longship race and you need to smash runes flying at you with your hammers in rhythm with Celtic and metal music to try and reach the finish line first. You race against ghost ships in single player mode. The developers say it will include cross-play functionality as well so you can play against friends on another VR platform.
Ragnarock is discounted on Steam at the time of this writing with the price expected to go to $24.99 with its July 15th release.
There are plenty of rhythm action videogames for virtual reality (VR) headsets covering all sorts of gameplay mechanics and music genres. One that popped up on VRFocus’ radar earlier this year was Ragnarock by French team WanadevStudio (Propogation VR) thanks to its Viking theme and Celtic rock and metal tunes. Today, the studio has announced that Ragnarock will be leaving Steam Early Access next week and that a native Oculus Quest version is on the way.
Since Ragnarock’s Early access launch in December 2020, WanadevStudio has greatly expanded the content lineup with the Alfheim, Nidavellir, and Asgard updates adding new environments and songs to drum away to. For the official Steam release this month the team has confirmed there will be more content and features coming without specifying what they might include.
As for the Oculus Quest edition of Ragnarock, that’s not too far away, with a summer launch slated for the standalone headset. Further afield, WanadevStudio has also teased future feature plans including cross-play between different VR platforms and increasing the intensity of the multiplayer mode.
Ragnarock is a drumming title that puts you in the role of a Viking captain inspiring his men to row their longboat as fast as possible by hitting all the notes perfectly in time. Maintain the pace and you’ll score big points to gain a bronze, silver or gold ranking for each track. As there are both solo and PvP multiplayer modes, in single-player, you can race against your ghost to improve those scores. While the multiplayer offers public and private races for up to six players all racing for first place.
All of these races are to epic rock and metal soundtracks from the likes of Alestorm, Gloryhammer or Wind Rose – there’s no electropop here – but there’s also support for custom songs. Only available in solo mode, you can create your own playable song from your music library.
Ragnarock is set to leave Early Access next Thursday, 15th July. It currently retails for £15.49 but there is a 20% sale going on at the moment. However, for the official launch, the price of Ragnarock will be increased. For further updates including the Oculus Quest launch, keep reading VRFocus.
We all like nice surprises don’t we? A treat that comes out of nowhere to put a real smile on our faces. In virtual reality (VR) terms that usually comes from an indie team, launching a title which has had little fanfare yet instantly delights. The latest to do this in VRFocus’ opinion is Ragnarock by French developer WanadevStudio, a rhythm-action videogame currently in Early Access which is all about drumming to rock and metal tracks.
With a name like Ragnarock you know there’s going to be a Viking theme running throughout and that’s very much the case as the entire gameplay takes place on the water. You’re at the command of a Viking longboat with lots of burly blokes at the oars awaiting your every drumbeat to get the ship going. This isn’t purely for aesthetics either as there’s a gameplay element woven in which helps separate Ragnarock from others in this genre.
VR is littered with rhythm-action videogames with well-known titles like Beat Saberor Synth Ridersoffering plenty of electronic tunes to flail your arms too. Whilst they’ve begun to diversify, Ragnarock is purely interested in rock and metal songs which really suit its drumming mechanics. Artists like Alestorm, Gloryhammer and Celkilt feature, enhancing that Viking/Celtic vibe with bouncy, heavy tracks.
On the boat, you’re presented with four drums to whack in time to the music with an extra one just off to the left and right for activating the combo energy. Gameplay is far simpler than other rivals in this genre as all you’re doing is hitting drums rather than having to worry about multiple directions or crossing arms when the colour blocks/orbs swap sides. But that’s not to say Ragnarock was any less enjoyable or utterly exhausting after a long track (it does advise limbering up before playing but who really does that?). In fact, some of the longer tunes feel far more intensive even on the lower difficulty settings than others in this field.
What’s instantly noticeable was how much fun Ragnarock was after just one song. Of course, you’ll need to love your rock/metal music but even so, it felt fresh and hard to put down even when the arms were aching several songs in. Perfectly timed hits mean your crew row harder whilst also building the hammer energy meter which can be unleashed via those side drums mentioned. This gives the ship an extra burst of speed because your score is based entirely on how far you manage to travel, with the requisite bronze, silver and gold targets to beat. It’s an inventive little twist which compliments the gameplay even though, in the end, it’s all about the leaderboard score.
There may only be one environment at the moment but for an Early Access title, Ragnarock already has a decent selection of options. You’ve got a Solo Mode where each of the 16 songs has three difficulty settings and where replaying them will see you compete against your ghost ship. Then you have the PvP multiplayer where up to six players can compete to see how far they can get before the song ends, with public and private games available. These options also extend to tweaking the song latency if you find the timing a little off, plus you can adjust the drum height, recentre and hammer angle for the optimum position, thus Ragnarock can be played seated or standing.
First impressions of Ragnarock are really good, a rhythm-action game that instantly provides a thumping good time. Even though the team has already stated that more environments and officially licensed songs are on the way as well as gameplay features, there’s certainly enough in this early version to start with. Custom song options are available for the solo mode although it’s not a straight forward process at the moment. An Early Access videogame always needs finesse with Ragnarock hitting the right notes so far.
We all like nice surprises don’t we? A treat that comes out of nowhere to put a real smile on our faces. In virtual reality (VR) terms that usually comes from an indie team, launching a title which has had little fanfare yet instantly delights. The latest to do this in VRFocus’ opinion is Ragnarock by French developer WanadevStudio, a rhythm-action videogame currently in Early Access which is all about drumming to rock and metal tracks.
With a name like Ragnarock you know there’s going to be a Viking theme running throughout and that’s very much the case as the entire gameplay takes place on the water. You’re at the command of a Viking longboat with lots of burly blokes at the oars awaiting your every drumbeat to get the ship going. This isn’t purely for aesthetics either as there’s a gameplay element woven in which helps separate Ragnarock from others in this genre.
VR is littered with rhythm-action videogames with well-known titles like Beat Saberor Synth Ridersoffering plenty of electronic tunes to flail your arms too. Whilst they’ve begun to diversify, Ragnarock is purely interested in rock and metal songs which really suit its drumming mechanics. Artists like Alestorm, Gloryhammer and Celkilt feature, enhancing that Viking/Celtic vibe with bouncy, heavy tracks.
On the boat, you’re presented with four drums to whack in time to the music with an extra one just off to the left and right for activating the combo energy. Gameplay is far simpler than other rivals in this genre as all you’re doing is hitting drums rather than having to worry about multiple directions or crossing arms when the colour blocks/orbs swap sides. But that’s not to say Ragnarock was any less enjoyable or utterly exhausting after a long track (it does advise limbering up before playing but who really does that?). In fact, some of the longer tunes feel far more intensive even on the lower difficulty settings than others in this field.
What’s instantly noticeable was how much fun Ragnarock was after just one song. Of course, you’ll need to love your rock/metal music but even so, it felt fresh and hard to put down even when the arms were aching several songs in. Perfectly timed hits mean your crew row harder whilst also building the hammer energy meter which can be unleashed via those side drums mentioned. This gives the ship an extra burst of speed because your score is based entirely on how far you manage to travel, with the requisite bronze, silver and gold targets to beat. It’s an inventive little twist which compliments the gameplay even though, in the end, it’s all about the leaderboard score.
There may only be one environment at the moment but for an Early Access title, Ragnarock already has a decent selection of options. You’ve got a Solo Mode where each of the 16 songs has three difficulty settings and where replaying them will see you compete against your ghost ship. Then you have the PvP multiplayer where up to six players can compete to see how far they can get before the song ends, with public and private games available. These options also extend to tweaking the song latency if you find the timing a little off, plus you can adjust the drum height, recentre and hammer angle for the optimum position, thus Ragnarock can be played seated or standing.
First impressions of Ragnarock are really good, a rhythm-action game that instantly provides a thumping good time. Even though the team has already stated that more environments and officially licensed songs are on the way as well as gameplay features, there’s certainly enough in this early version to start with. Custom song options are available for the solo mode although it’s not a straight forward process at the moment. An Early Access videogame always needs finesse with Ragnarock hitting the right notes so far.
