Towards the end of 2016 First Contact Entertainment released its first virtual reality (VR) ROM: Extraction for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Now with the end of 2017 approaching the studio has teased it’ll be bring something to PlayStation VR by the end of the year.
Adam Orth – best know for creating Adr1ft prior to moving to First Contact – sent out a teasing tweet recently, simply stating: “Something cool coming from us for PSVR and PSVR Demo kiosks before the end of the year…” He then followed that with an image (seen below). Whilst the tease could relate to a new title, it most likely pertains to ROM:Extraction, which the studio announced back in June would be coming to Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) headset.
That summer reveal only stated a release this year, so with the days ticking away a November/December launch on PlayStation VR is looking most likely for ROM: Extraction.
For the festive period Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA) is bringing back its in-store demo program for PlayStation VR – in the US – with more than 200 Best Buy and GameStop locations featuring a playable headset. Demos confirmed so far have included Gran Turismo Sport, Final Fantasy XV: Monster of the Deep, Superhot VR, Dino Frontier, Raw Data, and Voltron. And it looks like there’s another to add to that list, so you be able to try ROM: Extraction before you buy.
At E3 last week in Los Angeles Sony’s media showcase included a demo of ROM: Extraction paired with the PSVR’s Aim Controller — adding a cool new element to the shooter.
The arcade-style shooter from First Contact Entertainment released late last year for both Rift and Vive, allowing players to throw orbs and slow down time then shoot the orbs when they are close to enemies for highly satisfying kills. Obviously, with its single camera PSVR doesn’t have solid 360-degree tracking so the game has been adapted to use snap turns to get the robots coming at you from all directions.
In addition, the aspect of physically throwing orbs has been removed in favor of using the buttons on the front of the Aim Controller to send orbs toward your enemies and slow down time.
Overall, the modifications worked well to adapt the game for PSVR. It is easy to access the time-slowing and orb-throwing superpowers while still taking aim at the robots. The Aim Controller continues to be a fantastic addition to the system and definitely feels missing on the other headsets — though Vive is likely to get similar accessories as soon as the Vive Tracker is more widely available.
It did feel like the precision I was able get out of the Aim Controller on a game like Farpoint wasn’t quite matched just yet by ROM. That said, my experience with the Aim Controller is limited — so it’s possible I just wasn’t used to looking down the barrel of an actual gun in VR. Either way, what I saw was still early as ROM remains in active development. So it is likely major improvements can be expected prior to release on PSVR, which is planned for sometime this year.
“You should expect us to take ROM using the Aim Controller as far as possible,” said developer Adam Orth. “We have a lot of amazingly cool uses for the Aim Controller planned.”
What do you think of this addition? Do you want to see more games get PSVR Aim Controller support? Let us know in the comments below!
PlayStation VR has sold over 1 million units and had more success in sales compared to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. VRFocushas put together a list of games that we know are coming to the PlayStation VR. If you prefer watching all the games coming to PlayStation VR, scroll down to the bottom to view it.
Farpoint is a first-person shooter on the PlayStation VR. When it launched, it debuted at number two in the UK Sales chart and is sold alongside the new Aim controller. Starting with a bloke putting on a PlayStation VR in his basement he then finds himself transported to an uncharted alien world filled with all manner of enemies.
Survive in an unknown alien world after a crash, search for fellow human survivors whilst shooting hoards of alien creatures. The new DLC Cryo Pack coming on the 27th of June, a 2 player co-op with challenge levels in an ice world.
This VR game is a multiplayer racing title based on slot car racing. You can play with up to four friends or race AI opponents. Taking inspiration from toys by Scalextric and Carrera, FuturLab has created a title that evolves slot-car racing in a way only videogames can do.
Featuring both a singleplayer – against AI – or an online multiplayer for up to four people, Tiny Trax includes six vehicles to select before heading out onto the track. Friends can select either single races or go for a tournament to test their skills.
Is a first-person shooter set in the year 2076, where you must throw, slow and shoot your way through extraterrestrial-bots inspired by classic arcade shooters, the studio only released one image, showing a vicious looking robot. First Contact Entertainment describes ROM: Extraction’s gameplay mechanic as “Throw, Slow & Shoot.” Whereby players will have the ability to slow down time – called “Reflex” power – to help defend themselves against these dangerous looking, extraterrestrial robots. The videogame will be a first-person shooter (FPS) using motion-based controls, three difficulty settings and global and local leaderboards.
Gran Turismo Sport was original slated for release at the end of 2016, but the developers were forced to push back the release date to 2017. Polyphony Digital are known among fans as being perfectionists, so it was not a huge surprised that an ambitious project such as Gran Turismo Sport ended up taking extra time.
The game now has a new Racing wheel designed exclusively for Gran Turismo Sport on the PlayStation 4. Specifically designed specially to enhance the experience of playing Gran Turismo Sport, the upcoming driving and racing simulator from Polyphony Digital on the PlayStation 4. Gran Turismo Sport is also offering virtual reality (VR) compatibility, which in combination with Thrustmaster’s racing wheel, could offer even more immersion to players.
THESEUS is a third person action-adventure where you play the titular character on a quest to slay the Minotaur from the ancient Greek mythology.
Taking inspiration from titles such as ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and the Last Guardian, Forge Reply has gone for a third-person viewpoint for its VR adventure, with Theseus employing a mix of static and dynamic cameras to aid immersion and gameplay.
Play this survival horror game where you wake up from a cryrosleep in the year 2521. Survive an experiment gone horribly wrong to save the ship.
Sneak around and hide behind cover, being stealthy will feel natural in VR and give you the upper hand.
7. Bloody Zombies – nDreams
Bloody Zombies is a side-scrolling brawler set in London. It supports one to four players online or locally. Follow the story of four lone survivors and fight zombies who appear as 2D cardboard cut-outs in a virtual environment.
A real-time strategy game announced at the 2016 PlayStation Press Conference and will be released in Japan in 2017. You’ll play as the demon load with the aim to conquer the world.
Play the the God of Destruction and fight against those heroes of justice by using the food cycle, breeding monsters and repelling incoming heroes while conquering strongholds.
Is a Chinese developed game set in a medieval-themed world and strategic gameplay where you assume the role of a commander. You have to build up your team to enjoy PVE and pvp, each battle lasts about 5 minutes and you will win the game after you destroy the enemy’s forts.
It’s cross-platform and is supported by HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PSVR, Google Daydream and Samsung Gear .
Archangel is coming exclusively two PSVR for two weeks before coming to any other platform. In this story-driven shooter where you become a six-story-high war-machine and fight against the tyrannical HUMNX.
AI-controlled teammates in different vehicles will need your protection and will support you when your shields have failed.
SUPERHOTVR is finally coming to PlayStation VR, after debuting on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
SUPERHOT had heaps of critical acclaim at launch, and its VR version received equal praise. We can only assume the PlayStation VR version will be equally beloved.
The acclaimed shooter is finally coming to PlayStation VR, but this isn’t simply a port of a game you’ve already played, but an all-new installment built for VR.
Developed by id Software, the studio that created the DOOM franchise, DOOM VFR casts the player as the last known human survivor of the demonic invasion of the UAC’s Martian research facility.
Bethesda’s beloved The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is making its way to VR on PlayStation 4.
Publisher Bethesda Softworks has announced that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is set for a November 2017 release on PlayStation VR, and all of the original console downloadable content (DLC) will be included with both the digital and physical editions of the videogame.
Star Child was announced with a short trailer during Sony’s E3 press conference.
Star Child takes place on an alien world, filled with mysterious creatures and futuristic space ships. The man-made interiors of the planet hide many incredible fluorescent and neon creatures, all of which are sure to look incredibly imposing in VR.
Final Fantasy XV: Monster of the Deep will offer PlayStation VR players the opportunity to explore the world’s oceans, lakes, ponds and rivers and participate in a wide variety of fishing challenges. Many returning characters from the original Final Fantasy XV will appear in the videogame, including familiar faces such as Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, Gladiolus, and more.
17. Bravo Team – Supermassive Games
Bravo Team, appears to be a military first-person shooter (FPS). Releasing at the end of the year for PlayStation VR, Bravo Team will be one of the first competitive multiplayer VR shooters for the platform.
In Moss you will be focusing on puzzle solving and exploration, slowly finding your path forward through these huge stages. Butterflies and insects appear huge next to your mousey character as they are entirely dwarfed by trees and other creatures – something that becomes very obvious when coming face-to-face with a hungry snake.
Sparc is a skill-based, physical sport, where two players use PlayStationMove motion controllers to aim and throw projectiles at each other inside a virtual arena, all the while defending themselves by dodging, blocking, or deflecting incoming attacks from their opponent.
Sparc includes multiple two-player game modes where players can compete against their friends or find challengers via online matchmaking. Additionally, a selection of single-player challenges and training modes are included, plus a wide range of customization and personalization options for competitors.
The highly-anticipated Farpoint is launching exclusively for PlayStation VR today, and is compatible with a brand new accessory: the PlayStation Aim controller. A bundle including the PlayStation Aim and Farpoint is available, but there’s more to this new device than just one videogame.
The Brookhaven Experiment
An update to introduce support for the Aim controller is coming on 6th June, 2017 to this horror shooter title from Phosphor Studio. The Brookhaven Experiment was previously a HTC Vive exclusive before being ported to PlayStation VR with some changes, including implementing more realistic graphics and simplifying the inventory and loudout system.
Dick Wilde
First-person wave shooter Dick Wilde features a whole array of strange weaponry, such as nail gun, paintball guns and harpoon rifles, all of which will be made compatible with the Aim controller in a future update along with the other two-handed weapons to make shooting alligators and piranha easier.
Arizona Sunshine
Airzona Sunshine is one of the most popular VR first-person shooters available on the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Featuring the zombie apocalypse and a desperate struggle to survive in the harsh desert conditions, this title will also feature support for the Aim controller when it comes to PlayStation VR in June 2017. Using the Aim controller limits players to a single weapon, but by recompense, accuracy is much increased.
Rom: Extraction
Fast-paced action shooter Rom: Extraction has a unique feature where instead us using a standard arsenal of guns, players instead throw orbs that have two potential functions: igniting the orbs to attain kills, or activating an effect that slows down time allowing the players to strategically pick off targets. The Aim controller will effectively act as an orb launcher. Rom: Extraction will be coming to PlayStation VR sometime in summer.
VRFocus will bring you further information on when Aim Controller support is introduced and what other titles will support the Aim controller as that information becomes available.
December 2016 saw newly formed studio, First Contact Entertainment release its fledgling virtual reality (VR) title, ROM: Extractionfor Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Now the team has released its very first expansion for the videogame called Overrun.
The update adds a selection of new features, primarily there’s a new weapon, the two-handed EOS-15 rifle, a new level, and a jumping suicide robot.
The EOS-15 rifle gives players an orb-launching, auto-firing weapon of destruction which can only be unlocked with a power-up token in game. While the new Overrun level not only provides more gameplay options and destructible scenery, it also continues the ROM: Extraction storyline.
All of this is complimented with improved animations, a leaderboard for the new level and a new music track, Kill Room by Delta Heavy. Check out the new mixed reality (MR) trailer for Overrun below and for the latest updates from First Contact Entertainment, keep reading VRFocus.
Full Patch Notes:
New level – Overrun
Audio volume adjustment
New music – “Kill Room” by Delta Heavy
Updated animation sets
New Hit reaction animations
New Fire stance animations
EOS-15 two-handed rifle via power up token
Robot head decapitation of jumpers
Jumping suicide-robot AI type (beware!)
Updated front end environment
New leaderboard for Overrun level
Widescreen output for better recording/streaming (when social screen is disabled)
Improvements in framerate optimization—in ROM’s graphical settings, users can opt for MSAA instead of TAA (Temporal AA), increasing GPU frame time by 25%. MSAA bringing additional crispness to the rendering.
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7. Bloody Zombies – nDreams 
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