New Concept Art Images Released for Vader Immortal: Episode II

Last week VRFocus reported that ILMxLAB was hosting a Star Wars Stories panel for Vader Immortal: Episode 1 as well as releasing new details for Episode II. Several new concept art images have now surfaced as well as new details regarding the forthcoming episode. 

Vader Immortal

The above and below images give a teasing hint at whats’ to come in Vader Immortal: Episode II. It has been widely known that Force powers would be making an appearance and thanks to Vader taking your lightsaber at the end of Episode I, Force powers are going to be a major feature.

Talking to StarWars.com, Ben Snow, director of Vader Immortal said: “You will get to use the Force in Episode II. The first image is really part of the training. The way we thought about this was, we wanted to give you the Vader equivalent of Yoda teaching Luke about the Force in Empire Strikes Back. So we wanted it to be slightly darker and more twisted. He talks about the power of the dark side as well as the things you can do with the Force. So in this moment that the concept art reveals, you see him starting to manipulate objects and he’s starting to show you how you can use the Force to create something. But then, of course, Vader takes it in his own direction.”

“Our goal is to make the Force in Episode II as satisfying as the lightsaber felt in Episode I,” Snow adds.

Vader Immortal

Episode I featured the rather shadowy Black Bishop, and the character returns in the concept art, next to a tomb in the ancient fortress: “He becomes quite important in Episode II, and we learn about his background,” Snow says. “We’re trying to make it feel very atmospheric. This is a hidden area of the fortress that hasn’t really been explored. The Mustafarians know of it through legend. It’s a good chance to poke around in an unexplored part of Star Wars.”

It’s all very exciting stuff for fans of the franchise, yet there’s still no word on the release date for Vader Immortal: Episode II. When details do emerge, VRFocus will let you know.

Tarzan Swings Into VR Later This Year In Episodic Adventure

Tarzan VR is on the way to headsets later this year in an episodic adventure.

The game is in production from Primordian creator Stonepunk Studios and will be published by Fun Train, with plans to release it episodically later this year for PlayStation VR, Valve Index, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift S.

The single player game based on the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs will let players embody the jungle-traversing titular character in “five open world environments, each offering its own unique set of geographical landscapes and challenges. Additionally, players will have access to unique Tarzan ‘jungle skills’ such as Call of the Wild, Earth Vision and Fish Eye,” according to a press release.

Call of the Wild

That means climbing, swinging, swimming and fighting across environments with different weapons and challenges in each. Tarzan VR’s creators are planning to release the project as five different “issues” starting late this year. The studio provided the following summaries for each segment of the story:

  • Issue 1 – The Great Ape: Jane has been abducted by a group of invaders, and Tarzan must seek the
    wisdom of The Great Ape in order to find the trail of her mysterious captors.
  • Issue 2 – Jagged Edge: Tarzan begins his pursuit of Jane’s captors and must make his way across the dangerous
    Cliffs of Kombatu where one misstep leads to certain doom.
  • Issue 3 – The Dead of Night: As night draws in, the jungle swamp poses all manner of hidden dangers. Tarzan continues to pursue his quarry across the Sargos Swamps, and must face a familiar and deadly predator from a lost era.
  • Issue 4 – Undertow:  The secret gate to an undersea temple lays buried in the ocean depths. There is only ONE
    way for Tarzan to continue his journey… straight down!
  • Issue 5 – The Valley of Eden:  In this grand finale, TARZAN MUST RALLY HIS ALLIES IN THE SHADOW OF AN ERUPTING VOLCANO! Only the strange fruit found in the heart of the Valley of Eden can save the life of Tarzan’s true love.

We’re looking forward to the chance to go hands-on with Tarzan VR.

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ILMxLAB Comic-Con Panel to Offer a Sneak Peek at Vader Immortal: Episode II

The annual San Diego Comic-Con began yesterday offering fans of comic books, films, videogames and more a chance to hang out, meet the stars and glean new information about what’s coming up in their favourite franchises. For the event,  ILMxLAB will be holding a Star Wars Stories panel to discuss the virtual reality (VR) series and tease new info regarding episode 2.

Vader Immortal -

It was always known that Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series would be a three-parter, with the first episode focused on lightsabers while a panel during the Star Wars Celebration event in April revealed that force powers would be the next highlight of the series. What’s not known is the extent of these force powers, Force Choke, Force Push, Force Lightning, the franchise has quite a few to chose from. Additional information may also include further narrative details, as well as the introduction of new characters.

Originally announced as an Oculus Quest title, Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series can also be played on Oculus Rift/Rift S. More of an interactive story rather than a fully immersive videogame, the experience certainly impressed when VRFocus reviewed the title back in May. Giving it a full five-star, the review said: “It was difficult to decide whether to fully review Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series as it was the first episode or wait for the other two. Quite honestly it was too enjoyable not to talk about it, achieving that one all-important factor in an episodic tale; suitably stopping at a point where you instantly want more.”

Vader Immortal

As yet there’s no word on a release date for Episode 2 of Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series – that could also happen today? The ‘Step Inside ILMxLAB’s Star Wars Stories’ panel takes place at 4pm PST (12am GMT) with director Ben Snow,  senior experience designer Jose Perez III, senior producer Alyssa Finley, and production coordinator Sarah Barrick all taking to the stage.

The six Vader Immortal collectable posters will be given away during the event at the Lucasfilm pavilion. The Darth Vader poster will only be available from the ILMxLAB panel. For further updates on Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series, keep reading VRFocus.

Doctor Who: The Edge Of Time To Bring A Virtual Tardis To Comic-Con

Yet another Comic-Con VR experience has been revealed, this time for Doctor Who: The Edge of Time.

The anticipated VR game, developed by Maze Theory, will bring a demo to San Diego later this week. Whereas London Comic-Con attendees got the first hands-on session with the game in May, SDCC fans will be the first in the US to step into the Tardis.

Yes, the demo will give you a sneak peek at the iconic spaceship piloted by the Doctor herself. In The Edge Of Time, you play as a new companion that commandeers the Tardis on a trip through time in an effort to save the current Doctor (played in-game by Jodie Whittaker herself) and stop a new villain.

The Tardis itself has been accurately recreated by the Maze Theory team. You can get just a little look at it in this preview from our E3 VR Showcase last month.

“The TARDIS is a very important and hugely iconic element of the show and Doctor Who: The Edge of Time offers the chance to experience it like never before,” Maze Theory’s Creative Director Marcus Moresby said in a prepared statement. “It’s been a huge undertaking to deliver the very best TARDIS experience and is much anticipated by fans of the show. We know they’re going to love it.”

Doctor Who: The Edge of Time will debut on PSVR, Rift, Vive, Index and Quest in September. Meanwhile, Comic-Con will also feature a brand new Batman VR experience and more information on Iron Man VR.

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Step inside the TARDIS During San Diego Comic-Con With Doctor Who: The Edge of Time

In May, British developer Maze Theory revealed work on a virtual reality (VR) project for one of the BBC’s biggest IP’s Doctor Who. Called Doctor Who: The Edge of Time, Oculus and BBC Studios have announced today that fans of the TV series in the US will be able to demo the videogame during the San Diego Comic-Con 2019 this week.

Doctor Who: The Edge of Time

To mark the announcement Maze Theory and publisher PlayStack have released several screenshots showcasing the inside of the iconic TARDIS, as well as a brand-new title sequence created just for Doctor Who: The Edge of Time.

Working in close collaboration with BBC Studios, Maze Theory is looking to create the most authentic and lifelike version of the TARDIS in a videogame to date, taking painstaking attention to every detail. Not only will fans be able to step into this accurate portrayal of the TARDIS, exploring every nook and cranny, but they’ll also have the chance to co-pilot the Doctor’s time-travelling craft.

The team brought the TARDIS to life in a process using photogrammetry taking over 1200 hours, travelling to the Doctor Who set in Cardiff taking hundreds of photographs to create an accurate digital reference. Thanks to this process all of the controls are true to the show, with the infamous custard cream biscuit dispenser also making an appearance.

Doctor Who: The Edge of Time

“The TARDIS is a very important and hugely iconic element of the show and Doctor Who: The Edge of Time offers the chance to experience it like never before,” said Maze Theory’s Creative Director Marcus Moresby in a statement. “It’s been a huge undertaking to deliver the very best TARDIS experience and is much anticipated by fans of the show. We know they’re going to love it.”

Starting this Thursday, 18th July and running through to Sunday, 21st July, the San Diego Comic-Con is the largest event of its kind in the US. Doctor Who: Edge of Time is scheduled to arrive in September 2019, supporting PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, HTC Vive and Vive Cosmos headsets. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Maze Theory, reporting back with further updates on the videogame.

Batman VR Skydiving Experience Coming To San Diego Comic-Con

Iron Man isn’t the only superhero bringing a VR experience to San Diego Comic-Con this year.

DC and AT&T are also bringing Batman back to headsets yet again. As part of this year’s show the pair will host ‘The Batman Experience‘, celebrating 80 years of cowls, crime and Catwomen. Part of the experience will be The Dark Knight Dive, which is exactly what it sounds like.

It’s a VR skydiving app in which Batman is in pursuit of long-time foe, The Scarecrow. You’ll glide over the Gotham skyline wearing a helmet shaped like Batman’s cowl and floating over a skydive booth. Scarecrow has released his fear toxin into the city, so you’ll experience creepy hallucinations that bring some other classic bat baddies and allies to life. Think about those awesome Scarecrow sequences in the Arkham games, only in VR while you’re plummeting to your death. Sounds cheery, no?

Other features in the experience include a Batcave gaming lounge and a gallery of Bat-film and TV props.

This is far from Batman’s first brush with VR. Rocksteady’s Arkham VR is still one of the most polished VR apps out there and there’s a Justice League tie-in app too. No word yet on if this experience will be featured elsewhere outside of Comic-Con but we’ve got our fingers crossed. Don’t expect to see it on home headsets, though.

Elsewhere at Comic-Con, Iron Man VR will take the stage as part of the Marvel games panel. We’re expecting new reveals for the PSVR exclusive at the show.

Comic-Con runs from July 18 – 21.

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Iron Man VR Set For New Reveals At San Diego Comic-Con

Iron Man VR Set For New Reveals At San Diego Comic-Con

It’s July. You know what that means; Marvel Studios is probably going to announce its Phase 4 slate! That’s why you’re here, right? Oh, just me? Okay well there will be some Marvel VR news at this month’s San Diego Comic-Con, too.

Specifically, the recently-announced Iron Man VR will star in the Marvel Games Panel. The panel, hosted by our friend Greg Miller, will feature “unannounced special surprises and panel exclusives” for the game. Miller will be joined by Marvel Games VP Bill Rosemann and a bunch of developers. The panel takes place on July 18 at 1:30pm PT in Hall H and will also include Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and Square Enix’s Avengers game.

But that’s not all. The Marvel Booth will also offer hands-on time with Iron Man VR and there’s a signing session for the game on July 19 at 11:15am. There will be a live Let’s Play for the game straight after, too.

Iron Man VR is a PSVR exclusive being made by Camoflauj, the studio behind Republique. As the name suggests, the game will put you in the shoes and suit of Tony Stark himself, allowing you to armor up and take to the skies with the PlayStation Move controllers. We got an early look at the game following its announcement and came away pleasantly surprised. The flight controls work great and the developer is promising a full game with an in-depth story.

Look for the game to release later this year. Hopefully we might even get a release date at Comic-Con.

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Comic-Con’s ‘Jack Ryan’ VR Park Pulls out All the Stops in 60,000 Sqft Facility

San Diego Comic-Con is well underway, and it appears our friends over at VR Scout got a chance to try out one of the coolest looking VR activations there. The upcoming Amazon Prime TV series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, which is set to air next month, was the impetus of what can only be described as the most epic VR park installations we’ve seen recently.

Outfitted with a backpack mounted PC, a modified Oculus Rift, hand and foot trackers, and a repelling harness, VR Scout’s Jonathan Nafarrete got a chance to play the part of Jack Ryan, the series’ field operative protagonist, as he rappelled from a helicopter, braved death-defying heights, shot down insurgents, zip-lined to safety, and drove a motion platform-assisted personnel vehicle the hell out of there.

Much like VR parks such as The Void, physical objects like crates and walls are perfectly matched to their virtual counterparts in-headset, giving the user an extra layer of immersion that only location-based facilities have been able to replicate. VR Scout reports the Jack Ryan VR activation took up a 60,000 sq ft (~5,500 sq m) area.

Costumed attendants play the part, and guide Nafarrete through the VR experience. While it’s clear Nafarrete can only hear his guides and can’t actually see them, it certainly makes for an awesome spectacle for any of the Comic-Con goers waiting in line for their chance at what Nafarrete called “another level” above other location-based VR parks.

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If anything, Jack Ryan’s Comic-Con VR Park is an awesome demonstration on how to combine VR with multiple physical elements to create something more than the sum of its parts. We’re hoping other park owners take notice, as the bar for heart-pumping VR immersion appears to have been set just a bit higher.

The Jack Ryan VR Park is available for con attendees for the duration of the San Diego Comic-Con, which takes place July 19th to July 22nd.

Check out Nafarrete’s full hands-on experience at VR Scout.

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Skydance Interactive Unveils The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Coming in 2019

While OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead has yet to see the light of day, fans of the TV series still have plenty of immersive videogames to choose from. After the launch of augmented reality (AR) title The Walking Dead: Our World for iOS and Android devices last week, this week has seen Skydance Interactive unveiled virtual reality (VR) title The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, due for release next year.

The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners

Skydance Interactive, a division of Skydance Media made the announcement as part of the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) event. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is being developed in partnership with Skybound Entertainment, the company founded by Eisner Award-winning creator of the The Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman.

“Set in the flooded remains of New Orleans, the game will challenge players to make their way through the iconic quarters, as they explore what has become a brutal, unforgiving wasteland. Players will have to deal with others struggling to survive in what remains of this once vibrant city. In the world of The Walking Dead, the walkers are the least of your problems. Will you choose the path of a saint, or that of a sinner?,” explains the official synopsis.

Apart from the above teaser art Skydance Interactive has yet to reveal what the experience will actually look like. For those attending SDCC, Skydance Interactive and Skybound Entertainment will showcase the teaser art for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners at the Harbor House Restaurant from 18th – 21st July. The event will also feature more art and panels for fans of The Walking Dead.

Archangel: Hellfire

Skydance Interactive is better known for its VR title Archangel which launched last year. Yesterday the studio released  Archangel: Hellfire, a free update adding a free-roaming multiplayer aspect to the experience. 

Further details on The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners maybe released later this week with the teaser being discussed during Skybound’s The Walking Dead livestream, which is taking place on Thursday, 19th July at 12pm PT (8pm GMT) and on Saturday, 21st July at 4pm PT (12am GMT 22nd July). VRFocus will continue its coverage of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, reporting back with any further updates.