Category: Sinn Studio

Sinn Studio, the virtual reality (VR) developer behind titles such as first-person shooter (FPS) Warzone is currently in the process of creating a very different experience, a medieval combat videogame called Swordsman VR. Announced back in May, the team has recently released new beta gameplay footage of the melee combat.

The footage is a compilation from the private beta the studio held back in May, providing the best chance yet to see how the close-quarters combat is shaping up. While a video can’t portray that feeling of being in VR and the swing of a sword, Swordsman VR certainly looks like the bloody brawler you’d expect it to be.

Enemies can be parried and blocked with either your sword or shield, and when an opening presents itself blades can be plunged in between gaps in armour. There’s also a magical element to Swordsman VR where players rock attacks to knock over enemies or enchant their weapons to inflict elemental damage.

It won’t purely be human AI opponents players will be facing as the video also unveils some sort of demonic knight, most likely a boss, who seems fairly formidable.

Sinn Studio has already released fairly extensive details for Swordsman VR. The title features a narrative where Earth’s mightiest warriors have to band together to fight an other-worldly menace: The J​ötunn. This means that players can select their character from a range of cultures, from Knights and Vikings to Mongols and Samurai, all with their own particular traits.

While the videogame may have magical elements the main weapon handling mechanics are designed to be realistic. Whether you prefer a two-handed broadsword, sword and shield combo or dual-wielding two short swords, they’ll each have different weights to modify their speed and damage capabilities.

As progression is made players will be able to utilise the Blacksmith​, the ​Armorer​ and the ​Skill Master​ to improve their odds. Customisation options range from the Blacksmith selling new weapons to the Skill Master who helps unlock new character stats and special abilities.  

Swordsman VR is slated to launch this summer for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR headsets. As further details are released, VRFocus will let you know.

At the beginning of the month, Sinn Studio unveiled details for its next virtual reality (VR) title, Swordsman VR. Teasing a singular image and some gameplay info, the team has now released alpha gameplay footage showing Swordsman VR in action as well as plenty of screenshots.

The story is set a thousand years ago, with the ancient world is plagued by an other-worldly invader: The J​ötunn. So Earth’s mightiest warriors band together to fight the menace, a hero emerging who is an expert in melee combat, The Swordsman.

Swordsman VR is a medieval combat experience where you can select various character classes (or “cultures” as they’re called), grab weapons, shields and armour and then step into arenas to fight an assortment of enemies and bosses.

Knights, Vikings, Mongols and Samurai cultures are all on offer, providing over 100 different fighter variations. Swordsman VR is designed to be physical and realistic so weapons will handle differently due to weight, centres of mass and size. This also means attacks need to be calculated to land a damaging blow, or else they just be a blunt hit.

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“Our bottom-line goal with this game was to give the player not only a sense of immersion with fancy physics-based weapons and combat but to give them worthy and intelligent opponents that make fights feel real and a progression system that lets them customize a character ‘build’  that suits their playstyle,” said Sinn Studio in a statement.

The progression system is based around three NPCs, the Blacksmith​, the ​Armorer​ and the ​Skill Master​. Each will allow you to customise your experience in their own way, the Blacksmith sells weapons while the Skill Master helps unlock new character stats and special abilities.  

Last week the studio began a closed beta for Swordsman VR on PC, and today is the last day for signups. Fill out this form if you’re interested in testing the early alpha version.

Sinn Studio currently expects Swordsman VR to launch this summer, supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR headsets. Check out the gameplay teaser below and for further updates, keep reading VRFocus.

Virtual reality (VR) studio Sinn Studio has released three titles up to now, the most recent being 2018’s Warzone, a cross-platform multiplayer shooter. This week the studio has teased the first details of its next project, a medieval combat experience called Swordsman VR.

From the details released so far, Swordsman VR is going to be a story-driven, arena-based brawler focused on physical combat for PC VR headsets and PlayStation VR.

Over on Reddit, the studio mentions that: “The game features 6 combat environments, 5 boss fights, 4 different cultures (Knights, Vikings, Mongols and Samurai, plus a final boss), dozens of unique interactive weapons, shields and bonus boss items, and a progression system with player stats and abilities to let you customize your character builds for a unique experience based on your fighting style.”

Further details are expected to arrive next week alongside the opening of applications for a closed beta. Interested players can apply for the beta on Friday, 15th May – purely PC only – by heading to Sinn Studio’s Discord Channel. A commencement date for the beta has yet to be confirmed but the team has said it won’t be long after applications go live. The beta is expected to last a couple of weeks.

As for an actual launch date for Swordsman VR, Sinn Studio aims for a multiplatform release this summer, noting on Discord: “We want to release on all platforms simultaneously and Sony is going to be the bottleneck.”

VRFocus will continue its coverage of Sinn Studio and Swordsman VR, reporting back with further updates.