PSVR is currently going through what is most likely its swan song year.
But, while big first-party exclusives for the headset might be drying up as we march towards the new PS5 VR headset, there’s still plenty to look forward to.
Yesterday, Sony spotlighted seven titles heading to the platform this year. They included Sniper Elite VR and the reveal of Arashi: Castles of Sin. Need a quick rundown? Here are the best new PSVR games shown this week.
Arashi: Castles of Sin – New Game Announced
This one looks like Tenchu in VR. Set in Feudal Japan, you liberate castles captured by bandits using stealth — and a pet wolf — as your weapons. It’s coming this summer and we’ll be very interested to see how its ambitious concept of catering to multiple play styles holds up.
Fracked – New Gameplay Shown
nDreams’ gorgeous-looking PSVR exclusive wowed when it was revealed in early March, but this first look at proper gameplay is really something. We get an extended sequence in which the player launches between cover, sprints to safety and skis down slopes. We’ll be really interested to see how nDreams is managing all of this with the PlayStation Move controllers.
Wanderer – New Trailer Shown
Is it just us or is Wanderer looking really good? Usually, a VR escape room-style game wouldn’t raise much of an eyebrow but every time we see this one it displays gorgeous visuals and innovative solutions built around VR itself. We can’t wait to really dig in and see how it measures up to the impressive footage later this summer.
Sniper Elite VR – Coming July 8th
After a long silence, Sniper Elite VR is finally taking shape. This spin-off to the popular series is arriving on all platforms next month, giving players a full single-player campaign. Will Rebellion’s return to VR measure up? We’re looking forward to finding out.
Winds & Leaves – Coming July 27th
This gorgeous nature-driven adventure first looked like a farming sim. Now it kinda looks like a… supernatural farming sim. This new video focuses on some of the ways the player is linked to the forest they help grow. For example, move too far from the trees and they’ll pull you back in. It looks like a tranquil bit of VR loveliness and we’re looking forward to it on July 27.
After The Fall – New Look
It seems like every time there’s a VR showcase we’re guaranteed to get another look at After The Fall. Not that we’re complaining – the game looks like it’ll deliver a rock-solid Left4Dead VR experience with up to four-player co-op. Today we saw new enemies but still no release date beyond the summer 2021 window.
Puzzle Bobble VR – Coming To PSVR
And finally, Survios’ enjoyable (if inessential) take on Puzzle Bobble in VR is coming to PSVR soon. It launched on Quest a few weeks ago.
Which new PSVR games are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below!
Rebellion, developer of the Sniper Elite franchise, announced its bringing Sniper Elite VR to all supported platforms on July 8th, 2021.
The game, which puts you into the shoes of an Italian anti-fascist resistance fighter in WWII, is simultaneously launching on Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, SteamVR headsets and PSVR.
The single-player game focuses on first-person action, and takes you across a linear campaign with 18 missions as you rid Sicily of the Nazi U-Boot menace. In addition to the franchise’s iconic x-ray kill cam, the game also offers free movement locomotion for greater immersion, and of course a host of WWII weaponry besides your trusty sniper rifle.
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We’ve seen a fair bit of gameplay since its unveiling in March 2019. Although from trailers it feels like Sniper Elite VR is shaping up to focus heavily on brute force action and seemingly less on the quiet, pensive shooting experience Sniper Elite players might be familiar with, it’s actually said to include a number of the standard mechanics that put clear focus on stealthy shooting.
You’ll be able to shoot during timed explosions so you don’t give your position away, and toggle the breath-holding button so you can get a better bead on enemies. We still haven’t had a chance to go hands-on, so we’ll just have to wait and see how true it is to the overall franchise.
Justifiably so, the new trailer is listed as inappropriate for kids. You can watch it direct on YouTube.
While 2020 may have been rubbish when it comes to almost everything, virtual reality (VR) developers have provided some awesome content to fill the time. So now it’s time to look ahead and see what the next 12 months will bring.
There’s no shortage of VR titles already slated for 2021, some have moved over from last year whilst others are looking to make their mark. Those such as Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creedand Splinter Cell don’t make the main list as these aren’t expected anytime soon.
Hitman 3
The main videogame a lot of PlayStation VR players are likely to be looking forward to, Hitman 3 arrives in a few weeks, the only title on this list with an actual launch date.
Putting you back into the shoes of the infamous assassin, Hitman 3 is fully VR compatible across its main campaign as well as its four other modes. Developer IO Interactive is making it possible to bring the two previous instalment’s maps – if you own Hitman 1 and 2 – into the third edition so you can play them in VR. Plus, the PlayStation 4 version will freely upgrade to the PlayStation 5 edition, whilst the PS5 version comes with a digital PS4 copy so there’s no need to worry which console you own.
Supported headsets: PlayStation VR
Release date: 20th January 2021
Lone Echo 2
Announced as an Oculus Rift exclusive back in 2018, originally Lone Echo II had been slated for 2019. Over the course of 2020, a couple of updates were released noting that work was still ongoing as the team adjusted to working remotely but it was clear from the last one the videogame wasn’t going to make it this year.
The single-player sci-fi adventure, Lone Echo II continues the story where you play a robot called Jack who needs to help Captain Olivia Rhodes survive the perils of space. Exclusive to the Oculus Store, it’s worth taking a look at the original even if titles like Half-Life: Alyx have now surpassed it.
As there’s no actual release date just yet, Lone Echo II could well arrive after Oculus Rift S is discontinued so there’s little doubt it’ll be Oculus Quest (via Oculus Link) compatible.
A horror title with a twist, Fast Travel Games’ Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlifelooks to be quite an intriguing experience. Set within the World of Darkness universe, you play as a wraith stuck in the mysterious Barclay mansion with the ability to walk through walls and pick items up remotely.
This being a horror videogame, just because you’re a wraith doesn’t mean to say there aren’t nasty beings lurking in the darkness. In fact, they’re called Spectres and they stalk your every footstep. Suspense is key here, there doesn’t look to be any combat just exploration, puzzle-solving and hiding when appropriate.
Supported headsets: Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index & PlayStation VR.
Release date: Early 2021
Maskmaker
From the team that brought you A Fisherman’s Tale, InnerspaceVR is working on a puzzle adventure called Maskmaker. Set in a realm ruled by the titular character, you’re his apprentice, learning his secret, magical ways of making masks. These are no ordinary masks, allowing you to freely explore 8 levels ‘biomes’ and discover their secrets.
As an apprentice, you’ll have to learn to build various masks from blueprints using materials you find. Eventually, you’ll be given free rein to make your own designs, although the studio hasn’t revealed what will happen when you do. Grander in scope than InnerspaceVR’s previous projects, Maskmaker is expected early next year.
Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
Release date: Q1 2021
Low-Fi
Iris VR Inc. – the team behind Technolust – held a successful Kickstarter back in 2019 for its ambitious cyberpunk project Low-Fi, which supports both VR and non-VR gameplay. An epic sci-fi adventure where you play a cop patrolling the dark crime-ridden streets of city-block 303, you’re able to choose between keeping law and order or exploiting its seedy underbelly.
While the Kickstarter offered backers access to the development build depending on which tier they purchased, that early access was then made available to everyone. Low-Fi is available on itch.io for $35 USD, once the videogame is ready to launch you’ll get a Steam key.
Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index & Windows Mixed Reality.
Only a few teasing details of the gameplay have been revealed so far such as the image below and that the action will be a mix of melee combat and powerful, motion-based spellcasting. One aspect Carbon Studio has been detailing is the storyline through a selection of dev blog’s over on Steam. If the team’s recent The Wizards – Dark Times game is anything to go by Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall is in good hands.
Supported headsets: PC VR & Oculus Quest
Release date: 2021
After the Fall
Another videogame falling foul of remote working in 2020, Vertigo Games’ After the Fall is its next big blockbuster shooter. Originally unveiled during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019, the studio has released few updates over the past year, the main one being the delay.
A promising action-packed FPS from what’s been shown so far, the studio behind Arizona Sunshine is heading for chillier climes for this adventure. Not to some northern outpost, rather Los Angeles set in a desolate future consumed by climate change and where most of the population have turned into monsters because of a designer drug. Survival will require scavenging for parts to build deadly weapons and other tools.
Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
Release date: Early 2021
The Climb 2
Revealed during Facebook Connect in September, Crytek’s free-climbing sequel was slated for an Oculus Quest launch by the end of 2020. Nothing has been heard of The Climb 2 since then including a reason for the delay.
Just like before you’ll need a head for heights, assailing cliff faces whilst looking for the best route up. This time around, however, it won’t just be scenic views of the ocean and countryside you’ll be able to enjoy, it’ll take you into cities to scale massive skyscrapers like you’re Tom Cruise in a Mission Impossible movie. Hopefully, more news will come available in early 2021.
Supported headsets: Oculus Quest
Release date: ‘Coming Soon’
Sniper Elite VR
Bringing its popular sniping franchise into VR, Rebellion has teamed up with Coatsink and Just Add Water on the production of Sniper Elite VR. A single-player, story-driven campaign takes you to Italy during World War 2, helping the Italian resistance to rid Sicily of the Nazi’s.
You’ll be exploring scenic locations, finding the best spots to snipe enemies or when necessary employing sub-machine guns, pistols and other weapons at close range. And let’s not forget about the infamous X-ray kill camera to really make those long-range shots standout. While no official release date has been mentioned, having demoed Sniper Elite VR in 2019 VRFocus has its fingers crossed this might appear in 2021.
Supported headsets: PlayStation VR, Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive & Valve Index
Release date: ‘Coming Soon’
Unplugged
Rhythm-action videogames can be awesome fun and Unplugged from Anotherway and Vertigo Games looks like it could be a blast. It’s also the only title here which uses Oculus Quest’s hand tracking feature for some air guitar rock and roll.
So far a couple of teasing videos featuring Searching for the Truth by The Electric Alley and Roadie by Tenacious D have showcased the gameplay no guitar controllers needed. You’ll score points and build combos when playing well or booed and beer hurled at you when you mess up.
Community Download is a weekly discussion-focused articles series published (usually) every Monday in which we pose a single, core question to you all, our readers, in the spirit of fostering discussion and debate. For today’s Community Download, we want to know what you think are the biggest stories in VR this year?
Finally, 2020 is almost over. In what will go down in history as one of the most tumultuous ever experienced, a lot has happened. Amidst everything else, we’ve obviously had a burgeoning VR industry continue to grow spurred on by new hardware, groundbreaking software, and a nurturing base of followers and fans.
One of the biggest headlines this year is of course the various ways the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has impacted the market. From shuttering location-based VR arcades to leading towards wider adoption overall for in-home VR, it’s had a dramatic impact.
We’ve continued to push forward with our own remote solution — The VR Download — which you can see a snippet of above. It’s a virtual studio in which we stream live podcasts from, while interacting with chat, using our VR avatars in a custom-built studio. It continues to get better and better as well!
Then we’ve of course had amazing VR titles like Half-Life: Alyx and The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners setting new bars of quality for the entire industry to aspire to going forward. There are tons of great VR games on the horizon too, such as Lone Echo 2, Hitman 3, and Maskmaker to look forward to next.
Let us know what you think was the biggest or perhaps most surprising headline for 2020 down in the comments below!
Quest 2 is on the horizon, and with its October 13th release date inching ever closer, you might want to know what new games we’re looking forward to playing on the company’s next standalone headset.
Many of the games below were first announced at Facebook Connect last week, however there’s a few on the list that we’ve been waiting to hear about for a while now. We’ll be keeping an eye out for their respective launch dates, as well as more new games to tally up, so make sure to check back as our list evolves further.
Note: These are all considered ‘Quest platform’ titles, so all of them should come to the original Quest too. We’d be kidding if we said Quest 2’s higher resolution, increased horsepower, and optional ergonomic ‘Elite’ strap didn’t increase immersion across the board. It does. Check out our deep dive review of Quest 2 to find out more.
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge
We already knew Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge was coming to Oculus headsets when it was announced back in May, but none of the specifics were clear at the time. From the creators of Vader Immortal, this narrative-driven adventure is set to take you to the edge of the galaxy where you’ll slip through some of the franchise’s larger than life tales. Expect blasters, light sabers and droids that go beep boop and “oh dear!”
Developer: ILMxLAB
Launch Date: Holiday 2020
Sniper Elite VR
Sniper Elite VR is set to bring a new twist to the sharp shooter franchise with this first-person VR entry, which is landing on all major VR headsets—Quest included. You’d probably do well to buy a VR gun stock, 3D print your own, or just duct tape your controllers to a sawed-off broomstick to steady that shaky aim.
Developer: Rebellion
Launch Date: “coming soon”
Project 4 (Boneworks)
Boneworks (2019) offers up some awesome physics-based shooting madness on PC VR headsets, and we were intrigued when the studio announced they’d be bringing the game’s mechanics and core systems to Quest. There’s nothing out there on the so-called Project 4 game yet, but we’re hoping to learn more sometime later this year.
Developer: Stress Level Zero
Launch Date: TBD
Assassin’s Creed & Splinter Cell
After a rash of first-gen VR games and a (pre-pandemic) foray into VR arcade experiences, Ubisoft is again renewing its commitment to at-home VR gaming with bonafide Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell VR games. Although the studio didn’t say as much, Oculus’ retirement of the Rift platform strongly suggests we’re seeing two new Quest exclusives in the making. No specifics yet, but we’re waiting in kitchen cupboard, you know, for practice.
Developer: Ubisoft
Launch Date: TBD
Myst
Cyan cut its teeth in the early ’90s developing one of the most iconic puzzle adventure games, Myst (1993). We’ve been wondering when we’d finally get a freshly remastered version, and it seems the company decided to go full ham with a VR mode on Steam for PC, and a VR version for Quest too. Whether you played the original or not, there’s multiple hours of puzzles and narrative gubbins to experience here, and no better way to do it than in VR.
Developer: Cyan Worlds
LaunchDate: 2020
Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister
Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister is an upcoming narrative-driven shooter that’s promising to let you dive head-first into the Warhammer 40k universe, replete with oversized armor, magical acts of faith, and more guns than you can shake a gun at. Both single and multiplayer modes are coming.
Developer: Pixel Toys
Launch Date: 2020
The Climb 2
The Climb 2 is bringing us back to the rocky cliffs again, this time taking you to new heights in a city setting. Reach for the next handhold, but make sure to chalk up, rest when you need to (with both hands steady), and look around for alternate paths to the summit. The first was a smorgasbord of breathtaking visuals, and we’re probably in for a repeat with the sequel.
Developer: Crytek
Launch Date: Holiday 2020
Jurassic World Aftermath
In a very Alien Isolation turn of events, you find yourself creeping through corridors on your way to recover valuable research materials from an abandoned research facility. Instead of a ruthless Xenomorph, you’ll be pitted against pack of intelligent Velociraptors. If the developers are thinking what we’re thinking, Aftermath would make for a great Halloween release.
Developer: Coatsink Games, Universal Games, Digital Platforms Team
Launch Date: “coming soon”
Population: One
Ok. Battle Royale-style shooters are kind of old news, but we haven’t really gotten a highly polished one in VR yet, so there’s a reason to be excited about Population: One. It’s been in private beta testing for a pretty long time now, so we’re expecting big things from this 18-player shooter which lets you climb, shoot, glide, scrounge, duck and dodge. We went hands-on back at Gamescom 2018, and it was already pretty awesome.
Developer: BigBox VR
LaunchDate: “coming soon”
What new games are you excited to play on Quest? Let us know in the comments below!
Today during the Facebook Connect digital event the Oculus Quest shooter library got a little bit beefier. Rebellion and Oculus revealed that Sniper Elite VR is officially coming to the Oculus Quest.
Previously showcased as a PSVR-exclusive, Sniper Elite VR is now taking aim at other platforms. We still don’t know for sure if it’s coming to PC VR headsets yet, but since Rebellion’s other VR projects like Battlezone eventually made their way to PC, it seems possible.
The first time we got our hands on Sniper Elite VR was at E3 2019 and then again at PAX East earlier this year, but we’ve only tried it on the PSVR using the PS Aim Controller both times. Admittedly, it plays so well with that controller peripheral it was hard to imagine ever playing it any other way — but they eventually confirmed support for PC VR headsets too. It’s still quite surprising to imagine it could run so well on a standalone device like the Oculus Quest, but games like Onward and Phantom: Covert Ops have made it happen already as well. Now that we’ve seen the latest footage in the trailer embedded above, it’s looking like a really capable shooter.
According to the press release it includes a full campaign, free smooth locomotion across all levels, the iconic x-ray kill cam redesigned for VR, and authentic weapon interactions.
For those worried about playing a game that’s just a collection of slow-paced sniper missions, it doesn’t look like you have much to be concerned with at all. The trailer is full of action, showcases a wide variety of weaponry, and looks like it could rival the likes of both Blood & Truth and Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond for delivering a breezy action-packed VR FPS campaign.
We still don’t have a release date yet other than ‘Coming Soon’ but now Quest owners can also look forward to Sniper Elite VR right alongside PSVR and PC VR players. Let us know what you think of the game and its latest trailer down in the comments below!
Rebellion announced today at Facebook Connect that Sniper Elite VR is officially headed to all major VR headsets, including SteamVR headsets, PSVR, and now Oculus Quest too.
Sniper Elite VR for Quest is being developed by Rebellion in collaboration with Coatsink and Just Add Water. The studio says Sniper Elite VR is headed to Quest “soon.”
In Sniper Elite VR you’re tasked with fighting for the Italian Resistance in an all-new mission to rid WWII-era Sicily of the Nazi U-boat menace.
The single-player game is said to include first-person action, an explosive campaign and immersive motion controls. Yes, there’s also going to be the iconic x-ray kill cam.
Rebellion mentioned at the E3 2019 gameplay reveal that the game’s weaponry will not only include the obligatory sniper rifles, but also a host of other weapons such as various SMGs, pistols, grenades, and a tactical ‘Welrod’ suppressed pistol for stealthy kills.
Last month at PAX East we had the chance to check out a preview build of Sniper Elite VR from Rebellion on PSVR using the PS Aim Controller, similar to the demo we played from E3 2019.
The Sniper Elite series has earned a strong reputation as of late with its easy-to-play format and iconic “bullet time” deaths introducing players to a new way to take down Nazis during WWII conflicts. With a handful of sequels and plenty of material to work with, the team at Rebellion has now set their sights on virtual reality with Sniper Elite VR. Let’s see just how it stacks up against its non-VR brethren.
Because Rebellion is no stranger to VR after having worked on Battlezone and Arca’s Path, they’ve included a variety of ways to play Sniper Elite VR. During my time with the demo, I had the option to play with either the traditional teleportation method of movement, or a smoother approach with the PS Aim Controller’s analog sticks.
Calibrating your gun on the fly is a breeze too, and should definitely come in handy. Unfortunately, the demo units available at PAX East suffered from some very poor tracking, which was explained away as the bad lighting in the convention center. It’ll be something to watch out for when the game launches later this year, but did seem more like a PAX East specific issue, thankfully. We didn’t have those problems when trying the game at E3 2019.
The level that I got to play at PAX East was a simple one, placing me on a rooftop that was under siege from various Nazi soldiers. In typical Sniper Elite fashion, I had to make my way around the level, taking out enemies until everything was clear. While you’re able to use either the DualShock 4 or the PS Move controllers to play, the demo at PAX East came equipped with a PlayStation Aim Controller, and it seems like the best way to play on PSVR.
When given the option of using the PS Aim Controller, that’s usually the case. It just helps make things feel way more natural. Instead of simply running around and using a controller to aim, you handle the gun in every way including when it comes time to set up a shot on an enemy. Bringing up the gun and staring down the scope isn’t a revolutionary thing in VR, but it does help to further immerse you into the game, and there didn’t seem to be any problems in quickly getting off multiple shots.
The Sniper Elite series has become well-known for its ability to focus in when aiming, allowing players to get a much more accurate shot and also watch exactly how the bullet enters an enemy, with an x-ray style killcam showing just how much damage you do. This function also shows up in Sniper Elite VR, and is incredibly useful, as it helps slow down the action and emphasize the big impacts. The aforementioned x-ray killcam returns, too, but doesn’t have any sort of VR functionality. Instead, it’s just like a watching a quick flat 2D clip of bones and internal organs exploding.
While many might play Sniper Elite simply to take down some Nazis in different ways, there is a storyline that runs through each game. For Sniper Elite VR, there will be a campaign as well, although the exact details of it have yet to be revealed. For those who just want to have fun with the game, though, you’ll be able to replay the missions in order to try and get a better score at the end. Because many of Sniper Elite’s maps are so big as well, you’ll have plenty of time to try and become the best sniper you possibly can be.
Sniper Elite VR will also be launching on PC VR headsets too, although we only got to try it on PSVR at PAX East. If you’ve ever had the chance to check out a more conventional FPS in VR, you’re likely ready to take on Sniper Elite VR when it launches later this year.
There were a few good virtual reality (VR) games at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 last month, and one of VRFocus’ favourites was Sniper Elite VR. In development by Rebellion – the British studio which owns the franchise and the team behind VR title Battlezone – Sniper Elite VR is currently in an early stage of development so VRFocus caught up with Assistant Head of Design Steve Bristow to find out more.
Three months ago Rebellion released a video featuring CEO Jason Kingsley, who made several announcements regarding the Sniper Elite franchise. The VR version will be similar in design to Sniper Elite 4 (the most recent installment) set in the same Mediterranean conflict in Italy. Rebellion is working with indie studio Just Add Water (Oddworld, Gravity Crash) on the project, with the title getting its own unique storyline.
Set to feature new maps and an array of authentic WWII era weaponry, from sniper rifles to sub-machine guns and pistols, Sniper Elite VR will also include a famous staple of the series, the iconic X-Ray Kill Cam sequences. VRFocus managed to see some of this in action thanks to Rebellion taking an early demo to E3 2019, showcasing the title on PlayStation VR using a PlayStation Aim controller (the videogame will also support Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets).
In VRFocus’ initial assessment the preview noted: “From start to finish Sniper Elite VR certainly impressed, from the gun handling to the movement and visual design. It honestly didn’t feel as early in development as Rebellion was claiming it was, which certainly bodes well for the final product.”
After the demo, Bristow was on hand to answer a few questions regarding the development of Sniper Elite VR and what fans can expect to see (spoiler, he doesn’t mention a release date) including the various other control methods outside of PlayStation Aim (which felt very natural).