Star Child

November 1, 2017

15 New PSVR Game Trailers From Paris Games Week

Paris Games Week is here and Sony has revealed a slew of new trailers showing off their lineup of PSVR games coming in 2017 and 2018. Grab some popcorn, because here’s 21 minutes of fresh footage.

Eden Tomorrow

Developer: Soulpix
Release Date: Spring 2018

Eden-Tomorrow catapults the player right into the heart of a strange cosmos: frightening creatures, cryptic riddles, abandoned places and the ever-present question: “what happened here?”

Apex Construct

Developer: Fast Travel Games
Release Date: TBD

[Apex Construct] takes place in a shattered but beautiful post-apocalyptic future filled with merciless robots, where two powerful AIs are locked in a drawn-out conflict. As the last remaining human, you’ll explore this world and use your wits and combat skills to survive, while discovering why almost all organic life has become extinct.

Megalith

Developer: Disruptive Games
Release Date: 2018

Megalith is an action-packed hero shooter that transforms you into a titan, letting you use your massive size and firepower to compete with others in a quest to become a god. Immersed in the conflict of an ancient world, you will need to use a combination of teamwork and skill to survive. Fight for supremacy on the fields of battle using free locomotion, strategy, and destructible environments. Define your own style of combat by customizing your abilities so that you can vanquish your foes and push your disciples to victory.

Blood & Truth

Developer: Sony London Studios
Release Date: TBD

From the moment you slip on the headset, you become Ryan Marks, an elite Special Forces soldier who is on a dangerous mission to save his family from a ruthless criminal overlord. Playing as Ryan, you will come face to face with enemies, uncover secrets and experience the thrill of the chase.

Sprint Vector

Developer: Survios
Release Date: TBD

Sprint Vector is the ultimate competitive VR game: a multiplayer adrenaline platformer that merges the physical thrill of extreme sports competition with the unhinged energy of a zany game show spectacle. Survios’ innovative Fluid Locomotion System and intuitive intended motion mechanics let you comfortably attain and maintain extreme speeds in VR.

Stifled

Developer: Gattai Games
Release Date: Available Now

Experience virtual reality horror in a whole new light in this sound-based thriller where enemies hear your fear. Follow in the quiet footsteps of David Ridley, a grief-stricken widower seeking solace in virtual memories of his traumatic past that are slowly turning his world dark. Create sound waves to reveal the world around you, using objects and your own voice in unique virtual reality and mic-enabled gameplay. But beware your nightmares are listening to every noise you make…

Developer: Playful Corp
Release Date: 2018

Star Child is a cinematic platforming adventure that follows the journey of Spectra and her companion on an important mission to an alien planet. After becoming stranded, they uncover a hostile, overwhelming force that threatens to destroy everything. At a pivotal, startling moment, Spectra gains the ability to gradually take control of the world around her and fight back.

League of War VR Arena

Developer: MunkyFun
Release Date: November 7th

League of War: VR Arena is a hands, on, fast-paced war game. Swiftly deploy your tanks, infantry, and choppers in a battle to destroy your enemy’s base before they destroy yours!

Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown

Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
Release Date: 2018

Discover the glory of being an elite fighter pilot. Become an Ace pilot by taking down enemies through tactical dogfighting, while experiencing the exhilaration of flying freely in a fully immersive world.

Resident Evil 7 biohazard – Not a Hero DLC

Developer: Capcom
Release Date: December 12, 2017

Not a Hero is a chapter that explores the direct aftermath of RE7’s main story. Unlike the nightmare suffered by untrained civilian Ethan Winters, players take control of Chris Redfield to tackle the outbreak as a trained professional. Experience a different flavor of survival horror with an arsenal of tactical weaponry!

Rec Room

Developer: Against Gravity
Release Date: 2017

Rec Room [is] a vibrant and growing virtual community where you play with friends new and old from all around the world! Customize your look then head to the Rec Center for endless fun and games like our epic co-op Quests, 3D Charades, or Paintball! Or play casual minigames like Disc Golf, Dodgeball, and more. Or create and share your own activities using an ever-expanding variety of fun creative tools. Rec Room is a fun and welcoming environment for people from all walks of life! Come and join the fun for free!

Ultrawings

Developer: Bit Planet Games
Release Date: 2017

In Ultrawings, you’ll pilot four distinct aircraft using your virtual hands or gamepad! Soar around four unique, beautifully stylized islands! Earn money to buy new airplanes and new airports! You’ll pop balloons, snap photos, perform spot landings, compete in aerial races, fly through score rings, and even perform emergency landings!

Bow to Blood

Developer: Tribetoy
Release Date: 2018

Bow to Blood takes place in a fantastical sci-fi world, a massive gas giant with mist-soaked floating islands and continents at the heart of a declining empire. Experience harrowing high-speed races, deadly battles with swarming assault ships, perilous encounters with aerial beasts, mind-bending challenges, and more.

Snow Fortress

Developer: Mythical City Games
Release Date: 2017

Snow Fortress is a room-scale Virtual Reality snow fort building & battle game. Relive your childhood by building snow forts as you prepare for epic snowball fights! Unlock tools to protect your fort and deliver a fury of snowballs at your opponents!

Dead Hungry

Developer: Q-Games
Release Date: Available Now

Grill, fry, and bake your way to freedom in Dead Hungry, a fast-paced new PSVR title from the makers of the legendary PixelJunk series. You are a fearless food-truck cook working double overtime to single-handedly save the world from certain doom. Using burgers, fries, a generous portion of side menu items–and anything else within reach–you can restore the living dead to human form! Turn swarms of zombie schoolgirls, office workers, and sumo wrestlers into well-fed and highly functional members of society! Get creative feeding this unstoppable mob with food, phones, or anything else you please! They aren’t just hungry–they’re Dead Hungry.

The post 15 New PSVR Game Trailers From Paris Games Week appeared first on Road to VR.

October 30, 2017

What You Missed: A Recap of the Latest Virtual Reality Titles Coming to PlayStation VR

Missed the announcements from Paris Games Week (PGW)? A huge fan of virtual reality (VR)? PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR owners likely already know that there are now over 100 titles on the platform. But that’s just now. There’s plenty of videogames on the way to add to that collection, and luckily VRFocus has got your back. Below you can find a list of all the PlayStation VR videogames that were announced or mentioned at PGW – and we have also created a little video recap which you can find below.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – 2018

Bandai Namco bring you Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, taking their popular fighter pilot series to VR for the first time. With spectacular views, a dynamic weather system and various maps, this videogame demands the highest possible aerial combat skills.

Resident Evil VII biohazard DLC – Not A Hero – December 12th 2017

Chris Redfield comes up against new and terrifying enemies in his pursuit of deadly psychopath Lucas in Resident Evil VII thanks to the Not A Hero free DLC. There are plenty of gory situations to confront on the path ahead as Redfield seeks an end to the bloody reign of the murderous Baker family.

Rec Room – Coming Soon

Developers Against Gravity have created a social platform where players can engage in multiplayer games with one another. As with all the products mentioned here, check out the link for more information.

Moss – 2018

Announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), VRFocus thought Moss was perhaps the cutest VR game to date. Sadly, that date has shifted, with the title now delayed until 2018. Developed by Polyarc, Moss asks players to solve puzzles in a larger-than-life world. The protagonist Quill also recognises who you are and tries to point out tips when you’re stuck. Quill’s intricate hand movements actually promotes sign language as she uses her body, hands and squeaks to communicate with you.

Apex Construct – Coming Soon

Announced at PGW today, this first-person shooter (FPS) takes adventure to a futuristic, robot-filled sci-fi world. You play as the last human on a world where synthetic creatures seek to dominate their new hunting grounds. Created by Fast Travel Games, this Swedish studio is formed of Ex-Rovio, EA and DICE staff.

Bow to Blood – 2018

Another newly announced title, Bow to Blood is a multiplayer videogame where players pilot airships into combat with other players. PlayStation VR owners can go solo or team up to battle rivals. Stand and fight or reposition on your foe? It’s your call.

League of War: VR Arena – November 7th 2017

Announced back in August this real-time tabletop warfare simulator should be something strategy fans will enjoy. Players will have access to 12 different units, four of which can be deployed at one time. This includes tanks, soldiers, flamethrowers, artillery and helicopters. Each unit costs energy to put on the battlefield – so don’t start spamming out loads of troops without thinking careful first.

Stifled – October 31st 2017

Showcased at E3 this year, this videogame asks players to see the world through sound; similar to how echolocation would work underwater. The noise you make highlight the surroundings around you in a creepy white line drawing style. Unfortunately, whilst using sound shows your path it also draws the attention of enemies. You will need to balance your need to see versus your need to keep safe. A slow and steady process that really gets under your skin.

Sprint Vector – Coming Soon

A fast-paced obstacle course racing title that asks players to swing their arms back and forth in order to increase the speed at which they travel. Climb, jump, leap across various obstacles and compete against friends or A.I.

Star Child – Coming Soon

Developers Playful Corp have created a dark, cyberpunk world where strange creatures roam in a bizarre neon-lit world. A side-scrolling platform experience, the protagonist has to solve puzzles and take an elevator deeper into an alien world.Transference – Coming Soon

Announced at E3, Elijah Wood’s videogame company Spectrevision and Ubisoft have created a psychological thriller videogame where players delve into the destructive tale of a man’s obsession as they explore his digitally recreated memories. Think Inception, but as a videogame where you have to solve puzzles in the man’s memories. VRFocus did an interview with Kyle McCullough from SpectreVision if you want more information.

Ultrawings VR – Coming Soon

Available on the Samsung Gear VR and now coming to PlayStation VR, this flying simulator allows you to try three different aircrafts, has several missions which in turn allows the player to purchase airports across three separate islands. Shoot balloons, take photos, fly through rings, race against players or practice that perfect landing.

Dead Hungry – October 31st2017

This tongue-in-cheek action videogame allows you to cook up a storm as a chef feeding some very hungry zombies. That’s right, you’re not killing zombies on mass but feeding them some very well-cooked hamburgers instead. Perfect for Halloween.

Eden Tomorrow – Coming Soon

Set in sci-fi world on what seems another planet, PGW is the first time anything of this videogame was showcased and very little is known about it for sure. However, it appears to be the evolution of previously announced VR title Eden. And features some very strange and bizarre looking creatures that resemble a Brachiosaurus. The teaser also features three-armed robotic drones and enormous monsters.

Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV – November 21st 2017

Showcasing the first hands-on previews at PGW, the gameplay features customisable costumes, a various array of fish (and other creatures) and various ways of catching fish from travel to sonar detection.

Megalith – 2018

A first-person videogame where you play as a titan on a quest to become a powerful god. With destructible environment and a range of weapons in a stylised world.

Smash Hit Plunder – 2018

Set in a medieval castle with ghostly inhabitants, you play a young mage recently returned from magic school on a quest to delve into their family’s fraught past. You have to rebuild your family’s wealth and use your wand to uncover treasure, coins and crowns. As the name of the title suggests, you’ll have to do a lot of smashing and hitting things to do that. Venture into multiple dungeons, secret rooms and set things on fire, smash everything you see or sneak up on ghosts to find hidden gold.

Blood and Truth – 2018

Another new title to add to the growing list of PlayStation VR games available for players, you play a brutal gangster in London. On a quest to avenge his murdered family, you have to break into enemy hideouts, casinos and gun down your enemies. You need to be prepared for both stealth gameplay as well as ready to throw yourself into the action. The teaser showcase lock picking and a bomb detonating as you shoot down enemies.

Those are the latest videogames that have been announced or will be coming soon to the PlayStation VR. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of all the videogames and follow VRFocus for any further announcements on the videogames.

October 30, 2017

Star Child Announcement Trailer Revealed

Paris Games Week has barely started but the announcements are already coming thick and fast. Particularly from Sony, with a number of new titles revealed, and major updates on others. The latter category includes stylised puzzle adventure title Star Child, which has now got its first full trailer.

Featuring a dark, neon-lit cyberpunk aesthetic, Star Child puts the player on an alien world full of strange creatures, buildings and objects. The new trailer isn’t a gameplay trailer, but nonetheless offers some indications of some gameplay elements that might feature. Notably, the protagonist appears to be able to transfer her consciousness out of her body to interact with other objects. In the instance show in the trailer, the protagonists astral body touches a strange alien object and sees it light up with the glow of power, various indecipherable buttons and gauges appearing on it.

Developer Playful Corp has already acquired a reputation for creating solid VR experiences with the release of Lucky’s Tale, which originally debuted on the Oculus Rift. With Star Child, the studio is staying with its strengths and crafting another side-scrolling platforming experience.

The VRFocus team managed to get a preview of Star Child earlier this year at E3, saying the following: “The demo felt very much like an opening level – a common occurrence with these short presentations – with a short cinematic of a spaceship flying in and landing on an elevator that takes you deep into an alien world. As it descends deeper and deeper you get to see all sorts of luminous creatures scurrying across the walls, and glowing plants creeping up the rock face. Playful has really gone to town on the design of Star Child, easily differentiating it from the far more child like design of Lucky’s Tale.”

The early demo only featured running and jumping and some early puzzles, so it seems the finished title with have some more complex mechanics. You can watch the announcement trailer below.

VRFocus will bring you further information on Star Child is it becomes available.

August 20, 2017

PlayStation Prepares For PAX West

As you likely know next week is Europe’s biggest games focused industry event, the middle chapter of the ‘big three’, Gamescom over in Cologne, Germany. With the other two of course being E3 and the Tokyo Game Show which is still to come. Naturally the VRFocus team is (in part) attending the event and we’ll be providing you with plenty to read and watch over the course of the next week. You’d be mistaken for thinking these were the only events on the horizon however, because there is also one of the PAX events – PAX West – heading your way at the beginning of next month.

Taking place over September 1st to 4th in Seattle Washington as PAX has grown so has industry representation at it and Sony have just announced the titles that you will be able to try out should you be heading there – which does include PlayStation VR titles. Eight of them to be precise.

Click the title for a link to our most recent preview or story on each videogame.

Gran Turismo Sport

The Inpatient

Bravo Team

Kaiju Driving Range

Moss

Star Child

League of War: VR Arena

Sparc

Other non-VR videogames for the Sony PlayStation 4 that will be playable at one of the five booths at the event are:

Gran Turismo Sport – if you don’t want to play it in VR of course…
PlayLink: Hidden Agenda
PlayLink: That’s You!
PlayLink: Knowledge is Power
PlayLink: Frantics
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Detroit: Become Human
Knack 2
Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite
Swords of Ditto
Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
Tooth and Tail
Burly Men at Sea
Dragon Ball FighterZ
Samurai Shodown V Special
Omen of Sorrow
Windjammers
Hob
Battle Chasers

With Gamescom just before and with the PlayStation Experience looming in December we’re not expecting much in the way of news from the event. However, should any updates be released or anything newsworthy be discovered VRFocus will of course bring it your way.

June 19, 2017

Best PSVR Games Of E3 2017

Now that E3 2017 has officially come and gone it’s time to take a moment and look back to reflect. While this was definitely a good show for gamers of all types, it’s hard to argue that it was actually overall better than last year’s show. Last year at E3 we were just a few months removed from the launch hype of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive and the anticipation surrounding Sony’s PlayStation VR and the Oculus Touch controllers were both at all-time highs. Big title announcements like Farpoint, Resident Evil 7, and Batman Arkham VR paved the way for one of the most exciting weeks in VR’s short life thus far. E3 2017 was good, but it wasn’t quite E3 2016 good.

That being said there were still some solid announcements made and the games we already knew about coming into the week are starting to look even better. We’ve put together a list of the five best PSVR games we saw and played at the show this year. This list only includes games that were playable on the PSVR platform and does not include games that are coming to PSVR but were demoed on other devices.

Runner-Up: Moss

While attending E3 it’s easy, as a journalist, to feel jaded. The lights, glitz, and glamour of it all can feel like a cacophony of sound and colors that bleed together while you’re trying to shove your way through endless crowds of people. It’s a lot to take in and honestly has very little to do with what I love about games and VR specifically. But every now and then a game will blindside you with a special type of adventure that makes you smile and exhale a sigh of relief in the confidence that, despite it all, some developers are still making charming stories like Moss that just so happen to be about a cute little mouse on a grand journey.

You can read more about our time with Moss here and learn why, even though it’s a third-person action adventure game, we couldn’t imagine ever playing it outside of VR.

Runner-Up: Star Child

When Playful, the developer that created Lucky’s Tale, announces a new VR game it’s time that you pay attention. Lucky was one of the first recognizable faces of the VR industry and his cheerful demeanor was representative of the youthful vigor and excitement that infused the entirety of our young industry back when the Rift and Vive first launched. Now with Star Child Playful is taking a more thoughtful and cinematic approach to VR storytelling with this PSVR-exclusive. It’s a game about mystery, discovery, and uncovering secrets and we can’t wait to see more.

You can read more about why we were so enamored with Star Child at E3 2017 right here.

Runner-Up: The Inpatient

I’m a sucker for horror, branching narratives, and interesting characters. When Supermassive Games combined all of those things together to create Until Dawn, a choose-your-own adventure-style slasher flick that took the form of a video game, I was a big fan. The VR spin-off didn’t hit the same notes, but was a capable on-rails horror game in its own right. Now with The Inpatient, Supermassive is telling another story in the Until Dawn universe, but this time it’s a prequel over 60 years in the past and it’s full of slow-building tension, creepy doctors, and plenty of ominous imagery to keep you up at night.

You can read more about what we thought of The Inpatient from Supermassive Games later this week.

Runner-Up: Sparc

We’ve played and written about Sparc a few times in the past. You might remember hearing about it first as Project Arena, but that original premise has now been reimainged with lit up orbs instead of discs and it’s just so much fun. You stand on opposite sides of a long hallway and are tasked with throwing and punching the orbs back and forth in an attempt to hit your opponent and score points. That’s about it, but it’s so much more nuanced and intense when you see it in action. At E3 last week we learned it will be coming out first on PSVR, which is a big get for the next VR title from he creators of EVE Online and EVE: Valkyrie.

You can read more about what we thought of Sparc running on PSVR later this week.

Best PSVR Game of E3 2017 – The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR

Prior to last week if you asked me what my dream VR game would be I’d have told you a brand new Elder Scrolls title built from the ground up to utilize the power of virtual reality as a transportive medium. While The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR isn’t quite that brand new game, it’s about as close as we’re gonna get for now. I was skeptical during the Sony press conference when the trailer played showing the game running on PSVR, but after trying it for myself I’m optimistic about the execution. The whole game was running well, combat felt good, and the world looks beautiful (albeit a bit pixelated when compared to the non-VR version, naturally) so we’re excited to see more. This is huge news and was easily the most exciting prospect we saw running on Sony’s PSVR headset.

You can read more about our exploits in the world of Skyrim VR right here.

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Which PSVR games are you most excited about from E3 2017? Let us know in the comments below! And be sure to check our lists for the best Oculus Rift games at E3 and best HTC Vive games at E3 from this year.

Tagged with: e3, E3 2017, moss, Skyrim, Star Child

June 16, 2017

See More of Star Child in This Official Trailer

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 had a few surprise virtual reality (VR) announcements – like this brand new PlayStation VR exclusive coming from Lucky’s Tale developer, Playful. Not content with just announcing Lucky’s Tale would be getting a port to the Xbox One X, the developer also had to show gamers and press an all-new VR adventure.

Star Child is a neon-lit puzzle adventure with a strong sense of atmosphere. Taking place on an alien world with fantastical Martian creatures and creations, Star Child is a homage to platformers of the 90s while also being something entirely new.

PlayStation VR allows the player to lean into the world and look around the environments in detail – changing what would otherwise be a typical platform experience into something much more interactive and absorbing.

We played Star Child at E3 2017, and the interest in the title is well placed; “If the videogame caught your eye during SIE’s E3 2017 press conference, then you’re right to be intrigued. The Star Child demo was certainly a delightful experience, and over far too soon, so expect good things to come in the future.”

In the trailer below you can see a variety of multicoloured Martian creatures as well as a mechanical monster near the end.

For more on Star Child, make sure to stay on VRFocus.

June 15, 2017

Preview: Star Child – A Playful Neon Puzzler With Potential

Playful Corp has already cemented its name in the virtual reality (VR) industry with its cute platformer Luckey’s Tale which launched alongside the Oculus Rift head-mounted display (HMD). For its next VR title the studio is sticking with those platformer roots with Star Child, a neon drenched sci-fi adventure for PlayStation VR.

Unveiled during Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 press conference with a brief teaser trailer, Playful has shown a very early demo at the event, giving a hint at the rich universe it intends to create.

Star Child seems to be a homage to classic side-scrolling platformers of yesteryear (the 90s and early 00s), enriched with the dynamic depth and immersion of VR. Playing a female protagonist, you run and jump through a world that encourages you to lean in and explore. While the character can only move left and right, you can still peer in and see into this beautiful looking world, so much so that you can even look down the path your character is following.

The demo felt very much like an opening level – a common occurrence with these short presentations – with a short cinematic of a spaceship flying in and landing on an elevator that takes you deep into an alien world. As it descends deeper and deeper you get to see all sorts of luminous creatures scurrying across the walls, and glowing plants creeping up the rock face. Playful has really gone to town on the design of Star Child, easily differentiating it from the far more child like design of Luckey’s Tale.

At this stage the character doesn’t have a great deal of options available, boiling down to running and jumping through the area. What Star Child did offer were a couple of puzzles. With these you approach a console which then activates a giant purple orb. This can then be moved around the area, bobbing it higher with multiple presses of the X button to grab a purple neon string that needs to be attached to a certain point, opening up the next area. The next puzzle offered more of the same, as an early challenge you’d expect it to be easy but it was somewhat rudimentary in nature.

It all came to an end with a big finale. A really big, robotic looking, spider monster came out of the darkness seeming very intent on doing some harm. Luckily a saviour was slumbering, waiting for the right time to come to your aid, an even bigger robot, whose hand you jump onto ending the demo. Naturally, this raises more questions than revealing answers, what’s the robot for? Do you get to pilot/control it in some way? What the hell is going on? And so on.

If the videogame caught your eye during SIE’s E3 2017 press conference – after the massive Skyrim announcement – then you’re right to be intrigued. The Star Child demo was certainly a delightful experience, and over far too soon, so expect good things to come in the future.

June 15, 2017

Hands-On With Playful’s Mysterious New Game — Star Child

Three years ago I rushed through the doors of the Los Angeles Convention Center when E3 opened and headed straight for the Oculus booth to try the latest Rift development kit. I met Paul Bettner, the CEO of Texas-based Playful Corp, and inside the Rift DK2 headset I met Lucky.

Lucky was an adorable fox waving at me from inside his virtual world. He was aware of my presence, and I worked like a guardian angel over his shoulder helping him navigate the path ahead. The colorful world ingeniously obscured the headset’s low resolution, and the camera system Playful developed allowed for smooth exploration of a place in which I never felt uncomfortable. To put it simply, when Lucky’s Tale released with the launch of the Oculus Rift last year it was a groundbreaking game that showed what was possible with the familiar platforming genre, known for characters like Mario and Sonic, but built from the ground up for a new medium.

Star Child is Playful’s next step. I rushed through the doors this week at E3 and headed straight for Sony’s booth to find it.

The game is directed by Kynan Pearson, who designed levels for the Metroid Prime games, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Halo 4 and 5 and others. According to his LinkedIn, Pearson also worked at Bluepoint Games for nearly three years — a company that just announced a remake of Shadow of the Colossus. He’s been at Playful since May of last year.

“The specific ‘staging’ techniques that Kynan and team have discovered to make a game in this genre (2.5-D side scrolling ‘cinematic platformer’) actually work wonderfully well in VR,” said Bettner. “It’s very similar to the process we went through to discover how to make 3D open world platforming work in VR… but now applied to the side-scrolling genre.”

Star Child is still very early and Playful is embracing mystery at this point in the game’s development. My hands-on time was a very brief section of the game that started on the surface of a planet with a ship landing in a bright desert-like environment.

The ship lands on a platform, which descends slowly down a long shaft into the world. There are bug-like mechanical creatures scurrying about and at the bottom, an adolescent female jumps out of the ship. I use the Dualshock 4 controller to move her into a tunnel to the right. I don’t know who she is, but she is bigger to me than Lucky was in his world, and she seems ready to brave whatever is inside here.

As I move her to the right into a cave, I notice it’s illuminated by what looks like alien plants, machinery and crystals. It’s hard to tell what is organic and alive and what is machine down here. There’s a vibe to the environment and creatures that feels a bit like a cross between James Cameron’s Avatar and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. If I move my head behind one of the crystals I can see the character distorted as if I was looking at an action figure through a glass cup on my table. Steam rises from below and firefly-like creatures fly around in swarms. A large mechanical creature way bigger than we are is watching with interest and I feel uneasy for the first time in this fantastic world. Should I be scared? I am just a little bit.

There seem to be control panels down here and when I approach them I’m prompted to press a button. When I do, control shifts to a kind of drone I can navigate to grab and hook up power lines. It seems like I’m powering something up.

Near the end of this short play through an enormous mech-like creature comes to life and its hand extends to block a more menacing creature and keep it away from my character. Then the giant reaches out and places its palm out, as if inviting her to stand on it like a scene out of Iron Giant. I do so and the demo ends with the Star Child logo.

The game moved on a left-right trajectory much more so than Lucky’s Tale ever did.

“My hope is that people will realize that here we have another genre that probably nobody realized would work really well in VR, but it does,” Bettner said. “If you think about how amazing a game like Inside or even Metroid could be in VR, I think this little teaser demo gives people a glimpse of that.”

The publisher, Game Trust, told me after my demo the game was also coming for traditional TV screens too. Overall, the whole world was alluring, with gorgeous visuals and enveloping sound, and I found the mystery of it enchanting enough to intrigue me and put this on a list of titles to watch for in the future.

Tagged with: playful, Star Child

June 13, 2017

See Every PlayStation VR Game from E3 2017

PlayStation VR has sold over 1 million units and had more success in sales compared to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. VRFocus has 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.

**1. FARPOINT – Impulse Gear**

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 27^th of June, a 2 player co-op with challenge levels in an ice world.

**2. TINY TRAX – FuturLab**

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.

**3. ROM: Extraction – First Contact Entertainment**

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.

It also supports the Aim controller.

**4. GRAN TURISMO SPORT – Polyphony Digital**

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.

5. THESEUS – Forge Reply

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.

**6. THE PERSISTENCE – Firesprite**

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.

**8. V! No Heroes Allowed R! – SIE Japan studio and Acquire**

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.

**9. Legion Commander – ChangYou**

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 .

**10. Archangel – Skydance Interactive**

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.

11. SUPERHOTVR – Superhot

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.

12. DOOM VFR – Bethesda Softworks

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.

**13. The Elders Scrolls V: SKYRIM – Bethesda Softworks**

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.

**14. Star Child – Playful**

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.

**15. The Inpatient – Supermassive Games**

The Inpatient is an adventure videogame with the player, in first-person, interacting with non-player characters in a hospital environment.

It acts as a prequel to Until Dawn, before the Sanatorium fell into disarray. The Inpatient takes place some time in the 1950s.

**16. Final Fantasy XV: Monster of the Deep – Square Enix**

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.

**18. Moss – Polyarc**

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.

19. Sparc – CCP

Sparc is a skill-based, physical sport, where two players use PlayStation Move 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.

June 13, 2017

E3 2017 ‘Day 2’ Roundup: ‘Skyrim VR’ Announced, Intel Does VR eSports, ‘Lone Echo’ Dated & More

Following the revelations from the Microsoft and Bethesda presentations, this is a second roundup of news from E3 2017, currently taking place in Los Angeles. E3 technically starts today, but here’s what happened yesterday, with announcements from Intel, Ubisoft and Sony.

Intel, Oculus & ESL Look to Accelerate VR eSports:

Insomniac’s The Unspoken | Image courtesy Insomniac Games

During the PC Gaming Show powered by Intel, the company announced a VR esports ‘Challenger League’ in partnership with ESL and Oculus. Gamers will compete for a prize pool of over $200,000 using Insomniac Games’ magical dueller The Unspoken and Ready At Dawn’s zero-G, disc-throwing game Echo Arena, the multiplayer spin-off from Lone Echo.

Lone Echo launches July 20th, Multiplayer Spin-Off Echo Arena Free:

Lone Echo | Image courtesy Ready at Dawn

Ready At Dawn’s Rift-exclusive action game Lone Echo has been given a July 20th release date, priced at $40. It is now available for preorder with a 10% discount. The multiplayer mode, which looks and plays rather differently to the single player campaign, is now a separate release (also launching July 20th) named Echo Arena, shown in this trailer, and will be free for a limited time for all Rift owners. An early access beta weekend starts June 23rd.

Linkin Park VR Experience Launched:

Intel also presented their partnership with Linkin Park, who are releasing a VR experience with the help of AR/VR production studio Spatialand. Linkin Park VR Destination will feature music, contests, merchandise, and the ability to unlock secret fan experiences and events created by the band.

Ubisoft Reveals New VR Thriller Transference:

The VR highlight of Ubisoft’s E3 presentation was Transference, a psychological thriller developed by Ubisoft Montreal and Elijah Wood’s content studio SpectreVision. Due to launch in Spring 2018, the experience claims to be part game, part movie, and a ‘true collaboration between Hollywood and gaming’, promising a multi-branching narrative and ‘unparalleled presence’.

Ubisoft Unveils Multiplayer VR Shooter Space Junkies:

While it didn’t make an appearance at Ubisoft’s main presentation, a new VR arcade shooter called Space Junkies was also announced yesterday, described as a “jetpack-fueled arcade shooter developed exclusively for virtual reality gaming”. Shootouts take place in microgravity ‘Orbital Arenas’ with 1v1 or 2v2 combat. The game launches for Rift (Touch required) and Vive in spring 2018.

Skyrim VR Announced for PSVR:

Bethesda stayed silent about this one to let Sony reveal Skyrim VR at their main keynote, alongside several other PSVR games. The trailer appeared to show the full Skyrim experience carried over to VR, and played with motion-controlled input. The game is coming exclusively to PSVR this November, but it is likely to come to other VR platforms at a later date.

Sony Reveals 5 Brand New PSVR Games:

Alongside the Skyrim VR reveal, Sony’s E3 presentation featured a significant ‘PlayStation VR Game’ section, where they announced 5 brand new VR games, each with a trailer. Star Child from Playful Corp, The Inpatient and Bravo Team from Supermassive Games, Final Fantasy: Monsters of the Deep from Square Enix, and Moss from Polyarc.

Superhot Comes to PSVR:

Revealed during the pre-show for the main presentation, Superhot VR is finally coming to PSVR. The heavily-stylised, time-bending shooter has been thrilling VR gamers on PC since its initial launch in December 2016, and was given a ‘summer 2017’ release window for Sony’s headset.

The post E3 2017 ‘Day 2’ Roundup: ‘Skyrim VR’ Announced, Intel Does VR eSports, ‘Lone Echo’ Dated & More appeared first on Road to VR.