Steam Early Access – Page 2 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

June 22, 2019

Track Those Calories in Synth Riders Latest Update

There’s nothing like a good virtual reality (VR) rhythm action videogame to get the blood pumping whilst burning a few calories at the same time. But it’s difficult to tell how many calories you’ve managed to rid yourself of playing Beat Saber or Audica for example. For that you need Synth Riders, which was updated this week with native YUR.FIT integration. Plus a bunch of new songs were added.

Synth Riders

Launched last summer into Steam Early Access by developer Retrowave VR and publisher Kluge Interactive, Synth Riders is an unashamed 80s cyberpunk-theme experience dedicated to Synthwave music.

The update this week adds full native integration with YUR.FIT, a piece of fitness software which keeps track of player calories and highlights the fitness benefits of the videogame. Players will be able to see how many calories they burned each game as well as a weekly total. A companion app for mobiles is also planned to help track progress.

In addition to YUR.FIT, Retrowave VR has released a free music pack featuring five songs from FiXT, a music label which specialises in independent electronic-rock artists. This puts the total official Synth Riders track list up to 21.

Full FiXT Music Pack Vol. 1 Playlist:

“Unshakeable” (Formal One Remix) by Celldweller
“Enemy” (Gydra Remix) by Blue Stahli
“Dust to Dust” (Zardonic Remix) by Circle of Dust
“Wolves” by Voicians
“Free” by Raizer

Synth Riders

“We are very excited about our partnership with YUR. Players love the fitness benefits of Synth Riders, which we continue to take advantage of by keeping them engaged through exercise. This signals the beginning of what we believe to be a fruitful relationship to push VR fitness to new heights,” says Abraham Aguero, Creative Director at Kluge Interactive in a statement.

On top of the standard tracks, players can use the official beat map editor to create their own unique games. Synth Riders is compatible with Oculus Rift/Rift S, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality and Valve Index headsets. Available through Oculus Store, Viveport and Steam, there’s a 20% discount through Steam until 24th June 2019. For further updates on the latest Synth Riders news, keep reading VRFocus.

May 29, 2019

Preview: Winter Fury: The Longest Road – More Tank Please

After first hearing about Winter Fury: The Longest Road VRFocus was fairly excited to take the videogame for a spin, with the promise of both on foot first-person shooter (FPS) action and some armoured fun in a tank. While the premise is sound, that early excitement was somewhat overzealous as you’re about to find out.

Winter Fury

The first virtual reality (VR) videogame by Spidermonk Entertainment (staffed by former Activision and THQ veterans), Winter Fury: The Longest Road is about one Allied soldier’s lone battle against Axis forces in WWII. You’re given a special, experimental tank (supposedly) with which to wipe your foe from the battlefield, but alas, being able to cause carnage across Europe in the 1940s just wasn’t quite meant to be.

Feeling very much like an older Call of Duty (number three possibly), Winter Fury: The Longest Road is essentially a fancy wave shooter. There’s no running around so it’s super comfortable to play, with each leg of a level taking place at a different location down the titular road. You tend to be located in one of two areas, either on the back of the tank or in a concrete/sand bunker of some sort, mowing down German forces (everything they say is in German for realism).

The much-touted tank you can’t actually drive, moving automatically in a third-person viewpoint until it gets to an area which then switches to first-person. When on the back of the tank you’ll have access to a nice .50-cal heavy machine gun which does a superb job of killing anything you point it at, men, men on horses, trucks, even other tanks. The same goes for some of the bunkers, which either have gun emplacements or you can resort to the pistol on your hip, or the machine gun on your chest (a Thompson naturally). Both the heavy and regular machine guns work a treat, but the pistol aim does seem to be slightly off that aren’t really up close.

Winter Fury

Spidermonk has gone for semi-realism when it comes to certain aspects of Winter Fury: The Longest Road and more arcade-like designs in others. For example, the machine guns can be used single handed, but as you’d expect, pepper the environment – you’d struggle to hit a mountain with the MG. So holding the Thompson with both hands improves the aim while mounting the .50-cal on a sand bag or wall improves accuracy greatly. On the flipside, reloading is a stripped back affair, with a couple of quick actions needed for the heavy, while a standard weapon has an almost rapid reload effect when done correctly.

This makes for a rather lively WWII shooter where you only need to worry about health as the ammo is infinite. It’s also worth mentioning the grenades, as the studio has created a rather interesting mechanic. On the Oculus Touch controller the grip button grabs the grenade as you’d expect, with a white arc appearing from your hand. This denotes where the grenade will travel and can then be locked in place by pressing the trigger. You then throw as normal and watch as your perfectly placed explosive does the damage – no more fumbles or shit throws wasting valuable grenades. It’s a handy little system.

As Winter Fury: The Longest Road progresses things do begin to improve on the tank front, with one level involving a destroyer which needs to be sunk. There are brief – too brief – moments where you get to control the cannon and fire shells – still no direct tank control – but for the most part the destruction comes back to the mounted weapons.

Winter Fury

At present Winter Fury: The Longest Road is a bit of a weird one. You can tell the team have a decent pedigree in this style of videogame, and there are individual elements that shine – the sniper is another one. Yet the gameplay just feels a little reined in, as if the studio didn’t want to go too big too soon. VRFocus will be keeping an interested eye on this one while in Early Access, and advise everyone does the same.

May 16, 2019

Former Activision and THQ Veteran’s to Release WWII FPS Winter Fury: Longest Road in May

There are plenty of military-style virtual reality (VR) videogames about like Final Assault, Front Defense and Onward for example, with WWII a popular era. However, there aren’t that many which put you in control of a tank most of the time. That’s soon about to change with the release of Winter Fury: Longest Road at the end of the month.

Winter Fury

Created by Spidermonk Entertainment and staffed by former Activision and THQ veteran’s, Winter Fury: Longest Road is an action-packed first-person shooter (FPS) dropping you into the heart of Europe during World War II. The premise for the story goes that a German Blitzkrieg is approaching an Allied front and for some inexplicable reason you’re the only one who can stop it in a classified, experimental M-4 Sherman tank.

General gameplay involves driving the M-4 in third-person, using its formidable cannon to take out bunkers and destroy enemy tanks, while the .50 caliber machine gun can be used to mow down infantry. Or when you really want to get your hands dirty and really risk death then you can always leave the tank and fight with rifles, machine guns and handguns. Then grab a scoped rifle for some long range headshots or find mountable heavy machine guns, grenades and other unlockable weapons.

“Winter Fury combines unparalleled VR tank-fighting action with advanced foot soldier warfare,” said Scott March, founder of Spidermonk Entertainment in a statement. “We wanted to bring an authentic World War 2 action game and virtual reality is the perfect platform.”

Winter Fury

After all that you may want rest but no there’s more. Battle against intimidating bosses like Tiger tanks, Steam Trains, and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft across a range of missions which will test your tank skills.

Winter Fury: Longest Road is scheduled to enter Steam Early Access on 30th May 2019, supporting Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality headsets. It’ll feature 6 missions with players ranked on time and accuracy. During Early Access the team plan on adding more levels and weapons in preparation to fully launch the videogame. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Winter Fury: Longest Road as development continues, reporting back with further updates.

May 6, 2019

Preview: Gadgeteer – 21st Century Dominoes

As a kid, there was always great fun to be had building weird and wonderful creations with Lego, or designing elaborate courses with Domino Rally. However, there were annoying things in the way to stop that imagination going wild, you know, real-world effects like gravity for example (or a parent’s unwillingness to have the entire living room covered in carefully balanced plastic pieces). Nowadays there are no such issues, thanks to an awesome technology called virtual reality (VR) and titles like Metanaut’s Gadgeteer.

Gadgeteer is a physics-based puzzle experience which allows you to build chain reaction machines (commonly known as Rube Goldberg machines), where you have the choice of completing a series of single-player challenges or simply going wild in a sandbox mode.

Featuring a very clean cut contemporary design in both the UI and the apartment environment where the entire videogame is based, Gadgeteer is equally toy and learning tool combined. Three tools are all you need to work some creative magic, one for grabbing and moving items, one for copying them and one for deleting them. While it’s tempting to head straight for the sandbox mode and play, with over 50 objects to use the training and story modes are well worth a gander.

There is a vague story about a mad scientist and her daughter who have both disappeared, however, it’s rather inconsequential when you really start to get involved in the gameplay. The main campaign helps to introduce all the pieces in a leisurely fashion, with a rather substantial 60 levels to complete. Each has its own particular tiles, ramps, corners, funnels and other objects to help build the necessary courses. The structured nature of the mode is great if you’re stuck for ideas when it comes to the sandbox mode, weaving its way around the apartment.

Gadgeteer

These puzzles are on the small size, placed around books or across shelves. Gadgeteer’s centrepiece is the sandbox mode and this is where you need to be careful; many an hour can be lost in here (in a good way). With a fully realised apartment – living room, bedroom, kitchen, the works – there’s complete freedom to envision all manner of contraptions using the assortment of objects. Unlike the campaign, there are no limitations to how many times one piece can be used.

Careful planning is a must. The controls are fluid and easy to grasp, objects can be rested on furniture or frozen mid-air depending on what can be made. Plus there are undo and play buttons when things go wrong or it’s time to get the machine started. Because the contraptions involve marbles, everything needs to be lined up just so. There’s no snap feature allowing certain items to lock together for a nice smooth run, which can mean if a section is just slightly out the entire machine might not work. That’s not a moan or a negative, just a statement that attention to the little details helps.

If there was a negative it would simply be towards the videogame’s physics. In that, something may work great the first time and then suddenly not the next (this is Early Access after all).

There are certain VR experiences that allow you to get really lost in the moment. Where a quick half-hour gameplay session could turn into hours, and Gadgeteer undoubtedly has that ability. This isn’t a videogame for those who don’t have the patience and time. It’s for those that do. And if that sounds like you then Gadgeteer is well worth a look. Plus, Gadgeteer could be on track to be one of the best VR puzzle titles in 2019.

April 18, 2019

Physics-Based Puzzle Builder Gadgeteer Scheduled for HTC Vive Launch Next Week

If you’re a fan of building things in virtual reality (VR) there are a number of apps and videogames that fit the bill. Fantastic Contraption, for example, encourages you to solve puzzles by using a basic set of building materials. Then last year Crazy Machines VR came along offering Rube Goldberg machines to build. But if you’re after even greater control and freedom then Metanaut’s Gadgeteer will be arriving next week for HTC Vive.

Gadgeteer

Originally called Ruberg back in 2016 before being rebranded as Gadgeteer, the title has been built specifically to give you total freedom to build all sorts of weird and wonderful chain reaction machines. Gadgeteer will be exclusive to HTC Vive when it arrives on Tuesday, 23rd April on Steam Early Access.

It’ll feature two game modes: sandbox and puzzle, where you can let your imagination run riot, or complete the campaign which includes 60 puzzles to solve with a story revolving around the disappearance of a brilliant mad scientist. Both modes feature over 50 unique gadgets to build those crazy contraptions, and three tool heads to create, edit and destroy creations. Plus any mistakes made can easily be undone.

Metanaut plan on keeping Gadgeteer in early access for just a year, with that time being used to further improve the experience by taking in user feedback. The studio does intend to add more gadgets, tool heads, and special events while the machine is running, plus the option to share and play other users creations.

The studio did run a beta release a couple of months ago where you could access a basic version of the title, and enter a competition to win codes. That has now closed, with the demo download no longer available on Steam.

There are only a few days to go until the release of Gadgeteer. For any further updates of announcements keep reading VRFocus.

April 15, 2019

KartKraft’s Latest Update Adds Native Oculus Support including ASW 2.0

When it comes to professional racing drivers a large majority more than likely started out racing go-karts. If you want to race karts in virtual reality (VR) then you are quite limited, with Black Delta’s KartKraft being one of the only options. Currently, in Steam Early Access, the studio has released a new update helping improve the experience for Oculus users.

KartKraft

Black Delta released details via its Discord channel, with the main feature in the update adding native support for Oculus – so future compatibility for Oculus Rift S by the sounds of it – as well as Oculus’ new Asynchronous Spacewarp (ASW) 2.0 technology. ASW 2.0 is a solution for low-end PC’s that would normally struggle to run VR hardware, enabling more PC users to embrace VR or simply to improve current VR players experiences.

Other additions include updating Unreal Engine to 4.21, performance improvements, migration to a new production server and the fixing of an input detection issue caused by a conflict with SteamVR overlay.

The team also notes that: “This build is the precursor to several releases building up to the initial versions of multiplayer and customisation. Over 350 changes/fixes have been made that may have introduced new bugs or regressions. If you discover any issues, please let us know on Discord or the Steam forums so we can fix them.”

KartKraft

KartKraft hit Steam Early Access in November last year. Featuring laser scanned tracks and officially licensed kart chassis from Arrow, CRG, Deadly, Formula K, Monaco, OK1, Praga and Sodi Kart, the studio then added beta VR support in February. Compatible with Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality headsets, Black Delta has previously confirmed that: “VR is a first-class citizen in KartKraft and will get as much focus as there has been on the rest of the game.”

As Early Access continues Black Delta will continue adding further improvements, aiming for 10 officially licensed, laser scanned tracks, 20 officially licensed manufacturers and much more. The title is expected to fully launch in the middle of 2019, coinciding with a console release. As further updates are unveiled, VRFocus will let you know.

April 1, 2019

The Spy Who Shrunk Me’s VR Version Delayed

Currently in Steam Early Access is Catland’s comedy spy caper The Spy Who Shrunk Me. Released in December 2018, the studio has said from the start that virtual reality (VR) support would be added during development, with a roadmap detailing a March launch. With it now being April, Catland has confirmed that there will be a delay, but it shouldn’t be too excessive, arriving later this month.

The Spy Who Shrunk Me

The studio hasn’t confirmed a specific release date in April, just that it’ll arrive once a few issues have been sorted. The info came as part of another update being rolled out called ‘Technological Difficulties’ which features selectable difficulty levels for the first time – Casual, Normal or Superspy – as well as new obstacles: Cameras and Laser Walls.

“We thought you’d enjoy this update first while we use some much needed polish time on the upcoming Virtual Reality edition,” states Tomi Toikka, Catland CEO. “The game will work on all SteamVR headsets – and due to a few funny last minute issues, we wanted to push this update out first. Keep an eye out a little bit later in April for the debut of our Virtual Reality edition. We’ll do our best to get it out to you as soon as we think it’ll be the best it can be!”

Catland’s roadmap for The Spy Who Shrunk Me features the VR update next, followed by a new mission ‘A Quaternion Identity’, leading towards the videogame leaving Early Access completely.

The Spy Who Shrunk Me

The Spy Who Shrunk Me is a stealth experience set during the Cold War era with players taking on the role of enigmatic superspy Agent Audrey Smoothspy. Armed with a shrink ray, it’s up to players to infiltrate a Russian software company and steal some very important secrets that could turn the tide of the war. To aid the mission, Smoothspy can also use a number of other cool gadgets, including a teleporter ray, airbag mines, and of course the deadly BANANA!

Since Early Access began Catland has released several updates adding new gadgets like the Spytacles – to see enemies through walls – expanding missions and putting in new ones. The Spy Who Shrunk Me Steam Early Accessretails on for £7.19 GBP. When details of the VR update arrive, VRFocus will let you know.

March 28, 2019

Preview: ArmZ VR – A Brutal Hands-on Wave Shooter

Remember the third Matrix film? It was definitely the weakest of the trilogy but it did have an epic scene towards the end where the humans were trying in vain to defend Zion by using mechs which had highly manoeuvrable arms to grab the guns mounted on their backs. Playing Televisor’s new virtual reality (VR) title ArmZ VR felt very reminiscent of this cinematic moment, hordes of enemies and giant flailing robot arms.

ArmZ VR While ArmZ VR describes itself as a first-person mech shooter, you can’t think of it along the same lines as Vox Machinae or Archangel: Hellfire. There are robot arms but there’s a complete lack of body or legs, with these arms acting as stationary sentries which can hold guns, or simply grab enemies to crush them.

ArmZ VR is set in some weird screwed up future after another world war has taken place. Those who managed to survive humanity trying to destroy itself to the millionth time are now living in desolate ruined cities, protected by giant steel walls. These walls are needed as what lives in the wasteland can only be described as abominations, twisted creatures made up of metal and flesh. And of course there are lots of them, thousands in fact, and they all want to climb into the cities and slaughter the living.

Which is where the ArmZ defence system comes in, giant remotely controlled arms that protect the steel gates. Like you’d normally do in any dual-wielding VR shooter both are completely independent, allowing you to focus firepower on one area or shoot multiple targets across the 180-degree battlefield.

ArmZ VR The current Early Access version has six levels with several enemy types, from the bog standard grunts to grunts with bombs on their backs to heavy types brandishing shields for protection. What’s nice to see is the AI responding differently depending on the enemy, rather than them all charging at you like a lot of wave shooters. So the grunts will try and get around the side of your position for a melee attack – true flanking isn’t quite possible – while the more advanced red versions will actually use cover, standing behind debris as they try to get close.

To start with all you have are pistols and your bare hands. before each level you can select which arm does what, pistol in the left and hand on the right, or how about dual wielding those guns? While you’d have thought two guns are better than one, having an open hand enables you to use the Harpoon option. This allows you to grab enemies at distance, to either hurl them at the landscape or crush them in a vice-like grip. Crushing also has the added bonus of scaring the lesser enemies, making them freeze on the spot for a few moments, excellent cannon fodder. Then as progression is made a mini-gun and rocket launcher can be unlocked.

ArmZ VR is a very visceral gameplay experience, there’s plenty of blood and gore, and the hordes of monsters do have a rather satisfying pop to them once a barrage of bullets is let loose. It certainly leans towards an arcade-style videogame experience, instant gratification but gameplay depth is a little lacking. If Televisor can build more sustenance into Armz VR during Early Access then it could well be one of the better wave shooters to arrive this year.

March 22, 2019

ArmZ VR is a Giant Mech Wave Shooter Coming to Steam Early Access Next Week

There have been a number of mech-based virtual reality (VR) shooters appear for gamers with Vox Machinae and Archangel: Hellfire two of the best. Today, indie development studio Televisor has revealed its giant robot-based shooter, ArmZ VR, which is coming to Steam Early Access next week.

ArmZ VR

ArmZ VR puts you in some sort of David Cronenberg like world where there has been another world war but this time things didn’t end so well. Humanity is restricted to giant walled in cities which must defend themselves from hordes of horrifying human-machine hybrids that roam the wastelands in between. As a survivor living in one of these cities you need to protect, and luckily you have the tools to do so, massive remotely controlled war machines called ARMZ.

A no holds barred wave shooter, in ArmZ VR you have two choices, all guns blazing or something a little more tactile. Equipped with mini-guns you can lay waste to the battlefield in a hail of bullets and bloodshed. Or how about switching things up with those arms and smash, grab, crush and generally pulverise anything that gets close. Or you can equip the harpoon to eliminate enemies at a distance.

And you’ll need all those weapons and more because you’ll have to deal with heavily-armoured Guards with shields and hammers at their disposal, to flying, bomb-throwing Jumpers. You’ll also need to have eyes in the back of your head as this is a 360-degree battlefield, perfect for standing or seated gameplay.

ArmZ VR

For Early Access ArmZ VR will consist of six playable single-player levels, a couple of different enemy types, and four powerful weapons. Televisor plans on fully releasing the title in the first half of 2019 if everything goes well, with more maps, enemies and weapons to be added in due course.

ArmZ VR will debut on Steam Early Access for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift next Thursday 28th March retailing for $14.99 USD. Check out the first trailer below, and for further updates keep reading VRFocus.

February 27, 2019

Impressive Looking VR Dungeon Crawler The Morrigan is coming to Steam Early Access in March

Virtual reality (VR) dungeon crawlers like The Mage’s Tale, The Witching Tower, Gates of Nowhere and In Death offer some of the best, and most immersive experiences, transporting players to majestic fantasy worlds they just want to get lost in. If you are a fan of these types of videogames then you may want to keep an eye on Steam Early Access next month, as indie developer The Pixel Mine will be releasing its debut title, The Morrigan.

Sounding like some ancient beastie – the Celtic Queen of the dead as it happens – The Morrigan looks to be more of a playful action-adventure instead of some gruesome journey into the bowls of hell. The role-playing game (RPG) is all about raiding the dungeon of the Morrigan, defeating her legions of the dead using trusty weapons like the sword and shield for when they get too close and a bow for those distance kills.

Looking at the early access trailer The Pixel Mine has released plenty of the gameplay will be physics-based melee combat, with players having to learn the classic basics of block, parry and counters – which most VR gamers should already be well versed in. There will be just over 20 weapons to choose from to perfect your combat moves, and when you’re not fighting there will be puzzles to solve and traps to avoid.

It also seems that the studio has catered for all movement eventualities – which is always welcome – with both smooth locomotion and teleportation options available.

On top of all this The Morrigan does look rather good, doesn’t it? With a cartoon style, cel-shaded aesthetic, the design flits between the rather haunting to the ‘ah doesn’t that skeleton look adorable’.

The Morrigan is scheduled to arrive in March via Steam Early Access, supporting both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. There’s no specific release date just yet, with the studio expecting early access to take around six months. The initial release will feature six levels of the dungeon, with the final version adding more. When The Pixel Mine release further details, VRFocus will keep you up to date on the latest announcements.