Ironlights, the next VR game from experienced developer E McNeill, has officially surpassed its Kickstarter goal of $15,000. It’s a weapon-based multiplayer VR fighting game coming this Spring to Quest, Rift, and SteamVR headsets.
We first learned about Ironlights as the Kickstarter campaign was launching last month and as of this writing there are still five days left of crowdfunding. Currently it sits at just under $19,000 with pledge tiers ranging from $1 to $200 with $15 as the cheapest tier to get a copy of the game at release this Spring.
There aren’t many VR games out there focused on 1v1 multiplayer combat, so Ironlights is definitely filling a void. A few have tried to nail the thrill, but it’s difficult to make this sort of combat feel good since haptics and resistance are tough with current hardware and controllers.
McNeill is aiming to side some of that by designing the game very carefully. For example, during combat time will slow down and force you to move in slow motion, weapons will shatter on contact so there isn’t disconnect between your hand movement and in-game weapons, and the melee is semi-turn-based as opponents trade off between attacking and defending to make things more dramatic.
Currently the game will have five starting classes that each use different weapon sets:
Knight (Two-handed Greatsword)
Duelist (Rapier & Buckler)
Monk (Staff)
Ninja (Dual Katars)
Crusader (Flail & Shield)
The Crusader sounds like a lot of fun to me personally, getting the hang of the flail’s swing and physics could be immensely satisfying. Since the goal was reached E McNeill has updated the page with a stretch goal in mind: if it can reach $25,000 then the backers themselves will get to vote on what which class is added to the game next.
We’re particularly excited to see how this performs over LAN multiplayer via two Oculus Quests near each other in real-life, a feature not many developers have built into their games yet.
E McNeill, an indie developer behind strategy games Darknet (2015), Tactera (2016), and Skylight (2017), announced his real-time strategy game Astraeus, an Oculus Go launch title, is coming to HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PC on June 7th.
In Astraeus, you play as an AI who’s awakened on an asteroid mining control ship after the captain’s death. Filling in for the now deceased captain, you take command fulfilling critically important mining missions, requiring you to build a network of dozens of bases and command thousands of mining rigs as you attempt to corner the market, or eliminate the competition.
Astraeus, McNeill tells us, was originally prototyped for a VR development reality show, the VR Developer Challenge, where it won first place and a $20,000 prize.
As a launch title for Oculus Go (also available on Gear VR), the Steam version will support for Rift, Vive and include a non-VR build for traditional monitors.
Astraeus will be available at a 10% launch discount off the usual price of $15. You can follow along with the game on Steam here.
And so it came to be that the last edition of Something for the Weekend before Christmas falls appropriately enough on Christmas Eve. So if you’re still unsure as to what to get yourself, are looking to get something new for the family to enjoy as they try out virtual reality (VR) over the holidays or you’ve suddenly realised that you’ve forgotten someone and you need to get them a present sharpish a purchase on Steam might just be the ideal present buying get out of jail free (Christmas) card.
Also, before we look at some of the VR titles available a reminder that you can set the date for when people receive your gift as well so it doesn’t have to show up immediately. Look in to the options when you purchase.
Anime Girls VR
Compatibility: HTC Vive & Oculus Rift
There’s not exactly any way to sugar coat this one. Yes, Anime Girls VR is a videogame. Yes, it features anime girls. Yes, the content is… exactly what you think a game called Anime Girls VR would end up being about. It possesses the nudity tag on the Steam listing. Say no more, eh? Get to know middle school teacher Yoko, maid Mizuka and sport loving Kaori all of which love to dance. According to the publishers you’ll need to go some to keep up with them.
If you’d like to take a waifu home this Christmas, Anime Girls VR is currently at 20% off until December 30th 2017, and you can get it now at £7.43 (GBP) as opposed the usual £9.29.
TrainerVR
Compatibility: HTC Vive and Oculus Rift
The first thing to say about this one is that no, despite the name this is nothing to do with physical fitness.
When I was very young the toy I wanted most of all was a BRIO train set. If you’re not familiar with the name BRIO are the makers of the wooden train set with the grooves in the wooden track pieces (sort of an inverted track). Nowadays there are all kinds of knockoffs of it around the place but BRIO are the originals. TrainerVR give you your own virtual train set in that BRIO-style. Not only that but the whole thing is physics based, so if you want to create a steep incline your train will struggle. Also if you lose your temper the entire thing can be flung to the four winds.
An Early Access title from developers sumalab, until December 30th 2017, TrainerVR is available at a30% discount. Bringing the total to £7.97 (GBP) from £11.39.
Little Einar
Compatibility: HTC Vive
Released onto Early Access only yesterday by developers MADBones Games, Little Einaris currently available for £8.09 (GBP) from £8.99 and will in the future be coming to Oculus Rift also.
“This release comes with seven levels with the last three of the chapter to fast follow. The intention is to incorporate feedback into the last few levels and go through an optimization pass before moving into chapter 2, chapter 3 and eventually full release.” Explain MADBones Games. “While developing Little Einar, we wanted to rekindle the old school feeling of retro video games without creating a retro game. The classic experience of a side-scrolling platformer is revitalized in VR. We hope you enjoy it and we look forward to your feedback to make Little Einar better.”
Light Strike Array
Compatibility: HTC Vive
Our last Early Access title for a while, Light Strike Array is a room-scale action strategy videogame by developers Unwieldly Systems.
In Light Strike Array two teams (Bands) battle over a mysterious resource called “salt” – we’re pretty sure it isn’t actually just salt – you’ll need to mine it and gather your strength up if you’re going to take on your opponents. The end of the game is to take your crystalline ‘Shards’ and destroy the enemy’s Heart. You’ll need to first wear down the protective shield that surrounds it, however, and the shield referred to as a ‘cornoa’ is more than capable of obliterating the light that makes up your crystal soldiers.
What would Christmas be like without a little blood and gore, eh? Um… well, actually just peachy, thanks. But GexagonVR’s puzzler Nevrosa: Escape isn’t exactly about bringing cheer to the world.
GexagonVR describe it as “an escape room game with horror and action elements, where you are trying to find your way out of laboratory through solving puzzles while being locked with a strange creature. Mystical machines, old family curse and various endings depending on your ways of play.”
Nevrosa: Escapeis available at a rather generous 40% off – £8.99 (GBP) from £14.99 – until December 29th.
Tactera
Compatibility: HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality
If there’s one developer we have remained consistently impressed by on VRFocus it would be E McNeill. Other VR titles Darknet and Skylight have both performed well in reviews with the latter already featuring once on the site this week as part of our Best Gear VR Titles Of 2017 list.
In our Gear VR review of Tactera from last year we explained how the videogame felt like to play: “Tactera actually plays out in two phases: grand battle strategy and real-time combat. The player is first greeted by a grid-based map which plots their advance on enemy territory, taking it in turns to deploy troops and move across the map until combat is initiated. Once enemy units meet yours, the player may choose one of the combat instances (if more than one occurs simultaneously) to play in direct command of, whilst others will be simulated. While still learning the ropes this may seem like an unfair advantage on behalf of the AI enemy, however once some knowledge has been attained planning and forethought will avoid any unnecessary weakness in your strategy.”
Developed for VR, but playable out of it if you like, in Red Chain Games’ Boxed In you need to clear the various rooms of multicoloured blocks which can appear from above, the left or the right. There’s 36 variations of play and it’s a good title for those of you looking for a casual gameplay experience this Christmas.
“Quantized is an audio reactive, procedurally-generated sensory experience. Play your own local songs to generate a fun, exhilarating musical journey.”
A videogame by developers Chris Mahoney and Kenny Bier and published by Abstractron, Quantized has a 15% discount on its regular price of £10.29 until December 28th. Meaning you can pick it up for only £8.74.
And finally, whilst it is a Steam week here on Something For The Weekend, here’s a bonus couple of entries for our PlayStation VR owning readers.
Virry VR: Feel the Wild
Bafta award nominated experience Virry VR: Feel The Wild is currently on promotion on the US PlayStation Store for $3.99 or $1.99 for PS Plus users – a 60% and 80% saving respectively on the regular price.
Filmed on location in 4K, get up close with lions, elephant and a zebra, you can even wallow in a mud bath with a rhino. That or take in some of the more tranquil sights as you take a virtual safari down an African river.
The discount is part of a PS Store Flash Sale. Whilst there’s not many PSVR titles in there is another PlayStation VR entry which will definitely be of interest to people…
“PlayStation Move arguably increases immersion in the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR ten-fold. The realism of interaction and combat is a huge part of VR, and this is no different here; reaching out to grab an item, swing your sword, draw an arrow to your bow, or cast your spells. It all simply makes much more sense when it’s your hands doing the work.”
It might be an older title given a fresh lick of paint but it remains one of the most in demand PlayStation VR titles this holiday season.
Up until January 2nd 2018 you can journey back to Tamriel for 33% off. Based on the US store, with the price at $40.19 (USD) from $59.99.
When presented with the potential of VR as a new medium for video games, first-person shooters may immediately come to mind. But the prospect of being able to stand atop a battlefield, looking down at units, and commanding forces as an all-seeing god-like being is just as exciting. We’ve seen a few interpretations of the idea, such as AirMech Command, which mostly stay true to the genre’s roots, few games have stepped outside the genre boundaries.
Which brings us to Skylight. This latest release checks many of the boxes we’ve come to expect from strategy games over the years, but it’s ultimately a difficult game to describe mechanically as it melds elements from real-time strategy and turn-based tactics experiences together into something fresh and unique.
At first glance, Skylight looks just about like anything else E McNeill has done in his stint with independent VR game development. The neon-infused lines and colors are reminiscent of both of his past works (Darknet and Tactera), lending an identifiable style that feels both familiar and fresh at the same time. While Darknet was very clearly a unique VR-powered puzzle game and Tactera was an inventive adaptation of real-time strategy mechanics played on a virtual tabletop, Skylight is something a bit different altogether.
From the start of the game, the cohesive thematic sense of immersion is extremely well-done. Your character is standing aboard a starship in outer space as the soft, kind voice of a female A.I. speaks to you, addressing you as the commander. The premise is that you’re presented with a large 3D visualization of a battlefield as it’s happening millions of miles away in another region of space.
During missions your fleet, the blue ships, begin on the left side, while your enemy’s fleet, the yellow ships, begin on the right side. You look at each of your ships, tap the touchpad, then pick a node on the battlefield for them to approach or an enemy to attack. After you’ve issued all of the commands to your fleet, you confirm, and then everything starts to move at once. Your ships, your enemy’s ships — the action takes place simultaneously in real-time for both sides. It’s like a neon-space opera ripped out of Ender’s Game.
As the ships move around the environment, a timer is ticking down. Once it’s done the action pauses again for each side to issue new orders and the cycle repeats itself until one side loses all of their large capital ships. Things start out easy in the campaign with you outnumbering your enemy but quickly get more difficult as the missions carry on. There are three core campaigns split between Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty levels. In my experience, the Hard campaign is in fact extremely difficult.
In addition to capital ships there are defensive ships and attack-type ships as well. Even though the combat system sounds relatively simplistic, the visual detail and animations put it over the top in terms of quality. Small fighter ships zip around larger ships during combat and the sound of rail guns firing really sells your eardrums on the power. Before long, you’ll really start to feel like the commander of a futuristic star fleet.
Skylight is launching with a free-to-play demo version and the option to unlock the full game for $4.99. In the free version, you get access to 8 of the 12 total ships and 10 of the 30 campaign missions, along with some multiplayer matchmaking limitations. If you enjoy the first few missions you play in the Easy campaign, I’d highly recommend purchasing the full game early instead of waiting because the extra ships really open up a lot of new strategic opportunities. Triple the number of missions and more multiplayer don’t hurt either.
Even though there is a good amount of content, I came away wishing for some type of structured campaign mode with a more refined story. The lore of the different planets and factions is there in descriptive text, but it’s not enticing enough to keep reading. More varied objectives, maps, and even just extra environments could have helped extend Skylight’s appeal. There is a Skirmish mode for quick battles you set up on your own, as well as Multiplayer matchmaking, which does add up to a relatively robust package.
Final Score: 7.5/10 – Very Good
Skylight may very well be E McNeill’s best game to-date. The stylistic neon visuals shine through with more detail than ever before and the intricate mixture of turn-based tactics and real-time strategy add up to an engaging and unique experience for Gear VR. A more robust campaign mode and a bit more gameplay variety could have turned Skylight into an even better tactical affair, but as it stands, it’s one of the best VR games for strategy fans so far.
Skylight will be available as a free demo version on Gear VR starting today (1/12/17), with an upgrade to the full game costing $4.99. Read our Game Review Guidelines for more information on how we arrived at this score.
If you’re anything like me, the prospect of most real-time strategy games is overwhelming. As someone that grew up playing turn-based roleplaying games and adventure titles that encourage careful planning and preparation, the idea of having to micro-manage an entire army in real time makes my palms sweat.
Enter Skylight, a hybrid game that melds elements of both real-time strategy and turn-based strategy into one seamless package.
Back in October when we first reported on Skylight, all we had were a few screenshots to show off. But now, after seeing the game for ourselves in person, we’ve also got the above trailer to give you a quick tease of what it all looks like in action.
E McNeill is also the creator of two other standout VR titles: cerebral puzzle game, Darknet, and strategy title, Tactera. However, in Skylight, things are a bit different than what you may have seen in other strategy games either inside or outside of VR.
Rather than your ships moving throughout the environment in real-time as you issue commands, everything happens on turns. Both you and your opponent issue all of your commands, including where you will move, which ship you will target, etc., and then you each watch those moves play out simultaneously. This creates an interesting tug-of-war dynamic, as you are forced to not only plan your own moves ahead far in advance, but also preempt what you think your adversary is going to do next much more so than you would in a typical RTS.
Stylistically, it’s a clear spiritual successor to Tactera and retains that iconic style, but it’s far from a direct sequel and changes much more than it keeps.
Skylight is scheduled to release for the Samsung Gear VR next year on January 12th at the expected price point of $4.99.
E. McNeill has quickly and decisively established himself as one of the premiere game developers working on the Oculus platform with successful games on both the Rift and Gear VR, such as puzzle game Darknet and real-time strategy game, Tactera. The developer’s most recent addition to his growing catalog is another take on the tactical strategy genre in the form of a spiritual successor named Skylight.
Rather than being played as a fast-paced real-time strategy game, such as in Tactera, Skylight takes a much more measured and methodical approach. The entire game exists in a large 3D space around you with X, Y, and Z axis movement. Instead of your forces moving and reacting constantly throughout the game, it’s instead split into phases where you’re either issuing commands or watching them be carried out.
However, you don’t just get to sit back on your turn and watch your units move around, as you would in purely turn-based games such as XCOM, Advanced Wars, or even Fire Emblem. In the case of Skylight, it takes a more hybrid approach. While you’re issuing orders to your troops, so too is your opponent. Once the order phase is over, all of those troops carry out their orders simultaneously.
This means that you might tell a unit to go to a specific point to set up an ambush, but the unit you were anticipating to attack soon may change their trajectory and go somewhere else. It creates an interesting ‘cat and mouse’ dynamic that forces you to both anticipate your opponent and preemptively respond.
“Skylight puts a strong emphasis on strategic decision making while requiring true mental agility as the game unfolds,” states the game’s press page. “Each turn culminates in cinematic and spectacular space battles as Skylight navigates an unexpected dynamic between thoughtful, carefully plotted turn-based gameplay on the one hand, and real-time action-packed battles on the other.”
There will be 3 classes of ships, with 12 individual types, offering plenty of variety to the combat. The whole game is focused on tactical combat and decision making, taking the emphasis away from base management and macro-battle decisions. The campaign mode will feature over 30 different missions and intense multiplayer ensures plenty of reasons to keep coming back for more.
Expect to learn more information about Skylight this week during Oculus Connect 3 in San Jose. Skylight is currently in development for Gear VR without a definite release date established.
Rift versus Vive. Oculus Touch versus Vive wand. It seems like these are the only things you hear about any more in the virtual reality scene. But what if the answer to all of these questions was: neither. What if the true hero of the VR world is not some big, expensive system that demands a PC from the Batcave to properly function? What if the hero this industry deserves is small, scrappy, and — believe it or not — relatively cheap?
That’s right, I’m talking about a little headset called the Samsung Gear VR. It only costs $99, all it takes to run is a device that millions of people already carry in their pockets (a modern Samsung Galaxy, Android smartphone,) and it boasts some truly incredible games and experiences.
Don’t believe me? Geez you sound like my dad when I told him I wanted to be a writer instead of a doctor. I convinced him with a total lack of scientific ability, and I’ll convince you with this list of the nine best Samsung Gear VR games you can play right now. Let the opinion shifting begin!
Land’s End
Let’s start this list off strong. Land’s Endmight be the best game on the Samsung Gear VR. With a breathtaking oceanside setting, it stands as a constant reminder of just how amazing VR can look on the this beefy little headset.
The gameplay, puzzles, and mechanics all work together within the Gear’s unique ecosystem to create an experience just as, if not more, immersive than many titles on the more advanced platforms. If you have a Gear VR, do not let this one go unplayed.
Anshar Wars 2
Cockpit shooters have become a cornerstone of VR gaming, for better or worse. In the case of Anshar Wars 2 it is definitely for better. Dogfighting through the cosmos in a wireless, lightweight headset like the Gear VR may never feel as robust as it does on PC or console VR with titles like EVE: Valkyrie or Elite: Dangerous, but it certainly captures the spirit and fun of its elder brothers even if it can’t match their visual powers.
Anshar Wars 2 also provides online multiplayer which is a rare feat on a Gear VR title. A good bet all around.
Drop Dead
Look and tap shooters on the Gear VR are relatively common. The mechanic is simple and intuitive and it allows the developers to infuse lots of high-quality visuals without having to worry too much about how closely you’ll be looking or moving around the environment. Restricting your agency to your head and tapping a touchpad frees them up to focus on other aspects of the game.
As a result, Drop Dead is a tightly designed, fun, graphically impressive, romp through a zombie-killing adventure. It doesn’t break much new ground, but it feels like an excellent homage to the likes of Time Crisis and House of the Dead. Definitely worth checking out and you can read our full review and the Oculus Store page for more details.
End Space
There are lots of space shooters on the Gear VR — we even included Anshar Wars 2 on this list already — but that game is arcade-fun with a hefty dose of multiplayer. End Space, on the other hand, feels like a much more simulation-esque approach, with a bit slower-pace, larger environments, and more structured objectives.
Fans of sci-fi games and space shooters specifically should absolutely have End Space in their library as there is more than enough content to keep you busy, with a great world and excellent single player missions. Plus, the game helped launch an entire game studio. You can read more about it on the Oculus Store.
Dark Days
Dark Days may not be as viscerally terrifying as another game appearing later on this list, but it remains one of the most psychologically troubling Gear VR games to date. Channeling the X-Files and Twin Peaks, Dark Days will task you with exploring creepy locales in order to untangle an occult mystery.
Just don’t be surprised if the occult starts to fight back.
Tactera
Tactera is a masterclass in stereoscopic 3D on the Gear VR. It may be a relatively simple tabletop strategy game that uses basic vector models to represent tanks or fighter jets, but it is also one of the most “Whoa, that felt like it was coming right at me!” experiences you can have on mobile VR.
There are also multiple game modes — including online multiplayer — ensuring that there is plenty more to do in this title than gawk at the 3D visuals. All in all, Tactera is not an experience to be missed.
Affected: The Manor
This game will scare you. This game will make you scream. This game will cause your underwear budget to double. This game is Affected: The Manor.
Navigating the titular haunted mansion in this Gear VR title is nearly impossible to do without either closing your eyes, screaming at the top of your lungs, or dissolving into a complete psychotic breakdown. If you like being scared, or seeing your friends be scared, then Affected: The Manor is the game for you.
Wands
We’ve all picked up a pencil when no one’s looking and waved it around trying to make an object float, or turn an enemy into a frog. Wands captures that childlike dream of wizardry and translates it into a truly fun and creative Gear VR experience.
Battling with magic and developing your wizarding skills is made all the more enjoyable by the gothic art style that may make some of us feel a little better that we never got a letter from a certain castle in Scotland.
Minecraft
Question: What project could be so captivating that it demands the personal attention of one of gaming’s living legends and an Oculus senior executive? Answer: bringing Minecraft into VR.
John Carmack himself, the creator of DOOM and current CTO of Oculus, made translating the worldwide phenomenon onto VR platforms his personal pet project. He succeeded this year and Minecraft is now available to play on both the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR. Both entries are brilliant ports of an already amazing title that offer newcomers some immersive incentive to jump onboard, while also giving veterans a completely new perspective to enjoy the game they love.
TrainerVR
Little Einar
Light Strike Array
Nevrosa: Escape
Tactera
Boxed In
Quantized
Virry VR: Feel the Wild
