Blasphemous 2 review: this challenging Metroidvania will test your faith
Blasphemous 2 may test your patience, but those who stick with it will find one of 2023's most rewarding Metroidvanias.
Team17’s First VR Game is Original IP Killer Frequency
Of all the new virtual reality (VR) titles announced this week probably the most surprising was Killer Frequency. Coming from the same studio behind the Worms franchise, this is the first VR project from Team17 and it’s a comedy-horror of all things.
Killer Frequency centres around a local radio station set in a 1980s mid-American town where a serial killer is on the loose. You work the night shift night and have to help listeners as they’re stalked by the mysterious masked killer who’s looking to up their kill count.
As the evening DJ, you’ll be playing tunes and answering calls from listeners, engaging in conversations to carefully uncover clues and useful information. Killer Frequency will feature branching dialogue so you’ll have a variety of conversation options to interact with callers. You’ll be able to decide whether to help them or not, with multiple unlockable endings available depending on those choices.
When not making life or death decisions you’ll still have puzzles to solve, potential suspects to investigate and a charismatic producer to chat to, all while enjoying a jukebox of 1980s-inspired tunes.
But you’re not stuck in a DJ booth 24/7, you can get up and explore over 1 km² of an authentically detailed 1980s radio station featuring plenty of physics-based objects. That includes era-specific tech like a working turntable and a cassette player.
While Killer Frequency is Team17’s own in-house VR game, the studio has dipped its toes in the technology before. It helped publish Lethal VR by Three Fields Entertainment, and then there was the promising horror Allison Road that was cancelled.
Killer Frequency will be coming to Meta Quest 2 as well as Steam – non-VR, only flat screen – later this year. As Team17 release further details on its first original VR IP, gmw3 will keep you updated.
Every canceled video game NFT project (so far)
From Discord to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, here are all of the gaming NFT initiatives that have been canceled or walked back.
MetaWorms Are Team17’s Entry Into the NFT Market
“Oh no, not another NFT!” You may say but this time it comes from Team17 and its popular Worms franchise. Called MetaWorms, Team17 is collaborating with Reality Gaming Group on the new venture which will feature content from the videogame’s 26-year history whilst being “environmentally friendly”.
Apart from the image above, Team17 and Reality Gaming Group (RGG) – creators of augmented reality (AR) title Reality Clash – have yet to reveal what the MetaWorms collection will actually look like. What is known its that the NFTs will be created and managed by RGG’s Digital Asset Trading (DAT) Platform, connected to its “own “side-chain” of the Ethereum mainnet.”
NFTs and cryptocurrencies are well known to consume significant portions of energy. The announcement claims that MetaWorms will: “offer substantial reductions to the amount of energy used per transaction,” 100,000 NFTs using as much energy on average as the “annual kettle usage of just 11 households.” So that’s nicely cleared up.
Adding to the environmental credentials – if they matter to you when buying an NFT – the companies have partnered with Coin 4 Planet. This is a sustainability platform that donates a portion of each NFT sale to Refeed Farms, which uses vertical worm beds to replace synthetic fertilizers and replenish soil.
“Worms remains an iconic franchise in global gaming with tens of millions of fans around the world, so we’re really excited and proud to announce our partnership with Reality Gaming Group ahead of the release of highly limited edition artwork NFTs later this year,” says Harley Homewood, Head of Publishing, Team17 Digital, in a statement. The ultra-low energy technology Reality Gaming Group uses, together with their carbon neutral servers, played an essential part of the reassurances we sought before our agreement; we’re very much looking forward to giving Worms fans a chance to own a piece of our history.”
Currently, there isn’t a lot of additional information with a very basic MetaWorms website and a Discord channel with an empty roadmap.
To learn more about NFTs gmw3 has created a ” What is an NFT Guide“. When further details regarding MetaWorms are available we’ll let you know.
Worms Armageddon update, 21 years after launch, adds 61 new features
The patch also contains 370 fixes and 45 changes
Team17’s Lethal VR Gets a PlayStation VR Release Date
Worms developer Team17 dipped its toe into the virtual reality (VR) market last month when it published Three Fields Entertainment’s HTC Vive title Lethal VR. At the time Team17 also mentioned planned support for Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) PlayStation VR, but didn’t give a date, Today that’s now been confirmed.
Lethal VR is a pure first-person gallery shooter that’s all about fast reactions, pinpoint aim and deadly skill. Taking on the role of an FBI recruit being assessed for their gun skills, players are tasked with a variety of challenges to complete, mixing up stationary targets, moving ones, hostage situations and more. This style of videogame tends to stick with a wide assortment of guns and Lethal VR does just that, with pistols, revolvers, Uzi’s, semi-automatic pistols and more. But it also adds in some knife throwing for good measure. Being as accurate with a knife as using a gun are two different things, and it’ll take a steady hand and keen eye to master some of the trickier challenges.
The title features over 30 missions to complete, with a local leaderboard for family and friends to compete against. Checkout the VRFocus review of the HTC Vive version to see what we thought of the title.
Lethal VR will be available to download for PlayStation VR via the PlayStation Store on the 20th December 2016 for £9.99gbp/$14.99 USD/14,99 €, with a limited time 20 percent launch discount available.
For all the latest PlayStation VR news, keep reading VRFocus.
Lethal VR: Achievements, Cheats, Tips & Tricks
Last week Three Fields Entertainment launched its debut virtual reality (VR) title Lethal VR for HTC Vive. Published by Team17 the videogame is an arcade first-person shooter which includes 24 Steam Achievements, all of which VRFocus has listed below.
Lethal VR puts players in the role of an FBI recruit being assessed for their gun skills, with challenges including stationary targets to shoot, moving ones, hostage situations where the aim has to be super accurate and more. VRFocus reviewed Lethal VR for Vive, and there’s going to be a PlayStation VR version in the near future.
Full Achievement List:
- Quick as a Flash
- Score a Fast Draw rating
- Centre Mass
- Score a Bullseye with a knife
- Headhunter
- Score your first headshot
- Faster than Light
- Score a Quick Draw rating
- Beginner
- Get a rating for the Beginner Simulation
- Million Dollar Shot
- Get a rating with the Gold Plated Gun
- Great Grouping
- Score a Double Bullseye
- Outback Legend
- Get a rating with the Dundee Knife
- Amateur
- Get a rating for the Amateur Simulation
- Double and down
- Score a Double Headshot
- Clean Sweep
- Perform your first Perfect with any weapon
- Six shots or only five?
- Get a rating with Harry’s Gun
- Shuriken
- Get a rating with the Throwing Star
- Rookie
- Get a rating for the Rookie Simulation
- Recruit
- Get a rating for the Recruit Simulation
- Triple Whammy
- Score a Triple Headshot
- And stay down
- Score a Triple Bullseye
- Remarkable
- Get a rating with the Razor Tipped Hat
- Agent
- Get a rating for the Agent Simulation
- Lethal
- Get 10 Lethal Ratings
- Your move, creep.
- Get a rating with the OCP Gun
- Double Tap
- Shoot a bullseye and a headshot into a single target
- Rated
- Score a rating on every Round
- Mr Perfect
- Perform your first double Perfect
Review: Lethal VR
Three Fields Entertainment’s virtual reality (VR) debut is not quite what we expected. Having come from the ranks of Criterion Studios developers and previously stated intentions to work on a ‘spiritual successor’ to the BurnOut franchise for VR, a shooting gallery is somewhat removed from that initial pitch. Lethal VR, as it stands however, is a welcome first step into the medium, albeit one without much flair.
As stated above, Lethal VR is a shooting gallery experience. A genre that has already become somewhat crowded on the HTC Vive, but while many titles try and excuse their limitations through waves of enemy invaders or undead adversaries, Lethal VR makes no such apology. It’s a VR shooting gallery in which the player is placed within a virtual shooting gallery. Given a variety of weapons and mission objectives, the player is tasked with putting into practice their quick draw skills, precision aiming and positional awareness.
Standing in a rather bland environment, presumably so as not to take the emphasis from the targets you’ll be shooting at, Lethal VR gives you a singular objective in each of its plentiful missions. These begin simply: a quick draw challenge against a single opponent, gunning down stationary vases, throwing knives at targets before they move out of view. The difficulty soon ramps up though, of course, varying the weapons, objectives and targets as you progress through each of the videogame’s chapters.
The scoring mechanic is a big part of Lethal VR, and indeed is well pitched in order to make you attempt to beat your own previous best and those of others around you. Simple bonuses such as headshot streaks, speed and accuracy make a big difference, and as such you’ll train yourself within the limitations of Lethal VR to better these aspects of your play. This is where Lethal VR sets itself aside from the overwhelming numbers of competitors within the genre: restricted to local scoreboards only, Lethal VR is the evolution of couch-based gaming. The videogame accommodates the idea of taking turns and challenging one another in a highscore competition.
And that’s exactly why Lethal VR is a good addition to the HTC Vive line-up, but not a standout one. It’s very much a case of ‘been there, done that’ for VR early adopters, yet delivered in such a way that it will be easily digestible for newcomers. It’s a videogame to showcase VR to your friends and family; a few moments of fun that presents something new without the barriers of horror or videogame convention knowledge.
With that in mind, Lethal VR is a fine first step into the new medium but lacks any sense of real depth. Immediate, simple fun is on offer here, but in the face of Robo Recall those hoping for a progression of the FPS within the VR medium should look elsewhere.
Three Fields Entertainment: ‘Lethal VR allows players to step into the shoes of an action movie star’
UK studio Three Fields Entertainment is set to launch its debut virtual reality (VR) title today, published by Team17. Coming first to HTC Vive, Lethal VR is also in development for PlayStation VR and is aiming to be the go-to videogame for VR aficionados to showcase the new technology to their uninitiated friends. VRFocus has spoken with the team behind Lethal VR to get the finer details on the experience, the development process behind it and the future plans for VR at Three Fields Entertainment.
Founded by former Criterion Studios developers, the team at Three Fields Entertainment’s development history includes AAA in the BurnOut series, BLACK and more. The studio’s first release, Dangerous Golf, was very warmly received upon its launch earlier this year, and Three Fields Entertainment is hoping to achieve the same level of appreciation with their VR debut, Lethal VR. Alex Ward, co-founder at Three Fields Entertainment, kindly took the time to answer some questions about the studio’s position on Lethal VR, its competition, and the studio’s future in VR.
VRFocus: As a relatively new studio, what made you decide to jump into VR so early on?
Alex Ward [AW]: We have been working with VR for around 8 years now. We are a strong supporter of VR, as we believe it will open a wide range of possibilities to immerse the player in scenarios that were not possible before.
VRFocus: How has your past videogame development experience aided Lethal VR?
AW: We’ve done a lot of VR experimentation and prototypes in the past, even before we formed Three Fields Entertainment. Those early tests allowed us to have a very creative approach in what we wanted to achieve.
VRFocus: How difficult has it been adapting Lethal VR to work with the unique features of each HMD?
AW: All of them have differences of course. We originally developed on the HTC Vive as it offers a true 360 room-scale experience. At the moment we are working on the PlayStation VR version and we are really happy on the progress. Both of the versions work really well and we’re super excited for people to play them.
VRFocus: Lethal VR is a shooting range experience. There are lots of gallery-style shooters in VR currently; what makes Lethal VR different?
AW: While the mechanics can be similar to other games, I believe the idea of the FBI training shooting range and the inspiration to our favourite movie shooting scenes allow us to differentiate from the rest. Lethal VR really allows players to step into the shoes of an action movie star with over 30 missions to complete and master using a wide variety of exciting weapons including handguns, throwing knives, dual handguns, experimental weapons and even a rather deadly hat!
VRFocus: Can you offer some details of the progression system in Lethal VR?
AW: As an FBI recruit, you’ll join the Lethal VR training at Beginner level and be able to work your way up all the way to Special Agent in over 30 weapon based simulations.
VRFocus: The structure of Lethal VR seems perfect for continued support: adding additional content post-launch. Do you have any intention of adding more stages via DLC?
AW: We don’t have any plans currently for DLC. At the moment we’re finishing up the PS VR version and focusing on release, but who knows!
VRFocus: Lethal VR is launching first on HTC Vive. When can we expect to see the PlayStation VR and Oculus Rift editions of the videogame?
AW: The HTC Vive version launches on the 8th November and the PS VR version will be ready later this year.
VRFocus: Most developers we speak to already have ideas for their next VR project before their current one is released. Is Three Fields Entertainment looking towards working in VR again?
AW: At the moment we’re focusing on finishing Lethal VR and we’re really looking forward to seeing what people think. We’ve a lot of experience in the industry and have many different ideas we’re passionate about however!