Tiny Trax

November 8, 2017

Second PlayStation VR Demo Disc Arrives, Full List Of Videogames Revealed

Yesterday we brought you news of the second PlayStation VR Demo Disc which would be available for PlayStation VR users as of today. At the time we weren’t sure what exactly we would get by way of videogame titles baring an announcement from developers Polyarc confirming that virtual reality (VR) action platformer Moss would be amongst the titles on offer. (Much to the delight of the VRFocus team.)

The listings for PlayStation VR sampler has now been revealed and includes titles from across the genre spectrum. The full list of titles joining Moss can be found below.

Battlezone by Rebellion

A regular on VRFocus’ lists relating to the best VR videogame experiences out there, the tank-based shooter takes the series classic roots and updates them for the virtual stage. Battlezone gained a 5-star review on VRFocus, where it was described as “intense and addictive”.

Dino Frontier by Uber Entertainment.

Cowboys meet Jurassic Park by way of Sim City, Dino Frontier lets you capture and tame dinosaurs in the Wild West to help build and manage a virtual town.

EVE: Valkyrie by CCP Games

CCP Games might be packing up the big top as far as their involvement in VR is concerned but that doesn’t stop EVE: Valkyire continuing to be one of the best VR experiences out there, and now VR and non-VR players can enjoy dogfighting in spaceships together.

Fantastic Contraption by Radial Games

Another title commonly amongst those VRFocus recommends: “Easy to begin with, Fantastic Contraption lets you get accustomed to the intricacies of what does what before throwing the real challenges at you. And there’s a lot, the title features 50 levels to get your head around.”

Job Simulator by Owlchemy Labs

A multi-award winning videogame, Job Simulator was so good Google brought developers Owlchemy Labs into the company. The title continues to get development and content as well, with the recently revealed ‘Infinite Overtime’ update.

Raw Data by Survios

A highly popular virtual reality (VR) shooter, Raw Data sees players equipped with both firearms and a katana, and have the simple object of taking out the enemies before they themselves are overcome.

Rez Infinite by Enhance Games

Another PlayStation VR title that received a full five stars in its review, Rez Infinite is the spiritual successor to the original Rez, which first appeared on SEGA’s Dreamcast console.

StarBlood Arena by Whitemoon Dreams

The only title on the listing specifically requiring additional downloading, a demo of Starblood Arena was initially made available back in August. Starblood Arena allows the player to take control of one of nine available ships, each with its unique pilot, features and weapon loadout. Allowing would-be players the combination that suits their preferred style of play.

Star Child by GameTrust

One of a crop of PlayStation VR titles to receive a share of the spotlight recently during Sony’s press event at Paris Games Week, which included the reveal of a brand new trailer. Star Child is takes place on an alien world full of fantastical Martian creatures and creations in a homage to platformers of the 90s while also being something entirely new.

The Persistence by Firesprite

Originally revealed back in March this year, The Persistance comes from the developers behind The Playroom VR. Awaking from cryosleep, it’s up the players to kill the undead and take back control of the ship before it plunges into a nearby black hole.

Thumper by Drool

The self-described “rhythm violence” videogame was announced in March last year and by the time it hit the show floor at 2016’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) it had already made an impact. Drool said in their announcement that Thumper was “unlike anything you’ve seen, played or heard – a cocktail of kinetic action and aggressive acoustics. It’s the kind of game that inhales you, spits you out and leaves you yearning for more.” And they certainly aren’t exaggerating.

Tiny Trax by FuturLab

Slot car racing get a new twist. Tiny Trax features a drifting/boost-recharge mechanic, alongside lane switching and epic jumps across twelve tracks that’ll take players to tropical islands, volcanoes, ice caves and outer-space. It’s developer, Brighton-based studio FuturLab, recently revealed a new PlayStation VR title in Mini-Mech Mayhem.

The PlayStation VR Demo Disc 2 is now available on the PlayStation Store, it requires 15.2GB of space and several titles within it – Raw Data, Rez Infinite, Job Simulator, Dino Frontier and Fantastic Contraption – do require PS Move Controllers in order to play them.

VRFocus will bring you more details on developments with the PlayStation VR very soon.

July 28, 2017

New PSVR Releases For Week Of 07/23/17

This is one of the busiest weeks the PSVR has had in quite a while with over half a dozen new releases. There’s something for everyone, too, with single player, multiplayer, and even non-interactive narrative options to pass around.

If you missed last week’s releases then you can see them here. UploadVR has also launched the ‘UploadVR PSVR Community’ on PlayStation 4! Join up, find other gamers to play with, and engage in discussions with them.

Also, don’t forget to check out our list of the 9 Best PlayStation VR Games if you need any extra inspiration.

Theseus, from Forge Reply

Price: $19.99

In this dark third-person adventure game you take on the role of the titular hero, Theseus, in a quest to slay the evil Minotaur. The camera is always in a fixed position like in Chronos as you explore, hide, and fight your way to the end.

Recommendation: There are some good ideas here, but it comes up lacking in most areas. Read our full review for more on why.

Apollo 11, from Immersive VR Education

Price: $11.99

This VR experience has been around for quite a while and is finally making its way over to PSVR. Join the historic crew of the very first moon landing in Apollo 11 as you witness history like never before.

Recommendation: Absolutely worth it for space and history buffs.

Monkey King, from Digital Domain

Price: $9.99

You’ve probably heard, read, or seen some form of the Monkey King story, popularized in the classic 16th century Chinese novel named Journey to the West. This take on the story lets you experience it all in VR as a front-and-center viewer of all the main plot points.

Recommendation: It’s purely passive and doesn’t do much we haven’t seen before, but the animations are fun.

Heroes of the Seven Seas, from Time of Virtual Reality

Price: $6.99 (Currently Discounted)

First released as a Gear VR game, Heroes of the Seven Seas puts you in a bunch of pirate-themed naval battles as you quest for bounty and adventure.

Recommendation: Not very good at all. Here’s our full review of the original Gear VR version.

Infinite Minigolf, from Zen Studios

Price: $14.99

Golf is one of the foundational video game sports that you’ll find on virtually every single gaming device on the planet. Infinite Minigolf brings a fun, lighthearted take on the genre to PSVR.

Recommendation: Surprising amount of fun and content here. Good online too.

Smashbox Arena, from Archiact

Price: $29.99

Dodgeball in VR, but with a ton of superpowers and crazy powerups that let you do stuff like throw meteor-sized balls and hold up energy shields. We know, it sounds a bit crazy, but it actually adds up to one of VR’s best multiplayer games.

Recommendation: Tons of fun, especially if you have a group of friends to play with. Here are some more thoughts on the original Vive version.

Tiny Trax, from FuturLab

Price: $19.99

Remember what it was like to race those electric cars around plastic tracks in your room, then never want to clean it all up after? Tiny Trax is kind of like that, but in VR. There are definitely some Blazerush vibes and the races can get very intense.

Recommendation: Tiny Trax is a great game for arcade-style racing fans, but is pretty tough to get the hang of. Read our full review for more.

Tagged with: new releases, psn, smashbox, Theseus, tiny trax

July 25, 2017

PlayStation VR Exclusive Tiny Trax Races onto PlayStation Store

Tiny Trax, the first virtual reality (VR) title from UK studio FuturLab, is now available for PlayStation VR. Delivering a slot car drift racing experience described as ‘Micro Machines meets Scalextric’, the Brighton-based studio aims to immerse players in virtual worlds surrounded by a variety of epic toy racing tracks.

Tiny Trax screenshot

A drifting/boost-recharge mechanic means Tiny Trax is easy to pick up, but challenging to master. The player remains static in the virtual world, while they control the action going on around them, resulting in a comfortable VR experience. The videogame also boasts online multiplayer functionality for up to four players, with 12 tracks across three environments – Tropical, Fire & Ice and Outer Space – and six vehicles to choose from.

The music has been composed by leading videogame composer Joris de Man, whose previous work includes Horizon: Zero Dawn, Killzone and FuturLabs’ own Velocity 2X.

“We’re tremendously excited that Tiny Trax is now available for PlayStation VR,” said FuturLab Director James Marsden. “VR is still a new concept to a lot of people, so we strived to make a game where all the environments evoke emotions of comfort and excitement. In Tiny Trax you play as a full-sized adult in a tiny world with even smaller cars – It’s a hugely compelling and re-playable game that we hope brings a new perspective to VR.”

Tiny Trax is downloadable from today via the PlayStation Store in the US and Europe for £12.99 GBP/€14.99 EUR/$19.99 USD. VRFocus will keep you updated with all future VR titles from FuturLab.

July 6, 2017

PlayStation VR Tiny Trax Pre-Orders Available at 20% Discount

PlayStation VR users who subscribe to the PlayStation Plus service in Europe can take advantage of a special offer to pre-order virtual reality (VR) racing title Tiny Trax for 20% off ahead of the title’s release.

Tiny Trax is described as ‘Micro Machines meets Scalextric’ and emphasises player comfort to avoid VR motion sickness issues. The title places players in a colourful world of miniature racing cars, allowing players to control toy cars from a child’s perspective, boosting vehicles around and over their own body and jumping them high overhead. The player remains static relative to the virtual world and controls the action going on around them, reducing the discomfort than can arise from VR use.

Tiny Trax also offers online multiplayer that allows up to four players to race together over 12 tracks and three environments with six vehicles to select.

Tiny Trax screenshot

PlayStation Plus users in Europe can pre-order Tiny Trax now for £10.39 (GBP). The title is due for release on 25^th July, 2017. Details on pre-orders for the USA will be available ‘soon’.

“We’re tremendously excited that Tiny Trax is now available to pre-order for PlayStation VR in Europe,” said FuturLab Director James Marsden. “VR is still a new concept to a lot of people, so we strived to make a game where all the environments evoke emotions of comfort and excitement. In Tiny Trax you play as a full-sized adult in a tiny world with even smaller cars – It’s a hugely compelling and re-playable game that we hope brings a new perspective to VR.”

VRFocus will bring you further information on Tiny Trax and other upcoming PlayStation VR titles as it becomes available.

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 5, 2017

5 PlayStation VR Games to Watch at E3 2017

The PlayStation VR benefited from a huge swathe of videogame titles at launch, but in the months that followed this barrage slowed to a trickle. The recent releases of the well received Farpoint and Star Trek: Bridge Crew see the first wave of titles announced coming to a close; so what’s next? VRFocus looks at five new titles on the horizon, and why you should be excited for them.

The Persistence

After the success of Playroom VR, UK-based Firesprite are coming back for more virtual reality (VR), this time with a much darker experience. The Persistence is a horror title featuring procedurally generated environments. In a similar fashion to Ubisoft’s Zombi, every time the player dies they become a new character, but in The Persistence the space ship upon which they are based will have changed: a new layout, enemy placement and items.

To connect each attempt, the player can harvest cells which can be used to improve attributes such as speed, health and stealth. If a player dies these are transferred for the next play through, hence that title.

The Persistence was originally expected to launch last month, however there’s no signs of a release date at present. It’s likely we’ll learn more at next week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Los Angeles.

Bloody Zombies

Another UK studio, nDreams pledged their commitment to the new medium very early in the wave or modern VR. After launching The Assembly last year, the developer/publisher is returning to PlayStation VR with Bloody Zombies: a side-scrolling brawler.

While the genre may not scream ‘VR’, it is actually a perfect combination of technology and action. The 2D characters appear like cardboard cutouts in the virtual environment and the added benefit of a widened viewpoint allows developer Paw Print Games to hide secrets beyond the edge of the traditional 2D screen.

Bloody Zombies has been designed to allow for up to four players to use any combination of VR and non-VR when playing together online, keeping the experience open to all. VRFocus has already been hands-on with Bloody Zombies and will get to experience the title once again at next week’s E3.

Theseus

Recently confirmed for PlayStation VR, Forge Reply’s Theseus proposes an interesting combination of platform challenges and brawling, combined with static and dynamic camera angles, screams ‘God of War’.

According to Samuele Perseo, Producer at Forge Reply: “Theseus is not an ordinary hero; in our game he is the prey, not the hunter. He is “only human” while his enemy, besides being 33 feet tall, has otherworldly strength… and he is invulnerable.

“Theseus cannot just fight the Minotaur head-on: each encounter between the two poses a new challenge. It may be necessary to resort to stealth, or an ancient mechanism could be the key to escape death. The monster is blind, but his hearing and his smell are sharp.”

Theseus is expected to launch on PlayStation VR this summer, and as such will likely make its playable debut at E3 next week.

The third UK studio delivering their wares to this list, FuturLab has built a strong audience thanks to the success of the Velocity series. Now however, the developer is turning its attention to VR, with the upcoming Tiny Trax.

Having been compared to Micro Machines with a hint of Off-Road 4×4 thanks to its unique viewpoint, Tiny Trax will follow Codemasters’ Toybox Turbos in delivering an unconventional racing videogame to VR players. Featuring both single player gameplay and an online multiplayer for up to four people, Tiny Trax will include six vehicles to select before heading out onto the track.

No release date has yet been announced for Tiny Trax, however FuturLab has suggested that it will be ‘coming soon’. Of course, VRFocus will keep you updated with all the latest details.

Sony Santa Monica

So, we don’t actually know what this one is. So why’s it on this list? Because Sony Santa Monica is one of the most highly respected developers on PlayStation hardware. That’s why.

As you will most likely have seen, last month VRFocus reported on an unofficial statement regarding Sony Santa Monica’s continued work in VR, and that after assisting a number of studios with external projects its first title for the PlayStation VR will likely be announced soon. That ‘soon’ may well be at E3 next week.

Whether it will be a part of an existing franchise – Sony Santa Monica has of course championed the God of War series – or a brand new title is yet to be seen, but you can be sure that whatever comes will shoot straight to the top of PlayStation VR owners’ most wanted lists.

May 31, 2017

Tiny Trax Is Like Scalextric On PSVR, First Trailer Revealed

If you’re a fan of top down shooters then chances are you’ve played Velocity and its sequel, two brilliant indie titles from UK-based Futurlab. It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the studio but this week it makes its grand return with Tiny Trax on PlayStation VR (PSVR).

Judging by the trailer, Tiny Trax looks simple enough. It looks a little like Micro Machines or, perhaps more accurately, Scalextric toys. You steer a minute vehicle around vibrant courses (12 in total) through either single player or multiplayer modes with up to four players. Using lane-switching and carefully timed boosting you’ll need to race for first place. Knowing the developer’s previous pedigree, this will hopefully offer a compelling mix of finely-tuned mechanics. A release date hasn’t yet been announced.

We’ll be getting a deeper look at Tiny Trax soon so check back.

Tagged with: Tiny Trax

May 30, 2017

Slot-car racer Tiny Trax is FuturLab’s VR Project for PlayStation VR

A couple of weeks ago VRFocus reported on British developer FuturLab teasing on Twitter that it would be unveiling a virtual reality (VR) project for PlayStation VR. Well that day has now arrived, with the studio revealing Tiny Trax, a slot-car racer.

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. Designed to be easy to pick up and start playing Tiny Traks features a drifting/boost-recharge mechanic, alongside lane switching and epic jumps across twelve tracks that’ll take players to tropical islands, volcanoes, ice caves and outer-space.

Tiny Trax screenshot 2

FuturLab hasn’t revealed a release date just yet for Tiny Trax, simply stating ‘coming soon’, so you’ll have to make do with the reveal trailer below for now.

VRFocus will continue its coverage of FuturLab and Tiny Trax, reporting back with the latest updates.