Elijah Wood took to the stage during Ubisoft’s E32018 presentation to speak to the audience about upcoming virtual reality (VR) title, the mind-bending, psychological story of Transference.
It had been previously revealed that Transference was intended to blur the line between movie and videogame in a surreal, story-driven VR experience.
The trailer showed a strange, twisted look at the obsession of a man who is conducting strange experiments that in some way involve memories and focus on his son. The father admits he has not been a good husband or father, and has seemingly settled on a strange and twisted way of ‘fixing’ everything.
The story of the title concerns the brilliant but troubled scientist and inventor Raymond Hayes, who has been experimenting with data he has collected from himself and his family. Unfortunately, this gathered data has congealed into a dark and twisted consciousness of its own, forming its own digital world which starts to alter the perceptions of Raymond, his wife Katherine and their son Benjamin.
The atmosphere of the trailer presents a strange, almost dreamlike quality, with strange voices whispering as Raymond speaks to his son, the whispers warning of betrayal and lies as the corrupted simulation begins to take hold and the extent of the danger presented by Raymond’s experiments becomes clear.
Transference is said to feature a branching narrative, with the ability to affect the lives of the family by slowly piecing together a mystery. The developers have said that each choice made by the player will affect the narrative in different ways.
It is hoped that by utilising a combination of live-action footage and environmental storytelling that the emotion of the VR experience will affect the players in a way that will make a real impact.
The trailer is available to view below. Further coverage of Transference and other upcoming VR titles will be here on VRFocus.
Ubisoft has been one of the most prolific virtual reality (VR) publishers amongst the big players in the videogames industry, despite being dismissive of the technology early in the game. With a new update recently launched for Star Trek: Bridge Crew, available now for PlayStation VR and coming soon to PC for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the attention now turns to what is coming next from Ubisoft, and this year’s E3 showcase is a shoe-in for some VR outings.
With Werewolves Within, Eagle Flight, Trackmania Turbo and the aforementioned Star Trek: Bridge Crew already under its belt, Ubisoft is ahead of even Bethesda Softworks in the race for most active third-party VR publishers. Is it possible we’ll see one of the company’s big franchises make the jump into VR? Only time will tell on that front, but for now we do at least have some new VR titles to look forward to.
New VR Games
Unlike Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Oculus VR and others, there’s no certainty that Ubisoft will reveal anything new for VR at E3 2018. There’s a possibility of a home VR version of Virtual Rabbids: The Big Plan – currently only available for Google Daydream – but aside from that, we’re not sure where Ubisoft will go next. More new IP? That’s the dream.
Space Junkies
Speaking of new IP, Ubisoft’s it-came-out-of-nowhere VR title From E3 2017 is almost certain to come back with a vengeance this year. Space Junkies has been bubbling under for quite some time, appearing both at Ubisoft events and at Oculus VR’s own shows, including Oculus Connect 4 and Oculus Unwrapped. We’ll hopefully be seeing something which resembles a near-final product at E3 2018.
Transference
Elijah Wood’s SpectreVision’s VR showcase piece is likely to return at E3 2018, having also been announced at E3 2017 but since having disappeared off the radar. The eerie first-person puzzle title is likely to get hearts pumping when it eventually launches for Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, and with Wood himself set to talk at the E3 Coliseum, you’d be a fool to bet against Transference being both featured in Ubisoft’s press conference and playable at E3 2018.
Der VR-Titel Transference von Ubisoft und Elijah Woods Produktionsstudio SpectreVision wurde bereits im Jahr 2017 auf der damaligen E3 vorgestellt und beeindruckte mit einer Mischung aus Videospiel und Spielfilm die Kritiker und Besucher. Ursprünglich sollte der VR-Thriller bereits im Frühjahr 2018 für Oculus Rift, HTC Viveund PlayStation VR (PSVR) erscheinen, doch dann wurde es ruhig um das vielversprechende Projekt. Doch nun gibt es Neuigkeiten zum Titel, denn Transference soll ein Headliner auf der diesjährigen Pressekonferenz des Unternehmens auf der E3 2018 werden.
Transference – VR-Thriller von Ubisoft und SpectreVision auf E3 2018
Ubisoft veröffentlichte sein Line-up für die kommende Pressekonferenz auf der anstehenden E3 2018. Demnach soll der VR-Psycho-Thriller Transference einen großen Teil einnehmen, wie das Unternehmen in einem kürzlichen Teaser-Video veröffentlichte:
Transference führt die Spieler in einen nervenaufreibenden Psycho-Thriller, der sich um die selbstzerstörerischen Zwangsvorstellungen eines Mannes und dessen Auswirkungen auf seine Familie dreht. Wie im Traum bewegt sich der Spieler durch die digitale Nachbildung des menschlichen Geistes, die in Form eines mysteriösen Hauses simuliert dargestellt wird. Dabei wandert ihr durch die engen Korridore der symbolischen Psyche und deckt die dahinterliegenden, verborgenen Geheimnisse auf, die zum Zerfall der Person beitragen. Jede getroffene Entscheidung des Spielers hat dabei Einfluss auf den gesamten Spielverlauf und tief tragende Konsequenzen für die gesamte Familie. Der VR-Titel versucht dabei einen gewagten Spagat zwischen interaktivem Videospiel und narrativen Film, der auf spannende Weise ein immersives Erlebnis gewährleisten soll.
Neben Transference sollen zudem die Spiele Beyond Good & Evil 2 und Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 vorgestellt werden.
Transference soll für Oculus Rift, HTC Vive und PlayStation VR (PSVR) veröffentlicht werden. Zudem soll der Psycho-Thriller in einer Nicht-VR-Version für PS4, Xbox One und PC erscheinen. Neuigkeiten über ein Veröffentlichungsdatum dürften uns auf der Pressekonferenz von Ubisoft auf der E3 am 11. Juni erwarten.
Last E3, Ubisoft introduced us to a strange and unsettling new VR game named Transference. It was in development at Spectrevision (which includes Elijah Wood of Frodo fame), and was easily one of the most interesting games at last year’s show. We haven’t seen it since, despite being given an initial spring 2018 release window.
Well, good news, the game’s set to make a return at Ubisoft’s E3 press conference this year. The company confirmed as much in a teaser video for its 2018 show, also confirming that games like Beyond Good & Evil 2 and Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 would headline the showcase. What we didn’t see was a mention for zero-gravity space shooter, Space Junkies, which is coming to Rift and Vive soon, though hopefully we’ll be able to go hands-on with it again.
Transference is a creepy-looking experience that explores subjects like PTSD as it attempts to bridge the gap between movies and games. It mixes full VR gameplay with real-life footage in an attempt to put players in stressful situations unlike anything else you’ve seen in VR.
“Throughout it all nothing is ever quite as it seems,” David Jagneaux wrote in our E3 2017 preview. “Since this is intended to be a digital recreation of someone’s traumatized memories things are inconsistent and glitchy. Doors morph and move around as I walk past them, pictures on the wall vanish and reappear seemingly at random. Some items even bounce in and out of view as if to imply the memories are fragmented and incomplete.”
Transference is due to launch on Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR. Ubisoft’s conference is running on Monday, June 11th, at 1pm PT. We’ve got a full list of conferences and the chances of seeing VR at them right here.
The PlayStation VR has skyrocketed to the forefront of consumer virtual reality (VR) since its launch back in 2016. In the 18 months since the debut of the head-mounted display (HMD) we’ve seen some fantastic VR experiences become available, with the likes of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Farpoint and Moss redefining what videogaming can mean, but along the way we’ve also seen some fantastic looking experiences disappear off-the-grid. VRFocus now takes a moment to remember some of our fallen friends and question where they are now.
We’re not talking about tech demo’s here – the likes of Final Fantasy XIV and a VR edition of 2014’s Thief reboot amongst the many that we never really expected a full consumer release for – but rather those titles which were announced with the intention of launching via the PlayStation Store before disappearing off-the-radar. For example, Golem. Highwire Games’ Golem was announced in 2016, only to drop out of the public eye for over a year before being confirmed for a 2018 release back in October 2017. Below are some of the other titles we’ve not heard about for some time.
Godling
Initially announced way back in 2015, development on Sólfar Studios’ Golding came to a halt in favour of progressing with Everest VR. Since then, VRFocus has regularly asked Sólfar Studios what the plans are for the title, including recently when discussing the impending launch of In Death. Sadly, there’s nothing new to report on this promising adventure/god sim.
Bow to Blood
Revealed as part of an extensive line-up of new PlayStation VR titles at last year’s Paris Games Week, Bow to Blood puts teams of players in charge of an airship as they engage in combat with rival crews. Since the debut of Bow to Blood – which stated a 2018 release for the videogame – developer Tribe Toy has offered no new updates. No trailers, no screenshots; nothing. Here’s hoping we’ll hear more at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).
Quar: Infernal Machines
Quar: Infernal Machines (formerly known as Quar: Battle for Gate 18) was one of the best strategy titles on the HTC Vive at launch. The PlayStation VR release has long been on the schedule though has suffered repeated delays. Last VRFocus heard was an expected March 2018 launch, which has obviously now passed. Will we still see Quar: Infernal Machines on PlayStation VR in 2018? Here’s hoping so.
Megalith
Megalith is another PlayStation VR title that was revealed during Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) Paris Games Week press conference last year, only to have disappeared shortly thereafter. A release in Q1 2018 had been expected, but currently there’s no confirmation of a specific date. For many of those keenly following the PlayStation VR software line-up, Megalith’s opportunity to play as a titan on a quest to become a powerful god though a stylized, destructible world has positioned it as one of the most highly anticipated titles of 2018.
Transference
A joint venture between Ubisoft and Elijah Wood’s Spectrevision, Transference is an interesting first-person horror experience. Flitting between both eerie and ultra-violent with abandon, Transference casts the player as an investigator exploring digital reconstructions of a man’s mind. It’s weird, and given that it has been suggested for launch in June 2018, it’s likely to get a big showing at E3.
The end of a year is a good point to take a look back and see what worthy contenders have emerged from the world of virtual reality (VR) to impress the world, which is what VRFocus have been doing with its features on Best PlayStation VR titles as well as the Best Games you’ve Never Played series. With 2018 just begun, though, it’s time to look forward and see what exciting properties are due to appear.
The Oculus Rift was arguably the device that kicked off the entire modern era of VR, and as such has its own dedicated fans as well as some new owners who might have picked one up over the holidays. So here are some upcoming experiences that Oculus Rift users can look forward to.
Megaton Rainfall – Pentadimensional Games
Previously released on PlayStation VR, Megaton Rainfall lets the player take the role of a superhero trying to save the city from an alien invasion. As any comic reader knows, however, with great power comes great responsibility, and you need to ensure you don’t inadvertently destroy the city you are trying to save.
Megaton Rainfall is already on Steam, with Oculus Rift support expected to arrive sometime in 2018.
Brass Tactics – Hidden Path Entertainment
Using a range of inspiration including classic table-top wargames and the clockwork opening credits to Game of Thrones, Brass Tactics wears its love of the clockpunk and steampunk aesthetic on its sleeve as it allows players to control toy soldiers, multi-legged tanks and clockwork wasps in fast-paces RTS gameplay
Brass Tactics is due to launch as an Oculus Rift exclusive on February 28th, 2018.
ARK Park – Snail Games
ARK Park is a VR spin-off of the successful ARK: Survival Evolved. The title puts the player on a lost island full of dinosaurs. Players will need to create a home base, gather resources and learn how to tame the dinosaurs and co-operate with them in order to survive. The experience is designed to combine education about dinosaurs with the action-based gameplay.
ARK Park will be heading to Oculus Rift along with HTC Vive and Playstation VR in Spring 2018.
Stifled – Gattai Games
Stifled offers a truly unique gameplay experience. Trapped in the dark with dangerous creatures all around you, the only way to find your way is trough sound. Utilising a microphone, Stifled picks up the sounds you make and uses an ‘echolocation’ effect to show your surroundings – but beware, for enough sound can also draw the enemies towards you.
Stifled will be available on Oculus Rift sometime 2018.
Pixel Ripped 1989 – Pixel Ripped Inc.
This title has a troubled history, failing a Kickstarter back in 2015 before re-surfacing with a new publisher in ARVORE Immersive. 80’s nostalgia and its distinctive retro stylings make it compelling, as players are cast in the role of a vidoegame-obsessed girl who must try and complete a game on her handheld without getting caught.
A firm release date for Pixel Ripped 1989 has not been set, but it is expected sometime in 2018.
Beat Saber – Hyperbolic Magnestism
While there are a few rhythm-based titles in VR, there are few that really stand out. The developer behind Beat Saber is trying to change that, by offering a style of gameplay that has been described as ‘Fruit Ninja meets Guitar Hero‘. Users need to slash the music beats, represented by cubes, in time to the music, whilst simultaneously dodging obstacles.
Beat Saber is expected to launch on Oculus Rift in Q1 of 2018.
Transference – Ubisoft
Transference aims to explore the depths of the human experience in a dark psychological thriller that lets the player look into the minds of the members of a broken family. Players can wander around a dream-like representation of the family home to collect secrets, and see if it is possible to repair the damage that separates them.
Transference will be heading to Oculus Rift in Spring 2018.
Marvel Powers United VR – Sanzaru Games
The successful Marvel cinematic universe has meant a big boom in interest in superheroes, and Marvel are keen to take advantage of it by offering players the chance to step into the shoes of Marvel heroes like Rocket Racoon, Thor and The Hulk. Several characters from the Marvel comics stable heave been revealed, including lesser-known figures such as Black Bolt and Crystal, with more yet to come.
Without any major VR hardware releases on the radar for this year, 2018 is shaping up to be a time for content to shine. We’ve rounded up a list of 20-something VR games launching in 2018 that we’re excited about, covering all three major VR systems: PSVR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Ace Combat 7
Platform: PSVR (2018)
While Bandai Namco’s Ace Combat 7 is advertising “exclusive VR features” instead of straight VR support (meaning the campaign isn’t playable in VR), we’re still excited to strap into either Osean or Erusean jets as the two fictional superpowers duke it out in the skies. Who knows, maybe it’ll be wildly awesome?
ARK Park is a multiplayer adventure game based on the world of ARK:Survival Evolved (2017). While it may have been delayed by the China-based Snail Games from the previously slated late 2017 release, the mix of dinosaur-themed factual and fictional elements has certainly tickled our curiosity. Also: you can ride a dinosaur.
The world needs more fighting babies. To provide this insatiable need for post-natal, pre-toddler carnage, the immensely capable VR studio Kite & Lightning are developing a VR melee party brawler that puts ridiculously dressed infants into kart-based Smash Bros-style combat. We haven’t had a hands-on yet, but the studio has promised a 2018 release, so we’re sure to get one soon enough.
Brass Tactics
Platform: Rift (February 28, 2018)
This VR multiplayer/singleplayer real-time strategy game comes from Hidden Path Entertainment, the minds behind Defense Grid 2: Enhanced VR Edition (2016) and Age of Empires II: HD Edition (2013).Who hasn’t dreamt about bringing their favorite tabletop game to life, and ordering armies of miniature soldiers to ultimate victory?
This online 2-player co-op strategic shooter will force you to take cover as you make your way across a war-torn fictional Eastern European city. While you won’t get the free-wheeling locomotion options like many shooters, instead giving you a sort of ‘on-rails’ point-to-point automatic movement, the strength and amount of enemies will make you think twice before selecting a cover position for fear or getting shot to bits by a machine gun-welding baddies.
Budget Cuts
Platform: Rift, Vive (2018)
Already offering a wildly successful demo the ninja assassin-style Budget Cuts puts heavy emphasis on stealth combat. Set to release sometime in 2018, indie studio Neat Corporation surely picked up some important pointers when they were invited to collaborate with Valve last year—the results of which we can’t wait to see. Seriously. Play the demo now if you haven’t already.
Echo Combat
Platform: Rift (2018)
As if Ready at Dawn’s singleplayer adventure Lone Echo (2017) and free multiplayer sports game Echo Arena (2017) weren’t cool enough, the studio is also bringing out a combat-focused, zero-G game in 2018. Demos aren’t in the wild yet, but if it’s coming from the studio that produced Road to VR’s Best Rift Game of 2017, we’ll be mashing F5 on Oculus’ blog in anticipation of seeing and hearing more.
Firewall: Zero Hours VR
Platform: PSVR (2018)
Revealed at PSX 2017 recently, Firewall Zero Hour is a team-based, tactical multiplayer FPS coming exclusively to PSVR this year. The game is said to support both DualShock and PS Aim, although the developers haven’t made mention of PS Move controllers yet. Either way, this attack/defend shooter looks to fuse VR with some classic assault-style games like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six.
Golem
Platform: PSVR (2018)
Originally teased at PSX 2015 with a slated release for an October 2016, High Wire Games’Golem is finally coming to PSVR. In Golem, you play as an adventurous kid who has been seriously injured. You are stuck at home in your bed, dreaming of exploring the outside world. The minds behind the game are ex-Bungie staffers, including Halo composer Marty O’Donnell.
Although it’s been a while since we played, and things have surely changed, check out 6 minutes of gameplay here.
Marvel Powers United VR
Platform: Rift (2018)
Created by Oculus and Sanzaru Games (behind titles like VR Sports Challenge and Ripcoil), there’s plenty of ways to battle in this Marvel-themed arena brawler. Turn into the Hulk, Rocket Raccoon, Captain Marvel, Deadpool, and many more as you battle enemies in online multiplayer arena battles that let you wield real super powers.
From Disruptive Games comes a multiplayer action-packed hero shooter that transforms you into a titan, letting you use your massive size and firepower to compete with others in a quest to become a god. The game is said to come with free locomotion, destructible environments, and put heavy emphasis on strategic gameplay.
Moss
Platform: PSVR (February 2018)
A charming third-person action-adventure puzzle game from Polyarc, Moss gives you control of the small but fierce mouse named Quill. With a tiny sword in hand, you vanquish pint-sized enemies as you solve large puzzles. There’s a free demo available already on the second PSVR demo disc, so there’s no reason not to fall in love with little Quill already.
The result of a successful Kickstarter in 2015, Pixel Ripped has been in development well before consumer headsets released. Heavy on nostalgia, the game tosses you into the world of 1989 as Nicola. Going ‘one level deeper’ into the virtual world, you incarnate a heroine named Dot who is on a quest to return the magical rock that contains the soul of Dot’s world, Adventureland, which has been stolen by the Cyblin Master. Cyblin has other plans though as he tries to break into the Nicola’s ‘real’ world.
Space Junkies
Platform: Rift, Vive (Spring 2018)
From Ubisoft Montpelier, Space Junkies is an upcoming zero-G multiplayer shooter that puts straight into team-based or deathmatch-style combat. Yes, there are light sabers, but the focus is ultimately on the game’s impressive assortment of guns. Visuals are really polished, and from what we’ve played, so is the overall deathmatch concept.
Sprint Vector is a racing game that has integrated a unique locomotion arm-swinging locomotion style that moves you forward through a Mario Kart-style race course. Hailing from Raw Data developer Survios, we had a lot of fun in trying out the fast-paced, nausea-free racer.
From Playful Corp comes another third-person platformer, albeit less boisterous and family-oriented than the studio’s last VR game, Lucky’s Tale (2016). With some puzzles thrown in for good measure, you guide a mysterious traveler on her way through a subterranean landscape. She soon discovers advanced alien technology, is stalked by an ominous beast lurking in the shadows, and finally has a very close encounter with a giant being of unknown origin.
The Inpatient
Platform: PSVR (2018)
Originally expected for Q4 2017 release, Supermassive Games standalone prequel to Until Dawn: Rush of Blood (2016) has been delayed until 2018. When we first demoed the psychological horror game, the level of realism was remarkable thanks to some very well-tuned facial motion capture. We can’t wait to see more soon.
From Ubisoft Montreal and Elijah Wood’s studio Spectrevision, Transference is a physiological thriller that blends movie and reality in what promises to be a disquieting experience. Popping into the memories of people suffering from PTSD and reliving their nightmare-fuel pasts sounds pretty disquieting to me.
Vacation Simulator
Platform: PSVR, Rift & Vive (2018)
Announced at this year’s Game Awards, Owlchemy Labs’ Vacation Simulator is following in the footsteps of its breakout multi-platform success Job Simulator (2016). While it’s unsure if the tongue-in-check simulator style will find the same level of launch day success its spiritual predecessor, we’ll be there ready to play to see if it tickles our collective funny bones.
Windlands 2
Windlands (2016), the high-flying exploration game from Psytec Games, is getting a sequel this year that’s looking to alter its predecessor’s formula with the addition of co-op adventuring as well as combat. Combat has altered the zen-like nature of the game somewhat, which could be good or bad depending on how you look at it. Multiplayer adventuring is a net positive though, so we can’t wait to see what Windlands 2 will serve up.
While Valve is still mum on its three games originally confirmed back in February 2017, Dan O’Brien, Vive general manager for the Americas, revealed to The Rolling Stone that Valve was still “very committed” to the promise of delivering its three VR games. Valve has produced The Lab (2016) and plenty of content for the SteamVR Home space. We’re itching to see any game with the level of fit and finish we see in both productions.
Blood And Truth
Platform: PSVR (TBA)
Sony’s London Studio first released Blood and Truth’s spiritual predecessor with the first PSVR demo disk; London Heist. The demo’s Guy Ritchie-style Cockney crime theme is an awesome backdrop to the demo’s shooting sequences, so the thought of having a full game where you’re essentially an action hero looking for revenge, well, it sounds pretty badass.
Oculus Rift is undoubtedly a great bit of kit, but for some there are some essential titles that really need to make the jump and become available for the virtual reality (VR) gadget. Some of the ‘most wanted’ that we have compiled here, for your reading pleasure, are more obvious than others while some will make you think “ooooh, yeah!”. This is not a wish list, by the way, these titles are coming for Oculus either as official releases or by way of ‘mods’, as are the following 7 most wanted compiled by the team at VR Hire company VRE:
Others may not list this one first, mostly because of its unofficial status, but HL remains a cult classic and changed the genre the genre and the way FPS titles went about their business – Half-Life was the first FPS game to introduce physics based play. With Half-Life 3 never coming (sorry), a VR experience is the next best thing as far as many are concerned. Half-Life 2 lends itself to the technology, visually at least, much more than the original ever could and so here we are. Updated effects & textures, a redesigned UI and HDR lighting await.
Transference
Live action video games are something of a niche, with only a small handful of titles taking that approach. Transference is a psychological thriller from SpectreVision, in partnership with Ubisoft. Players delve into the memories of an obsessed, self destructive man. Working through these memories you try to solve the riddle of a troubled family and attempt to escape the maze like house, solving its mysteries as you progress. Slated for a release in 2018, around spring time, Transference is expected to support all three major VR platforms.
Oculus has donned their cape and teamed up with Marvel and Disney to bring VR fans another quality title. The development of the game is being handled by Sanzaru Games, who have worked with Oculus before. The game itself looks pretty impressive, and we can only guess what it will feel like to hulk out on your front room while you throw bad guys around. Everybody wants to be a superhero, and now they can.
ARK Park
If you are familiar with ARK: Survival Evolved, then you will have some idea of what ARK Park is about if I said it’s akin to a safari park. This rather unique VR experience is based on ARK: Survival Evolved, and allows players to get up close and personal with the dinosaurs that inhabit the world of ARK. As well as being able to take a closer look at the animals, you can learn more about them and also explore the habits that they call home, too; from tropical rainforests to mountain ranges and plains. Developed by Snail Games Peacock Studio, ARK Park is available on Steam and PS4.
Available for the HTC Vive, The VR Case Files answers a lot of rumours surrounding L.A. Noire and VR. A lot speculation was made as to whether the original game, from Rockstar games, would make the transition to VR – the answer is no, it won’t. Instead, The VR Case Files is a game specifically designed for virtual reality, to take advantage of everything the tech. has to offer, rather than retrofitting an existing title. Smart move, if you think about it. Seven cases from the original were chosen for the VR version, to properly showcase the game and the technology.
Brass Tactics
Expected early 2018, the RTS Brass Tactics brings a 5 mission solo campaign as well as co-op play and a full fledged online RTS experience. Starting off as commander, you take control of units around your base, bringing your hands into the world so that you can pick up and move your units around the game world. Immersive titles like this, with a top down view of the world, are expected to become more commonplace as time goes by. Hidden Path Entertainment aim to bring more unit types and progression trees into the game before final release, toward the end of February 2018.
Budget Cuts
Budget Cuts has probably generated as much hype as Watch_Dogs did in the run up to its release, first debuting as an incredible demo, in 2016, and nothing has been seen since for over a year. One of the best VR experiences available, at that point, the demo for Budget Cuts simply wowed everybody that it came into contact with it. While Neat Corporation have been busy, and annoyingly quietly, working away on the game, the hype train keeps on chugging. The problem now is, can Budget Cuts live up to expectations? All we can do right now is wait, and find out for ourselves.
Missed the announcements from Paris Games Week (PGW)? A huge fan of virtual reality (VR)? PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR owners likely already know that there are now over 100 titles on the platform. But that’s just now. There’s plenty of videogames on the way to add to that collection, and luckily VRFocus has got your back. Below you can find a list of all the PlayStation VR videogames that were announced or mentioned at PGW – and we have also created a little video recap which you can find below.
Bandai Namco bring you Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, taking their popular fighter pilot series to VR for the first time. With spectacular views, a dynamic weather system and various maps, this videogame demands the highest possible aerial combat skills.
Chris Redfield comes up against new and terrifying enemies in his pursuit of deadly psychopath Lucas in Resident Evil VII thanks to the Not A Hero free DLC. There are plenty of gory situations to confront on the path ahead as Redfield seeks an end to the bloody reign of the murderous Baker family.
Developers Against Gravity have created a social platform where players can engage in multiplayer games with one another. As with all the products mentioned here, check out the link for more information.
Announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), VRFocus thought Moss was perhaps the cutest VR game to date. Sadly, that date has shifted, with the title now delayed until 2018. Developed by Polyarc, Moss asks players to solve puzzles in a larger-than-life world. The protagonist Quill also recognises who you are and tries to point out tips when you’re stuck. Quill’s intricate hand movements actually promotes sign language as she uses her body, hands and squeaks to communicate with you.
Announced at PGW today, this first-person shooter (FPS) takes adventure to a futuristic, robot-filled sci-fi world. You play as the last human on a world where synthetic creatures seek to dominate their new hunting grounds. Created by Fast Travel Games, this Swedish studio is formed of Ex-Rovio, EA and DICE staff.
Another newly announced title, Bow to Blood is a multiplayer videogame where players pilot airships into combat with other players. PlayStation VR owners can go solo or team up to battle rivals. Stand and fight or reposition on your foe? It’s your call.
Announced back in August this real-time tabletop warfare simulator should be something strategy fans will enjoy. Players will have access to 12 different units, four of which can be deployed at one time. This includes tanks, soldiers, flamethrowers, artillery and helicopters. Each unit costs energy to put on the battlefield – so don’t start spamming out loads of troops without thinking careful first.
Showcased at E3 this year, this videogame asks players to see the world through sound; similar to how echolocation would work underwater. The noise you make highlight the surroundings around you in a creepy white line drawing style. Unfortunately, whilst using sound shows your path it also draws the attention of enemies. You will need to balance your need to see versus your need to keep safe. A slow and steady process that really gets under your skin.
A fast-paced obstacle course racing title that asks players to swing their arms back and forth in order to increase the speed at which they travel. Climb, jump, leap across various obstacles and compete against friends or A.I.
Developers Playful Corp have created a dark, cyberpunk world where strange creatures roam in a bizarre neon-lit world. A side-scrolling platform experience, the protagonist has to solve puzzles and take an elevator deeper into an alien world.Transference– Coming Soon
Announced at E3, Elijah Wood’s videogame company Spectrevision and Ubisoft have created a psychological thriller videogame where players delve into the destructive tale of a man’s obsession as they explore his digitally recreated memories. Think Inception, but as a videogame where you have to solve puzzles in the man’s memories. VRFocus did an interview with Kyle McCullough from SpectreVision if you want more information.
Available on the Samsung Gear VR and now coming to PlayStation VR, this flying simulator allows you to try three different aircrafts, has several missions which in turn allows the player to purchase airports across three separate islands. Shoot balloons, take photos, fly through rings, race against players or practice that perfect landing.
This tongue-in-cheek action videogame allows you to cook up a storm as a chef feeding some very hungry zombies. That’s right, you’re not killing zombies on mass but feeding them some very well-cooked hamburgers instead. Perfect for Halloween.
Set in sci-fi world on what seems another planet, PGW is the first time anything of this videogame was showcased and very little is known about it for sure. However, it appears to be the evolution of previously announced VR title Eden. And features some very strange and bizarre looking creatures that resemble a Brachiosaurus. The teaser also features three-armed robotic drones and enormous monsters.
Showcasing the first hands-on previews at PGW, the gameplay features customisable costumes, a various array of fish (and other creatures) and various ways of catching fish from travel to sonar detection.
A first-person videogame where you play as a titan on a quest to become a powerful god. With destructible environment and a range of weapons in a stylised world.
Set in a medieval castle with ghostly inhabitants, you play a young mage recently returned from magic school on a quest to delve into their family’s fraught past. You have to rebuild your family’s wealth and use your wand to uncover treasure, coins and crowns. As the name of the title suggests, you’ll have to do a lot of smashing and hitting things to do that. Venture into multiple dungeons, secret rooms and set things on fire, smash everything you see or sneak up on ghosts to find hidden gold.
Another new title to add to the growing list of PlayStation VR games available for players, you play a brutal gangster in London. On a quest to avenge his murdered family, you have to break into enemy hideouts, casinos and gun down your enemies. You need to be prepared for both stealth gameplay as well as ready to throw yourself into the action. The teaser showcase lock picking and a bomb detonating as you shoot down enemies.
Those are the latest videogames that have been announced or will be coming soon to the PlayStation VR. Watch the video below to get a glimpse of all the videogames and follow VRFocus for any further announcements on the videogames.
VRFocus recently caught up with Kyle McCullough the VP for Digital and Gaming from SpectreVision, the firm set up by actor Elijah Wood and movie directors Daniel Noah and Josh C.Waller, to discuss why SpectreVision has moved into virtual reality (VR), the future of storytelling, SpectreVision’s relationship with Ubisoft and how it came to make Transference.
Transference, a psychological, story-driven, thriller videogame. The experience shown at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last month was a prequel to the finished title currently in development. It’s due to be released for the Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR and HTC Vive in Spring 2018. Aiming to blur the lines between movies, players are asked to explore memories of man’s life by travelling between different moments of his existence.
Nina Salomons asks McCullough about why SpectreVision moved into VR: “From SpectreVision coming from the filmmaking world, we’ve done movies like A Girl walks home alone at Night (2014), The Boy, Cooties (2014), The Greasy Strangler (2016) and all of these really unique stories. We like to tell unique stories in unique ways and so VR was obviously the next path to continue to tell unique stories and hopefully more unique ways.”
Spectrevision didn’t have a goal when the company approached Ubisoft a couple of years ago at E3, just knowing they wanted to something in VR. McCullough explains that “it’s become very clear to us now that games are totally where those stories are told.” He points that that interactivity, which is so key in gaming is integral for good storytelling in virtual reality. So will storytelling change? McCullough believes it will always stay the same structure that it’s been from the beginning of time, however with virtual reality comes a whole new set of tools. These tools can be used to tell new inventive ways for storytelling. By offering immersion it really does seem like you can tap into someone’s mind more than the conventional two dimensional screen.
SpectreVision started doing workshops in Montreal with the Ubisoft’s Fun House team and quickly started to develop the story behind Transference. SpectreVision worked on the narrative, the design and bringing emotions to the game. McCullough explains that “the story itself is totally dependent on the ideas of virtual reality in order to get it’s point across.” The close collaboration with Ubisoft means that the narrative and game are one and the same, with no clear division between the two.
The biggest lessons he’s learned in virtual reality are many, but the one thing he’s had to learn the most is keeping audience engagement in VR as well as trying to keep a player to stay there for the full experience. Watch the video below to find out more.
Transference
Brass Tactics
Budget Cuts
Rec Room
Transference 
Megalith