Following Single-player Successes, Polyarc Announces First PvP Game ‘Glassbreakers – Champions of Moss’

Following a tease earlier this year, Polyarc Games has announced its first PvP game, Glassbreakers – Champions of Moss, based on its acclaimed single player adventure games Moss (2019) and Moss: Book II (2022).

Moss and Moss: Book II exemplify third-person VR adventure games, giving the player control of a mouse named Quill which travels through the fantastical world of Moss. Uniquely to third-person VR, the player isn’t just the person behind a screen, but actually exists within the game and can interact with Quill and the environment to solve puzzles and aid in combat.

Alongside great design, art, and polish, the successful execution of this concept is what has kept Moss among the 20 best rated Quest games for years now. We went behind-the-scenes of Moss: Book II last year to learn more about what made the game shine.

Now developer Polyarc Games plans to translate the concept into a standalone PvP title, Glassbreakers – Champions of Moss, the studio’s first departure from single-player VR games.

Details on Glassbreakers is light as the studio is saving a broader reveal for an August 29th showcase at 9AM PT (your timezone here), but ostensibly the game will continue to focus on controlling small third-person characters, with some level of direct player interaction. A teaser image shows a few characters we already know from the games alongside some seemingly new faces that are likely to be part of the game’s roster for players to control.

We’ll be interested to see if the studio can amp up the game’s relatively simple combat to create a truly competitive game, and what direct interactions players will be able to have between themselves and their character, or maybe even themselves and the opposing player.

While a launch date for Glassbreakers hasn’t been announced, a holiday 2023 release date looks likely. While the game has been confirmed for Quest so far, there’s a good chance Glassbreakers will also make it to PSVR 2 and PC VR just like its predecessors.

Spy Puzzler ‘I Expect You To Die 3’ Release Dates Revealed for Quest & SteamVR Versions, New Trailer Here

Schell Games announced that I Expect You to Die 3: Cog in the Machine is coming soon on Quest, with its PC VR launch coming in September.

On Quest, IEYTD 3 is set to launch August 17th, while it’s slated to arrive only a few weeks later on SteamVR, coming on September 28th.

Like in the previous two I Expect You To Die games, the third entry in the series again tosses the player into escape room-style puzzles, requiring quick wits to defy a host of deadly traps.

Solve complex object-oriented puzzles and maneuver your way ever closer to defeating the dastardly Dr. Zor and his latest toady, Dr. Roxanne Prism, a former inventor for the agency turned rogue.

Pre-orders are now available on the Meta Quest Store, regularly priced at $25. Pre-orders on Quest get a 10% discount though, bringing it to $22.50. You can also wishlist it over on Steam.

In the meantime, check out the new mixed reality trailer to see the spy-flavored puzzler in action:

‘Asgard’s Wrath 2’ Video Teases ‘endless dungeon’ Mode with Asynchronous Social Gameplay

Meta’s Sanzaru Games released a new look at Asgard’s Wrath 2 in a developer diary video that, in addition to showing off more of the upcoming action RPG, teases an opportunity to put your combat skills to the test against other players.

The studio says that in addition to its main narrative-driven quest, Asgard’s Wrath 2 is going to feature an “asynchronously social dungeon-crawling mode” where you as the Cosmic Guardian will “take part in an ongoing battle that evolves over time,” the studio says in a blogpost.

We’re due to learn more about the newly teased dungeon mode in the game’s next deep dive video, where the studio says it will further explore the so-called ‘Uncharted Rifts’.

Announced during the Quest Gaming Showcase in June, the Asgard’s Wrath sequel is headed exclusively to the Quest platform, which includes Quest 2, Quest Pro, and the upcoming Quest 3 headset.

In it, you travel across the realms in pursuit of the trickster god Loki, taking on the role of four mortal heroes with various weapons and playstyles. Like the first, which was a Rift exclusive, the new Quest-only title is said to be packed with creatures, quests, puzzles, and the ability to convert loyal animals into fierce warrior companions. The studio says we can expect “60 hours of exploration [and] viscous combat” when the game launches in Winter 2023.

You can also now pre-order the game, priced at $60. Pre-orders include exclusive in-game weapon and armor set, a free download of Asgard’s Wrath 1 on PC, a Meta Quest home environment, and an exclusive Asgard’s Wrath 2 character bundle for battle royale shooter POPULATION: ONE.

Meta’s New First-person Shooter Aims to Highlight Improvements to ‘Horizon Worlds’

Meta introduced a new game called ‘Super Rumble‘ to Horizon Worlds, something the company hopes will showcase a new generation of improved experiences on its own social VR platform.

Released after a successful beta weekend in May, the free-for-all first-person shooter is said to highlight new improvements to Horizon Worlds, such as “better graphics, deeper gameplay, and a variety of quests and rewards.”

Players can choose from six superpowers before each session, allowing them to outmaneuver opponents and develop their playstyles. Here’s how Meta describes each power:

  • Super Dash gives you super speed
  • Super Jump lets you launch into the air with explosive force
  • Super Ammo saves you from having to reload
  • Super Tough reduces the damage you’ll take from each hit
  • Super Net lets you immobilize other players
  • Super Punch lets you attack with a powerful punch

Super Rumble is aiming to offer a fast-paced experience, which serves up to two to six players, with each match lasting five minutes. The game also serves as a launching point for a new integrated system of player levels, quests, rewards, the latter of which includes avatar clothing, emotes, and nameplate titles.

Check out the action below:

We’ve seen a few first-party worlds alongside a number of third-party brand engagement experiences on Horizon Worlds since the platform launched in late 2021, however going the ‘full featured’ minigame route is a fairly recent move that has more potential to attract and keep users. It’s certainly helped Rec Room to become one of the most prolific social VR platforms to thrive on both VR headsets and traditional flatscreen devices.

Interestingly enough, this comes only one day after Meta opened Quest up the online gaming powerhouse Roblox, which is in direct competition with Horizon Worlds. Now, Quest users can choose between Roblox, Rec Room, VRChat, Horizon Worlds, and Gym Class to name a few of the top free social VR platforms.

Only 1 Day Remains to Play ‘Echo VR’ Before Servers Go Dark

Tomorrow, Meta and Ready at Dawn are shutting down Echo VR, the free-to-play game that helped pioneer VR sports. Get in now before they pull the plug.

Meta made no secret it was shutting down the zero-gravity sport Echo VR and its PC-only squad shooter variant, Echo Combat, having announced earlier this year it was sunsetting the games come August 1st at 10 AM PT (local time here). That means fans only have a few hours left to play before the multiplayer-only games are unceremoniously disconnected from Meta’s servers.

Echo VR fans didn’t go down without a fight though. Some spirited protests against the shutdown even included a dedicated fan group flying an airplane-towed message over Meta’s HQ in Menlo Park back in March, stating “ZUCK, DON’T KILL VR ESPORTS FIGHTFORECHO.COM”. Both online and offline protests fell on deaf ears though. The URL mentioned above now leads to a 404, and it’s pretty clear by now that Meta didn’t change their collective minds.

The studio recently released the Echo VR OST on YouTube, which feels like small recompense for killing consistently one of the best-rated and most popular free titles on Quest. Ready at Dawn, which was acquired by Meta in 2020, explained earlier this year the shutdown was made for “many good reasons [,] chief among them is the studio coming together to focus on our next project.”

Both Ready at Dawn and Onward studio Downpour Interactive found themselves caught up in one of the multiple rounds of layoffs to hit Meta earlier this year. To boot, Ready at Dawn has yet to reveal what’s next. Whatever it is though, we’re hoping it has many of the same hard-won learnings baked in, like Echo VR and its narrative games Lone Echo did. In the meantime, check out the OST playlist below.

Co-op Shooter ‘Crossfire: Sierra Squad’ Launches on PSVR 2 & PC VR in August, Trailer Here

Smilegate announced that the Crossfire universe’s first VR game, Crossfire: Sierra Squad, is coming to PSVR 2 and SteamVR headsets next month.

Launching on August 29th, Crossfire: Sierra Squad promises both a 13-mission solo campaign and a number of co-op modes, which includes 50 squad campaign missions for both single and two-player co-op, and a Horde Mode for up to four-player co-op.

The studio says there are 39 types of weapons at your disposal, including pistols, rifles, grenades and sniper rifles—more than enough ways to dispatch the game’s 17 different types of enemies.

Here’s how Smilegate describes the action:

In Crossfire: Sierra Squad, you are the leader of an elite paramilitary fireteam within the Global Risk organization. As the story narrative will explain to you in-game, during your mission you will unexpectedly tangle with the rival Black List organization and find out that there is something very big at play which calls for your expertise. Battle a variety of crafty enemies in a relentless search for the truth, and prove why you were selected as the intrepid leader of the most feared special unit in existence – Sierra Squad.

You can now wishlist Crossfire: Siera Squad on PSVR 2 and Steam. When the game launches next month, it will be priced at $30.

‘Among Us VR’ Gets New Polus Point Map, Trailer Here

Among Us VR (2022), the standalone VR version of the hit party game, just got a new map called Polus Point.

Just in time for mass heat waves comes Polus Point, a decidedly chilly (and sometimes hot) addition to Among Us VR.

The studios say the new map includes over 50% more tasks, including a contraption called ‘THE CLAW’, nine new rooms for hidden objects, new kill and ejection animations, and snowstorms. And lava?

Among Us VR is also getting exclusive hat releases, with five free hats launching with the Polus Point map alongside a new ‘Polus Point Picks’ hat pack DLC, which contains five paid hats.

You’ll find the new map on all supported platforms, including Quest 2 and SteamVR headsets.

There’s no word yet on when to expect the PSVR 2 version of the game, with creators Innersloth and Schell Games staying mum on the subject for now.

VR Education App ‘Human Anatomy’ Now Available on PSVR 2

The PlayStation Store has a growing number of games built specifically (or optimized) for PSVR 2, although there aren’t a ton of educational apps yet that you might use to get a better understanding of complex subjects like the human body. Now the creators of Human Anatomy VR have released their medical educational tool on PSVR 2.

Initially released on the original PSVR and Quest 2, the PSVR 2 app includes both high school and University-level content. High school content is simplified for “anybody who is curious about the human body,” while University-level content includes detailed 3D models and info that developers Virtual Medicine say “matches the needs of a medical doctor or a medical student who needs to prepare for their anatomical exams.”

Human Anatomy VR includes 15 body systems with more than 13,000 realistic anatomical structures designed by medical professionals, the studio says. This includes bone mapping with 5,000 bone features organized into parts, surfaces, borders, and landmarks. You’ll also be able to handle 21 microanatomy models, and see over 500 movement animations in action.

“It is perfect for sport, fitness & workout enthusiasts, science enthusiasts, high school students, medical and nursing students, universities, libraries and health practitioners,” Virtual Medicine says in the app’s description. “Feature rich content is delivered in a deeply engaging experience with excellent graphics, innovative presentation, and visual delivery.”

You can find Human Anatomy VR on PSVR 2 today, priced at $30. You can also find it on Quest 2 via App Lab as a free trial, and on the original PSVR for $10.

Meta’s New Demo App is Like ‘Beat Saber’ for Hand-tracking

Meta’s hand-tracking has improved by leaps and bounds since we first saw it on the original Quest in 2019, but as Apple serves up stiff competition with its upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset, Meta tossed out a new hand-tracking demo that shows off the benefits of its latest software update.

As a part of Quest’s v56 software update Meta unveiled Hand Tracking 2.2, something the company says focuses on hands responsiveness. If Meta wants to beat Apple at its own game—Vision Pro’s input relies primarily on hand-tracking—it really needs to make hand-tracking as a reliable as possible.

To boot, Meta says in a blogpost its Hand Tracking 2.2 update reduces hand-tracking latency by 40% “in typical usage” and “up to 75% during fast movement.”

To show off its latest hand-tracking improvements, Meta released a first-party app called Move Fast, which is pretty similar to the company’s own block-slashing rhythm game Beat Saber, albeit tasking you with chopping, punching, and blocking incoming objects.

With only four songs to play through however, Move Fast isn’t meant to be a full game, as Meta says it’s more for demonstration purposes so developers can see how the company’s Interaction SDK can now handle fast-action fitness types of apps.

To try it out for yourself, download Move Fast for free on Quest App Lab, which supports both Quest 2 and Quest Pro. Meanwhile, check out a brief clip of the demo in action below:

‘Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures’ Coming Soon as VR Space Sim Gets Final Teaser Trailer

It seems Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures is rounding the bend, as the promising VR cockpit adventure has released its final teaser trailer, showing off more of its madcap ship management and action-arcade combat.

In Ziggy’s Cosmic Adventures you pilot your own starship, which not only tasks you with maneuvering the craft around manually (as you do), but also keeping all of the ship’s systems in check, including shields, weapons, life support, thrusters, stabilizers—all of which are powered by a bank of constantly depleting batteries.

Meanwhile, you’re being chased through the galaxy with a little alien pal in tow, something the developers Stardust Collective say you “may or may not have stolen from the evil Empire.”

There’s no release date yet for the plucky ship simulator, although it now has a big ‘coming soon’ appended to both its Steam and new Quest Store pages.

In the game’s Discord, the developers say in an update that they’ve now crossed into the “hardening’ phase, saying that both features and content are now complete.

We’ll be keeping an eye on Stardust Collective’s Twitter for more info as it arrives.