A new trailer debuted for Ruinsmagus at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase today, with the VR JPRG set to arrive on Quest and PC VR later this year.
Developed by CharacterBank, the game recently found a publisher in Mastiff, who will help bring the game to audiences outside Japan. You can watch the latest trailer for the title below, which debuted today at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase.
You’ll start Ruinsmagus as a novice wizard and eventually become a “powerful, spell-wielding Magus.” The game features 26 narrative-driven “multi-stage quests,” all of which will be fully-voice acted in Japanese, featuring Naomi Ohzora, Ai Maeda, Eiji Takemoto and more. English subtitles and text will also be available, as you would expect.
As you progress through the game, you’ll be collecting keys, called the ‘Clavis Stones’, to unlock the Doorway of Truth
Here’s an overview of the narrative and lore, taken from the Oculus Blog:
In RUINSMAGUS, you will take on the role of a novice magician recruited to investigate the underground ruins beneath the lush and lively town of Grand Amnis. While deeply shrouded in mystery, it is widely known that the town’s prosperity relies on artifacts hidden deep within the ruins, protected by powerful and fearless Guardians. Faced with a daunting challenge, our brave explorers must heed the call and answer the question haunting every one of their fellow citizens: What mysteries and dangers lurk beneath the gilded streets and alleys of Grand Amnis?
Are you looking forward to Ruinsmagus? Let us know in the comments below!
Now with confirmation of a Quest release, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for an eventual PC VR release (and maybe even PSVR 2, down the line) as well, but no news on that front just yet.
[Moss: Book II] adds brilliant new gameplay mechanics that make for some innovative combat encounters, whilst puzzles prove to be a surprise highlight. More impressive, though, are some of the ways the game catches you off-guard with both the story and that series-defining bond you establish with Quill reaching new heights. But, just as with the first entry, you’re left wanting more of just about everything; its a longer game but still on the lean side, ending just as its best ideas start to get fleshed out. Greedy as it may sound, this still isn’t the sweeping epic you know this series has in it, but instead another reassuring step towards getting there.
Espire 2 is a VR stealth sequel coming to Quest 2 later this year.
The follow-up to Tripwire and Digital Lode’s Espire 1: VR Operative was announced at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase today. Espire 2 will launch in November on Quest 2 for $29.99, though no other platforms have been confirmed at this time. Check out the first trailer for the game below.
Espire 2 Announced
Espire 2 is headlined by two key features. Firstly, there’s a single-player campaign that revisits the sandbox stealth from the first entry. You once again control humanoid droids, sneaking through facilities to take down a new terrorist group. Expect the same freedom granted in the first game, allowing players to either sneak by enemies or use guns and gadgets to take them out.
This time around you’ll also be able to switch between multiple frames to access different abilities. But Espire 2 will also feature a second campaign with full co-op support that bridges the story between the two titles. The developers describe this as a “quirky” campaign, which might speak to what’s possible with the game’s sandbox stealth when experienced with two people.
We thought Espire 1 was a great stealth game with a few issues. “While a larger budget, more time, and overall more resources could have elevated Espire 1: VR Operative to the status of being a landmark VR game that pushes the boundaries and redefines the genre even further, it’s still extremely good and certainly worth playing,” we said in our 2019 review.
Whilst we don’t have confirmation of other headsets, Espire 1 did launch on both PSVR and PC VR, so hopefully we’ll see versions for those headsets in the future, too. Are you going to be picking up Espire 2? Let us know in the comments below!
Following a short stint as a Quest exclusive, Japanese VR adventure The Tale Of Onogoro is coming to PSVR and PC VR.
The news was first reported by Gematsu and announced in a stream earlier this week. No release date has been set for either new version of the game but we’re hopeful both will release this year.
The Tale Of Onogoro Coming To New Platforms
Created Last Labyrinth developer, Amata, Onogoro introduces players to Haru, a high priestess that summons you to help liberate ancient lands from enemies known as the Kami. You’ll be armed with a gun that lets you manipulate gravity and steal power from objects to use as projectile attacks on enemies. You can see the opening moments of the game in our gameplay video above.
The game cost $29.99 on Quest so expect it to go for a similar price on its new platforms. No word yet on a possible PSVR 2 release but we’ll keep our fingers crossed. Will you be trying out The Tale Of Onogoro on PSVR or PC VR? Let us know in the comments below!
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will share some “exciting news” at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase later today.
Zuckerberg teased as much on his Facebook page last night, complete with a picture of a segment the CEO is presumably filming for the show today.”Sharing some exciting news tomorrow at the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase,” Zuckerberg wrote. “Stay tuned for some new game reveals.”
Given this is a gaming showcase, it’s likely that Zuckerberg’s tease is for a piece of VR content rather than hardware or new platform features. The Showcase kicks off at 10am PT and is expected to provide updates on Among Us VR, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2, Cities VR and more. We’ll also see some reveals from the makers of Espire 1: VR Operative and Boneworks. It’s not clear if Zuckerberg is alluding to any of those previously-teased reveals or might be teasing something else.
Given Meta itself now owns five VR gaming studios — Beat Games, Sanzaru Games, Downpour Interactive, BigBox VR and Ready At Dawn — it’s possible Zuckerberg might have an update on one of those teams to share. He previously accidentally revealed that Onward 2 is in the works, for example. Or perhaps we might hear an update on one of Meta’s existing partnerships? VR versions of Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas are all planned.
Whatever it is, we’ll be sure to bring you the headlines as soon as they hit. We’ll be streaming the Showcase ourselves right here. Make sure to be back at 10am PT/1pm ET/6pm BT for all of the latest coverage.
On his LinkedIn page under experience, Shabestari lists the aforementioned games and then also lists an ‘Unannounced Title (PSVR 2)’.
Firewall: Zero Hour launched in 2018, exclusive to PSVR, and was one of the most successful and popular multiplayer titles on the platform. After Firewall, the studio released Solaris: Offworld Combat in 2021 for Quest, PSVR and PC VR titles.
It’s now been over a year since the release of Solaris. The wording on the LinkedIn page implies that the next unannounced title could be exclusive (either fully or at least at launch) to PSVR 2. Given this, could the studio be working on a sequel to Firewall as an exclusive for PSVR 2? Or if not a Firewall sequel, perhaps the title is simply a new IP for the headset, available at launch or soon after?
The follow-up to Boneworks, set to be revealed tomorrow, won’t have downgraded physics on Quest 2, its developer says.
Asked if the Boneworks physics engine might be cut back because the game is running on the standalone headset, Stress Level Zero’s Brandon J Laatsch replied: “Not at all. Quest 2 lacks the GPU power of a PC, but the CPU is pretty strong.”
Not at all. Quest 2 lacks the GPU power of a PC, but the CPU is pretty strong.
Released as a PC VR exclusive in late 2019, Boneworks set the bar for physical interaction in VR, giving every object in its world a tactile sense of weight and handling. As with other PC-to-Quest releases, it’d be easy to assume much of that complexity would need to be scaled back in the Quest version. But we’ve also seen other Quest games that are capable of handling complex physics, including multiplatform titles like The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and Gorn as well as specialized ports like Blade And Sorcery: Nomad and even more recent games like Tentacular. Certainly, there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that Quest can handle Boneworks-style gameplay.
For now, we know that Stress Level’s next game will be properly revealed during tomorrow’s Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, which kicks off at 10am PT. We’ll see around 90 seconds of the game running on PC, but it’s coming to both PC VR and Quest 2 headsets. Laatsch has also strongly suggested that the game could support PSVR 2 at some point in the future, too.
What are you hoping to see out of tomorrow’s Stress Level Zero reveal? Let us know in the comments below!
VR city building sim, Little Cities, is no longer releasing this week, but it’s still not far off.
Developed by Purple Yonder, the casual, care-free game was originally meant to launch on Quest 1 and 2 on April 21, but will now arrive three weeks later on May 12. In a statement, publisher nDreams noted that it had been working with Meta to move the date and launching in a “quieter week will give Little Cities the best chance to make the biggest impact.”
Little Cities Delayed
By ‘quieter’, the company is no doubt referring to the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, which promises to reveal new projects from the developers of Boneworks, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners and more on April 20. Not only that but the decision likely has something to do with the nearby release date of another city building sim, Cities: VR, which launches on April 28. That’s going to be showing at tomorrow’s event, too.
“This is purely a scheduling decision; Little Cities is 100% complete,” the statement concludes. “We cannot wait for you to get your hands on Purple Yonder’s charming, cozy city creator on May 12, and the husband-and-wife team is already hard at work on new, free post-launch updates. More info coming soon.”
We thought Little Cities offered a pleasant experience when we tried it earlier this month, though we also wondered if it might be able to satisfy more dedicated fans of the genre. It looks like we’ll have to wait just a little longer to answer that question.
There’s something alluring about the entire creepy feel of In Death: Unchained.
When that haunting chorus of voices starts up over the Superbright logo, the tone is set perfectly and you know you’re in for a good time.
This isn’t a new revelation for me – In Death is a game I thoroughly enjoyed back when it released for Quest, as you can read in my review – but it is a reaffirmed one. I largely put the the game down after launch, but returned this week to check out what’s been added since then, including the Siege of Heaven mode added in late 2020 and updated this week. I came away very impressed.
Siege of Heaven is a wave-based defense mode that is designed for simpler, shorter chunks of gameplay. You still get that addictive archery mechanic, but in a smaller package that does away with the macro roguelike structure from the main campaign. It’s the best parts of In Death’s gameplay, in a different format.
If you’ve played any other wave shooter, the concept is simple to grasp – you stand in one position, largely stationary, shooting down enemies before they can reach a gate or area. As waves progress, enemies get faster and numerous — let too many through, and it’s game over.
There’s now quite a number of maps available for Siege of Heaven, all based on worlds and environments from the original campaign mode. The most recent update, released this week, adds two new levels to the mode, based on the campaign world Desolation.
One of these levels is the first 360 degree level for the mode, requiring you to defend from all angles and upping the pressure, as seen in the video embedded above. While the gate-based levels are equally as fun, the pressure of the 360 degree layout feels particularly potent. The use of spatial audio on this map is also fantastic, really allowing you to pinpoint enemies locations before you can see them.
But no matter which map you play, Siege of Heaven feels like an absolutely perfect addition to Unchained’s offering on Quest. Not only does it provide an option for a quicker style of game, but it also retains all the best mechanics, just in a more accessible format. There’s still a strong sense of place – all of the environments look absolutely stunning, and the entire mood created by the set dressing and the enemies is unmatched. Everything still feels very tangible – the bow and arrow is as satisfying to use as ever, as is the giant church bell you shoot to start each wave. Enemies look just as creepy, but their attributes take on new meanings in this mode – faster enemies are more of a threat, flying enemies can be troublesome to manage, and summoners will duplicate enemies to cause extra mayhem.
Your score on each run can also be bolstered by different types of skill shots, such as long distance shots or shots you land through gaps in the environment. Every enemy can also be taken down with one single, well-placed headshot, which adds fantastic depth and challenge to every moment. If you’re good enough, you can take down enemies in quick succession and build up a combo while you’re at it — landing four or five quick shots in a row has never felt better.
This recent update also adds in achievements for Siege of Heaven, giving players even more reason to replay runs and improve. The feeling of working toward multiple goals, be it achievements or high scores, really enriches the mode and makes it feel much more than something that was just tacked on post-launch.
Siege of Heaven is now an essential component of the In Death offering on Quest. For those that want to full roguelike experience, there’s still the campaign, but otherwise, the Siege of Heaven content takes most of what makes the campaign so fun and spins it across an equally delightful and accessible new format.
Stirling is known for her choreographed violin videos, posted mainly to YouTube, which have steadily built her a following over the last two decades. The Synth Riders music pack will feature five paid DLC tracks from across Stirling’s career, with one including a unique visual experience as well.
The five tracks are ‘Underground’ (featuring the visual experience, inspired by the music video), ‘Shatter Me (feat. Lzzy Hale)’, ‘First Light’, ‘Mirage (feat. Raja Kumari)’ and ‘Shadows’. The pack is launching across all platforms, including Meta Quest, Steam, PSVR and Viveport. Songs cost $1.99 individually or you can pick them up as a bundle with a 20% discount for $7.99 total.
The release trailer for the pack, embedded above, also features Stirling herself, playing levels featuring her music.
The Stirling music pack is the latest in a string of new content for Synth Riders, which has seen an increasing amount of high-profile collaborations, such as the Muse pack last year. No doubt the Synth Riders team are aiming to remain competitive with Beat Saber, the king of high-profile rhythm game DLC collaborations. Late last month the game added a Fall Out Boy track.
The Lindsey Stirling music pack is available now for Synth Riders on all platforms. Are you going to be trying out the pack? Let us know in the comments below.
