Heavy Metal Rhythm Shooter ‘Metal: Hellsinger’ is Coming to Major VR Headsets This Year

Popular rhythm shooter Metal: Hellsinger (2022) is getting a VR version, bringing its frenetic action and metal-heavy soundtrack to all major VR headsets this year.

Games publisher Funcom and original developer The Outsiders announced that Metal: Hellsinger VR is being developed from the ground-up in collaboration with Lab42 Games, a Sumo Digital studio since 2020.

While a VR version has been a fan request for a while now, the game has now been confirmed to launch sometime this year on Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2 and SteamVR headsets.

Image courtesy Funcom

Metal: Hellsinger VR is said to include the game’s original soundtrack, featuring artists such as Serj Tankian (System of a Down), Matt Heafy (Trivium), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), and more.

In addition to the usual array of weapons and demon baddies, the VR version will also lets you dual-wield pistols independently, reload manually, and slay to the beat with your blade, which the studios say will include room-scale play and stick-based standing and seated locomotion.

We’re hoping to hear about how it’s being brought to VR, as the original game (rated ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ on Steam) offers up frenetic run and gun-style gameplay that is all about jumping impossible heights and blasting away at giant demons, which could be intense if ported directly without consideration for motion sickness.

Check out the trailer below:

The post Heavy Metal Rhythm Shooter ‘Metal: Hellsinger’ is Coming to Major VR Headsets This Year appeared first on Road to VR.

The Sequel to One of Quest’s Best-rated Games is Now Available, Trailer Here

SWARM (2021), the high-flying arcade shooter from Greensky Games, is one of the best-rated paid games on Quest, serving up fast-paced, arcade-style grapple shooting action as you battle against the titular Swarm. Now you can get your hands on the sequel, SWARM 2 (2024).

Announced late last year, single-player game Swarm 2 brings back more electrifying action in a rogue-like shooter package, including new environments, rogue-like progression, and globally competitive leaderboards.

In it, you play as Marv, the last surviving ‘grapple commando’, who uses their trusty pistol and grappling hook to battle back the Swarm and save Earth. Following the original Swarm, which is historically one of the best-rated Quest games by user reviews, you basically swing around like Spider-Man and blast away at Galaga (1981) style mini-baddies as well as a host of giant bosses.

Greensky Games says every mission “brings unexpected challenges as you navigate through the neon-lit ruins of Earth, now a constantly changing battleground. Each encounter with the Swarm is a unique experience, with tactics and strategies evolving to match your growing skills.”

Swarm 2 is now available across Quest 2/3/Pro and Pico headsets, priced at $25. The studio says a port for SteamVR headsets is currently on the roadmap. If you’re looking to train up before hitting the Swarm with all you’ve got, check out the game’s training guide for tips and tricks.

The post The Sequel to One of Quest’s Best-rated Games is Now Available, Trailer Here appeared first on Road to VR.

Fast Travel Games Teases Mysterious VR Multiplayer, Full Reveal Coming in September

Fast Travel Games teased a mysterious new multiplayer title today that the VR studio and publisher says we’re due to learn more about sometime next month.

The studio tweeted out a short teaser with a cryptic message, which reads: “The [redacted] have frozen time. I don’t know how it’s even possible. We need to work together to [redacted].”

Fast Travel, which is known for developing Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, Apex Construct and The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, has also become a prolific publisher of VR games, with titles under its wing including Broken Edge, Cities VR, Guardian’s Frontline, We Are One, and Virtuoso.

The short teaser says it’s coming from Fast Travel Games without mentioning any other studio though. Much like the studio’s upcoming single-player RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice, it could be the product of in-house development.

Promising a September reveal, the most logical date could be Meta Connect, which is starting September 27th. There, we’re sure to get an info dump of Quest 3 games, release dates, and everything under the sun about Meta’s next big consumer headset release.

In the meantime, we’ll have our eyes peeled on Fast Travel’s social channels for any clues as to what the mysterious multiplayer game may hold.

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.

One of PC’s Greatest VR Games Since ‘Half-Life: Alyx’ is Coming to PSVR 2 Later This Year

Vertigo 2 (2023), the critically acclaimed shooter adventure, is officially on its way to PSVR 2.

Perp Games announced during its VR Summer Showcase that it’s partnered with developer Zach Tsiakalis-Brown of Zulubo Productions to bring the Half-Life-style sci-fi shooter to PSVR 2. Both a digital and physical release is said to arrive sometime “later this year.”

Launched on PC VR in March, Vertigo 2 returns you to the universe’s robot and alien-infested science facility, serving up some very VR-native design alongside its patently funny and quirky cast of characters. We liked the game so much we gave it a rare [9.5/10] in our review on PC.

Vertigo 2 is also getting a free update this year that will bring an in-VR level editor so you can create your own adventures and share them.

Additionally, it’s set to include three new playable characters that unlock upon completion of the game, all of which come with unique abilities that will change how you play.

Check out Tsiakalis-Brown’s full announcement below to see the level editor and additional characters in action:

One of PC VR’s Best-looking Games is Coming to Quest & PSVR 2 This Week

Hubris (2022), the VR shooter from Cyborn, is arguably among the most visually intense VR games out there. Now the studio is slimming it down the game to fit on PSVR 2 and the Quest platform, and it’s coming this week.

First launched on PC VR headsets in late 2022, Cyborn announced that its sci-fi shooter Hubris is launching on PSVR 2 and Quest 2/Pro on June 22nd.

When the studio first announced for PSVR 2, it said the port would bring along with it “enhanced graphics and gameplay,” including foveated rendering for sharper resolution, haptics and adaptive triggers for swimming and shooting, revamped reloading and aiming, new enemy variations, refined difficulty levels, and 3D audio.

Some of those things, namely shooting mechanics and enemy behavior, weren’t super polished when we reviewed the game on PC VR, putting it squarely in the realm of visually stunning, if not somewhat flawed. Granted, the game has seen a number of updates on PC since then, although this will likely be a first time playing the game for many, and released on the two most-popular VR platforms at the moment.

The studio says a Pico 4 port is also in the works, although we’re due to learn more about that soon.

You can wishlist the game on PSVR 2 here, and on Quest here. In the meantime, check out each platform’s trailer, each of which was captured in-headset.

Hubris: Quest 2 + 3 + Pro

Hubris: PSVR 2

‘Bulletstorm’ to Bring Skillshot Carnage in Standalone VR Version, Gameplay Trailer Here

Among Meta’s avalanche of Quest gaming news today, the company revealed that Bulletstorm, the co-op shooter first launched on flatscreen in 2011, is coming to VR for the first time.

The game is currently under development by Incuvo, known for Green Hell VR, and the game’s original developers People Can Fly.

If you haven’t played the original, or the remastered version Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition (2017) on flatscreen, Bulletstorm sets itself apart from other shooters by emphasizing skill points, which you earn by creatively dispatching the enemy.

Here’s how Incuvo describes the VR version:

Back in 2011, Bulletstorm introduced the world to the “Skillshot.” Kick an enemy into a cactus? Skillshot. Crush one under a hot dog cart? Skillshot. Grab one with your Energy Leash and fling ‘em into a burner? Definitely a skill shot. Today, People Can Fly and Incuvo (developer of Green Hell VR) announced they’re bringing Bulletstorm to the Meta Quest Store. Skillshots new and old, as well as the action-packed story—all of it recreated from the ground up to take advantage of VR.

Today’s announcement of the co-op shooter also arrived with a gameplay trailer, showing off the game’s skill-based carnage, fast-paced locomotion, and massive monsters.

It’s not clear when we’ll see Bulletstorm on Quest 2, or what other platforms it might arrive on in the future. In the meantime, take a look at the trailer below:

‘Kill It With Fire VR’ is an Arabophobe’s Worst Nightmare, Now on Quest & PC VR

While it’s not always prudent to burn down your entire house at the mere sight of an eight-legged creepy crawly, there are always exceptions, like when you squash a big ol’ spider with a frying pan and it explodes into a thousand micro-spider babies. That’s at least the premise with newly launched indie title Kill It With Fire VR.

Developed by Casey Donnellan Games and published by tinyBuild, the first-person spider-hunting game launched this week on Quest 2 and SteamVR.

It’s actually a standalone VR take on the studio’s flatscreen title, which was released in 2020 to an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ user reception on Steam.

Here’s how the studio describes the new VR version:

Take on an exterminator job to rid houses of crawling spiderlings by any means necessary. Utilize technologically advanced arachnid tracking to hunt down the pesky buggers and get ready to eliminate them once and for all.

Choose between ninja stars, TNT, picture frames, a flatscreen TV, or anything within arm’s length as long as they get the job done. Discover solutions to complex puzzles, search through the neighborhood to find better weapons, and unlock upgrades to really stick it to the man spiders.

Despite bing just as low-poly as the original flatscreen game, the new VR version offers up a sense of immersion that arachnophobes will probably want to ease into, as you track down eight different arachnid types while solving environmental puzzles, which are strewn across a procedurally generated world for a constantly different spider-hunting experience.

You can find the VR-native version on Steam and the Quest Store, priced at $15. Owners of the original flatscreen title on Steam can also get a 25% discount off the VR version.

The studio says it’s also heading to PSVR and PSVR 2 at some point later this year.

Joy Way’s New Roguelike Shooter Looks Like Spider-Man Meets ‘DOOM’, Coming to Quest May 18th

Joy Way, the studio behind STRIDE and AGAINST, revealed a new VR game which seems to combine the web-slinging action of Spider-Man with the demon-slaying melee carnage of DOOM.

Called Dead Hook, the studio calls the upcoming Quest title an “explosive mix of roguelike and shooter genre with brutal combat and captivating storytelling.”

Prior to Dead Hook, Joy Way released a game called Outlier on Steam Early Access for PC VR, which was then cancelled shortly thereafter. At the time, the studio cited “overestimated demand” as a reason for pulling the plug on the alien-centric roguelike. Joy Way says it has since reworked the mechanics, storyline, and overall gameplay of Outlier to create Dead Hook.

In Dead Hook, you take on the role of Adam Stone, a mercenary, smuggler, and thief. In it, you explore the elder planet Resaract, collect legendary weapons and customize your character with what the studio says is “100 buffs and permanent upgrades to make each run unique.”

Enemies include regular and elite elders, which try to stop you in the air and on the ground as they defend their tombs, the studio says. Joy Way also says there’s bosses too which have “multiple phases, making each encounter feel tense and exciting.”

The roguelike shooter is also set to have a story. In it, you’ll “uncover the secrets of Resaract and AI duality, facing tough choices and unexpected twists along the way,” the studio says.

Joy Way, which late last year also released two games on Quest’s App Lab—RED FLOWERS and STACK—is slated to launch Dead Hook on the main store on May 18th.

Additionally, the studio confirmed with Road to VR that it’s still actively developing RED FLOWERS and STACK.

‘Vertigo 2’ Review – One of PC’s Greatest VR Games Since ‘Half-Life: Alyx’

The long-awaited sequel to Vertigo is here, bringing with it another dose of its distinctly Half-Life-esque flair and patently strange yet captivating universe. Does Vertigo 2 outdo the original? No need to leave you in suspense since you already read the headline. Quick answer: Yes. For the long answer, read on.

Vertigo 2 Details:

Available On: SteamVR
Release Date: March 31st, 2023
Price: $30
Developer: Zach Tsiakalis-Brown
Publisher: Zulubo Productions
Reviewed On: Quest 2 via PC Link

Gameplay

Like the first in the series, you’re again tasked with linearly fighting your way home through a robot and alien-infested science facility, however the sequel puts a host of new worlds and lifeforms between you and your version of Earth. You really don’t need to play the original Vertigo though to get lost in the weird and expansive narrative of Vertigo 2, although I would suggest it—if only for natural access to the narrative and about four more hours of blasting.

Even if you played Vertigo Remastered in 2020 like me though, you may still have absolutely no idea what the hell is going on in the sequel. The franchise’s brand of absurdist sci-fi kitch gets a new layer of narrative density this time around, one that may be too thick and convoluted for most. Whether you choose to engage with it or not really doesn’t change the fact that the underlying game is undoubtedly a triumph over the original, and many other such VR shooters to boot.

I wouldn’t hesitate to call it PC VR’s best game of 2023 so far, which is doubly impressive since it was basically made by a single person, Zach Tsiakalis-Brown. Seriously, for the magnitude of the experience, Vertigo 2’s credit screen is the shortest I’ve ever seen.

Courtesy Zulubo Productions

Granted, we don’t factor in a team’s size or budget—only the end product—but it bears mentioning just the same that this game, which is so solid and clever, was built by a very (very) small team without the sort of AAA budget we’ve seen squandered on experiences half this good.

While paying tribute to some of gaming’s greats, Vertigo 2 is a VR native through and through. Its 14 collectible weapons feature unique reload mechanics, all of which were designed with VR users in mind. The user-friendly emphasis on weapons means you won’t be faffing with doing real world actions like racking gun slides or manipulating charge handles, which are better suited for realistic combat sims with a much slower pace of gameplay. It’s not long until you find out a room of weirdos will magically zap into existence, hell-bent on setting you back to the last save point; realism simply isn’t a concern here.

Reloading typically requires you to eject a spent magazine (or pod of some sort) with a controller button press, grab a fresh magazine from your left hip holster, and insert the magazine into the mag well. Usually, you’ll only have three such magazines immediately at your disposal, as automatically regenerating ammo takes time. There’s a little counter where a magazine should be.

This means that although you’ll find yourself sticking to a number of more effective weapons along your adventure, both large-scale fights and boss battles will have you relying on weaker guns like your starter pistol as you wait for your favorites to become operational. Additionally, auto-recharging ammo means you won’t need to constantly hoover up loot around the level, save the odd health syringe or bomb you’ll find stashed around periodically.

Developing the muscle memory to rapidly reload, shoot, and change to a new weapon takes time, which can definitely add in a measure of unforeseen difficulty in a fire fight. Still, the wheel-style gun inventory system is accessible enough to eventually let you build that skill and put it to good use as the mixture and number of baddies increases.

Thankfully, you can upgrade a number of guns in your arsenal, which somewhat like Half-Life: Alyx is only accessible in one-off synthesizer points that you encounter on your one-way trip through the game’s 18 chapters.

It’s a tried-and-true method of forcing you to explore levels completely, because modding stations might be underwater, in a cave passageway that leads to nowhere, or hidden behind a bunch of filing cabinets. It’s not a terribly deep upgrade system, but it’s enough to keep those starter guns relevant as you progress through the arsenal of bigger and badder weapons.

Like the first in the series, Vertigo 2 is all about big and wild boss fights, of which there are 10 new encounters. I won’t spoil any of them for you, although they’re mostly what you’d expect, i.e. bespoke battles in medium-size arenas that require you to use the environment and your most powerful weapons to your advantage. Although pretty standard fare, bosses were both distinct and varied enough to keep your interest, and have attack patterns that you’ll have to decrypt, likely after a death or two.

Courtesy Zulubo Productions

Vertigo however goes a step further by tossing in a very wide assortment of baddies that mix and match as you traverse the multiverse. What’s more, you’ll need to intimately acquant yourself with all of their weak points as you head for the game’s end, as you’ll encounter a miasma of all of the multiverse’s baddies all at once.

One thing Vertigo 2 lacks is a wide set of puzzles. The quality of the ones there is good, although I really wish there were more. Still, it’s more about shooting, bosses, enemy vairety, and a weird story, and that’s fine by me.

The game’s lengthy and frankly astoundingly varied campaign took me around 10 hours to complete on the normal difficulty, although you could spend longer exploring every nook and cranny for weapon upgrades and easter eggs, or with a higher difficulty so enemies are more difficult to defeat.

Immersion

The game’s infectious cartoon style is back on display, this time offering up much more fine-tuned environments that are massive in size and variability. While humanoid character models are a little stiff (and maybe overly avatar-y), enemy models and animations are all really well done, which accounts for 99 percent of your encounters anyway.

Courtesy Zulubo Productions

Outside of its excellent, sweeping musical score, one of my favorite bits about Vertigo 2 is the constant change in player expectations.

Once you think you know what the deal is with Vertigo 2, you’ll find an alien trying to rent you a boat, or a war between robots where you have to choose sides, and an interdimensional space opera that gets thicc. Level design slowly becomes equally unpredictable, as you’ll be whisked away at any moment to a new world, a new mission, and ultimately a new revelation about why you’re stuck in such an odd universe. It’s all stupid wacky, and I love it.

You may find yourself challenged with having to ostensibly sweep out a five-floor facility looking for a single puzzle piece, but have the mission completely changed halfway through. In another instance, you scurry up to what must be another boss battle, only to find the thing eaten by something much larger and terrifying. And it does it all without ever breaking the fourth wall. Your mission might be straight forward, or it might be completely derailed at any moment.

Meanwhile, Vertigo 2 unabashedly pays tribute to the Half-Life series, and many others in the process. You’ll find VR-ified health regen stations throughout most of the science-y levels mixed in with mobile versions of the wall-mounted syringes—definitely Half-Life inspired. Stick it in your arm, juice up, and keep going. You’ll immediately attune yourself to its audible beep too.

That said, character voiceovers range from professional to mediocre, which means you’ll probably need the subtitles on at all times so you don’t miss a word. Unfortunately, I found this out after the first cutscene which definitely required subtitles to be anywhere near understandable, since it’s between an alien with a thick Spanish accent and another one with its own Yoda-esque idiolect.

As a side note, the game also includes a number of recording options for when you want to capture in-game video, including a third-person view and smoothed first-person view for a more polished and stabile capture. Basically, all VR games should have those options considering how useful they are to recording in-game footage and screenshots. There’s even a smartphone that is basically just hotkeyed to Steam’s F12 screengrab function, making in-game shots in VR so much easier. Here’s my Insta-friendly selfie, starter pistol in hand.

Image captured by Road to VR

Comfort

Vertigo 2 is a big and varied place, and it includes a number of things you should look out for if you’re sensitive to VR-induced motion sickness. Seasoned VR users and people not adversely affected by artificial locomotion shouldn’t have a problem playing through some of the most challenging bits from a comfort standpoint, as there are periodic bits of forced movement that may or may not jibe with your comfort level.

You’ll be forced to spring through the air on jumping pads, go on fast-moving vehicles that aren’t controlled by the player character, and strafe around at a near constant whilst shooting, which introduces lateral movement that some might feel uncomfortable with.

The game does however make full use of a hybrid locomotion system, which includes smooth locomotion and teleportation presented as viable movement options during gameplay. Provided you don’t want to use teleportation, users can also toggle a jump button in the menu settings, although this is not advisable if you’re at all sensitive.

Vertigo 2′ Comfort Settings – April 5th, 2023

Turning
Artificial turning
Snap-turn ✔
Quick-turn ✖
Smooth-turn ✔
Movement
Artificial movement
Teleport-move ✔
Dash-move ✖
Smooth-move ✔
Blinders ✔
Head-based ✔
Controller-based ✔
Swappable movement hand ✖
Posture
Standing mode ✔
Seated mode ✔
Artificial crouch ✔
Real crouch ✔
Accessibility
Subtitles Yes
Languages English
Dialogue audio Yes
Languages English
Adjustable difficulty ✔
Two hands required ✔
Real crouch required ✖
Hearing required ✖
Adjustable player height ✔