Gamescom 2018 has now been and gone, offering European gamers the chance to get their hands on the very latest videogames ahead of launch. Of course VRFocus was there to bring you our hands-on impressions of virtual reality (VR) titles from across the globe, and we’ve now compiled a roundup of the five best on display.
First up is Konami’s remastered version of its PlayStation 2 title, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS. Traditionally 3rd-person, the VR edition includes a first-person viewpoint for the first time, where you get to jump into a giant mech cockpit, a JEHUTY for a whole new experience on PlayStation VR.
Then there’s Skyfront VR. Currently available on Steam Early Access for both HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, developer Levity Play showcased the latest build of the videogame that takes first-person shooters (FPS) skywards. Set in massive zero-gravity arenas, you have to master boosters and grappling hooks to get about as well as fighting opponents in Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch Modes.
One of the most well known VR titles made an appearance at the event, Vertigo Games’ Arizona Sunshine. This time however it wasn’t the standard home version on demonstration, rather the location-based entertainment (LBE) edition. Arizona Sunshine LB VR Edition still features everyone’s favourite undead, just this time you’re in a much larger room-scale environment with wireless headsets and an actual team. Read VRFocus’ full hands-on to find out more.
Another out-of-home experience to make VRFocus’ top five is Pillow’s Willow VR Studios’ Exodus Burned. Better known for its Gear VR title Spark of Light, the team has been working on not only a fully competitive VR experience using standalone headset HTC Vive Focus, but a full body tracking system in conjunction with VRee to compliment the experience. Check out VRFocus’hands-on of Exodus Burned for more info.
Lastly there’s Love Story from a team of South Korean students. As a complete tangent from the other titles, Love Story is an educational experience that takes viewers through the history of the country. You’ll find more information on Love Story and the rest of the titles from Gamescom 2018 in the video below. And watch out for more hands-on content from the VRFocusteam.
With the launch of Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner – MARS coming ever closer, Konami are all set to get the hype train rolling. Part of their efforts involve a giveaway where fans can enter to win some exclusive Zone of the Enders merchandise.
The Zone of the Enders 4K/VR Contest will be open to those who follow the official Konami Twitter account between 22nd – 28th August, 2018 and who retweet the competition post for a chance to win the prizes on offer.
There are three prizes available, with a total worth of almost $70 (USD). This consists of a Zone of the Enders branded PlayStation 4 controller, worth $39.99, a pair of Zone of the Enders themed socks, worth $19.99 and a Zone of the Enders lapel pin, worth $9.99.
Two winners will be chosen at random from eligible submissions. In order to enter, users will need to follow the official Konami twitter account, and Retweet the entry post, along with the hashtag #ZoneOfTheEnders. Entries must follow both the Konami Twitter account with their preference for the VR or 4K with the hashtag in order to win.
Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner – MARS is a virtual reality (VR) remastering of the second Zone of the Enders videogame, which first appeared on the PlayStation 2. The new version will allow players to climb inside the cockpit of the JEHUTY mech, and take control of its mighty firepower from an immersive, first-person perspective, unlike the usual third-person perspective used by the title.
The title has been given a graphical overhaul, but the central story, dialogue and gameplay are all intact, as confirmed by Konami representative Céline Combelles.
Winners will be drawn between 31st August, and 3rd September, 2018.
For further coverage of Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner – MARS, keep checking back with VRFocus.
With the release date for Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS due next month, Konami are getting the hype train rolling out of the station. This will be the third time that Zone of the Enders has seen a re-release, but for the first time, fans will be able to enjoy it in virtual reality (VR).
Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS has been available for Gamescom 2018 attendees to play, with both the standard and virtual reality (VR) versions available to try out. Nina Salomons of VRFocuswas lucky enough to speak with Céline Combelles, European Brand Manager at Konami Digital Entertainment about the project and what players can expect when it is released.
The title is a remastered version of the original title which was released for the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, and subsequently re-released in HD for the PlayStation 3 in 2012. This iteration will have 4K video support for users of the PlayStation 4 Pro as well as VR support.
Asked about the market demand for this VR remaster, Combelles replied: “There is definitely a strong fan following for Zone of the Enders, some people are really passionate about this game, because it is quite special in its own way.”
Moving on the speaking about the gameplay players could expect, Combelles said: “There aren’t that many games that let you pilot a giant mech and most of the ones that do exist are a little slower-paced, a little more strategic. Zone of the Enders is a fast-paced action game, a pretty unique take on the genre.”
Asked about what differences players might notice between the PlayStation 2 version and the VR version, Combelles said: “The story itself and the characters and dialogue are all intact. We’re simply bringing it to the next generation. However, this is the first time that Zone of the Enders will be on PC, so that version has been built from scratch, painstakingly rebuilding everything in the PlayStation VR version and bringing it to PC.”
Speaking about the new re-master’s visuals, Combelles said: “When you buy any version of the game, whether that is PS4 or Pc you actually can play the game very differently. If you have a PS4 Pro for instance, you will be able to see you details and new special effects, new reflections and shadows. Once you plus in a VR headset, you can jump in and be in the cockpit of the robot in a first-person perspective, compared to the third-person you would have without VR. This gives you a new view on every single scene.”
Zone of the Enders uses an Xbox or Dual Shock controller instead of motion controllers, Combelles commented: “That boiled down to a choice to reflect game design. Zone of the Enders has a lot of weapons to control and a lot of fast-paced movements. In order to allow you to deploy weapons in the game and fly around as a giant robot. So we thought that to feel the power of your weapons, we felt that the gamepad was the right option.”
Zone of the Enders is due to launch on 6th September, 2018 for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Further news on this and other upcoming VR titles will e here on VRFocus.
Konami’s virtual reality (VR) efforts have been somewhat muted thus far. Rumours of experimentation with various franchises and unofficial third-party adaptations of the likes of P.T. do not inspire confidence in the medium. So then, it’s fallen to the unlikely candidate of Zone of the Enders to properly take Konami into the world of VR for the first time.
Thankfully, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS (upside-down A included) sets the bar remarkably high for the publisher. While the retail package offers a 4K remastering of Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner, it also includes a completely new way to play the videogame. And this doesn’t just mean with a head-controlled camera or motion-control implementation, as some developers would let you believe warrants the label ‘VR’; in Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS this is genuinely playing the videogame from a brand new perspective.
While the original Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner is a third-person experience, M∀RS adapts the videogame for VR by placing the player inside of the giant mech JEHUTY’s cockpit. For the first time, Zone of the Enders can be played in first-person, and it’s one hell of a ride.
Played with a standard control pad (VRFocusexperienced the title on both PlayStation VR and HTC Vive) the input and information relay is modelled closely to that of EVE Valkyrie. The player can manoeuvre the mech they are enclosed within with both ease and grace, with a visual representation in the form of a 3D model on-screen at all times thus offering constant feedback as to the player’s orientation. Changes in speed, height and front-facing direction can be sudden and disorientating at first, but it’s only a few minutes of practice before players will be boosting and shooting their way through hordes of robotic enemies.
One of the greatest complications in adapting Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner to VR undoubtedly comes in the form of the melee combat. The transition from third- to first-person would be difficult alone, but throwing VR into the mix adds a challenge of the nth degree. Surprisingly, the title manages to break all of the rules of VR design by throwing the player about an environment at high speeds with reckless abandon and – perhaps even more shocking – commits the cardinal sin of forcefully taking control of the player’s viewpoint. Yet somehow, with a cunning use of blinkers and visual cues, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS manages to remain a comfortable VR experience.
Due for release on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality head-mounted displays (HMDs) next month, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS is promising to deliver a deep VR experience unlike anything else currently available for the medium. It’s fast-paced, challenging videogame where failure is always just a miss-timed dodge away; in that it’s exciting to see that Konami’s first attempt at a commercial VR product is a daring one.
Konami’s remaster Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars is due for launch in September but it hasn’t been seen at any major events since its initial unveiling during the Tokyo Games Show (TGS) last year. That’s going to change next month with the company confirming today that both the standard and virtual reality (VR) versions will be playable at Gamescom 2018.
The studio will have plenty of its titles available to demo including PES 2019, Hyper Sports R and Yu-Gi-Oh!, however, only Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars will feature VR, with the company saying in a statement: “Fans can expect a playable demo that showcases the game’s VR feature and more at this year’s KONAMI Gamescom booth.”
For those that haven’t been following VRFocus’ coverage of Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars, the videogame is a remastered version of the original title released for PlayStation2 in 2002 and re-released in HD for PlayStation 3 in 2012, this time with 4K graphics for PlayStation 4 Pro and full VR support.
Traditionally 3rd-person, the VR edition will include a first-person viewpoint for the first time, where you get to jump into a giant mech cockpit, a JEHUTY for a whole new experience.
Even though it is a remaster Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars will include several other modes and new features including an optional “Pro Mode” controller setup, a “Very Easy” difficulty setting, a 3D Hangar to interact with Jehuty in VR and a Cinematic Theater; after completing the videogame, unlock the ability to re-watch any story sequence with the option to view cut-scenes in full VR.
Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars will support PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive when it launches globally on 6th September 2018 for $29.99 USD/ £24.99 GBP. If you happen to live in the America’s then you’ll see it arrive a couple of days early on 4th September. The videogame is available to pre-order now on Steam. For any further updates keep reading VRFocus.
VR has a welcome habit of resurrecting the most unexpected of franchises. Gungrave is ending its 16-year hiatus later in 2018, for example, and even Double Fine’s dormant Psychonauts series found a new home inside PSVR. Perhaps even more surprising than these two, though, is the return of the Konami’s Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner, not just because of its underdog status but also thanks to its publisher’s increasing distance from the traditional gaming market. The upcoming PS4 and PC re-release is just one of four games Konami is releasing this year.
If you’re one of ZoE’s many cult followers, you should count your lucky stars that Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars even exists. Having gone hands-on with the new demo, though, it’s not hard to see why it does.
Mars lets you play through the entirety of ZoE 2 in PlayStation VR (PSVR), Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive. Doing so trades the series’ traditional third-person camera from which you pilot advanced battle suit, Jehuty, for a first-person cockpit view. It’s a logical swap though, based on the new demo, not an entirely practical one; the out-of-body experience lets you see more of the game’s expansive maps, typically infested with swarms of enemies. An automatic lock-on system also means diving into those swarms for melee attacks erratically jolts you around.
ZoE’s control scheme, meanwhile, has its own learning curve to master, with attacks assigned to one button and defined by if you’re moving and how close you are to an enemy. If you’re new to the world of ZoE, the demo’s opening moments can be unnervingly hectic.
It’s worth persevering (and, for the weak of stomach, diving into the comfort options), though, as Mars’ VR support can be tamed. Even for someone who hasn’t touched a ZoE game since 2012’s HD remasters, I managed to find my feet in the 15-minute demo and even started to enjoy the ever-strafing combat system. While cannon fodder enemies exist purely to let you live out your Gundam dreams, a mid-demo boss fight sees you picking choice moments to dash in and slash away before retreating to shoot down a sea of missiles at the last moment. It’s especially rewarding to see enemy mechs sent flying by well-timed attacks.
That new cockpit view has some nice touches, too. A small hologram of Jehuty sits to your right side, showing your movements as if you were playing from the traditional perspective. It doesn’t make up for the reduced field of view, but it does help you gather your bearings a bit. It’s a shame that many of the game’s in-cockpit cutscenes quickly revert back to a virtual screen, though Konami seems to have gone an unexpected extra step by making the traditional cutscenes 3D.
Ultimately I’d guess the VR version of Zone of the Enders 2 will go down pretty much like the traditional version; it will find its passionate fanbase in the people that gel with the series’ somewhat awkward controls and laughable dialogue, but it’s still a little too janky to gather an audience any bigger than that. When you think about it though, VR owners — and PSVR owners in particular — are willing to put up with a few hiccups if there’s an enjoyable core experience, and The Second Runner definitely offers that.
September is a long time to wait for the new PSVR-compatible Zone of the Enders 2 Remaster. Fortunately, you can get a taste of what to expect for free today. At least if you’re in Europe and Australia you can.
Konami’s upcoming Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS, the second re-release of the cult classic mech battler, just got a demo on the EU and AU PlayStation Stores. Better yet, it’s fully VR compatible, meaning you can jump into the cockpit of JEHUTY for the first time ever. You’ll get to sample some of the game’s combat as well as get to grips with the navigation controls and more. Zone of the Enders is usually played from third-person, so the VR experience promises to be quite different.
We’re not 100% sure the demo is coming to the US story today too (there’s no PlayStation Blog post for it), but pre-orders for the game have also gone live in the EU with the chance to save 10% off of the standard £24.99 price tag.
Meanwhile, on the PC side, there’s good news for Oculus Rift owners. The remaster is also on its way to Steam will full SteamVR support, and a new listing there confirms the game will have native Oculus Rift support as well as the expected HTC Vive compatibility. Again, though, there’s no sign of a demo there just yet but the page does confirm the game will cost $29.99.
Look for Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS to launch on September 4th.
Did you know Konami cult classic, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, is getting another remaster? Well it is, and it’s going to have PSVR and SteamVR support. Judging by the trailer below, that’s a very good thing.
For those that don’t know, Zone of the Enders is a mech combat series in which players pilot Jehuty, an advanced combat suit capable of flight, fire and laser sword fighting. The traditional game is played from third-person, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – MARS, VR support will give you the chance to experience the action from a cockpit view for the first time. There’s also a Very Easy difficulty being added in if you want to just blow stuff up without any worries.
Not only that, but there’s all-new content that looks like it’s designed specifically for VR. You’ll get to explore a new hangar environment where Jehuty is docked, for example, and there are 3D model viewers, because of course there is in a VR game. If you’re playing on a standard screen then you’ll also be able to enjoy the game in 4K.
The remaster is due to hit PS4 and PC on September 6th. There’s no word on native Oculus Rift support yet but, hopefully, the game will run just fine with the headset through SteamVR.
Over the last few weeks VRFocus has looked at some of the Best HTC Vive Games that have arrived over the past year as well as the Best Games You’ve Never Played. Now it’s time to look at what’s to come over the next 12 months, a brief rundown featuring some of the most interesting and exciting looking videogames developers have in the works for HTC Vive.
With the headset due to celebrate its second anniversary in a few months studios are now settling into the hardware, coming up with evermore inventive, and engrossing virtual reality (VR) experiences, and below VRFocus has picked some of the best.
Sprint Vector – Survios
First revealed during the Game Developers Conference 2017, LA-based virtual reality (VR) developer Survios took a different approach to its next title after the success of first-person shooter (FPS) Raw Data. Sprint Vectoris an obstacle course style videogame where you have to race to the end by using a system which the studio calls Fluid Locomotion, essentially swinging your arms back and forth just like you would when running.
Those interested in getting an early look at Sprint Vector ahead of launch can signup for the free beta at the Sprint Vector website. The beta is slated to start in January 2018 with an official release still to be confirmed.
The American Dream – Samurai Punk
Samurai Punk, the studio behind the popular multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS) Screencheat revealed its next project, The American Dream, at PAX West 2016. Described by the studio as a: “Look down the barrel of a future where all your everyday needs are solved with guns,” The American Dream is a satirical trip through a 1950’s world’s fair.
No exact date has yet been confirmed, just that The American Dream will launch in 2018.
Vacation Simulator – Owlchemy Labs
Announced during the recent Game Awards ceremony, Vacation Simulator is the next project from Job Simulator developer Owlchemy Labs. Few details were revealed about the videogame other than a teasing trailer showcasing more fun and frolics, just this time you’re on holiday.
Vacation Simulator has been slated for release at some point in 2018.
Anamorphine – Artifact 5
Anamorphine focuses on pure environmental storytelling, with no dialogue, text, UI or action buttons to speak of. Instead, you move through the story purely through movement and sight, learning about Tyler who struggles with guilt and post-traumatic denial after his wife Elena falls victim to an accident leaving her unable to play the cello.
Fast Travel Games’ first VR title in the form of Apex Construct, a first-person shooter (FPS) set in a futuristic sci-fi world of robots. With synthetic creatures on the prowl its up to you to save the human race using your trusty bow and arrow.
The studio will be bringing Apex Construct to PlayStation VR first, followed by PC releases including HTC Vive, although dates have yet to be confirmed.
Bebylon: Battle Royale – Kite & Lightning
Kite & Lightning’s Bebylon: Battle Royale has appeared numerous times on VRFocus although the last time was way back in 2016. The videogame’s core gameplay revolves around a multiplayer combat arena where you control babies who fight it out for supremacy. There’s more to the experience than just fighting however, with the studio an entire virtual world.
It’s been a long time coming but Bebylon: Battle Royale should be appearing early 2018.
In Death – Sólfar Studios
EVEREST VR developer Sólfar Studios revealed just last month that its next VR experience would be somewhat different to the educational, mountaineering videogame. In Death is a first person shooter (FPS) with roguelike elements and a distinctly medieval flavour, with a game world that’s procedurally generated.
Currently In Death only has a release window of 2018.
Alice’s Lullaby: Albino Lullaby Episode 2 – Ape Law
Last September Ape Law announced a slight re-brand of its horror videogame Albino Lullaby, calling it Alice’s Lullaby instead. Whilst keeping the same weird and wonderful design as before, the second episode will see improvements such as player driven pacing – so no cut scenes, more objects to interact with, five new characters, and ‘Buck’s Clicker’ which bends time and space.
Ape Law has confirmed that Alice’s Lullaby will launch on22nd March 2018.
Space Junkies – Ubisoft
Continuing Ubisoft’s support of VR, the Star Trek: Bridge Crew studio announced during the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2017 a low-gravity multiplayer VR shooter called Space Junkies. Described as a fast-paced arena shooter that lets players put on jet packs to fly around destructible environments so the arena can change and react to player actions.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars – Konami Digital Entertainment
Lastly there’s Konami’s Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars, a remastered version of the original title released for PlayStation 2 in 2002 where VR players will be able to enter JEHUTY’s cockpit for some first-person combat action.
The PlayStation 4’s virtual reality (VR) platform has entered its second year of consumer availability, and with it has brought some [link to best of 2017]fantastic PlayStation VR titles throughout 2017[/link]. However, it’s time to look ahead at some of the highlights coming in 2018.The release schedule for the PlayStation VR has never looked better, with an assortment of indie and AAA videogames coming over the next six months. Both digital-only and retail packages will lead the way to further consumer adoption, and below you’ll find some of the biggest and best titles heading to PlayStation VR in 2018.
Moss – Polyarc Games
Polyarc Games’ Moss was announced at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Los Angeles, in June, and has since soared to the top of many PlayStation VR players’ ‘most wanted’ lists. The incidental detail in the animation of heroine Quill is nothing short of amazing, and the pacing between action and logic puzzle solving – at least in the early preview build of Moss – is almost pitch-perfect.
Moss is set for release on 27th February 2018, exclusively on PlayStation VR.
Blood & Truth – Sony London Studios
Blood & Truth is considered by many to be the evolution of The London Heist, which featured on PlayStation VR launch compilation, PlayStation VR Worlds. Developed by Sony London Studios, Blood & Truth places the player into the heart of London’s organised crime syndicate on a mission for revenge. There have been some misgivings about the nature of the player’s movement and the voiceover seen in the preview build of Blood & Truth, but hope remains high that Sony London Studios will deliver the deep mafia experience many PlayStation VR owners are hoping for.
Blood & Truth will launch at an unannounced date in 2018, exclusively for PlayStation VR.
The Inpatient – Supermassive Games
UK studio Supermassive Games have two announced titles coming to PlayStation VR in 2018, and while Bravo Team just missed out on making it into this feature, The Inpatient is arguably a more unique and involving experience. Continuing the trend of fleshing-out the hugely popular Until Dawn universe, The Inpatient takes place in the Sanitarium featured in the original PlayStation 4 exclusive and tasks the player with facing some odd goings on as they attempt to keep a grip on their sanity.
The Inpatient is set for release on 24th January 2018, exclusively on PlayStation VR.
Golem – Highwire Games
Having originally been announced back in 2016, Golem disappeared off the radar for some time. Re-emerging at Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) Paris Games Week press conference, Highwire Games’ VR debut shot right back to the top of the PlayStation VR’s most anticipated list. An adventure that gives the player the opportunity to explore the ruins of the Endless City, engaging in melee combat as they wield a sword and swing it as though it were a real blade; learning how to thrust, block and parry.
One for fans of the series or the videogames industry as a whole, Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is a commentary on the rivalry between videogame consoles and the hardware manufacturers behind them. While Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is in fact an ‘enhanced’ remake of Megadimension Neptunia VII, the most significant difference is the fact that players will be able to get face-to-face with several characters from the series for the first time.
Megadimension Neptunia VIIR is set to launch on 13th April 2018, exclusively for PlayStation VR.
Megalith – Disruptive Games
One of the most recently announced PlayStation VR titles, along with Blood & TruthDisruptive Games revealed Megalith at SIE’s Paris Games Week press conference. Megalith sees the player taking the role of a titan in a world with a bleak, stylised aesthetic. On a quest to become a powerful god, players will explore and destroy as they utilise powerful weapons to take out their foes.
Megalith is set to launch at a currently unspecified date in 2018, exclusively for PlayStation VR.
Star Child – Playful Corp.
Playful Corp.’s VR debut came in the form of the Oculus Rift exclusive Lucky’s Tale, a critically acclaimed platform videogame featuring a cute bouncing fox that eventually made the leap to Xbox One. This time around, Star Child presents a neon drenched science-fiction adventure for PlayStation VR. Star Child is a homage to classic side-scrolling platformers of yesteryear with the player running and jump through a world that encourages you to lean in and explore its depths with the new immersion afforded by VR technology. In a similar fashion to Paw Print Games’ Bloody Zombies, the action may be limited to a 2D plane but the player’s viewpoint is not, allowing for secrets to be discovered through observation.
Star Child is currently set to launch at an unspecified date in 2018, exclusively for PlayStation VR.
Quar: Infernal Machines – Steel Wool Studios
Aside from League of War: VR Arena and No Heroes Allowed! VR, PlayStation VR is somewhat lacking in strategy videogames. Steel Wool Studios will soon change that fact with Quar: Infernal Machines, a HTC Vive launch title that remains one of the most compelling strategy titles on the format. Players will engage in combat as they attempt to take control of the land with a variety of oddball creatures and weaponry.
Quar: Infernal Machines originally launched on HTC Vive under the guise of Quar: Battle for Gate 18, and will launch on PlayStation VR in March 2018.
The American Dream – Samurai Punk
Originally expected to launch in 2017, Samurai Punk’s The American Dream is the antithesis of the current trend for wave shooters in VR. Acting as a tongue-in-cheek examination of American gun culture – or potentially a commentary on it, should the tone be pitched correctly – The American Dream has the player using firearms to conduct even the most mundane activities. What’s better than opening a beer can with a gun? Nothing. That’s what.
The American Dream was originally intended to launch in 2017 and is currently expected to launch early in 2018 on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars – Konami Digital Entertainment
The announcement that Konami were preparing a return to the Zone of the Enders franchise came as somewhat of a shock, especially as they were developing VR compatibility as part of the package. Of course, it makes perfect sense; there are few action videogames that lend themselves to VR as well as piloting giant mechs. And while Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars looks set to be a compelling rendition of the franchise, little has yet been revealed of exactly how the videogame will play in VR.
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars is set to launch at an unspecified date in spring 2018, for PlayStation 4, Steam and PlayStation VR.
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Honourable Mention: Fallout 4 VR – Bethesda Game Studios
Fallout 4 VR is the ‘one that got away’. Bethesda Game Studios had a trio of VR launches over the holiday season, and while The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR and DOOM VFR both graced the PlayStation VR, Fallout 4 VR currently remains a HTC Vive exclusive. The suggestion is that Fallout 4 VR will eventually come to the PlayStation VR in time, but Bethesda Game Studios has offered no official word on when that might be. Fingers crossed PlayStation VR gamers don’t have to wait too long to experience the wasteland of the Commonwealth first-hand.
Thankfully, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS (upside-down A included) sets the bar remarkably high for the publisher. While the retail package offers a 4K remastering of Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner, it also includes a completely new way to play the videogame. And this doesn’t just mean with a head-controlled camera or motion-control implementation, as some developers would let you believe warrants the label ‘VR’; in Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS this is genuinely playing the videogame from a brand new perspective.
Played with a standard control pad (
Due for release on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows Mixed Reality head-mounted displays (HMDs) next month, Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner – M∀RS is promising to deliver a deep VR experience unlike anything else currently available for the medium. It’s fast-paced, challenging videogame where failure is always just a miss-timed dodge away; in that it’s exciting to see that 
