The zombie-killing cult-classic film series Zombieland doesn’t come around all that often. With ten years between the two films and a couple of video games, we might not see another film for quite a while. That’s not to say the series is totally dead, which is pretty appropriate. Zombieland: Headshot Fever is coming ’round again.

2019’s Zombieland: Double Tap had a tie-in game for Nintendo Switch, but a couple of years later, a VR game came out. Zombieland: Headshot Fever came out for Steam VR, Meta Quest, and Vive. A re-release will be coming out for PSVR 2.

After Columbo, Little Rock, Wichita, and Tallahassee accidentally rescue you, you shack up with their crew. The game is an arcade on-rails shooter full of different guns to use, wracking up the best scores you can. There is a bullet-time feature to help you score combos of the gnarliest zombie kills.

Nine months ago, the game added an Arcade Attack mode for free. When it launches on PSVR 2, Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded will likely include all the updates thus far. There are some exclusive features that will be implemented using the PSVR 2 hardware.

According to the PlayStation Store, Reloaded will have “Adaptive triggers: making every weapon feel different. Controller haptics: unique haptic feedback every time you fire a weapon. Headset rumble: feel the horde approaching in the headset. [and] Eye-tracking: supports eye-tracking for foveated rendering.”

Zombieland: Headshot Fever is available now for Steam VR, Meta Quest, and Vive. It will launch on PSVR 2 when the hardware launches, on February 22nd.

Will you be getting this for PSVR 2? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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People say that they want a really good pirate game, right? What they really want is a chance to hit the high seas. For all your water-travel and more, there is Kayak VR: Mirage. It is exactly what is sounds like; a VR game with kayaks.

It might sound like a pretty basic premise, but the detail and unique controls make Kayak VR: Mirage something worth trying out. Better Than Life Immersion Studio is giving players an opportunity to visit places they normally cannot go to through the power of virtual reality.

The trailer shows different locations, such as arctic oceans, valleys, tropical shores, and open seas. There are plenty of interesting things to see in those areas as well. You can see icebergs break apart, animals running around, birds flying overhead, and other aquatic life in the water below.

Steering the kayak appears to use fairly realistic movements. You can speed up your kayak by rowing faster. There are also races and time trials, which you can compete against friends in. You can differentiate your racer by adding a cheeky hat, like a crown or an Asian conical hat.

Kayak VR: Mirage is out now Valve Index, Vive, Meta, and Window VR. If you buy it before July 25th, you can also save 15%. The development team also has a roadmap of upcoming features you can check out.

Does Kayak VR: Mirage look like an interesting game to you? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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Have you ever imagined yourself alone in somewhere old and abandoned? Thought about the fear and paranoia setting in until you begin to realize you’re not as alone as you’d like to be. Now imagine if you couldn’t walk. ALIEN Studio’s upcoming horror game, Deadness, will fulfil these dark fears. A press release about the game details the uniqueness of ALIEN Studio’s VR horror experience. 

Deadness places players in an eerie research facility. And you aren’t alone. The dead stalk the shadowy halls of the facility, while you the player struggle to hide and survive. Furthermore, the player character is in a wheelchair. The game limits your character’s movement to just hands and head, as you must use your wheelchair to move around. All of this while you try to navigate a hyper realistic environment and avoid being eaten by the dead that hunt you. 

The press release describes the game’s unique take on VR and movement saying, “Unlike other VR games, where players suffer from motion sickness, the game has a unique mechanic where you can only move using your hands which control all the movements as you would in real life sitting on a wheelchair.” 

As of right now a release date for the game remains a mystery. ALIEN Studio’s has said that it will release this year. Additionally, the game will release on Steam VR and Vive. Are you prepared to face the dead? You cannot run, you can’t fight. Will you survive? 

SOURCE 

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VR games can offer a whole new level of immersion to gamers, but they also have the potential to go catastrophically wrong and break that immersion completely. Carbon Studio, the developers behind the upcoming Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall, have decided to delay this VR title to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Apparently, the developers received a lot of interesting feedback from players during the original Closed Beta, and they want to incorporate as many useful suggestions as possible. The result will hopefully be a VR game that stands up to the scrutiny of both hardcore VR aficionados and casual gamers alike.

If you were looking forward to getting your hands on Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall sooner rather than later, take heart. The developers have also decided to set up another Closed Beta test in late September.

The plan is to use this second Closed Beta to ensure the game meets the level of quality that fans and Carbon Studio expect from it. It will be a great opportunity to experience some of the additional planned improvements–you know, the ones that required the launch date to be set back in the first place.

Most importantly, the blocking system will be overhauled to support different combat playstyles, from stationary defence to mobile blocking. All players should soon be able to enjoy Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall’s upgraded take on intuitive weapon contact-based blocking.

There will also be a deeper character progression system added alongside additional rewards for going out of your way to explore the game’s world. On top of that, players will also be rewarded with an array of unlisted improvements, but it’s difficult to talk about those before they’re properly implemented. The second Closed Beta is currently scheduled for late September 2021, and you can find out more from the official Discord channel.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall is slated for release on VR platforms in Q4 2021.

What’s your favorite Warhammer, Age of Sigmar or 40k? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE

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One of the best games available in VR, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, is receiving a free update, Aftershocks, on September 23. The update will be available for the Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR, and PC VR headsets.

Skydance Interactive is promising that Aftershock will go above and beyond what is expected with a free update. Aftershock will add new missions, collectibles, and survival tools. It certainly sounds like plenty of content for a free update.

It sounds great and looks great too. With this announcement, Skyobound Interactive launched a trailer, which can be viewed here, and I noticed many people and zombies getting blown up with grenades. That is always a good time; I just hope I don’t mess up the throw and blow myself up instead.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners was already a dense game. It could easily last you 15+ hours which isn’t bad for a VR title since those tend to be small, bite-sized experiences. It is a good time to be able to sneak around and stab zombies in the head. As a horror fan, I also appreciate that you have to stab the zombies in the head. This is often something just tossed out in zombie games.

I welcome the excuse to jump back in and kill more zombies and humans. I will gladly kill some zombies with guns, knives, grenades, or whatever weapon I can find. The atmosphere of a ruined New Orleans is fantastic, and I don’t even need an excuse to revisit it, though I certainly welcome it.

Is Aftershocks update enough to draw you back into The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners to explore New Orleans? Is this enough to encourage you to give the game a chance? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

Source: press release

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From its earliest days, VR gaming has had its doubters, and there are still a few to this day. But VR continues to stubbornly defy them all, as its install base continues to grow and headsets like the PSVR and Oculus Quest 2 move millions of units. Sorry haters, but VR gaming is here to stay — in fact, this year has been among the best for great offerings on all VR platforms. Here are 5 of the best VR games from the first half of 2021.

5. Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife  — Released April 22 on All VR Platforms

Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, from Swedish studio Fast Travel Games, is a horror game perfectly suited to VR. You play a recently-deceased spirit who must float, disembodied, through a huge creepy mansion in order to find out why and how you died. Unlike many other horror games, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife doesn’t lean heavily on jump scares; instead, it makes masterful use of loneliness, eerie silence, and unsettling scenes to toy with your mind and instill a creeping sense of dread rather than any cheap, sudden shocks. Terror hangs in the air of Barclay Manor like a fog, surrounding you and making each new room and turn of a corner a butt-clenching experience, always straddling the line between excitement and nausea. As our own Thi Chao said in her review, “Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife creates an incredibly compelling narrative with a world that compliments it fully.” And in the 360-degree environment of VR, you’ll never shake that feeling of having something behind you — because a lot of the time, there is.

4. The Climb 2 — Released March 4 on Oculus

If you are looking for a serene, relaxing experience, but you also want to feel intense fear, then The Climb 2 is a perfect VR experience for you. Yes, those two emotions might seem contradictory, but somehow developers Crytek make it work, delivering an unsettlingly-realistic climbing experience that really demonstrates the degree of immersion that VR is capable of. While its predecessor, The Climb, took place in natural environments like rock faces, this sequel places you in urban landscapes like skyscrapers — and for some reason it dramatically raises the death-defying stakes. If nothing else, The Climb 2 is a great workout as you physically reach for and grab handholds while fighting sweat and your stamina meter, doing your best not to slip and plunge to your doom. And those gorgeous hyper-realistic environments are almost a curse, tempting you to stop and look around and then get hit with immediate, vertigo-paralyzing regret once you realize how frickin’ high above the ground you are. Anyone with an Oculus — and a stainless-steel stomach — needs to check this one out.

3. Sniper Elite VR — Released July 8 on All VR Platforms

The Sniper Elite series of games is well-known for its visceral, authentic shooting, with that infamous X-Ray Kill Cam animation — a slo-mo close-up of your perfect shot sailing through the innards of your target — a thrilling if gory little visual reward that never gets old. And now, Sniper Elite VR ups the immersion to the next level, bringing you closer to the sniper’s world than ever. Using regular controllers or, better yet, a PSVR Aim controller, you’ll use your scope, hold your breath and stalk your prey in the most authentic sniper shooting experience out there, short of signing up for Special Forces in real life. In our review of Sniper Elite VR, Lou Sytsma raved that “it’s got great gameplay, excellently designed levels, and the best scope use of any game to date.” Check this one out for yourself, and you’ll see why Sniper Elite VR is a game that brings new meaning to the phrase “surgical strike.”

2. Demeo — Released May 6 on PCVR and Oculus

Demeo is, quite simply, the best recreation of a tabletop RPG board game experience you can get in VR right now. Teamed up with up to three other humans in a co-op campaign through a Dungeons & Dragons-like quest, you physically move your chosen hunter, sorcerer, assassin or guardian game pieces and play ability cards on a virtual game board. There’s even cool D&D dice that you pick up and roll! While the game itself is a bit straightforward and lacking in-depth, the real thrill of playing Demeo comes in the coordination and teamwork involved in successfully fighting through its virtual catacombs. You’ll be swarmed by all manner of trolls, spiders and other monsters in your sojourns through the sewers, but it’s a major rush when you and your team manage to work together to get through it all and defeat the final boss. And on top of all that, there’s a whole new DLC — Realm of the Rat King — that’s just been added at no extra charge.

1. Hitman 3 — Released January 20 on PSVR

Ok, admittedly Hitman 3 VR has its issues. The graphics are unimpressive, and it doesn’t incorporate motion controls very well. But those limitations can partly be attributed to the weakness of the PSVR, to which it is an exclusive and which is a VR system that’s starting to show its hardware limitations. But still, even with those complaints, Hitman 3 VR is an amazing VR title that you need to experience. It faithfully brings all of the content of the base Hitman 3 game to your PSVR headset — that’s all of the missions, with no content removed. But that’s not all! You also get access to play the previous games in the Trilogy as well — again, all in VR. That’s astounding, and it certainly makes Hitman 3 among the most content-rich VR titles yet released. Our man Paul Sullivan called Hitman 3 “a fantastic way to spend a few dozen (or hundred) hours.” Now imagine that, but in VR, and you can see why this one is a no-brainer.

Those are the Top 5 VR Games so far in 2021, but there’s still lots of time left in the year. We’re hoping to see some more heavyweights come to VR later in the year, like After the Fall and Assassin’s Creed VR. These promising titles, plus the 5 we’ve just mentioned, show that VR gaming is as strong as ever, and it’s only getting better. How about you? What’s on your list of best VR games this year? Which ones are you looking forward to? Let us know below!

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VR has a ton of capabilities. Sure, they almost always involve shooting a laser, telepathically opening doors, swinging a virtual object, and using crude physics, but otherwise you can do almost anything. When you set that technology in the realm of cartoons, well… then really can do anything. Logic will no longer hold you back. That is what is in store for you when you pick up Sam and Max: This Time It’s Virtual, which comes out next month. It will debut on Oculus, Steam, and Vive, before coming to PSVR at a later date.

In March, developer Happy Giant released a gameplay trailer, showing us segments of how the player is going to be assisting Sam and Max in their latest case. You will be schlepping around evidence, meeting colorful characters on your investigation, firing lasers and rockets at robots, and giving chase to suspects, all while watching the antics of Sam and Max. The screenshots also indicate you will be doing other tasks as menial as making coffee and as crazy as fighting off what appears to be a hydra in the streets.

Sam and Max’s VR adventure might not be the only game in the pipeline for this franchise. Since Sam and Max Save the World was remastered, Skunkape Games has played around with the idea of remastering the two subsequent seasons in the series. Sam and Max: This Time It’s Virtual will be coming out on July 8th for Oculus Quest, SteamVR, and Viveport, and PSVR in 2022.

What are you hoping for from Sam and Max? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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HTC VIVE just announced two new VR headsets at VIVECON 2021, HTC’s global VR conference, bringing a new standard of 5K resolution and a 120-degree field of view to consumer and business virtual reality. The VIVE Pro 2 will push the boundaries of what PC VR allows in the gaming field while the VIVE Focus 3 redefines the meaning of business VR with its purpose-built All In One headset. These new pieces of gear are intended to bring VR closer to reality than ever before. This trailer for the VIVE Pro 2 provides gamers with a run-down of all the features they can expect from it, from a 5K resolution display to a 120 Hz refresh rate to 3D spatial sound, and trust us, it looks fantastic.

“At VIVECON we redefined premium VR for both businesses and consumers, with stunning 5K resolution and 120 degree field of view setting a new benchmark for PC VR and All-in-One headsets. VIVE Pro 2 delivers an amazing immersive experience, with beautifully fluid visuals, comfort, and precise tracking, for when every pixel and polygon counts,” said Graham Wheeler, HTC VIVE EMEA General Manager.

Thanks to HTC VIVE working closely with NVIDIA and AMD, VIVE Pro 2 also marks the first time Display Stream Compression has been optimized for a VR headset. This means the new headset will feature maximum visual quality and will be backwards compatible with DisplayPort 1.2, so graphics cards that supported VIVE Pro will see a benefit from leaping to VIVE Pro 2.

If the business-focused All-In-One VIVE Focus 3 caught your attention, then check these specs out. Not only is the headset designed for balanced comfort, but the display panel also uses real RGB subpixels, making fine details like writing and overall visual fidelity clearer and user interaction more natural. It’s durable, lightweight, contains contact-free speakers with a special audio privacy setting for VR meetings, and the battery pack can be changed in seconds, making it the ideal business VR headset. This trailer does an excellent job of showing off the VIVE Focus 3’s stuff.

Finally, we have VIVE Business, a complete suite of software and services meant to support businesses in their quest to get the best use out of VR. It’s scalable, secure, and ideal for adding VR tech to deployment, maintenance, remote support, training needs, and whatever else your business needs. What more could you ask for?

The VIVE Pro 2 headset-only version is now available for preorder. Current owners can upgrade during the preorder period for £659 / $749 / €739. The complete VIVE Pro 2, which includes Base Station 2.0 and VIVE Controllers, will be available starting August 4th, 2021, for £1299 / $1399 / €1399.

VIVE Focus 3 will be available on June 24th, 2021, for £1060 / $1300 / €1180. That price includes a 24-month VIVE Business Warranty and Services, but excludes VAT.

SOURCE

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A bunch of VR news has popped up in the last couple of days. The Oculus Gaming Showcase has shown off some pretty interesting games, including a deeper look at the newly announced Resident Evil 4 VR game. While there was a lot of news and announcement for upcoming games, we also got a look at new content The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners. A short gameplay trailer for the Aftershocks update was revealed with rather… explosive revelations. This will be a free content update released on all platforms next month.

The trailer for Aftershocks shows an extension to the game’s story, taking place after the main events. In Aftershocks, the player gets word of Reserve supplies being dropped. There is also a new cultish group of mask-wearing human enemies called The Reclaimed that players will encounter. We see explosive devices getting a lot of use throughout the trailer, so you can bet that this will be a popular means of combat in the new update. There are traps like propane tanks and throwable impact grenades that send humans and walkers flying through the air.

You asked and of course, we delivered. The AFTERSHOCKS hit May 20th.#AFTERSHOCKS #TWD #thewalkingdead #VR pic.twitter.com/W2uQU8kaQl

— TWD Saints & Sinners (@WalkingDeadVR) April 21, 2021

It has been almost a year since the Meatgrinder update for Saints and Sinners, so after this, we will have to wonder when the next update will be, if there will be one. The Aftershocks update will be coming to Oculus, Steam VR, PSVR, and Viveport on May 20th. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is available now for PSVR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Quest, Oculus Quest 2, Vive, and Steam VR.

Will you be trying out Aftershocks? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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Earth Day is coming up, but how are you supposed to celebrate when we’re all supposed to stay indoors? The pandemic means that large gatherings outside are frowned upon, if not outright banned, and that means the big tree-planting efforts are hard to participate in. Though let’s be honest, most of us gamers were just going to donate money from the safety of our own homes anyway. Whatever the case, Shaw chose the perfect time to unveil a new Earth Day initiative: the Tree Spree Challenge. All you have to do is plant a tree in a game of your choice, screenshot it, and post the pic on social media with #ShawTreeSpree, and the internet giant will match it with a real tree.

Gamers, this is our moment! If you’ve ever wanted to give back to the planet, prove that you’re better at planting trees than anyone else, or just an excuse to decorate your Animal Crossing island, Minecraft homes, or Stardew Valley farmsteads, now is the time to do it. Flood Twitter with the evidence. Let’s get as many trees out there as possible. Last time, the challenge ended with a total of 4,000 trees, but we think you guys can leave that number in the dust.

The event’s call to action states that: “People can post a screenshot of their in-game tree on social using the hashtag #ShawTreeSpree, and Shaw will plant a tree in real life for them, too. The initiative will run until the end of Earth Month(April 30th) and is open to any game where you can plant a tree.”

How many games can you plant trees in, we wonder? Now is an excellent time to find out.

The Shaw Tree Spree Challenge will run from April 22nd (Earth Day) to April 30th, 2021.

How many trees did you plant? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE: Press Release

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The 2009 cult classic Zombieland is hitting the video game market again. The first Zombieland game was a companion piece to the second movie. Zombieland: Double Tap – Road Trip came out on Nintendo Switch. This Spring, we may be seeing a VR game based in the world of Zombieland. XR Games has recently released a trailer for Zombieland: Headshot Fever, where you will see your favorite survivors Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock. Though the likeness of Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin are used, the characters will be voiced by soundalikes.

The movies are all about killing zombies in over the top, extreme ways and being badass while doing it. Headshot Fever is very much following that same tone as a video game. The graphical and gameplay design is very arcade-y; getting points for hits and bonuses for successive headshots. XR Games draws inspiration for the gameplay from arcade classics like Time Crisis and House of the Dead, so we appear to have an on-rails shooter on our hands. The goal is to clear the levels as fast as possible to rack up as many points as you can.

There may not be any zombie kills with a rollercoaster or monster truck, but there will be guns out the wazoo. They have all the toys you want to see, like SMGs, dual pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles; whatever your zombie killing needs. There is no official release date, but Zombieland: Headshot Fever is expected to come out in the Spring for Oculus, Vive, Steam VR, and PSVR.

Are you expecting to enjoy this Zombieland game? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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We’ve talked about this game before briefly as part of the Day of the Dev Puzzle Game Showcase, but this is our first time talking about Maskmaker specifically. Which is a real shame, because it definitely deserves its very own article. Maskmaker transports you to a VR fantasy realm, where you become the apprentice to its ‘leader’ Prospero. Players learn to craft increasingly complex magical masks, explore the world to gather rare resources, and transport themselves to different realms and possess various guardians using the masks. Sounds like quite the magical trip. If you’ve ever been curious about what the Happy Mask Salesman’s deal might be, you should check this game out.

“Our team set out to create a non-linear adventure that gives players a strong sense of presence as they explore the mysterious universe of Maskmaker,” said Balthazar Auxietre, creative director and co-founder of InnerspaceVR. “We carefully designed the game to help players feel like a real craftsman when creating these intricate masks, and experience the freedom and discovery as they traverse through unique worlds to uncover the secrets of the mask realm.”

In other words, you can expect lots of time to explore the setting and work on mastering the crafting mechanics. Wander across bridges, over snow, and through mountains without ever leaving your workshop. The power of the masks will open the world to you, so you must use them to solve the mystery of Prospero. The press release puts it like this: “Players will need to explore each world to collect rare resources, solve puzzles and develop their crafting skills to prove they are worthy of being a Maskmaker. From mask-to-mask and puzzle-to-puzzle, players will make their way through the mask realm to seek Prospero and ultimately unravel the truth behind this identity.”

If that sounds like a good time and VR doesn’t make you ill, add Maskmaker to your wishlist.

Maskmaker will be available April 20, 2021 on Oculus Rift S, Quest (via Link cable only), PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and PC VR via SteamVR.

What’s your favorite mask? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE

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Today on COG Considers, let’s talk about metafiction–or rather, metagaming. No, not that annoying tendency of people who are supposed to be roleplaying to have their character act on information the player has, but which the character has no way of knowing. I’m talking about the use of metafiction in video games. For those of you with more interesting hobbies than reading up on obscure literary concepts, metafiction is a complicated term which can be loosely defined as “fiction that is aware of its fictionality.” It’s one thing to break the fourth wall and something else entirely to make that fourth wall break plot-relevant. Many games have flirted with metafiction over the years, some more effectively than others. Meta storytelling can be used to brilliant effect in games like Undertale, make games like Disgaea 3 fun and memorable, or be used as an out when the creator has to do a soft reboot like in the Five Nights at Freddy’s games. However, it can also harm the games it seeks to elevate.

It’s easy to find an example of good meta in games right now. Undertale and Doki Doki Literature Club are the unquestioned rulers of the meta gaming scene–at least, for now. DDLC is perhaps the most obvious, as aside from the sincere first act, its entire plot revolves around Monika’s inability to accept the limitations of her fictional existence. It even forces the player to delete her character file in order to finish the game. However, this obviousness is not necessarily a good thing. For one, it effectively destroys the initial narrative of exploring the lives of three troubled girls. Sayori’s writing was strong enough that many players were genuinely disappointed when DDLC shifted into the meta narrative. The single largest con of meta, in my opinion, is that it destroys the story it grew from. There is no going back to the opening act of DDLC to try and support Sayori during her depression. That simple but heartfelt tale is dead and gone.

Undertale avoids this pitfall by conveying its meta narrative through game mechanics. Even the final boss fights lean heavily on this, breaking the rules of combat and attacking you on the menu. This creates a stressful but enthralling tone that still permits the original story to remain compelling. Yes, you know that at the end of the Pacifist run the game is flat-out addressing you, the player, but that doesn’t invalidate Frisk’s journey.  Meanwhile, Disgaea 3 takes the best of both worlds by making the entire world incredibly self-aware about the video game cliches it runs on, but having the characters still form powerful relationships with each other despite the fictional nature of their existence. In DDLC, learning that you’re a video game character is so traumatic that it can destroy you. In Disgaea 3, it’s just a fact of life, and everyone shrugs before going back to what they were doing. That casual acceptance of metafiction is both kinda disappointing and weirdly uplifting. On one hand, lost potential; on the other hand, it’s nice to see the characters just go on with their lives instead of succumbing to existential dread.

So, DDLC makes metafiction a horror story, Undertale takes a subtler, more mechanical approach, and Disgaea 3 actively incorporates not just game mechanics but the possibility of those mechanics malfunctioning into its story. Where does FNaF fit into the picture? The answer is simple: Help Wanted, the VR game which reveals that every game which came before it was fictional in-universe as well as in our world. In one fell swoop, the increasingly tangled FNaF timeline is swept away, and we have a whole new plot unfolding before us: the story of a malicious glitch, or possibly the soul of a dead serial killer, trying to upload itself into the player’s brain to escape its virtual prison. That’s right–not the player character, the player. This is why Help Wanted is where the series gets meta. It presents itself as the beta test of another fictional game, meaning that when things go wrong, you’re the one in danger.

Of course, the danger is entirely fictional, too–probably–but that doesn’t make this technique any less effective. Even if it also effectively destroys the previous games’ narrative. Sadly, that’s just a common pitfall of metafiction in general.

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Warhammer is one of those franchises you can’t forget easily. I mean, theoretically, it’s possible, but you’d have to work pretty hard at it. Between the tabletop game and its countless hoardable miniatures, mobile games, console games, even more console games–wait, there’s even one for the Switch?–you get the drill. But here’s the rub: most of that popularity is reserved for the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, that death metal-sci-fi extravaganza where everyone hates each other and no one but the space marines matters. The Warhammer Fantasy setting, now going by Warhammer Age of Sigmar, hasn’t gotten as much attention, historically speaking. That’s about to change if Carbon Studio has anything to say about it. Behold the announcement trailer for Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall.

In our expert opinion, there are only two ways to describe this trailer: ‘vaguely reminiscent of Final Fantasy VII‘ and ‘spooky.’ It’s that green lifestream-y stuff. We don’t like how it moves. And the glowy skeleton that bursts out to hiss at you certainly doesn’t help. Age of Sigmar tells the story of a world that fell to Chaos, was recreated by its greatest hero, and is now being infiltrated a second time. Tempestfall begins in the aftermath of the Necroquake, a massive catastrophe that changed the way magic itself works. Now a special team of Stormcast Eternals, those powerful warriors forged from raw magic by Sigmar himself, is about to descend into the twisted realm of Shyish to face a new threat to the Mortal Realms.

But that’s not all. Tempestfall will be a VR exclusive, which means you’re actually going to fight these foes. The press release boasts that: “coupling immersive melee combat with powerful, motion-based spellcasting, your pursuit will take you through seven-plus hours of action-packed gameplay in a world full of Warhammer lore, lurking secrets, and hidden dangers.”

You’ll be creeping through swamps and catacombs, cities and prisons, surrounded by a threat that grows stronger as you advance. What threat, exactly? We’re going to go out on a limb and say it’s probably something undead. We’re just getting that kind of skeleton vibe so far. Very seasonal. We like it. And who knows, maybe Henry Cavill will get a cameo in this game as well.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall is slated for release on VR platforms in 2021.

What’s your favorite Warhammer, Age of Sigmar or 40k? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE, SOURCE

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To quote Terry Pratchett, we’re living in interesting times right now, and sometimes it all gets to be a little much. We feel like we should be trying to put something good into the world, but in practice, nothing sounds better than sinking into a video game and forgetting that 2020 even exists. But what if you could do both at the same time? King Crow Studios is excited to present Hive Slayer, a VR throwback to classic arcade shooters, for free on Steam and itch.io for VR headsets. In exchange, they’re asking you to donate what you can to the Community Foundation for Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Relief & Recovery fund. You can donate through the Hive Slayer itch.io page or by going directly to the CFSLHRF site. Louisiana’s had an especially rough time, dealing with the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes on top of the pandemic, so anything you can give helps. Also, you get to help people while going on a trip down memory lane with nostalgic alien bug-blasting action. What’s not to love about that?

“HIVE SLAYER blends classic style with the power of VR to make you the galaxy’s deadliest defender,” boasts the press release. That sounds great, but what does it actually mean? Simple–this is a game that whole-heartedly embraces its arcade roots. An endless horde of alien bugs is descending from all directions, and you must fight them with nothing but a honeycomb-shaped shield, a plasma blaster, and all the power-ups you can shoot. Oh, and a synthesizer-heavy soundtrack taken straight from the 80’s. You’ll feel like you’re back in the arcade.

So what are you waiting for? Challenge your friends in local competition or hit the online leaderboards. Get ready to save the world, in-game and in real life.

Are you ready to blast some bugs? Let us know down in the comments, or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.

SOURCE

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Today came with some news concerning The Walking Dead: Onslaught, even more so for excited fans of the series that are VR-ready. If you have been anticipating the release of this game, the new gameplay trailer has revealed the release date. It will be coming out just before the finale of the AMC show’s current season. Since the game takes place in the gap between season 8 and 9, it won’t prep you for the show, but it will get you into the roles of some of the iconic characters.

Along with the trailer, developer Survios also released information about the pre-order and deluxe content. Pre-ordering The Walking Dead: Onslaught will get you a bunch of skins; two character skins and two weapon skins. The character skins will give you Sheriff Rick for Rick Grimes to give him the look of the early days of the show. You will also get the Hunter Daryl skin for Daryl Dixon. This shows Daryl with shorter hair and the poncho he wears in season 3. It’s kind of weird for a VR game to have different character skins since you never really see yourself, but thankfully there are also weapon skins. Carol’s knuckle knife and Michone’s katana get golden makeovers, as well.

The Deluxe Edition of the game will get you some cool exclusive weapons as well. Later in the show’s run, Rick uses a mace, likely made in the Kingdom, which players can use. Tyreese’s hammer also comes with the Deluxe Edition. Some more recognizable weapons include Negan’s iconic barbed-bat Lucille and a red machete called Mandy, which Rick uses for a while. Mandy is named after a survivor in a webseries called The Walking Dead: Red Machete. The Walking Dead: Onslaught comes out on September 29th for Oculus, Steam VR, HTC Vive, and PSVR.

Which edition catches your eye? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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One good stab deserves another. That’s the saying right? Well, The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is being received pretty well, so why not have another TWD VR game? That’s what The Walking Dead: Onslaught is, except it is set within the AMC universe that the show takes place in. Players will take on the roles of the popular characters Rick, Michone, Carol, and Daryl, and use their own signature weapons. There has been a teaser trailer out for a while, but today we get a look at the gameplay trailer.

It seems like of cinematic to be a gameplay trailer. There’s a lot of the player look at their weapons before and after striking, cool knife-flips, a lot of intentional camera-shake that a player would probably not experience when actually playing the game; stuff like that, so is it true gameplay? *shrugs* It looks pretty cool though. There is also a fair amount of VO from Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon. Norman Reedus is confirmed to be reprising his as Daryl and Rick’s voice sounds like Andrew Lincoln, so we very well may get the original actors back in these roles. The trailer shows a lot of walker-killing, in ways that are not nearly as careful as these characters normally operate, but I guess that’s okay. We also see an armored walker like the one named Winslow the Scavengers kept in their junkyard.

The trailer ends with a recreated shot of the famous image of the walkers behind the double doors with the words “Don’t Open, Dead Inside” written on it, which are also famously memed “Don’t Dead, Open Inside”. The Walking Dead: Onslaught will be coming out on September 29th for Oculus, Steam VR, Vive, and PSVR.

Will you be trying out Onslaught? Let us know in the comments below.

SOURCE

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It wouldn’t be a zombie apocalypse if you couldn’t fight endless waves of the undead. While The Walking Dead may be a drama with the backdrop of a zombie/horror world, even they have to have some good old fashion zombie-killing arcade mode. That is what The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners Meatgrinder Update is all about. Earlier this week, Skydance Interactive released a trailer for this update which puts the player in a classic horror location; a cemetery. In this cemetery, the player will have to fight off waves of walkers until they can no longer.

The trailer starts with some glimpses of the cemetery that the Meatgrinder Update will be debuting, along with the different accolades the game has received from different reviewers. The game mode, which is basically Horde Mode, is called The Trial. It is an arcade-style mode where the player will have to fight off walkers and get as many points as they can while surviving. Points are awarded for various types of damage dealt such as bow and arrow kills, melee damage, decapitation, and explosives. In this mode, all weapons will be unlocked, you would probably just have to run around and find them or perhaps get rewarded with them.

The Meatgrinder update is set to hit Oculus, Steam, and PSVR in July. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is available now on PSVR, Steam VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus right now.

Will you be trying out the Meatgrinder? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Skybound

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EA has blessed us with a boatload of data regarding Star Wars Squadrons. Along with a juicy cinematic trailer and a release date, we’ve also got some details on how the gameplay is going to feel when Squadrons actually drops this October. The game is coming to every major system, which includes VR!

A slightly longer breakdown on the official site reveals a slightly more strategic dogfight sim. Missions will be planned out in the briefing room ahead of time. Players will have the ability to divert power to various systems for maximum efficiency. You’ll also be able to modify the ships themselves in order to fly and shoot to your preference. No word on how much of this will be in both single and multiplayer, but we’ll know that soon enough.

Squadrons is coming to PC, PS4, and the  Xbox One on October 2nd, 2020. On top of all that, the game is getting full VR support for both PC and PS4. Sure, that might not seem like a big deal to most of you, but flying an X-Wing in VR is kind of the coolest thing ever? PSVR had a very short game which illustrated this point perfectly. I’m truly looking forward to more opportunities to test out this theory when the game launches this Fall. Check out that cinematic trailer below!

SOURCE

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Can you believe that June is right around the corner? A time when BBQs, camping, hanging out in the great outdoors, even spending hours in the garden, is going to be all the rage. Maybe a little less so for anyone who’s a gamer though because this, my friends, usually marks one of the biggest gaming events of the year: E3. So what better way is there to mark the fact that this year is going to be a little different than by treating yourself with some new gaming gear?  After all, you certainly deserve it after these last few months. We’ve found 10 awesome gaming accessory and gear deals that are sure to help you do exactly that. Check them all out below.

Razer Kraken Tournament Edition Gaming Headset (Multi-plat) – $73.99 ($26.00 off)

If you’re in the market for some new and improved cans, the Razer Kraken Tournament Edition might just be what you’ve been looking for. It’s a headset for those who take their gaming seriously, without being too expensive, and it works on every platform. Regardless of your color scheme, it’ll fit right in too as this headset is plain black. Jump into any game of your choice, regardless of genre, and be impressed with just how clearly you can hear every detail with these bad boys.

HyperX Cloud Mix Wired Gaming Headset + Bluetooth (Multi-plat) – $129.99 ($70.00 off)

Now while the Razer Kraken headset is great for the price, this HyperX Cloud is for those who are looking to go bigger. The HyperX Cloud offers a little more versatility, with it’s on-the-go bluetooth capability and detachable mic, for the gamers who are willing to spend a bit more. Plus, if you’re not a fan of having a wired headset, this comes with the option to go completely wireless! If you’re looking for new and improved sound for every new adventure, these will definitely do the trick.

PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller – Princess Zelda (Switch) – $39.99 ($10.00 off)

Are you looking for a new way to play your Switch? Maybe you’re looking to give those overworked joycons a bit of a break. If that’s the case and you’re a fan of the Zelda franchise, we found an awesome deal for you. PowerA’s Princess Zelda controller is exactly what you didn’t realize you needed to step your Switch game up a level or two. This wireless controller is going to bring an ease to certain games on the Switch, all while looking stylish as hell.

WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive – $64.99 ($65.00 off)

Sick of having to delete games to make room for new ones because you keep running out of room on your PS4, Xbox One, or PC? The WD 2TB Elements external hard drive is small, portable, super easy to use, and 50% off this weekend. Seriously, this is the perfect solution to all your frustrations. It’s going to be a long time before you’ll run out of space again.

Razer Orbweaver Chroma Gaming Keypad – 74.99 ($55.00 off)

For those who bounce between their console of choice and their PC, this Razer Orbweaver gaming keypad might just be the ultimate game changer. This gamepad offers up 30 mechanical keys, and an 8-way directional pad to inject some much-needed ease into MMOs and more. Customize which keys do what and boom, gone are the days of misclicks and fumbling for the right action key. If this has been on your must-buy list for a while, but was always too expensive to justify, now is the time to scoop it up.

Razer Mamba Elite Wired Gaming Mouse – $49.99 ($40.00 off)

Razer is known for their large variety of gaming accessories, specifically for the PC, and much like the Orbweaver above, this Mamba Elite mouse is definitely a banger. It’s the perfect mouse for the PC player who’s looking to dominate each and every game, regardless of genre. It’s crazy fast, ergonomically designed, and offers up tons of customizable color schemes. Honestly, what’s not to love? Did we mention that it’s currently 44% off? That’s an absolute steal.

Illuminated Charging VR Stand – $29.99 ($10.00 off)

Are you a VR lover looking for an easy way to charge your headset without a jumble of wires? Or maybe you’re just trying to find the perfect space for your VR headset to stay when it’s not being used. Whatever the reason, we’ve got just what you’re looking for. This charging VR stand is relatively compact and would look awesome on your desk or next to your console(s). It also offers 9 different color schemes to blend right in with your aesthetic. It genuinely offers the perfect blend of style and practicality and it’s just waiting to be added to your setup.

Atlantic Gaming Original Gaming Desk – $98.89 ($51.10 off)

And while we’re on the topic of organization, Atlantic’s original gaming desk might just be what you’ve been searching for if you’re in the market for a new, relatively inexpensive desk. The designer had the gamer in mind with this because there’s more than enough room for your monitor, PC (or laptop), speakers, and games. Plus, it offers up a bunch of awesome features including a built-in charging stand, game storage, controller stand, headset or VR hook and even a cup holder! Sure it’s not in stock right now, but it likely will be soon and is the perfect investment if you’re looking to upgrade your gaming setup and aren’t exactly in a huge rush.

LG 32-Inch IPS Monitor with Screen Split – $196.99 ($103.00 off)

Looking for a bigger monitor to switch up your PC gaming? What about a second monitor? Whatever the reason for wanting a 32 inch monitor, this one from LG is available at a crazy good price. With savings of over $100 it’s hard to argue that this might just be the time to buy.

Hardshell Deluxe Bag w/ Anti-theft TSA Combination Lock (Switch) – $32.98 ($67.01 off)

Surely you’ve been searching high and low for the very best Nintendo Switch carrier/case, right? If so, this hardshell deluxe bag that offers anti-theft protection is about to make all your dreams come true. Though this isn’t exactly the most compact case on the market, it offers a level of unrivaled security from theft and damage alike. This bag has enough room to fit everything from your Switch console, dock, and cables to an extra switch controller, 21 different games and more. The best part? It’s all locked behind a 4-digit combination. If you’re serious about your Switch, this case is definitely for you.

Bonus item for Funko Pop! fans:

Funko Pop! Games: Gears of War – Marcus – $5.26 ($5.73 off)

Did you end up scooping up some sweet new gear? Let us know in the comments below, or give us a shout on Facebook and Twitter. Make sure to check in again tomorrow as we have a list of the very best game deals on offer and don’t forget to share the wealth with your friends and fellow gamers out there!

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The phrase “rip and tear” is most associated with Doom, but in Gorn, you get to rip and tear with your bare, virtual hands. If you are an owner of a VR platform and have not played Gorn, you are seriously missing out. It is a physics-based gladiator arcade experience, where you slay waves and rounds of variously armoured and armed enemies. You can use weapons like swords, spears, hammers, bow and arrows, even firearms, rocks, and your bare hands if you so choose. Gorn first launched on Steam Early Access in 2017.

A few days ago, a PSVR launch trailer was released for Gorn. It shows off all the bloody carnage and weapons you can fit into a 50 second long trailer. It is also backed by a hip-hop track of a gladiator language. If you are a PSVR owner and have not seen Gorn, check out Let’s Plays of early iterations of the game by Achievement Hunter and Funhaus, and you will see what is in store for you. All the dismemberment, cleaving, and impaling you can handle awaits you.

Developed by Free Lives, Gorn is available now on Steam Early Access and is compatible with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. Starting on May 19th, Gorn will be available on PSVR as well. The PSVR version will also have a Piñata Mode where gladiators are made of paper mâché and drop candy instead of blood. You know, for the kids.

Will you be picking up Gorn? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: YouTube

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The champion of zombie entertainment The Walking Dead pioneered narrative, decision-based gameplay in mainstream games through the Telltale series. Earlier this year, it also broke into the VR scene and established itself in an overcrowded zombie VR genre with The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners for Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and HTC Vive. Now PSVR owners will be able to immerse themselves in the bloody, grimy world of The Walking Dead. A couple of days ago, a release trailer was released containing footage captured on PSVR and the many praises from various reviews.

You can buy the standard edition of The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners on the PlayStation Store for $39.99. If you want some bonus in-game items, you can also get the Tourist Edition for $49.99, which comes with the weapons The Judge, The Sheriff, and The National Guard, as well as as set of collectible voodoo dolls. One of the comments on the trailer asked for a physical edition of the game on PSVR, to which Skydance Interactive said, “We’re looking into it.” So, we may also see the Tower Edition, which is a physical collector’s edition of the game.

If you are interested or undecided about The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, you can check out our review of the game here. The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is available on Oculus Rift, SteamVR, HTC Vive, and now PSVR.

Which platform would you be most likely to get this on? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: YouTube

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Valve Software recently claimed on ResetEra that the company focus is now a level editor for Half-Life: Alyx now that the virtual reality game has shipped. Developer Jake Rodkin let fans on ResetEra know that Valve would have more to show off for Half-Life: Alyx soon, though he didn’t mention any date. The level editor will expand the replayability and longevity of Alyx just like the mods have already started to. Half-Life: Alyx is available for compatible VR units and gaming rigs now.

“It’s the team’s focus now that the game’s out. There will be more info soon but we’re working on it,” said Jake Rodkin. “Sorry I don’t have a date beyond that but I’m sure there will be more communication soon. Most of last week was spent on post-launch patching and tech support.” With more tools coming to Alyx, the already essential VR title will become more essential as developers at Valve add to the game. We’re excited to see what else Valve has in store for VR enthusiasts and Half-Life fans alike.

Valve Software has promised the addition of Source 2 tools for building new environments, with the already established Hammer level editor being upgraded with VR tools and components. This fundamental change to Source 2 tools will ensure that not only Alyx has longevity, but that Valve themselves do as well. Fans have already taken to modding the VR Half-Life game, including one mod that makes the game playable outside of VR for fans who struggle with motion sickness or gamers who don’t have a virtual reality headset yet.

Will you be messing around with the upcoming level editor for Half-Life: Alyx? Which game had the best level editor? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Gaming Bolt

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You are the last of the Giants. The last of the Goliaths. And a good one at that. The problem is, you awaken in a world where everyone views you as a big threat. So with that story setup, you are clear to rain down defensive destruction against evil hordes of humans, soldiers, witches, demons, and even sharks to boot.

Towering Over

Good Goliath (GG) is the brainchild of a bunch of ex-Sony and Disney developers who make up Knock Twice Games and their pedigree shows. GG is a delightful arcade game that is a mix of tower defense and wave shooter. The graphics of the world and characters are bright, colorful, and cartoony, and together they reinforce the mood of the game, which is: FUN! In these social distancing days, GG is the perfect family game to keep parents and children equally delighted and engaged.

There are twelve worlds all set in a medieval age of villages, castles, pirate ships, and caverns. Each environment is destructible to a degree with damage coming from any caught items you throw back at your attackers. Those items range from pitchforks, regular barrels, TNT barrels, wagon wheels, cannon balls, pirates, vikings, warriors, and, oh yeah, sharks. Each object looks crisp and clean. Plus the ones that are alive are animated too.

In fact, all the objects and environments look sharp and clean in a highly cartoonish way that eschews any sort of texturing which makes for better VR presentation. And remember, this is all done to scale. A scale appropriate to one where you are looking at the world from a giant’s perspective. Each world or level is laid out before you in 180 degrees. You can look all around you but the remaining 180 degrees of view is just visual filler — usually just water.

The Throws of Battle

The gameplay breaks down into four main components: Punching, dodging, catching, and throwing. Punching and dodging are your defensive tools while the other two are your offensive ones. Your defensive abilities are straight forward and can only be used to do as their names indicate. The catching and throwing have more variance to them. It’s here where the strategy comes into play. You can throw caught objects to knock out or damage an enemy, but the catch is you can only hit one enemy and inflict one point of damage. Some enemies need multiple hits to take them out. In those cases, and if available, there are explosive objects that are better caught and thrown back as they can inflict multiple damage points and take out multiple enemies. Such takeouts also ring up bonus attack points. In one wave of the village level, it is better to take a caught pitchfork and throw it an enemy carrying a barrel of TNT. If hit, then you can catch the TNT and use it take to out a bunch of enemies. In another level, a caught cannon ball can be used as a bowling ball to knock out a bunch of enemies very much in bowling pin style.

The game is fast-paced fun and keeps coming at you in waves. This points to both the strengths and weakness of the game. Play a couple of levels and you are sure to get arm weary.  This can be tied to two things. The first, at least on PSVR, is tracking. The throwing tracking. Catching works generally well, no doubt due to generous coding. Throwing is more finicky, and due to the limitations of the PSVR platform the game has to be played with two Move controllers which are not ideal for fast moving action, which is what you get as the game levels increase in complexity with more enemies and objects. I never became fully comfortable with the throwing mechanic. Sometimes a throw would land on target, but other times my throws fell short or went long no matter how consistently I tried to throw things.

The second fatigue inducing element is the checkpoint save system. If a level includes five waves of enemies, failure on the last one means a restart back at wave 1. It feels like an artificial element to prolong gameplay. In this day and age, saves should happen after each wave. Or an option should be available to allow a player to restart from the last successful wave.

Those two negative elements aside, the Good Goliath is a fun game that’s great for families and parties.

***PSVR review code provided by the publisher.***

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During a recent interview, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell suggested we’re nearly capable of creating a Matrix-like simulation. Apparently Half-Life: Alyx will break the mold and prove to any doubters that the franchise needed to make the jump to VR. While the Matrix is a movie and Newell reminded people of that, apparently it’s possible to create something similar to the Matrix right now and people don’t realize that. Half-Life: Alyx releases for Valve Index and other compatible VR units on March 23rd.

“We’re way closer to the Matrix than people realize,” said Gabe Newell. “It’s not gonna be The Matrix. The Matrix is a movie and it misses all the interesting, technical subtleties and just how weird the post-brain computer interface world is gonna be. But it’s gonna have a huge impact on the kinds of experiences that we can create for people.” While many people are firm believers in simulation theory, Newell seems to suggest that we could be the very people who create the simulation in a Westworld kind of way.

Gabe Newell is working on technology that allows gamers to control games using their minds and he thinks such technology is essential for the entertainment industry. “The area that I’m spending a lot of time on has been growing out of a bunch of research that occurred a while ago on brain-computer interfaces,” Newell said. “I think that that’s kind of long lead stuff, so that’s kind of the background thread that I get pulled back into when other things aren’t demanding my attention.” We’re looking forward to Half-Life 3 being hands free, with our brains doing all of the interfacing.

Are you a simulation theorist or are you with Gabe in thinking we’ll be the simulation creators? What game would you like to directly interface with using your brain? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: VG 24/7

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