LOST IN SPACE
A VR battle to get home in Farpoint.
TO AIM, YOU PULL THE FAKE GUN CLOSER TO YOUR FACE. dev talk With direct one-toone tracking, you aim in Farpoint just as you would in real life. How you hold and where you point the controller are directly matched in the game. This allows you to do things in Farpoint that are not possible in a standard FPS game. It gives an unbelievable sense of presence in the virtual world. Seth Luisi Founder and designer, Impulse Gear
There are plenty of brilliant bite-size experiences on PS VR, but full-fat games are, at this point in time, at a premium. Step forward Impulse Gear, whose exciting sci-fi blaster provides a timely reminder of what your headset is capable of. The hands-on we’re getting with Farpoint’s co-op mode is an addictive score attack mode, and promises the type of experience PS VR has been crying out for.
The newly announced multiplayer lets you and a mate take on waves of alien spiders, killer robots, and other threats while trying to rack up a high score. The more enemies you kill, the higher your score multiplier goes, but taking damage or not blasting quickly enough sees your ticket to the big scores shrink.
With this in mind, we and our partner charge into battle on an unknown planet. It could double for Mars thanks to the red dust that covers the terrain, but we’re paying more attention to the faceful of projectiles flying in our direction. Time to turn tail and take cover behind some fortunately placed rocks. Using the specifically designed rifle-shaped PS VR aim controller is an intuitive doddle. To aim down the sights, you simply pull the fake gun closer to your face. To move in the environment, a thumbstick rests near the business end of the makeshift weapon, and it’s no strain to use. This peripheral is an expertly designed piece of equipment that lands on the right side of weighty.
It’s not just the controller that makes this one of the most immersive experiences in VR. Want to take cover? Squat down. Impulse Gear co-founder Randy Nolta explains, “It’s been a challenge, but we’ve been able to replicate a lot of what your body is doing in the real world, and you’ll see your character doing it as well in the game.”
STARSHIP TROOPERS
The good news is the action is as impressive as the tech. A shooter lives and dies on its weaponry, and the rifle and shotgun pack a real punch, with aiming as smooth as your arm movement. There’s also a good variety of enemy tactics that keeps the action flowing. While
spiders try to rush you, snipers in the distance will pin you down, which makes our hands-on an enjoyably chatty affair as we bark instructions about which threat to focus on.
On top of the four co-op maps at launch, there’s a single-player campaign that promises a heavier narrative focus, catering to fans who don’t fancy hopping into shootouts with a mate.
This doesn’t seem like the usual proof-of-concept VR experience, but a giddy sci-fi blaster that just happens to be in VR. According to Nolta, the developer wants to make “games which shooter fans would appreciate as games, and not think of them as pulling away from something they would expect from the genre.” It’s making a strong start. The PS VR coverage continues on p88 with our Starblood Arena review.