I can show you the Worlds

VRChat is a very interesting place. Perhaps it's not the first thing someone thinks of when it comes to a "VR Game," as the title originally started out as a social hub. It's birthed many memes and content through its years of life on the Oculus DK1 and Steam (and 4 on Meta Quest), but it's also evolved. Thanks to the introduction of Udon, VRChat's in-house coding language, players are now able to build more complex worlds. This has led to a slew of new experiences, and most importantly, very impressive games. Here's a collection of 10 worlds that you need to see if you ever log onto VRChat.

[caption id="attachment_386986" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

10. Eccentric Rooms

Author: suzuki_i

Compatibility: PC Only

While this room is PC Only, it's a great way to start off this list. It's not a game, nor is it a hangout spot. Rather, Eccentric Rooms provides exactly what is shown in the title: a collection of rooms that bend the mind and show players what VRChat's Udon coding is capable of. Some of the highlights of the world include a room wh?ere you can walk on walls, a planetoid where gravity allows you to walk on its sur??face, a third-person VR Camera, and a Recursive room, where a small room in the middle is a mirror of that exact room, and looking out from the open ceiling reveals a larger you staring in.

This world is fun to explore on your own, but it's recommended you grab some friends (and surprise them with this world) and try out the man?y rooms available, as some of them won't make sense without other players.

[caption id="attachment_386985" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

9. Power Stars!/Power Stars 2!

Author: DSMT

Compatibility: PC & Quest

These two worlds share the same spot, as they're technically the same idea. Power Stars (and Power Stars 2) ports two levels from Super Mario 64 into VRChat using Udon. Power Stars includes Bob-Omb Battlefield, wh?ile Power Stars 2 contains Whomp's Fortress. Both worlds include every star from each level, including the 100-coin star, as well as functional cannons, boss fights, and Mario's ground pound, triple-jump, and long jump.

The world isn't co-op, so each player will have to complete each star on their own, but having everyone in the same instance will allow playe?rs to race. Completing the wo?rld will net you the wing cap in Power Stars 1, and the Owl in Power Stars 2 as a reward. Author DSMT has also listed speedrun times on Power Stars 2, so if you're a fan of speedrunning, attempt to snag a spot on the leaderboard!

[caption id="attachment_386987" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

8. Udon Sword II

Author: KOMETARO

Compatibility: PC Only

Udon Sword II brings classic dungeon crawling into VRChat, allowing four players to make their way through a dungeon, each with their own intricate classes. Players can take on Udon Sword II as a Tank, Healer, Archer, or Mo?nk, each with their own abilities. The Tank can provoke enemies to attack them, while Healers?? can cast multiple spells from their book.

It's a lengthy dungeon, and it's best if you bring along some friends ?for the quest. It's a must-visit for players who want to ta??ke on hordes of enemies with a band of adventurers.

[caption id="attachment_386988" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

7. Instagib Tournament

Author: ville672

Compatibility: PC & Quest

Instagib Tournament is exactly what it says in the title. This brings the classic action of Unreal Tournament's Instagib modifier into VRChat. Supporting up to 12 players, (or bots if you're playing solo) you'll spawn into two high-rise towers with a railgun. It's a free-for-all deathmatch where your only chance for survival ??is your quick reflexes and fast moves, as the clock ticks down and the frag limit determines the wi?nner.

Instagib Tournament also includes a double-jump modifier, so players can reall??y test out their movement abilities, as well as an announcer for when you go on a killing spree.

[caption id="attachment_386989" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

6. Scanner

Author: Trixelized

Compatibility: PC & Quest

Transitioning to a more cerebral world, Scanner allows players to team up and uncover a hidden environment using LiDAR scanners. The world is completely pitch-black, and imposs??ible to see; though, by using the LiDAR scanner, you ca??n unveil the world and explore its hidden secrets.

Multiple players can see what others have scanned, and you're able to choose how long the scan lingers before de-spawning. There are multiple hidd??en areas to explore, as the world is quite large, and while you can see through the walls, you can't pass through them. Your only means of navigation being the Scanner in your hand.

Also hidden throughout the world are floating question marks, each one?? unlocking a new theme for your scanner. With environments like a bedroom, a library, and even a graveyard hidden in the world, you'll spend a lot of time trying to find everything Scanner provides.

[caption id="attachment_386990" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

5. Super Tower Defense

Author: DragonCookie

Compatibility: PC & Quest

Super Tower Defense is a simple world, but it's a highly engaging one. Players can work together to defend their stack of hearts from the oncoming invasion of sm??all cars using powerful weaponry. Using items like a Minigun, a Rocket Catapult, or even the powerful Miracle, this simple tower defense game becomes more comp?lex as you work together to find which towers synergize as you take on the endless waves of cars.

However, even after you beat the ??game at wave 50, you can continue into an endless mode as cars become more and more powerful. Some upgrades require yo?u to sacrifice hearts in conjunction with your cash, but boast an even higher tier of power.

[caption id="attachment_386991" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

4. EvolvedAnt Arcade

Author: EvolvedAnt

Compatibility: PC & Quest

EvolvedAnt Arcade brings the delightful me?mory of arcades and indoor playpens into the VR experience. The world spans multiple sections, allowing players to explore and play to their heart's content. Sporting an indoor play space with climbable walls, a ball pit, and enough tubes to make your?? head spin, players can either explore the play space or engage in a game of tag, complete with silly chase music emanating from the person who's "It."

Also inc??luded in the world is a trampoline park, allowing players ??to bounce around and toss large billiard balls into hoops, the hoops themselves are in the same spot for everyone, so trying to score into the hoop before someone else can is a great way to challenge your friends.

Furthermore, the arcade provides multiple games for players to try. While this section of the world is the most unfinished, it does sport a functional version of Tetris (called Udontris), Flappy Bird, and Pop the Lock. With its most recent update, the arcade also introduced its own take on Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, ??allowing pla??yers to take on a custom bomb with its own manual.

Lastly, walking down the hallway (where the floor functions as a working piano) players reach the Party room, complete with a video player to upload your own tunes, and a dance floo??r for when the party really starts!

[caption id="attachment_386983" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

3. Gun Em Down VR

Author: Dinky_

Compatibility: PC & Quest

Gun Em Down VR is a high-stakes 8v8 team deathmatch game inspired by old-school World War 2 Call of Duty titles. The game sports a fully functional ??ranking system, with each level unlocking something new.

Players can save their progress by snapping a picture of the code found on the typewriter next to their loadout, allowing th?em to leave the world, and pick up right where they left off.

The title sports four weapons for the Axis and Allies teams, as well as multiple perks, and functional killstreaks like a Scout Pl??ane, a Care Package, and of course, plenty of Air Strikes.

Each weapon is manually reloaded, having players cham??ber rounds with the bolt action of their sniper, or insert the clip into their Garand, hearing the classic ping when they run out of ammo.

For players wanting a classic Call of Duty experience in VR, Gun Em Down o?ffe??rs this in spades.

[caption id="attachment_386992" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

2. Maple's Kuso House

Author: MapleJava

Compatibility: PC & Quest

Stepping away from games, Maple's Kuso House is a classic VRChat hangout world, perfect for when you're winding down ??after world hopping with friends. The world sports a cozy home, with plenty of simple trink??ets and locations to enjoy.

Inside the house, players can find a ?video player in the ?living room to play some videos or music, and the bar in the back allows players to mix together colors to make fancy drinks. Upstairs in the house, you can find a functional billiards table, supporting 1v1, or 2v2 games. Also upstairs is a bedroom with a computer, a couch, and a bathroom with a working faucet and shower head.

While the room is mostly fo?r show, the hidden harmonica behind the bedroom couch unlocks a portal in the living room to a mystical island in space, with a mirror for players who want to admire their avatars.

However, the main attraction of the world is outside. The house sits on a beach, where players can take a crack at Suikawari, or Watermelon Splitting. Out on the dock of the beach, players c?an also find four fishing rods, which can be cast into the water, and allow players to fish for some of the many creatures in the sea.

However, if you're ??unlucky (or lucky) enoug??h, you may find yourself reeling in a sandal, or even a boot!

[caption id="attachment_386982" align="alignnone" width="640"] Screenshot by Destructoid[/caption]

1. Fate of the Irbloss

Author: xCirrex

Compatibility: PC Only

The final spot on this list goes to Fate of the Irbloss. It's a fully functional co-op space adventure based on FTL: Faster than Light, Eve Online, and Freespace. Up to five players will take one of many ro?les as the crew of the rickety spaceship, The Irbloss.

Players can join in on the ship as either the Pilot, Weapons, Shields, or Hacker, each with their own duties and responsibilities. However, space isn?'t a forgiving place and plenty of people are out to blast you into stardust. As your ship is attacked by enemies, you'll need to make repairs. Whether it's fires in the hallway, breaches in the ship draining oxygen, or invaders hijacking your teleporter, you'll need to use your secondary class to determine the most effective way to solve these problems, using your blaster to dispatch the invaders, ??or using your welding gun to repair crucial parts of the ship.

Each victory nets you scrap, which you can use to upgrade your ship, increasing its evasion, its shield capacity, or the power of your hacking. You can also spend your scrap at shops as well to repair your ship, buy some new weapons, or purchase passive abilities that make your voyage easier, such as the ability to not consume missiles upon use, o??r drones to help repair your ship.

Fate of the Irbloss is the closest thing to a full game inside VRChat, complete with three? separate endings, ??which you'll have to discover yourself.

The post 10 VRChat worlds that are a must visit appeared first on Destructoid.

The Meta gets a little more expensive

The price of the Meta ??Quest 2 is ?going up next month. Today, the VR company announced the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset will get a price bump in August, tacking another $100 onto the price tag.

This will bring the Meta Quest 2 up to $399.99 for the 128 GB versio??n, and the 256 GB version up to $499.99. Refurbished units and Meta Quest 2 accessories will also see a price increase.

Meta, a.k.a. Facebook, bought Oculus in 2014 and shifted the naming convention away from Oculus and under Meta in 2021. In today's statement on the pricing change, the company acknowledges VR's momentum, but also ci?tes the cost of production as a concern??.

"At the same time, the costs to make and ship our products have been on the rise. By adjust??ing the price of Quest 2, we can continue to grow our investment in groundbreaking research and new product development that pushes the VR industry?? to new heights."

Those who pick up a Meta Quest 2 headset between August 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 will get a freebie. A copy of Beat Saber will be free to download for 14 days, after t?hey've activ?ated the headset.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTIizcuSdHg

The cost of virtual reality

This is surprising on a few levels. First, the Quest 2 has been available since 2020. A price hike without a hardware refresh is strange, to say the l??east.

But the Oculus ?Quest 2, or Meta Quest 2, has been the a??ffordable entry point to virtual reality. Its ability to run wireless or hooked up to a computer is a huge boon. And the price point made it a no-brainer for those looking to get into the technology.

It certainly ratchets up the potential appeal of other headsets. For those who already managed to grab a PlayStation 5, the PS VR2 is slowly but surely leading u?p to its eventual launch.

The post Meta Quest 2 VR headsets will get a price hike in ??August appeared first on Destructoid.

The feature we've all been waiting for

Once we got video games looking realistic in VR, the natural next step was to try and get them to start feeling realistic too. Enter mouth haptics, a project helmed by researchers Vivian Shen, Craig Shultz, and Chris Harrison at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. In short, the team created a mo?uth haptics prototype that connects directly to a VR headset so that users don't need to wear an extra peripheral.

So how exactly does it work? Well, the team mounted a "thin, compact, beam-forming array of ultrasonic transducers which focuses acoustic energy onto the mouth" on a Quest 2 VR headset. Basically, they're using vibrations through the air to make you feel it on your lips, teeth, and tongue wi?th pulses, swipes, and persistent vibrations.

The stud?y had players go through three different simulated scenarios to test out the new tech. The first was a fantasy scene where players walked through a forest infested with spiders, where they felt both webs and, you guessed it, spiders touching their mouths. If that's not? the ultimate gamer fantasy, I don't know what is.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q6dZQfV1x8

The next scenario was a school simulatio??n, where playtesters could engage in more pleasant activities like drinking from a water fountain, having a cup of coffee, or brushing their teeth. The third and final simulation is a motorcycle racing game, because everyone knows the best way to experience the thrill of riding a motorcycle is to... feel the wind on your lips? Okay, I know it's a bit silly, but they're just looking for creative ways to test out the different types of mouth haptics sensations the prototype can provide.

"Why the mouth?" you might a?sk �I know I certainly did. According to research, the mouth is second only to the fingertips in terms of which body part is sensitive to haptic feedback for VR, so it was the ne??xt body part to target for implementing this feature.

The mouth also makes sense as the next area of immersion to target because they can add it right onto the underside of the h??eadset, keeping the scale of the project smaller for now. I can imagine in the future that they'd be able to implement the fundamentals of this smaller project on a larger scale.

Then there's the question on everybody's mind: when can I use this to kiss video game characters? Hubba hubba, I gotta kiss those sweet sweet pixelated hotties. Settle down kids, we're not quite there yet. While none of the demos hav?e to do with kissing, it's only a matter of time before it's used for exactl?y that purpose. It's gotta be players' number-one request when it comes to mouth haptics for VR, I just know it �mostly because I'm included in that group.

//www.tiktok.com/@destructoid/video/709843092236144?1542?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=705278816?4067706373

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Expect new announcements and gameplay

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is hosting a Quest Gaming Showcase??. The company will debut some news about its Quest virtual reality headset, and it'll do so on April 20.

The Meta Quest Gaming Showcase, formerly the Oculus Gaming Showcase, will air on many different streaming platforms. Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, and Oculus TV will all carry the ??showcase at 10 a.m. PT on April 20.

So yes, get your 4/20 jokes out of the way now. The overlap is very fun. That being said, we could be in store for some interesting reveals. The announcement says viewers can expect new game announcements, first looks at gameplay, and updates on ga?mes coming in the next year.

For context, last Oculus Gaming Showcase was when Capcom showed more of Resident Evil 4 VR, following a reveal earlier that month. The company also showcased more about rhythm-shooter Pistol Whip, Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister, Lone Echo 2, and Star Wars: Tales From the Galaxy's Edge.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu7vJYpakPU

If you'??re a Meta Quest 2 owner, it's probably worth tuning in to see what's coming to the headset.

Virtual reality competition is looking to heat up too, as Sony has been slowly rolling out info about its upcoming headset. It showed off the headset and controller design, ditching the Move controllers for some rounded new controllers and a vented headse?t.

There are some big games coming to virtual reality, as well. Skydance confirmed a a follow-up to popular VR game The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is on the way, dubbed Chapter 2: Retribution. The new 3D remake of the classic Colossal Cave Adventure, made by Sierra On-Line founders Ken and Roberta Williams, is also headed to VR.

The post Meta is hosting? a Quest Gaming Showcase on April ??20 appeared first on Destructoid.

I just know GLaDOS would have something funny to say about this

When it comes to gaming these days, I feel like I've kind of seen it all. Any kind of crazy trick shot you can think of? Check the Call of Duty: Warzone compilations. Someone hacking into a meeting of the Italian senate and playing Final Fantasy porn? That's just the normal news cycle. Bugs that turn characters into spaghetti monsters in the middle of a dramatic cutscene? That was my day job. At this point, it doesn't feel like anything can surprise me anymore �which is why it's nice to get a reminder of how far the industry has come every once in a while. That's exactly what happened when I logged onto Reddit today and saw a post of a guy juggling through portals (a la Portal) in VR.

It's not something I've come across before, but it certainly didn't surprise me to see. The title of the post, as well as the comments, point out just how impressive this video is, and reading through them made me take pause and think a little bit more about how much gaming technology has advanced, even in the past few years. Juggling is hard enough as is, but doing it in virtual reality through a set of portals �well I imagine that took a ton of practice.

//www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/smskrn/this_guy_being_able_to_juggling_through_portal?s/

Apparently this is actually a Portal mod of Half-Life: Alyx, which also isn't surprising considering how well rec?eived that game was, especially ??????????????????????????for its physics simulation.

Once you get past the awe of this guy being able to do this without hitting his controllers together, you get to ??thinking about how complicated the whole thing is �the simulated physics of the balls that he's able to juggle in real time, the added complexity of the portals, the fact that he's able to do this all in real time with his actual hands because of the VR of it. It's a bunch of small things, but they add up into something that the earliest game developers couldn't have even dreamed of.

As tired as I am of seeing asinine ??content on the internet, sometimes it just takes something simple, like a guy juggling through portals in VR, to remind us that we have it pretty good, as far as video games are concerned.

The post This guy jugglin??g through portals in VR shows how far gaming has come appeared first on Destructoid.

A new standalone continuation of the VR zombie experience is on the way

Skydance Interactive is headed back to the realm of The Walking Dead. The team announced today that a follow-up to The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, called Chapter 2: Retribution, is in development.

The original Saints & Sinners is a VR game for PC, PlayStation, and Quest VR. It combined the zombie apocalypse with survival elements and VR action, and seemed to come together pretty well. The numbers speak for themselves, too. Skydance and Skybound Entertainment confirmed today that Saints & Sinners has surpassed $60 million in revenue since?? its launch in January 2020.

Today's confirmation is fairly straightforward. A new chapter, dubbed Chapter 2: Retribution, i?s on the way. It will be a continuation of the original game's storyline, wit?h players becoming the Tourist and fighting through what remains of New Orleans. New characters and threats both await, as do tough choices.

Chapter 2: Retribution will also be a standalone game, so those who want to jump right in won't necessarily need to pick up the first chapter of The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. No release ?window or further details just yet. Skydance says more info is on the way later this year.

//twitter.com/WalkingDeadVR/status/148??5658775973412879

"The past two years have been absolutely incredible for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, and we're grateful for the continued support from the player community who have helped make the game the success it is today," said acting head of Skydance Chris Busse. "We're excited to announce Chapter 2, and we can't wait to let pla?yers explore the new adventures that await them in the French Quarter and beyond."

It might be a bit of a mouthful, but The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners Chapter 2: Retribution seems like one for VR fans to keep an eye on. We'll learn more about what's waiting for us in the realm of the virtual ??undead later this year.

The post The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners is getting a new chapter appeared first on Destructoid.

Coming in 2022

Resident Evil 4 arrived guns blazing, and it's one of the be??st VR ports of an existing game that I've seen to date: having experienced nearly all of them. It just missing...a few things. A few big things. That changes in 2022, though. Yep, we're getting Resident Evil 4 VR Mercenaries.

Billed as a free update, Resident Evil 4 VR Mercenaries will be added to the game eventually, and on paper, it seems to be the fully-f?ledged mode from the original based on the announcement. With that in mind, Separate Ways and Assignment Ada are nowhere to be found in the reveal; so hopefully those will come eventually. No window or date was provided for the Mercenaries update, just the general year of "?2022."

The team isn't done with Resident Evil 4 VR with just the addition of Mercenaries, though, as the game is getting more quality of life upgrades next year. In a future update (this one has the distinction of "early nex?t year" instead of just 2022), it'll get "hand-based steering, improved left-handed controls, height adjustments, and an option to fine-tune the location of your chest and waist inventory slots so you can grab your grenades from a place that suits you best."

Grenade placement was a little wonky and led to a few accidents in-game where I'd drop an errant grenade, so if they're fine-tuning some of the minor issues while adding long-term replayability, this will be a no-hesi?tation recommendation. In fact, as I posited in our review, it'll be e??ven more of a system-seller.

Oculus also calls Resident Evil 4 VR "the fastest-selling app in the history of Quest," basing that number on "gross sales? since the first week of launch." It deserves it. It's fascinating to ponder what VR would have been like if it kicked off all those years ago with good ports of already-proven games, that provided a new pe?rspective for both new and old fans to experience.

The post Resident Evil 4 VR is getting Mercenaries??, is the fastest-selling game in the history of Oculus Quest appeared first on Destructoid.

Here we go again (in VR)

The world of San Andreas is going to go virtual. Today, Oculus announced that a VR version of Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is in development for the Oculus Quest 2.

We don't have much more info on what this will look like at the moment, other than that it's a project that's been "many years in the making." No date has been set yet, either. Oculus says more details are coming ?soon.

//twitter.com/oculus/status/1453775967411838976

Oculus announced a hefty amount of new games coming to its VR platform today, as part of a grander Facebook (or Meta now, I guess) Connect presentation. Vertigo Games (Arizona Sunshine, Unplugged) is working on five new games, Beat Saber is getting new music in 2022, and several other? games? are on the way for the VR headset.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas will add on to the classics-reimagined-in-VR genre that's now growing on Oculus, alongside Resident Evil 4 VR. And it does seem like a cool pitch, as playing some Grand Theft Auto in a wireless VR headset sounds like a good time.

If you don't want to wait though, new versions of Grand Theft Auto outside of VR are on the way. Rockstar recently confirmed that the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition, which brings together GTA3, Vice City, and San Andreas, is out in November.

So whether on a controller or in the virtual space, there will be plenty of ways to keep up with the train. You are keeping up with the train, right? All you have to do is follow the train!

The post Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is comi?ng to VR on Oculus Quest 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Surviving the village sequence, a funny egg toss, a run-in with a Regenerator, and more RE4 VR clips

To a certain extent, I was perfectly fine living in the land of blissful ignorance with respect to Resident Evil 4 VR. But after hearing such great things about it �and seeing it in action with clips that really show off the heightened se??nse of player freedom �I'm starting to visualize a few hundred dollars vanishing from my bank account in the ne?ar future.

First up, the iconic village. This clip from EchoSmoker captures the a?drenaline-pumping scramble of being cornered by a group with a chai??nsaw in the mix, and it's so stylish.

//www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/qdidl9/the_opening_vill?age_in_re4_is_even_more_intense/

You know I love a good RE4 egg clip, and here's another fun one:

//www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comment??s/qf18tp/vr_giving_you_the_ability_to_be_a_comedic_showoff/

It's funny that something as simple as the shooting gallery mini-game �a staple of VR gaming that has completely lost its novelty for me �still look??s entertaining here.

//www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/?qf27gs/re4_after_many_??attempts_i_got_a_perfect_score/

You know what happens when you disturb the lake. But it must be done.

//www.reddit.com/r/OculusQuest/comments/qd663r/dont_s??hoot_the??_water/

Even if you get uncomfortably close to him, the mystical merchant?? is st?oic, as always.

//www.reddit.?com/r/residentevil/comments/qe9ww3/intimate_tim?e_with_the_merchant/

As Chris mentioned in his review, the Regenerators are not to be underestimated.

//www.??reddit.com/r/residentevil/comments/qfgzvt/i_had_a_few_drinks_and_a_couple_of_hits_from_the/

Basically, all of the wacky player antics that make Resident Evil 4 such a blast to replay year after year also translate super well to VR (courtesy of developer Armature Studio).

Classic tricks like the flash grenade birdpocalypse still work, and it's fun to see them from an up-close-and-pe??rsonal perspective. I'm sure VR players will quickly figure out new tactics, too. (It's a shame Mercenaries mo?de didn't make the cut; think of that skill ceiling.)

Can I hold out for a non-Oculus Quest 2 version of Resident Evil 4 VR? I won't be shocked if it's a permanent exclusive, but I sure would be disappointed by that turn of events. Much like Half-Life: Alyx and even Resident Evil 7 before it, this game is too great to be confined anywhere �it deserves a spot in every virtual-reality ecosystem that ?can support it.

The post Resident Evil 4 VR players are sharing their best clips, and I think I need ?t??his game appeared first on Destructoid.

What're ya buyin'? This game

While Capcom may have moved on, I never stopped thinking about Resident Evil 7's VR mode. Out of the now-hundreds of VR games I've played to date across multiple devices, it was the only one where I took my headset off to take a breather. It was a rare intense experience, and I'm saddened that the powers that be decided not to repeat the experiment for Resident Evil Village.

That said, we got Resident Evil 4 VR instead, so it works out.

Resident Evil 4 (Oculus Quest 2)
Developer: Armature Studio
Publisher: Capcom, Oculus
Released: October 21, 2021
MSRP: $39.99

So at first, I kind of wrote this project off entirely. Like a lot of people, I assumed this was a classic "AAA VR adaptation" experience: akin to a cherry-picked, Chuck E. Cheese theme park port with guided experiences. Nope! It's legit the full campaign (more on that later) for Resident Evil 4. The initial panic of the raid on the small house: it's there. The village with the chainsaw dudes? It's in the game. Walking from place to place, shooting down blue medallions, fin??ding and guiding Ashley? The boss fights? The merchant? All there.

Guided by the untethered Oculus Quest 2 an?d the isolated?? spatial audio G Pro X headphones, I kicked off my adventure back into the world of Resident Evil 4, and was frankly blown away. It's very easy to understate this, but having played RE4 on every single platform since the GameCube, walking around this world in VR felt absolutely transformative. My entire strategy changed when it came to muscle memory?? and tactics I had used for nearly two decades. I know that the Oculus Quest? 2 isn't a mainstream device in many eyes, but this is a system-seller.

It's a bit silly, I know, when you really think about it. "So after all this time, all VR can muster is a port of an old game?" Well, that's only part of the story. I think if studios had focused on porting tried-and-true classics and presenting them in a completely new way, VR would have had an easier time gaining market share and selling itself to people who grew up on said classics and now have disposable income. The marketing campaign was a bit too broad at first and prohibitively expensive (as m??ost high-end sets were tied to gaming PC performance). That's changed? with the more accessible Quest 2. But let's get back to the game.

Astoundingly, Resident Evil 4 VR has the kitchen sink ?of VR comfort options. Practically every slider and consideration since the Oculus Rift consumer version 1 launched in 2016 is here in glorious fashion. You can instantly swap standing or sitting mode (the latter puts your gun and ammo holsters closer to your chest). You can use teleport movement for comfort, or utilize full analog stick 1:1 console version locomotion (and e??ven turn on/off strafing!). Players who get motion sickness can slide all sorts of knobs to account for tunneling (which makes turning and movement less immersive), you can choose a dominant hand, and so much more (there's even a boat control toggle section).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTIizcuSdHg

Perhaps the best addition is the recent trend of immersive item grabbing that's been on the rise?? in shooters in the last few years. Reaching over your top left shoulder and using the grab button will let a first aid spray pop into your hand, your left breast pocket is the knife, and the left hip is tied to ammo for reloading. Your top-right shoulder is your secondary weapon (rifle, shotgun), right breast pocket is your equipped gr?enade, and your right hip is your sidearm (usually a pistol). Or you can opt for a classic "quick menu" dial that you can bring up in-game.

Naturally I went for the former, and it was game-changing. For as much time as you spend in menus in Resident Evil 4, this version allows you to completely avoid them on a regular basis by putting just about every essential item on your person. This includes a sleek watch that provides key information (like your health meter) just by looking at your wrist. If you want, you can go into your inventory and kick it old school, by reloading as well as healing via menus. They thought of everything so that everyone, from the most stalwart fans to complete new??comers, can be happy.

As a heavy VR touch control user and veteran of Resident Evil, I feel like I trained my whole life for this. Getting into VR and replaying the base of RE4 was like riding a bike, from discerning which treasures to keep/sell to what weapons to use, to dealing with individual enemies and bosses. Yet, everything felt fresh because of the way ?VR presents everything (the QTEs are still roughly the same, with trigger pressing and waggling in tow, but are so sparing they don't ruin the game �plus there's a toggle for more comfort with them).

The first thing I noticed was that using the knife was so much easier, because it's always there on your chest. This is the sort of thing I mean when it changed up how I played Resident Evil 4, as knife runs are suddenly a more enticing prospect when you have complete control. The only hang-up is that when punching out windows (or locked cabinet doors), I wanted to physically punch them, but had to use the knife like the original. Following the rules of the original makes per??fect sense in context.

So the remake elements as a whole are very slight. Ashley takes less damage now on easy and normal, which is a change most people are not going to quarrel with. Pu??zzles, chests, and cranks are essentially the same, as you know have a VR space to work with as you move around tiles, physically press buttons, or open a handle. Again, it's genius to go with a more purist approach to this, as the VR control method is the main thing that sells itself, which works very well in tandem with the strong framework and personality-driven enviro?nments of the original.

But it was more than nostalgia driving me to keep playing on a constant basis. It's really hard to explain the feeling of looking down on the gondola area or looking up at the castle and taking it all in with a full head tracking view. Even w??ith the older visual style, they look absolutely stunning: a testament to how well the game has held up after all this time.

While Resident Evil 4 isn't strictly scary, and led the series down the path of action, it is occasionally unsettling, and definitely freaky. Imagine hearing this ominously, with spatial audio, completely isolated. Or turning around and seeing a chainsaw-wielding maniac ri??ght in your face. I'm not ashamed to admit I screamed obscenities several times (a wolf jumping right at my face after turning my head around while running forward, and the aforementioned Regenerator pop-up).

Getting stared down by a cre??ature in a hallway is much more intense. While the reaction in a prior version may have been a binary fight or flight, it's a bit more nuanced now. Sometimes I'm actually paralyzed with a decision point in real-time because of the imposing figure of a character model or the sound they make. It's the power of VR in action, and something the industry has done a really bad job on selling all these years.

After I finished normal, I unlocked the professional mode difficulty, the ability to purchase the Matilda and infinite rocket launcher items, and the first set of extra costumes (casual and police). I know what you're thinking here: there is no Assignment Ada/Separate Ways/or Mercenaries. Nor can you get, in my experien?ce, the un?lockables related to those. Ouch! I can hear the boos at the screen now.

I'm not going to lie, it's a disappointment. Resident Evil 4 has fantastic side modes, and evolved mercenaries into a fully-fledged game and mode for future iterations beyond what the series had done with it in the past. With all of the side content intact, I would have given this VR port a 10. Of note, the merchant shooting range minigame, both in-world and via menus, is still intact.

Still, you're getting the entire campaign, and that's an important thing to circle back on. You know how the Wii version came out, and pointer use changed the way you played an already fantastic game? It's like that all over again, but on a bigger scale. At this point I want all of the Resident Evil games to get this treatment. Hell, bring Dino Crisis back like this, so I can look backward and see a T-Rex running at me while hoofing it. Port Onimusha and add real-time swordplay. The s?ky is the limit!

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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'Resident Evil 4 VR' has a nice ring to it

So this one kind of snuck up on me. Resident Evil 4 VR. Remember that?! Well now I do, and I'm pretty excited for it given how great Resident Evil 7 turned out.

Oculus has officially confirmed this morning that the game is indeed ready t??o go, and will launch on October 21. Note that this title is still "exclusively on Oculus Quest 2," which is a super interesting way to go about a major VR release: but the way the industry has been heading since the tether-less wonder kind of took over in sales.

The game is being handled by Armature Studio in conjunction with Oculus Studios, which has been working on big-ticket VR games for years now. And thanks to the release date announcement, we have imminent details on how Resident Evil 4 VR will control:

"Standing or seated, players will enjoy plenty of comfort options. Support for both teleportation and room-scale movement mean you can explore the game’s world your way. You’ll still move by using the analog stick, but Armature has added a full upper-body rig on top of Leo?n’s character to combine his movement with the dual-handed interactivity achieved with Touch controllers. Weapons and items have been re-engineered as physical objects, so you can pick them up and interact with them. Lastly, rather than navigating a menu to swap out weapons, you can grab them off your body."

As long as it's done right, this is pretty exciting, and might be one of my go-to ways to play this alongside of the remaster and Resident Evil 4 on Wii. I mean, it's become Capcom's Skyrim at this point.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f5G9eYxRM4

[gallery ids="285880,285881,285882,285883,28588??4"]

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It ain't broke, but they fixed it anyway

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not great at Tetris. Tetris Effect originally drew me in as a gorgeous VR experience, but once I got started I enjoyed trying my hand at beating the solo campaign. I was a bit unsure of what to expect from the new multiplayer update, Connected (which is free if you already own the base game, by the way), but I can tell you, even for someone like me who lacks a certain skill level??, it's a blast to play.

There are four game modes in the update. The most simple of these are the Score Attack modes, of which there are two. In just plain 'ol Score Attack, you're playing head-to-head with standard Tetris Effect rules in place??, but no Line Attacks are exchanged. Whoever ??has the highest combined score after two rounds wins.

Tetris Effect: Connected (Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Oculus Quest [reviewed])
Developer: Resonair, Monstars, Stage Games
Publisher: Enhance, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Released: August 17, 2021
MSRP: $39.99

Then there's Classic Score Attack, which has the same setup, only it's old-school Tetris rules: no hard dropping, no holding, only one piece shown in the queue, etc. The regular Score Attack is a good option if you're looking for "single-player competitive Tetris," while Classic is? pretty brutal, and it's the rules player?s use at pro competitions.

Zone Battle is another fun addition to the traditional Tetris experience. It's another one-on-one format, but it also incorporates the time-stopping Zone mechanic from the single-player. If you enjoyed that part of the base game, definitely give th?is mode a shot.

For me, though, Connected Mode was the star of the show. You and two other players go up against AI bosses, and every so often, all three ?of your boards will combine into one big one, and you take turns dropping blocks, trying to clear as many lines as possible. That, in turn, deals damage to the boss.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2czq3SAbGw

If you "die" in this mode (the official term is "Tap Out," I learned recently), your teammates can revive you if they play well enough. I had to play online because unfortunately none of my friends have Tetris Effect (at least that I'm awa??re of), but I can imagine some of my buddies would love to play Connected Mode together.

There is both local and online play with friends though, in addition to the "play with strangers" thing. Tetris Effect: Connected is also cross-platform and uses a room code to get everyone hooked up, so there are plenty of options if your squad plays Tetris together for fun.

Just when you thought that's it, there's more too. That's right, there's bonus features! This includes the highly requested Spectator Mode, which allows between four and six additional players to watch from the sidelines. PAL Mode is also a new addition, which replicates the feeling of the European PAL format from the NES Tetris game, so you get a lower framerate,?? faster horizontal movement, and faster dropping speed. On the flip side, we also got a Slow Speed Mode, and that's exactly what it sounds like. Plus there are performance vs. fidelity options, so you can customize your play ex??perience exactly how you want it.

Just like other multiplayer games, Connected also has Tiers and Skill Ratings. You get an individual? SR for each mode, and then whichever Tier you're in is determined by all of those SRs combined. You win SR points if you win a game, you lose SR points if you lose. Bob's your uncle.

Match length depends on which mode you're?? in, as well as how good you are. The Zone Battle and Score Attack modes can basically go on for as long as you and your opponent can keep from "Tapping Out," but I found the Connected mode to be a bit longer. No game went on for more than maybe twenty minutes at most, though. The wait times weren't bad at all to get into games either, which was another plus.

That's all of the logistics finally out of the way, so now let's talk about game feel. What do you expect? Tetris Effect felt amazing to play from the start, so the base was already there to ha??ve some rea??lly compelling multiplayer versions.

At the end of the day, it's Tetris. We're not reinventing the wheel here, but that's not a bad thing in the slightest. If you love Tetris, you'll love this multiplayer. The sound and visuals are stunning, and the new g??ame modes put a fresh new take on a clas??sic that are worth trying in and of themselves.

It's already a given that competitive players are going to have fun with this, especially when there are multiple variations of traditional Tetris gameplay. If you're someone like me who's a bit more chill, though, I promise you will still have a great time with this game. I especially recommend trying out the Connected Mode if you're a more laid-back player, too, because there's more leeway the??re.

I thought I had seen it all with Tetris 99, so I'm really impressed to see how the brand keeps moving forward and giving us new things to try out. I'm not sure how the hardcore Tetris masters are going to feel about this one, but for a casual fan?? like me, this is about as good as it gets.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Iconic PC adventure returns to baffle new audiences

The 2020 remake of Myst �the legendary graphic adventure that boggled many players' minds back in the 1990s �will be making the journey to PC and Xbox platforms next week. According to developer Cyan Inc., the puzzling fantasy title will be available to download from Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Xbox Store from August 26.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dzvtzamVNw

The work of a humble two-brother team of developers, Myst was originally released on PC back in 1993 where it immediately won over a huge following of fans thanks to its intricate logic puzzles, immersive fantasy setting, and strange universe. Myst would go on to sell an incredible six million copies, and remained the best-selling PC game for almost a decade, until Electronic Arts' The Sims took its crown in 2002.

The Myst remake �originally released on VR platform Oculus last winter �recreates the original adventure in the Unreal engine, maintaining its old-school spirit and brain-teasing puzzles while affording the now three-decade-old release a fresh audio/visual overhaul. In addition, Cyan has added a selection of "quality-of-life" options including snap-turning, quick travel up ladders and staircases, and a screengrab function for capturing those all-important clues and passwords. Myst also supports supersampling and ray-tracing?? options to make Myst Isl??e shine like never before.

Myst launches August 26 on PC and Xbox platforms. It will also be availa?ble on Xbox Game Pass ?the same day.

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Blaston off

A developer who previously signed on to participate in Facebook's testing of ads inside Oculus Quest apps is now backing off its initial plans. Resolution Games says it won't test ads inside its game Blaston.

Last week, Facebook announced that it would begin testing ads within the Oculus Quest over the coming weeks, starting with Blaston and two other unnamed apps. It led to a review bombing of Blaston following the announcement, as noted by UploadVR, and now developer Resolution Games is saying it's heard the feedba??ck.

"After listening to player feedback, we realize that Blaston isn’t the best fit for this type of advertising test," the developer said in a statement. "Therefore, we no longer plan to implemen?t the test."

While Blaston will not see ads added to it, Resolution Games did say it may temporarily test ads in another one of its games, Bait! The difference is that while Blaston is a paid app, Bait! is a free title.

Oculus and Facebook have been under scrutiny from fans due to requirements like connecting a Facebook account to use a headset. Facebook still hasn't yet named the other two apps it will be testing ads in. A spokesperson told The Verge that the system will use information from the viewer's Facebook profile, as well as content viewed??, installed, activated, or subscribed? to through the Oculus app.

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Not that I needed a reason to dip back into Tetris Effect, b?ut if I did, this would be it: a deviously hidden 1984 level that can be unlocked with a code and a keyboard.

The best bit: the secret 1984 variant has been hiding in plain sight. If you're the type of person whose YouTube feed is filled with all things Tetris, you very well might've run across it before, but otherwise, it's probably new to you too. In honor of World Tetris Day, two of Tetris Effect's secret stages got an official signal boost from The Tetris Company.

As a refresher, the secret 1989 level theme can be unlocked permanently if you rank up your Tetris Effect player profile? to level 50. Yeah, yeah �you know. But what about 1984?

Unlocking 1984 in Tetris Effect with a controller and keyboard

To unlock this level, you'll need to enter the following inputs on the Tetris Effect title screen: Up, ?Up, Down, Dow??n, Left, Right, Left, Right, O, X (on a PlayStation controller) or Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A (on an Xbox or Oculus controller).

If you entered this iconic sequence correctly, you'll see a strange new screen that looks like something?? out of an A?RG.

Next, you'll need to use a keyboard: type in the code "06061984" and hit ente??r. You should then see a notice that "1984" is unlocked �it's a one-time process.

And if you happen to have an Xbox?? ?Chatpad, that'll work too.

Here's the payoff:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OMOIaq_VMQ

As you can see from this gameplay captured by YouTube user Sar, Tetris Effect's 1984 level ??is lo-fi as heck �??and if you play our cards right, it'll go nuts with colors and effects.

The secret stage is meant to be a "tribute to the original version of Tetris for t?he Electronika 60, the old Soviet PC Alexey Pajinov first created the game on."

Really cool, right? I think I can actually be bothered to unt?angle my?? keyboard from my whole desk... situation to unlock 1984 on my PS4. Wish me luck.

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Leon's got a new watch

Earlier this month, Capcom announced Resident Evil 4 would be coming to virtual reality via the Oculus Quest 2. During today's Oculus Gaming ??Showcase, the VR company showed more of how Leon's adventure? is being turned into a first-person VR experience.

The most obvious change is that you're moving around in first-person, with the Touch controllers acting as your mode of interaction. The analog stick moves you around, but development studio Armature has added an upper-body rig on top of Leon to work movement in with the Touch controllers, and there's support for both teleportation and room-scale movement options. The Oculus blog says you can play through the whol?e game comfortably seated, if you'd like.

There's also a lot of remastered art. Over 4,500 textures have either been repainted or had their resolution bumped up, character animations have been convert??ed over to Unreal Engine 4, and cutscenes will be shown in their original format.

Overall, the VR version is looking even more solid than it did during last week's showcase. You can see more of it in the above video starting around the 21:30 mark, including a wild Pokédex-looking device and Leon's sick health-tracking watch. Considering how much of a different experience VR made for playing through Resident Evil 7, playing through the village, castle, and more in Resident Evil 4's VR adaptation c??ould be pretty rad when it goes live later this year??.

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It's called Air Link

The Oculus Quest 2 is a fantastic little device, and with sof?tware update v28, it's getting even more impressive.

Oculus has announced that they're going to be rolling out a new feature called "Air Link," which lets you stream content from your gaming PC to the Oculus Quest 2. Why does this matter? Well the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor on the Quest 2 is powerful enough to run a lot of games confidently, it's no match for a proper gaming PC that can say, run Half-Life Alyx.

You can already do this now with the Oculus Link cable, but the whole point of the Quest line is that you're playing VR without tethers, so they're fully realizing that concept with Air Link. O?culus boasts that you c??an play "high-end PC titles" using the feature over Wi-Fi, and it'll be available in "experimental mode" [beta] soon before they fully polish it.

Oculus has some other features that are coming beyond Air Link, too. They're boasting an "Infinite Office" concept, which allows you to work from home with a virtual desk and utilize tools like browsers and the like. You can ??also pair up? Logitech K830 keyboards and sync them in real life and the game. 

Plus, the Quest 2 is getting 120 HZ supp??ort, which developers can now use to essentially boost Quest 2 games to higher framerates. It's good news all around. There's still no word on eliminating the Facebook requir??ement, which is sadly (and understandably!) shutting a lot of people out from what might be the most influential VR device to date.

Hubris is holding back VR yet again.

Oculus Air Link [Oculus]

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Set off for new stars

No Man's Sky just keeps growing, with no sign of stopping. Developer Hello Games announced a new update today called the Expeditions update, which brings a set of challenges in a season??al format to the space exploration sim.

Update 3.3 brings Expeditions to No Man's Sky, which are a new way to start out a journey in a different mode from a regular save file. Every Expedition starts players on a fixed point in the universe, to complete a series of Milestones and goals to win rewards. It also seems like Expediti?ons are intended to be fairly social events, with players starting on similar planets and specific "Rendezvous Planets" established along the route to create hubs of activity.

Milestones are open-ended and, according to Hello Games, intended to give players a chance to explore different aspects of No Man's Sky. Several Milestones make up each Phase on the Expedition map, with ?each Phase finished offering a prize, and finishing an entire Expedi?tion yields an additional reward.

These Expeditions are limited-time only, and Hello Games plans on adding new Expeditions regularly. At the end of the Expedition, rewards will no longer be earned and?? the save will convert to a Normal mode save. Any rewards earned in this mode can be redeemed for free on other saves in any game mode though, so that ?sick golden spaceship can carry over to your main game.

There are also several more quality-of-life updates including a new HUD, updated bases and improved cross-platform play, rebalanced recipe costs, and a new mission board. Really, the breadth of the updates that are still coming to this game is staggering—the Companions update was just last month, and last year Hello Games launched the massive Origins update. No Man's Sky is going a bit above and beyond a redemption story, and at this point, I'm wondering where the limit is?? for future?? additions.

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