Walkabout Mini Golf has been on a roll ever since it launched in late 2020, now counting 22 courses strong with the addition of a very spooky level just in time for Halloween: ‘Widow’s Walkabout’.
Developers Mighty Coconut say Widow’s Walkabout brings to the game a “mysterious cliffside manor [..] haunted by a playful spirit who’s possessed an eerie mini golf course like no other.”
The haunted course is said to pack in a bunch of spooky surprises and hints to an unsettling story the player can unravel. There is sure to be plenty of phantasmal objects, Victorian architecture, and “mischievous onlookers in this house of unending curiosities and supernatural shots,” the studio says.
Priced at $4, Mighty Coconut says Widow’s Walkabout also comes along with a set of themed avatar features, settings for spooky-averse and photosensitive players, and—as with every course—18 collectible lost balls and a commemorative in-game putter, which can be earned via a Foxhunt that also reveals the course’s sinister backstory.
“It’s also the game’s densest course to date in terms of details, props, and Easter eggs with a surprisingly high poly count for this beloved low-poly title,” the studio says. “And the glass and noir lighting are special technical tricks, designed to take players deep into the many archetypes of spooky storytelling from Alfred Hitchcock and the Addams Family to Victorian spiritualism and beyond.”
Walkabout Mini Golf has unleashed a seemingly never-ending torrent of courses over the past three years, including Atlantis, Upside Town, Temple At Zerzura, Alfheim – Land of the Elves, Laser Lair, and more. Moveover, the game is also getting an iOS version, called Walkabout Mini Golf: Pocket Edition, which will feature crossplay with Quest.
Budget Cuts (2018), the stealth action game, has always been about taking pensive steps, hiding in the darkness and not tipping off the killer robot guards on your way through the game’s liminal office space. Now developers Neat Corporation released a spooky update that flips the script, turning the game’s stealth action into stalker horror.
The studio today unleashed what it calls ‘Nightmare Mode’, bringing the main foe ADAM to the campaign levels of Budget Cuts Ultimate (2023), which includes both Budget Cuts and Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency (2019).
Like Alien: Isolation (some are dubbing the update ‘ADAM: Isolation’) players must navigate what the studio calls “spookified levels while being relentlessly pursued by killer bot ADAM.”
Normally the game’s unique portal-teleportation mechanic is great for thoughtfully warping around the map and looking for safe purchase amid a sea of overpowered robot foes. In the latest update, players will need to sneak, hide and quickly warp around like never before, as weapons have zero effect on ADAM.
If you’re not up for the challenge though, the update also lets you play through the regular campaign as normal without ADAM stalking you so you can enjoy the addition of the mode’s spooky seasonal decor just the same.
The game’s Nightmare Update is now live on Budget Cuts Ultimate across all supported platforms, including Quest, PSVR 2 and Steam.
Indie studio Kinetic Games announced it’s delaying the release of its hit co-op horror game Phasmophobia on PSVR 2.
The four-player psychological horror game was slated to land on PlayStation 5 and PSVR 2 sometime in August, but was later delayed to October following a fire incident at the studio’s office.
Now, Kinetic Games says in a Steam news update that the game is suffering another delay due to some “unforeseen challenges in adapting the game for consoles.”
“These combined factors have affected our development timeline more than we initially anticipated,” Kinect Games says.
“Additionally, in preparation for the PlayStation VR2 launch, we have been diligently reviewing the game’s performance and optimizing it across all maps to ensure a seamless experience for all of our console players. In this regard, we had to rework Maple Lodge Campsite with a completely new layout (more information below). This decision, though time-consuming for our art team, is essential to provide the best possible gameplay experience.”
Kinetic Games hasn’t mentioned an updated release window for Phasmophobia, however the studio says to stay tuned.
Putting you in a number of haunted locations filled with paranormal activity, Phasmophobia tasks you with gathering evidence with your ghost hunting equipment and selling it on to the black market. Go it alone, or head in with three other friends to share a fright together.
The game has celebrated a good deal of success since it launched into Early Access on Steam in 2020, providing support for both SteamVR headsets and traditional monitors. At the time of this writing,has amassed nearly 500,000 user reviews, putting it at a 96% ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ score.
Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is set to arrive on Quest headsets November 16th, offering up a new first-person VR experience for the storied franchise. Now Ubisoft has released an explainer video that goes into how it all works, including the game’s combat, parkour and comfort systems.
Check out the video below, presented by the game’s creative director David Votypka and associate game director Olivier Palmieri, both of whom have been a part of Ubisoft’s earliest VR gaming efforts, including Werewolves Within, Eagle Flight, and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. Check out the full nine-minute video below:
In case you can’t watch it right this second, the video shows off all three assassins in Nexus VR: Ezio Auditore, Connor, and Kassandra. We also get a better look at the game’s expansive open maps that look rife with opportunities for stealth, parkour, and wandering baddies that make for ideal targets for the game’s inventory of iconic AC weapons.
In a news update, Ubisoft explains stealth options, which include blending with crowds, pickpocketing, and employing the Hidden Blade for silent takedowns.
Parkour mechanics also seem pretty conventional for anyone who’s ever played Crytek’s The Climb series. Here, you’ll be able to scale walls, jump from rooftops, and even perform Leaps of Faith.
The game also looks to offer up fluid and dynamic combat by letting you block and counter enemy attacks, use ranged weapons, and environmental objects too. Comfort features include turning vignettes and ‘tunnel vision’ modes, as well as teleportation and automatic pathfinding for more comfortable parkour.
We have our hands-on coming, so check back soon to see whether Ubisoft has managed to hit a home run with the long-awaited Assassin’s Creed VR game, which is headed to Quest 3, Quest 2 and Quest Pro November 16th.
Triangle Factory announced its squad-based shooter Breachers (2023) is finally coming to PSVR 2 next month.
The studio announced the news via X (formerly Twitter), saying the PSVR 2 version will include adaptive trigger support, trophies, and enhanced visuals. It’s also slated to include crossplay with Quest and SteamVR headsets. Unlike the PC version, the game’s spectator mode isn’t coming to PlayStation however.
Inspired by Rainbow Six Siege, Breachers brings some pretty familiar action to the table, letting squads attack or defend weapon in-hand. As Enforcers, rappel and breach through walls, swing through windows and catch your opponents by surprise with stuff like drones, cloaking devices, flashbangs and breaching foam.
As Revolters, user gadgets such as door-blockers, trip mines, static field emitters and proximity sensors to stop the enemy from disarming your bomb.
You can find the game on Quest, SteamVR, and Pico headsets, priced at $30. Besdies the November launch window, Triangle Factory hasn’t mentioned a precise release date yet. In the meantime, you can wishlist the game on PlayStation here.
If you’ve been waiting to hear about a release date for the long-promised Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on Quest, you’ll just have to sit tight a little longer.
When asked during Connect 2023 in late September, a Meta spokesperson told Road to VR this: “We don’t have any updates to share on GTA: San Andreas.“
If there was a time for such an update, it seemingly would have been right around Connect and the launch of its next-gen standalone, Quest 3. Even without a major hardware announcement, the company’s annual XR developer conference typically provides a good roadmap to its pre-holiday ramp-up ambitions; the company is touting a few major game releases for that time, including Asgard’s Wrath 2 and Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR.
Considering it skipped that big announcement opportunity, it’s a pretty conservative bet that GTA: San Andreas VR won’t launch in 2023. Whatever the case, Meta is staying tight-lipped, so we’ll just have to continue waiting to see just how Rockstar hopes to inject us head-first into Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas.
Skydance Interactive, the studio behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, revealed their next VR game Behemoth is being delayed by a year, now slated to arrive on all major headsets in late 2024.
The studio confirmed the delay with UploadVR, also noting that the game now has a new name: Skydance’s Behemoth.
First revealed at Meta Connect 2022 this time last year, the upcoming VR adventure puts you in what the studio calls a “plague-ravished wasteland of a once glorious empire, where its inhabitants are driven mad and cities have fallen to ruin.” In the story-driven campaign, you combat towering giants called Behemoths.
Image courtesy Skydance Interactive
The studio also released a single work-in-progress image of the game (above), which more clearly shows one of the titular behemoths.
Behemoth is coming to Quest (presumably 2/3/Pro), PSVR 2, and PC VR sometime in late 2024. Meanwhile, we’re curious to see just how gameplay stacks up to the studio’s other skull-splitting adventure, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners.
Check out the cinematic trailer below, released in late 2022.
Blade & Sorcery, the hit physics-based combat sandbox, is moving towards its 1.0 release, which is coming with a major update slated to arrive early next year.
In development by indie studio WarpFrog for almost five years now, Blade & Sorcery has basically been the go-to fantasy combat simulator for PC VR headset users, letting you live out all of the sword and sorcery dreams with suitably malleable enemies at the ready.
WarpFrog is nearly ready to bring the game out of Early Access too, detailing on Steam the game’s massive 1.0 update, known as “Crystal Hunt”, which will feature a host of new content, including a bona fide storyline, a new dungeon biome, and new game mode. It’s also said to be the game’s final update.
Revolving around an ancient and mysterious race called the Dalgarians, the game’s storyline will be presented through environmental storytelling, written text, and ciphers—something that the studio says will offer players “deep lore” exploration for the first time.
The Crystal Hunt also involves character progression, loot gathering, and a unique skill tree—no small feats. Loot gathered in dungeons can be sold to purchase weapons and armor from a physical shop in the game. Then there are the much sought after Crystals Core themselves.
The titular crystals are “the very rare resource found in the Dalgarian ruins and what you and everyone else is chasing,” the studio explains. “Crystal Cores can be siphoned of their magical power to make a sorcerer more powerful. In game terms, this is the currency you will use to unlock new skills branches, which you can then invest your shards.”
The update also introduces new armors and weapons, including tiered weapons with functional benefits.
The release date for the update is estimated to be in Q1 2024, Warpfrog says, but it’s subject to change due to development challenges, and also the team’s anti-crunch culture—now counting 21 full-time and six part-time members.
Exactly when 1.0 arrives, we aren’t sure. The final release date will be confirmed when the 1.0 trailer drops, so stay tuned to The Baron’s YouTube channel, who is producer and community lead for the game—and of course, check back here for all of the latest news.
Like many of Valve’s best titles, Half-Life: Alyx(2020) is a lot more moddable than your average game, which for PC VR headset owners means hundreds of new modes, missions, and mini-games. Now one of the HLA’s most talented modders announced they’ve been snapped up by Valve.
Nate Grove was responsible for two of the best HLA campaign-style mods, Incursion and Re-Education—both of which are uncannily Valve-like in pacing, setting… everything.
Grove says in a tweet that “a HUGE contributing factor to my hire was my work on my Workshop items Re-Education and Incursion. It was a dream for me (and many others) to work at Valve and I think this highlights the importance of supporting integration of community work into any game. It only makes the product (and the industry) stronger.”
While clearly a capable modder of one of the best VR games to date, Grove is no gaming industry neophyte. Now a level designer and artist at Valve, Grove comes to the company from Annapurna Interactive, which is known for publishing award-winning titles such as Outer Wilds, Stray, and What Remains of Edith Finch. Grove also created custom assets for both HLA mods, which is probably par for the course for someone who’s already spent nearly a decade as a professional digital artist and environmental designer.
What does this mean for Valve, VR and everything? It’s too early to speculate, since the company is by nature a black box that only occasionally sneaks possible hints about upcoming headsets in SteamVR updates. In fact, Grove says the announcement above was their “last post here” on X, formerly Twitter.
If it makes you feel better though, you can always comment “Half-Life 3 confirmed” in the comments.
Thomas Van Bouwel, the developer behind popular VR puzzle game Cubism (2020), is nearing launch of the long-teased mixed reality game for Quest that turns your living room into a moving grid of lasers straight out of Mission Impossible.
Update (October 3rd, 2023): Van Bouwel announced Laser Dance is coming to Quest sometime next year. There’s no release window yet, however users looking to get early access can become beta testers. The developer hasn’t confirmed precisely which headset the game is coming to, so we’ll just have to stay tuned. We’ve altered the original article to reflect this, and have put the change in bold.
Check out the new teaser below to see Laser Dance in action:
Original Article (October 24th, 2022): Called Laser Dance, the Quest game aims to turn any room of your house into a laser obstacle course—basically recreating the old laser hallway trope you may recognize from a ton of films, TV shows and video games over the years.
There’s no word on release dates yet, although progress is looking good. Check out a work-in-progress level of Laser Dance in action:
Van Bouwel came up with the idea over the two-day Global Game Jam 2022 earlier this year, and has since fleshed out the game to include parametrically-generated laser patterns based on room size and layout, meaning the action should dynamically fit to your space and serve up a challenge no matter how big (or cluttered) your space.
Although the game has been shown working with Quest 2’s monochrome passthrough, Laser Dance wouldn’t be out of place on Meta Quest Pro, which is capable of more realistic passthrough AR thanks to its five external sensors, offering a higher resolution color view with improved depth-detection. Van Bouwel however hasn’t confirmed which Quest headset the game will support at this time.
We’re looking forward to learning more about Laser Dance, as Van Bouwel is excellent at creating deceptively simple gameplay that really makes you think—look no further than Cubism, which has also kept lock-step with passthrough and hand-tracking updates on Quest since its initial launch in 2020. If you want to follow along with progress on Laser Dance, check out the game’s official Twitter.
Meta wasn’t the only company churning out VR news this week with the unveiling of its long-awaited Quest 3 mixed reality headset, as Sony tossed out a slew of PSVR 2 game announcements and updates for its surprise ‘VR Day’ on Thursday.
Here’s a look at everything Sony announced:
Brand New Games
Journey to Foundation
Adapted from Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, in Archiact’s upcoming roleplaying game Journey to Foundation you play as Agent Ward, a spy with the Commission of Public Safety. The immersive adventure challenges you to disguise, hack, and blast your way through Asimov’s groundbreaking sci-fi universe using the most advanced tools the Galactic Empire has to offer. Coming to PSVR 2 on October 26th, 2023. Wishlist here.
Heroes of Forever
Heroes of Forever from Lucky Mountain Games is a multi-dimensional arcade cover-shooter for PSVR 2. Prepare to travel across time and space to purge a corruption that is creeping across dimensions: go solo or team up in four-player co-op mode as you shoot your way through an infinitely expandable range of levels, unravelling the mysteries of the multiverse. Coming to PSVR 2 in 2024.
Tiger Blade
Initially announced in June, Tiger Blade bills itself as a high-octane VR action experience that combines fast-paced sword combat and punchy gunplay. Set in an alternate Korea, you play the role of a deadly assassin working for the Horangi chapter of the Tiger Clans. Ordered to steal a mysterious package from a rival chapter, you are shocked to find the object of the heist is a tiger cub. Coming to PSVR 2 on November 17th, 2023.
The Foglands
The Foglands is an atmospheric 3D roguelike shooter from Well Told Entertainment tasking you with discovering new paths, and uncovering old secrets. Run into the unknown, fight monsters, scavenge loot, and try to make it back before you are swallowed by the Fog. Coming to PSVR 2 and PS5 on October 31st, 2023. Pre-orders now live.
BLINNK and the Vacuum of Space
Developed by indie studio Changingday, BLINNK and the Vacuum of Space is billed as an autism-friendly VR adventure. Step aboard the space station Norpopolis where you’re tasked with collecting a cast of space creatures with your handy Vacuumizer 5000. The emphasis is on “fun, stress-free interactions without any fear of discouragement,” the studio says. Coming to PSVR 2 October 10th, 2023. Wishlist here.
PSVR 2 Ports & Updates
Among Us VR
Initially brought to VR by Schell Games, Innersloth, and Robot Teddy for Quest and PC VR, Among Us VR is bringing the immersive VR version of the hit multiplayer game to PSVR 2 sometime soon. Play with up to 10 players to sus out the Impostor and eject them from the airlock. No release date yet. Wishlist here.
Tin Hearts
Created by Rogue Sun, a studio founded by members of the team that created legendary adventure game Fable, Tin Hearts is a narrative puzzle adventure that centers on a tale of love and compromise. It’s already available on the original PSVR, however a free PSVR 2 update is coming this holiday season. A playable PSVR 2 demo is coming October 17th.
Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs
Resolution Games has done a lot to make Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs feel like the early Angry Birds games—no microtransactions and all of the fun of smacking over elaborately-constructed wooden forts holding evil green piggies within. Challenge yourself to bash through each three-dimensional puzzle to defeat Dr. Frankenswine, and create and share content with the online level builder. Owners of the original PSVR version can upgrade for $10. Coming to PSVR 2 October 10th, 2023. Wishlist here.
Ruinsmagus: Complete
Ruinsmagus: Complete was actually released on PSVR 2 by Japan-based studio CharacterBank a little over a week ago, bringing the JRPG’s mysterious ruins, ancient artifacts, and fierce battles to Sony’s latest VR headset for the first time. Previously launched on Quest and PC VR headsets last year, Ruinsmagus: Complete puts you in the common boots of new guild member, setting you out on a mission to strengthen the guild with your magic, resources, and wisdom across 25 story-driven quests. Buy it on PSVR 2 for $30.
Paper Beast Enhanced Edition
Paper Beast Enhanced Edition launched on PSVR 2 and PS5 on September 27th, bringing the extraordinary origami-inspired adventure to Sony’s latest VR headset for the first time. Launched on the original PSVR in 2020 by Pixel Reef, Paper Beast was widely praised for its innovative gameplay, unique aesthetics, and surreal universe. Owners of the game on PS4 can upgrade to the new version for $5. Buy it on PSVR 2 for $25.
Popular YouTube edutainment channel Kurzgesagt is teaming up with VR developers Schell Games (I Expect You To Die, Among Us VR) to make an exploration adventure game for Quest.
Called Out of Scale: A Kurzgesagt Adventure, the fully immersive educational game is said to transform “the iconic look and feel of [Kurzgesagt’s] 2D videos for users to explore and learn about the concept of scale.”
Schell Games says players use drones, scanner rays, and a multitude of other lab tools to wind their way through several missions, while teleporting between five levels of scale to see how the different properties work in each unique dimension.
Beyond the main single-player game, Out of Scale: A Kurzgesagt Adventure will also come with what the studios are calling a ‘multiplayer theater’ which allows you to meet up with friends and other players to watch Kurzgesagt videos together.
There’s also slated to be a mixed reality mode where you can unlock the game’s core life forms and objects creatures so they can interact with in your real-world environment.
The game’s Quest Store listing maintains it’s launching on October 26th, supporting Quest, Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3. It’s not available for pre-order, priced at $15.
