Greenlit Content

Viveport Review: Dreamworks Voltron VR Chronicles The iconic 80s cartoon series comes to life in virtual reality! Command the Blue Lion and help defend the universe. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Dreamworks and Digital Domain have teamed up to bring classic 80s cartoon action series Voltron to life, in a virtual reality experience that neatly ties into the Netflix Voltron: Legendary Defender series. Anyone who grew up watching Voltron (or is a new fan!) has probably dreamed about what it would be like to pilot one of the mechanized space lions across the cosmos - and now you can do it. With a unique blend of 3D and cel-shading animation, along with the magic of VR presence, the developers have managed to pull off an incredibly convincing feeling of actually being inside the cartoon itself. That wouldn’t matter if the story weren’t there, but thankfully the cast and writers from the show have joined forces to present an experience that’s unique and authentic to the series, giving fans a real taste of what it would be like to be inside the show itself. This playable episode allows fans to control Lance from the cockpit of the epic Blue Lion, solving puzzles, blasting down enemies and asteroids, and teaming up with the crew to take down Zarkon as the experience weaves between arcade action and 360-degree cut scenes that absorb the player in the story. The sheer size of the universe really shines in VR, as the sense of scale of each ship is truly felt within the cockpit. Some puzzles are easy to figure out, but others may slow down the pace if you aren’t fast enough to figure out the solution on the fly. While the shooting itself is on rails, it keeps the action fun and focused in a way that won’t slow down players new to playing these type of experiences in VR. While it may not be the longest experience from start to finish, the level of polish and production value is really what shines the most overall. Few games have really been able to capture exactly what it feels like to be inside of an established animation series as much as Voltron VR Chronicles has, though many fans may be a bit disappointed that you aren’t necessarily given the opportunity to pilot Voltron itself… just a single part of the robot. That said, what’s on offer here is something that marks a true milestone for VR experiences based on Saturday morning cartoons, and it’s absolutely essential for fans of the Voltron series old and new. If you’re looking for a showpiece experience to onboard newcomers to virtual reality for the first time, even if they aren’t big fans of the show, Voltron is still a prime candidate to demonstrate the level of Hollywood caliber storytelling that can enrapture a player in an animated universe unlike any other medium. Dreamworks Voltron VR Chronicles is available on available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Nature Treks VR Explore 15 unique environments and chill out with some dinosaurs in this improved relaxation sim. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content The power of presence in VR is such an incredible opportunity for creators to transport users into surreal and impossible worlds, but they don't all have to be filled with chaos and explosions. There are a growing number of experiences built for relaxation and meditation in virtual reality, providing a soothing escape not just from reality, but from a lot of intense stimulation found in virtual reality entertainment itself. Apps like Guided Meditation VR and Perfect are great examples of 'wellness' content, and in Nature Treks VR, we have one of the best examples available in the medium. Independent developer John Carline of Greener Games has carefully crafted 15 gorgeous, soothing and ethereal places to relax and escape into. Stripping away all stress of competition, difficulty, and danger, Nature Treks VR offers you a raw sense of wonder that seems to dilate time as you explore over ten square kilometers of breathtaking scenery across the heavens and Earth. From a hillside nature trail surrounded by the crisp leaves of fall, to a lush and vibrant jungle full of wild elephants and tigers, Nature Treks VR has plenty to show you. You’ll even have a chance to explore the bottom of the deep blue see as you observe the sea life in their natural habitat. The latest 'Animal Kingdom' update to the app adds a wide range of additional content. There are now over 60 different animals across the experience, including dinosaurs! Unlike some other VR games though, these are dinosaurs (and animals) that pose no threat to you at all. This is the ultimate wildlife safari, bringing life to the environments and allowing you to get up close and personal without fear of getting hurt, and conversely without harming the animals. Nature Treks VR offers that rare opportunity to find communion with both wildlife and the very environments you’re exploring in order to slow down and find some peace in your day. Another thing that sets Nature Treks VR apart from anything else is the ability to change and influence the weather and environment by using the 'creator orbs' that hover in front of you at all times. Want the sun to come up across the vast ocean horizon? Simply switch on the orb. See an empty field and fancy a few trees and flowers to fill the grassy landscape in front of you? Toss some orbs and watch your forest grow right before your eyes. It's an interesting and welcome twist on the 'relaxation' genre that caters to anyone who might feel a little restless in all that nature. Nature Treks VR is a virtual relaxation sandbox that holds nothing back to create the perfect place for you to slow down, relax, and just enjoy the scenery before heading back into the real world. Whether you spend just ten minutes trekking across the mountains or two hours sitting alone on a desert island listening to the waves, Nature Treks VR offers a wider variety of ways to 'do nothing' than any other app. For those looking for that kind of escape, this one should be right at the top of the list for years to come. Nature Treks VR is available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Manifest 99 One of the more emotional and beautifully told VR experiences in recent memory. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Emerging from the outside of a tunnel in the middle of a forest, you peer around your environment and are immediately awestruck by the whispering trees that surround you. Just then, a crow lands on the train tracks, and with a simple gaze into its peering eyes, you are sent surging into its being to inhabit the bird’s feathery frame, and peer into the world from its perspective. You hear more crows land around you and you notice they all stare at you in the same way. It’s then that you are introduced to the core mechanic of Manifest 99, a poetic interactive narrative from the team at Flight School Studio. This is a controller-free experience that relies entirely on a gaze-driven design that will advance your place in this dark and surreal dreamscape as you stare at each character, crow, and object telling a haunting story from beginning to end. When your journey begins at the back of a train, you’ll start to unravel a tale of loss, loneliness, survival, and redemption as you follow each character through a short glimpse back at the circumstances that brought them to where they were. Along the ride, you may also come across objects in the train that can unlock more details on each character’s story, but many of these hidden items are completely optional. They make for a nice incentive to come back and experience this relatively short story again and again. It should also be said that one of the most intriguing aspects of the way this story is told is that it is completely devoid of spoken dialogue, which makes it more universally appealing for a global audience. As the train continues barreling down its path through the afterlife, it becomes no surprise that Flight School Studio was honored with multiple awards for this unique and groundbreaking piece of interactive storytelling. Many observers have reported even tearing up and crying by the end of the path, and it’s easy to see why with so much raw emotion seeping from every piece of handcrafted animation along the way. It’s difficult to really go into too many details about the plot itself without spoiling a story as poignant and touching as what is to be experienced in Manifest 99, but players will want to break this one out for new VR users and consider it a go-to in the roster of content that showcases the power of storytelling in an all-new medium. With characters that come alive with emotion as they make their pilgrimage into the great beyond, you may be surprised to find yourself tearing up without a single word spoken. With so much humanity on display without a single human portrayed in the story itself, you’ll want to book a ticket on this train more than once just to appreciate the love and attention to detail that went into creating such a haunting and uniquely universal tale that could only have been told in the VR medium. Manifest 99 is available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Kartong - Death by Cardboard! Solve puzzles and escape evil creatures in this thrilling first person puzzle adventure. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content The first time I loaded into Kartong – Death by Cardboard! I was taken aback. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the experience, and while I liked the way that the trailer and images presented the game, I didn’t know what to make of the cardboard cutouts that greeted me upon launch. Well, surprise! What I thought might be a cute puzzle adventure soon turned into a horrific and thrilling escape that left me out of breath and thirsting for more. The goal in Kartong – Death by Cardboard! is simple. All you need to do is make your way around the various levels while avoiding pitfalls like mouse traps, bear traps, and an evil creature that hovers around the level until it spots you, at which point it drops to the ground and gives chase. Along the way you can arm yourself with Needles, Matches, and a Crossbow. You’ll need these tools to disable traps, destroy walls to secret areas, and to slow down the evil being. If you can manage to make it to the end, then you’ll gain access to a new level, where you’ll face the same hellish nightmares once again. I still can’t shake the sense of dread that filled me the first time I turned a corner to find myself face to face with that evil creature, and the shivers that went down my spine as I tried to escape. It’s a feeling that thrilled me and continues to thrill me each time I set about a new level; I am literally thinking about playing the game as I type this. The movement system that the developers chose is unique in that it works similar to the teleportation system that we’ve seen in other games. However, this one is basically a path that your character will move, and where you move is important, as you’ll need to skirt around obstacles and traps, especially if you want to keep them in place to stop the creature chasing you. My favorite thing about Kartong – Death by Cardboard! is that every mistake, every failure, every death feels like it’s my fault—like I’ve missed something along the way. This is something that a lot of puzzle games fail to do, and I think it makes all the difference as you try to navigate the creepy passageways of Kartong. A guilty pleasure, indeed. Kartong - Death by Cardboard! is available in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Starway Fleet Surprisingly, this dogfighting VR game holds its own against heavy hitters like EVE: Valkyrie. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content The independent band of veteran developers at StormCube Games have cooked up a treat for die-hard fans of the deep space action dogfighting genre in the detailed and high energy Starway Fleet. You'll step into the cockpit and take part in various missions that will have you escorting convoys, defending allies, or just blasting enemies to smithereens. It’s difficult to imagine a tiny developer going toe to toe in the genre with the likes of EVE: Valkyrie already showing so much shine and polish in the VR space shooter market, but the team at StormCube really brought their A-game with a surprisingly deep experience that’s worth a look for fans of space explosions and dogfights. It’s important to remember that Starway Fleet doesn’t support the Vive controllers, and you'll have to be seated using a standard gamepad controller to take the helm of the cockpit. You can take part in offline missions against the whip-smart artificial intelligence, or log online with your space pirate buddies for three player co-op mode. Multiple single player modes exist as well, allowing you to choose from quick missions, survival mode, and custom battles that allow you to set the parameters for training up your skills as an interstellar dogfighting machine. The quick missions themselves can also be played in single player or co-op, and really adds to the value of the experience with more opportunities to play through with friends. Combat may not be as fast as some players are used to, but it still has a fun pace that keeps you exploding ships left and right as you barrel around each enemy freighter, raining fire across all of the weak points to take them down. You’ll have three different settings on your lasers at your arsenal, along with multiple missiles, a chain gun and heat-seeking torpedoes used to take town the opposing fleets. If you’ve got a laser-focused eye and think you’re a good shot, you stand a better chance at survival with only two layers of shields at your own protection. Most of the other fighters can be a breeze to take down with a steady aim, but capital ships will take some more planning and strategy as you swoop around their blue barrels without missing a beat. From start to finish, players can expect to tackle the breadth of what Starway Fleet has to offer in roughly three hours for the single player experience. While it isn’t the most groundbreaking game in the genre, fans of space simulations of old like Wing Commander or X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter will find a lot to love about what StormCube Games have cooked up for their first effort in virtual reality. It’s definitely not a game for beginners in the VR medium, nor is it a good introduction to the space simulation genre itself, but it holds its own for hardcore fans dying to get their fix of high-octane action on the platform. Starway Fleet is available in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Wands Become the ultimate wizard with this fun but flawed spell casting game. By Renee Ruiz, Greenlit Content Are you ready to be the best in wizardry? If you answered yes, then pick up your wand (AKA Vive controller) and put those magic skills to the test in Wands. Cortopia Studio's spellcasting game takes the virtual reality experience to a different level by challenging you to handle competitive wizard battling. You'll step into an online world dueling against real people in real time, where you battle like never before with the use of spells. While there's a lot of magical moments in this game, some issues prevent Wands from being top of the wizard's class. As the title suggests, wands are a big part of, uh, Wands. Before you enter the battle arena, you‘ll need to imbue your wand with spells. Unfortunately, only four spells will fit into your stick of power, so you'll need to choose wisely from the assorted options, which does involve some strategy. Of course, all the magic in the world will not help you with aiming or getting the timing right; that's down to you and your controller. Luckily, a secret workshop is available to let you test your skills on training dummies. When you feel like an arcane contender, you can bring your conjuring might into the arena. When you enter the arena you hit the big stumbling block. Matchmaking in Wands isn't balanced well right now, so if you jump into a random match, you should expect to square off against players of varying skill levels. Sadly, the chance of facing a higher skilled opponent in an early bout is increased because of the current low population of duelists. You do get to dress up in your favorite wizard's cloak and mask, so if you happen to lose, at least you’ll look good doing it. Unfortunately there’s not much more to an average Wands match than flinging spells back and forth with your opponents; while you can move around the arena, you'll be doing so to fixed teleportation spots. The scenery is nice, with a variety of multi-tiered levels from cathedrals to ancient temples to explore. With some clever maneuvering it's possible to get the drop on your opponent, so make sure to explore. With the right opponents, all of the conjuring, teleporting, dodging, and ranking up can keep you entertained in Wands for many hours, but when facing random spellcasters you might not have as good a time. There are over 100 levels of experience to rank up in, so there's depth here, but on balance if you're looking for a pure singleplayer experience you may want to check out The Wizards instead (read our review here). If you're looking to throw down against other virtual magic users however, Wands is a solid choice. Prepare your spells and become one with the elements while you earn magical bragging rights! Wands is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: The Gallery Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone Some frustrating puzzles do not derail this captivating follow-up to the first episode, Call of the Starseed. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content The first episode of The Gallery is exceptional and really sets the stage for Cloudhead Games to tell a wonderful story. With that in mind, they took things to the next level with the second episode of the series, which evolves and builds off of the foundation the developers set in Episode 1: Call of the Starseed. Like its predecessor, Heart of the Emberstone is an adventure game at its core. Top this off with the feeling of presence, and the fact that the developers have done such a great job pulling off the feeling of realism, and it’s difficult to not be in awe of this game as a whole. The end of the first episode left Alex, the protagonist, in a bit of a pickle. Having entered the beacon that Elsie and the professor found, Alex now finds himself transported to an alien planet, with new abilities at his disposal. The episode follows Alex as he continues to hunt for his sister, all while exploring a new alien planet and learning more about the mysterious man that the player meets at the end of Call of the Starseed. The experience in the second episode is much more fantastical than the first, which had a lot more fantasy undertones. This leads to a much more engrossing set of environments that you’ll want to re-experience as much as possible. Exploring the sewers Call of the Starseed was exceptional, beyond anything that I’d seen in virtual reality up to that point. The second episode builds upon this even more, and as you explore the world in Heart of the Emberstone, it really feels like you’re on an alien planet. The biggest issue I ran into with the second episode, though, was a couple of really frustrating puzzles that forced me to spend far too much time on one thing, unable to figure it out for a bit. It’s a small issue that not everyone will encounter, but it definitely brought my awe and wonder to a grinding halt for a while as I struggled to sort through the puzzle and come up with a solution. Overall, though, The Gallery Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone is a fantastic follow up to one of my all-time favorite virtual reality experiences. With this installment, Cloudhead Games proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have what it takes to create engrossing and authentic feeling virtual reality experience with the highest degree of presence. While it builds off of the foundation of the first episode, some frustrating puzzles may leave some players stumped for long periods of time. If you can overlook this, however, The Gallery Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone is a fantastic virtual reality experience with a superb plot. The Gallery - Episode 2: Heart of the Emberstone is available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed Cloudhead Games’ sci-fi story shines in this outstanding, story-driven experience that showcases just how powerful presence can be in virtual reality. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed is the first entry of an episodic series created for virtual reality from the ground up. It’s clear as you dive into this game that the developers are doing everything they can to make the world feel alive, and this remains present throughout the entire experience, with one of the most authentic virtual reality efforts in recent memory. If you’re unaware of virtual reality lingo, then you might not be sure of what users mean when they say that a game has a great sense of presence. Basically, presence is a state of existence, and when talking about virtual reality, it’s normally used to describe how real the experience feels as a whole, and how well the application does to make the player feel like he or she is really there, in whatever world they are visiting at the time. This is a very important part of the virtual reality formula, and it’s something that Cloudhead Games captured perfectly in The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed. From the moment you start up the experience, the world is brought to life with precision and care. The sound of the waves crashing against the beach, the sound of your feet crunching on sand as you move, and even the sense of loneliness that spreads over you as you explore the opening moments of the game all help to paint a picture that’s easy to get lost within. The ability to teleport forward, but also explore the immediate area—crouching and even crawling to explore all the nooks and crannies—helps make the props around the world feel incredible. In Call of the Starseed, players take on the role of Alex, who sets off on the beach in search of his sister; he believes she found something of great importance. From there you’ll explore the area, listen to old cassette tapes, and use things like crudely drawn maps to interact with the environment and find your way around. Side note: the sense of exploration is drawn even deeper as you move through the world affixed to this new reality by a wonderful underscore composed by Jeremy Soule. Everything about Call of the Starseed emits an 80s sci-fi movie feel, and as someone who grew up watching those kind of flicks, it was an absolute blast to explore. Additionally, the storytelling is well-paced and helps to push you along without ever feeling overbearing. On top of that, the visuals look great, and even the small things—like water in your hand, and fire catching onto a piece of paper when it is held over a flame—help to push the level of presence even higher. I could go on for ages about how great The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed is. If you want to experience what true presence in virtual reality feels like, then Cloudhead Games is waiting to show you. I can only hope that the excellent story-telling and sense of presence continue throughout the entire series, as it really shows just how good virtual reality can be, and how the sense of immersion that it offers is so much higher than what non-virtual reality games have to offer. The Gallery - Episode 1: Call of the Starseed is available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Jam Studio VR Unleash your inner musician and create beautiful music within a satisfying VR space. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Learning to play music can be a rewarding experience for anyone, but it can be quite a challenge. With Jam Studio VR from Beamz Interactive, people of all ages and skillsets can drop into a virtual environment of musical creation and unleash their inner maestro, with the benefit of no physical instruments required. Jumping into the virtual studio, you can take virtual musical instruments in hand or follow virtual DJ sets to jam across a library of over 20 interactive songs. There's a huge range of artists from Miley Cyrus, Flo Rida and The Jonas Brothers, to Megadeth bassist David Ellefson, and guitarist Craig Chaquico. If somehow you get bored of all that, additional songs and entire library volumes can also be purchased inside the app. You’ll find additional genre bundles ranging from Hip Hop and R&B, to Latin, Jazz, and Blues, as well as Rock, Country and even Metal. The breadth of content that comes packed in the app is already robust, but it’s wonderful to see Beamz offering so many more options for those looking to expand their library. There are even a host of Disney tracks that younger players will appreciate. (Side note - a special effort is made in Jam Studio VR to help you use the app for therapy and education, including lesson plans and songs specifically for that purpose. Beamz Interactive has a lot of experience in this area, but it's great to see it's still being included in what could be seen as a more 'entertainment' focused app.) Unleashing your inner musician within the virtual studio helps you really feel like you’re grabbing onto musical objects or instruments and actually hitting the drums and tapping on keyboards. You play along each track through pre-set loops by touching icons and virtual instruments. The menu is simple, and you’re able to select your virtual environment, ranging from cityscapes to music studios. You truly don’t have to be a skilled and seasoned musician to feel like a rock star in Jam Studio VR. Even comparing it to games like Rock Band or Guitar Hero, it’s important to note that you aren’t competing for high scores or playing on any variation of difficulty settings here at all. This is the pure joy of creating music in virtual reality in a way that players of all ages can approach and feel empowered to create and express themselves. You create your own sounds by reaching out and grabbing any instrument you like and feel the immediate satisfaction of sonic reward. Similar to an experience like Tilt Brush, and what that does to unleash visual artistic creativity in the virtual space, Jam Studio VR is the best example of a similar platform to allow users from all walks of life to instantly create music much in the same way. It’s a unique and family-friendly experience that keeps players of all ages entertained for hours, and the development team deserves special recognition for their work in making music creation accessible for player with special needs. Don’t pass up on this brilliant and innovative project that’s sure to be a VR showpiece for years to come! Jam Studio VR is available on available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Townsmen VR This cute and addictive town-builder brings the genre to life in virtual reality like never before. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content I am a huge fan of town building simulators. I can’t even count the number of hours I've spent in these types of games, controlling the townspeople and building my cities from scratch, so I was very excited to strap on my headset and check out Townsmen VR. After spending some time as a virtual deity, I can tell you Townsmen VR successfully takes the fun of the town building genre and brings it to virtual reality, giving you an entirely new perspective on the way you might think about 'god games'. That new perspective starts with a giant pair of floating hands; yours, in fact, hovering over an idyllic island in the middle of a sparkling blue ocean. VR really does make you a god in Townsmen VR, as you can literally lean down and peer at your tiny virtual subjects below, then pick them up between your fingers and place them where you will, ordering them to harvest resources, go to work or venture into battle. That really describes Townsmen VR's gameplay loop, as you create more impressive buildings and manage your villagers, making sure they are constantly working to improve the island. Luckily that gameplay loop is uniquely engaging; one of my favorite things about Townsmen VR is how it gives you complete control, making you feel like a god. The controls are very intuitive, allowing you to move, 'grow' and 'shrink' with ease. In one moment you might have almost the entire island in your grasp, and the next you're the size of the people below. Getting used to that perspective change is key, as you'll go from the high-level strategic view down to the management of villager's tasks a lot. You can even lend a hand directly, by picking up resources and putting them where they need to be. The level of interaction doesn't stop there either. Townsmen VR's island is packed with surprises, from realizing you can combine clouds into a dark storm, to finding out that blowing air (in real life!) will cause the windmill to spin. Of course, snatching up your townspeople and tossing them around the map never gets old. It’s a great feeling to simply pick up a villager and throw this virtual person into the world somewhere to do your bidding. Finding the fun stuff and building up your island isn't all that Townsmen VR is about though, as you will have to worry about attackers coming to your island and trying to take down your village. This means you’ll need to learn how to build defenses like soldiers and catapults, and then train yourself to move those soldiers into battle, all the while keeping up with the supply of new soldiers. This is where Townsmen VR starts to get hectic, since the fights that occur later in the game are much more intensive and require you to quickly move around the island. It's exciting stuff, and a great example of how VR can be totally immersive, but you might want to experience it in small doses. Personally, I found after a few hours that the intensity of the gameplay gave me a little bit of motion sickness, and I had to step away for a break. That didn't stop me from coming back to Townsmen VR though. It just feels really good. I love zooming down to the streets or looking over the whole island, planning my town's layout in detail. If all future VR town building games could be this good, we could see some incredible experiences. SimCity VR, anyone? For right now though, if you want a great town builder that gives you full god-like control, then Townsmen VR is a fantastic choice that's definitely worth your time. Townsmen VR is available in Viveport Subscription. Read our interview with Christopher Kassulke of HandyGames about TownsMen VR.

Viveport Review: TrueScale TrueScale gives interior designers a brand-new way to bring their creations to life. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content When I first heard about TrueScale, I was intrigued by what the developers had to offer. Here was an application that they promised could revolutionize the way that interior designers worked by offering a new ground-breaking way for them to create things directly, while also offering a 3D environment to explore and see things at full-scale. Making things in TrueScale is easy enough, and there are two ways that designers can utilize the software. You can draw directly on the easel, where you’ll be able to add walls, windows, doors, and even an assortment of different furniture options. Or, if you want to see things up close and personal, you can also teleport down into a full-scale creation of your design, right on the table next to you. This is what really sets TrueScale apart from other applications that offer virtual building, as it allows you to fully see the fruit of your labors as you would in real life. It’s a great way to check scaling and see how things will fit, and it will give you a good way to really get an idea of what you are planning to do. Using TrueScale is easy, and the controls shouldn’t take you long to pick up. You have a selection of different options to choose from, and if you’re working based off of some predetermined dimensions, then you can easily make rooms that fit those dimensions by selecting the ‘make a room’ tool. Or, if you’re just messing around with ideas, you can create single walls, or even drag and drop rooms where you need to on the board. The ease of use makes it simple to get started, and the ability to save your projects will allow you to leave and come back to them as you need to. Additionally, you can design a room from the ground up without having to deal with all the stress of moving furniture in a real environment. Being able to see things the way they are, from a full-scale point of view, provides insight into the overall design, allowing designers to create more compelling creations. The only issue I see with the application is the lack of additional features, and the somewhat limited options that are available for furniture and other items. Overall, though, TrueScale offers a lot for those looking to mess around with interior design, and I highly recommend that designers (or would-be designers!) check out the app to see if it will fit their needs. TrueScale is available on Viveport.

Viveport Review: Knockout League Grab Games’ Punch-Out!! style boxing game makes fitness fun, but watch out for the pirate’s mean left hook! By Renee Ruiz, Greenlit Content Get ready to rumble with Knockout League, an arcade boxing game from Grab Games that will have you squaring off against a variety of colorful and difficult opponents… even an octopus! It’s the sort of game that’s easy to play - just throw punches with your motion controllers - but the challenge does pick up and you’ll need to develop some expert skills to avoid eating canvas. You start as a real underdog, beginning your training in the virtual gym. With coach Doug Johnson by your side, you'll be guided through the basics of dodging, punching and other tips that will help you achieve victory once you step through the ropes. One thing that bugged me early on was that you don't get to customize your boxer in Knockout League. This is VR, so you could argue that the boxer is you; but when you start each bout, I felt a little cheated that your opponents receive these slick-looking entrances, with flashbulbs popping and their names announced over the speakers... but there's nothing for you. Not a big deal, but it's something that stood out to me as an omission after years of watching over the top boxing and pro wrestling matches. That small nitpick aside, you might jump out of your virtual laces when the first punch is thrown and a huge glove whizzes past your peripheral vision. Trust us when we say even with your cartoon-like opponents, boxing in VR is way more intense than any arcade or console game! Speaking of those opponents, we said that they were cartoon like... well if you've seen Knockout League in action you'll know that these are not your run-of-the-mill fighters. Well, your opening opponent, Tri-Tip is pretty normal... but it just gets weirder after that. From the armored Iron Maiden to the eight-armed onslaught of Sir Octopunch, every opponent requires you to think on your feet and learn new tactics as you progress. Expecting a punch? Well, how about an axe kick to the top of the cranium? Yup, you will need to prepare for everything. Don’t swing wildly in the air, either. Only precision moves will cause openings in the challenger’s onslaught, similar to Nintendo’s iconic PunchOut!! series. Each fighter is a puzzle of sorts that forces you to figure out their different weaknesses. Once revealed, you’re welcome to bombard the opponent with an assortment of gut punches and uppercuts. The good news, in addition to Knockout League being a fun game, is the fact that you’ll achieve quite the workout while playing it. Don’t be surprised if this becomes a part of your regular workout routine. This game will make you sweat, with a built-in calorie counter keeping track of every movement you perform while in the ring. Bottom line, Knockout League is a wonderful take on video game boxing because it takes liberties with the sport. The roster makes each battle feel fresh and unique, forcing you to learn as you climb the chain to greatness. Some people might be put off from being stationary and unable to prance around the ring like Muhammad Ali, but I feel this disappointment will melt away when you realize how much movement is required to parry all of those incoming attacks. That said, Knockout League is excellent for people of all skill levels, and I'm looking forward to potential updates that might introduce new fighters and gameplay features. Grab your virtual boxing gloves and come out swinging! Knockout League is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: The Wizards Rid the land of orcs, goblins, and other nasty creatures, all with the power of your hands! By Renee Ruiz, Greenlit Content Move aside Harry Potter! A new wizard is in town to save the day. In The Wizards, Carbon Studio deliver a spell casting adventure game that is both immensely satisfying and great looking to boot! Orcs, goblins, and other creatures invade the realm of Meliora, and it’s up to you to rid the land of these unwelcomed guests. If you daydream of casting magical orbs at monsters and piercing them with frozen arrows, The Wizards belongs on your must play list. Our adventure begins with a meet and greet with the previous guardian, the master spell caster named Aurelius. He is a mighty wizard who intends to find a pupil and train this person in the ways of wielding powerful spells; this protégé, of course, is you. After you've settled in and picked up the basics, you set forth and begin the assault to take back Meliora. Thanks to The Wizards' intuitive controls, learning spells is a breeze even for the most novice of wizards. Moving your hands in specific patterns to create spells gets easier over time, and before long, you’ll unleash those aforementioned ice arrows and fireballs, while levitating objects like a pro. If you're finding arcane mastery a little tricky, you can train in a safe realm created by Aurelius as a private practice area. Mastering these spells pays off, with each hit to an enemy feeling powerful and satisfying. Teleporting into the enemy infested realm, you'll experience how devastated the land has become. Orcs and goblins run rampant, and must be stopped by any means necessary. Fireballs, the ice crystal bow and various other spells become available the further you progress into the campaign. Additionally, the more you fight, the stronger your spells become, eventually leading to new forms and schools of magic. Finally, your arsenal contains powerful Fate Cards that can weaken even the strongest of adversaries. These provide a welcome advantage against the imposing horde. I've also got to point out - if you can't tell already from these screens - that The Wizards looks incredible. There are plenty of details to soak up in the fantasy world of Meliora, from crumbling caverns to abandoned fortresses. The spells you'll summon also brighten up the screen, with fireballs and other spells magically appearing from your virtual hands. This is definitely one of the more graphically intense VR games that we’ve played. With tight controls to summon spells, ever increasing powers and amazing graphics, The Wizards really makes you feel like a mystic enchanter. If you are into fantasy, get ready to don your wizard robe and set off on your next adventure! The Wizards is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Perfect nDreams' app lets you take a minute to slow down, collect your thoughts, and take time for yourself. By Job J. Stauffer, Greenlit Content Usually when looking for content reviews in virtual reality—be it for video games, stories, or experiences—we’re often seeking an answer to the million-dollar question, “Is this thing worth my time?” Time is a precious resource here on this rock, and it’s not often that a piece of content itself wants to turn the question around and remind you of a much more important fact: “You are worth your time.” After a stressful and busy week, I was tense in my left shoulder blade and was feeling like I needed to get away somewhere quiet; maybe for a yoga session or a massage. I spend a lot of time in VR performing cardio across several different high-intensity games, and when I’m finished, I usually take some time to head outside for some fresh air and a nice walk. It was too cold and rainy to head out on the same evening that I realized I’d yet to boot up nDreams’ virtual relaxation destination, Perfect, to see if it could even possibly live up to its name. I loaded up the application and was welcomed by a calm and quiet voice, letting me know that this was simply a virtual space to sit down and relax. Of the three gorgeously rendered locations to choose from (Tropical Beach, Northern Lights, and Mountain Wilderness) I set my sights on the latter. I stood on a wooden deck in the middle of a forest peak where I could see water down below and a snowy ridge high above. I poked around by the water and saw some rocks and some sticks which my gamer brain initially searched high and low by instinct, desperately looking for the “thing” I was “supposed to do.” I spotted the radio at my feet and noticed there was one stationed at each of the three locations within each destination, all of which are available for viewing in daytime lighting or at night. I chose night-time, teleported to the top of the mountain, and listened as the wind swirled around me and the campfire crackled at my feet, pouring embers out into the vast space between my camp and the mountain across the valley. I turned on the radio, listening to the first of its nine different relaxing and hypnotic tracks. I set my controllers down on the floor and didn’t touch them again. I then sat myself down on the floor and stared at the full moon as a hot air balloon drifted across the night sky at pace I hadn’t slowed my mind down to in months. I stretched my arms into the air and laid flat on the ground atop my yoga mat, feeling the tension begin to melt away. It was an entirely different experience compared to the hours I’d just spent surviving hell on Mars and stopping at nothing to kill everything in my sights in DOOM VFR. I was in a quiet place, free of distraction, and completely alone with my thoughts for once. I thought about how many people might open this application expecting so much more to the game than just a place to sit around and enjoy the atmosphere. I thought about how important it is for people to understand that their wellness, not just their fitness, is essential to their health, and how important it is for people to stop and take time for themselves. I thought about all of these things and nothing at the same time. I cleared my mind. I cleared my list of things to do and threw away my list of “bad things” to shoot and kill in my video games. I cleared my body of tension. I cleared my anxiety and I sat there peacefully on the floor for an hour watching meteors paint their way across the sky and listening to wolves howling in the distance. It was peaceful. It was relaxing. It was a glimpse of what virtual reality has to offer us and a reminder that we are more important than unlocking achievements and topping leaderboards 24-7. Sometimes we need to take a minute to slow down, collect our thoughts, and take time for ourselves. It was beautiful. It was profound. I nearly fell asleep in a blissful state of calm and relaxation. I eased my mind and eased my body. I didn’t want to leave. It was Perfect. Perfect is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Overkill VR Straight-up arcade shooting action for old and new VR gamers alike. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Duck and cover! The Overkill series leaps into VR with impressive results that’ll keep your heart pumping and your guns blazing. Taking gameplay cues from classic arcade wave shooters like Time Crisis with a pinch of tongue-in-cheek humor in the style of Duke Nukem, Overkill VR succeeds at crafting a well-paced and physically demanding action experience that must be played with room-scale VR to appreciate. While devoid of any narrative structure, the experience is really all about its heavy artillery of highly customizable weapons and armor (all of which you’ll upgrade each time you survive one of Overkill VR's more than 30 explosive levels). Throughout the campaign, the “crouch and stand combat” serves as a major part of the experience. It really gets your blood flowing as you duck, squat, and sometimes even crawl on the ground to fire from behind sandbags, partial walls, and piles of rubble—the only things protecting you from an onslaught of the oppressive Faction’s foot soldiers, snipers, oversized quadcopters, and APCs. Taking down the Faction will require more than a “one size fits all” approach with your weaponry. The better you perform in headshots, multiple kill combos, and accuracy, the more you’re rewarded each round with experience and currency for upgrading your gear. In regard to the game’s expansive arsenal of assault rifles, machine guns, shotguns, rocket launchers, and more, each weapon purchased can also be upgraded across upwards of ten different points of customization. Each of these customization points offer multiple levels of enhancements, all of which provide tons of replayability to the campaign experience should you want to max out everything. While you’ll always have your trusty pistol handy, you’re better off sticking to a solid two-handed weapon, as it affords additional stability and accuracy versus spraying bullets wildly from behind cover and hoping to get lucky. The cover system is key here, and it’s worth noting that you won’t be moving around the stages in real time. Instead, you’ll occasionally select pre-set locations to move forward and advance in the level. This is a defining gameplay aspect of the arcade shooter genre, and it’s best not to go into Overkill VR expecting an FPS experience with full locomotion. This game is far simpler to pick up and play, and also makes for a great option when ushering friends into VR for the first time if they’re looking to get straight into the action. Overall, the multitudes of weapons and hundreds of upgrades that await you after plowing down countless sums of enemies really help Overkill VR live up to its namesake. Even after a few hours of the campaign, you’ll want to revisit each and every location for higher rank and higher scores. Not to mention the act of gathering more experience and money needed to upgrade your own armor and weapons, and push yourself further and faster in your efforts to take down the Faction. If simple, straight-to-the firepower arcade action is what you’re looking for, it’s hard to go wrong with exactly what Overkill VR not only promises, but over-delivers. Overkill VR is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Twisted Arrow Unleash a barrage of virtual arrows upon zombies, mechs, and monsters! By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Stay on target and set your sights on Phaser Lock Interactive’s extraordinary first-person arcade action shooter, Twisted Arrow. Armed with your high-tech bow, the Manticore, and an extensive array of powerful arrows, you’ll be thrust into a fast-paced, high-impact tour across a dystopian city occupied by a paramilitary force who’ll stop at nothing to take you down. From the rooftops to the streets, you’ll traverse the environment as quickly as possible in search of the best strategic spot to take on an enemy army of drones, armored mechs, snipers, foot soldiers, and even biological mutants about to be unleashed in your direction. There are dozens of “wave shooter” action games to choose from on Vive, but this isn’t really a wave shooter at all. Instead, it’s important to note that the level of freedom you have to progress from point to point really helps Twisted Arrow stand out from the crowd of games that have you standing in one place for long periods of time. In fact, traversing the city is key to survival, as staying in place for too long will spell your certain doom. What’s nice is that the options to teleport from predetermined locations are plentiful, which helps you avoid getting bogged down by focusing on moving in full locomotion when the focus is really on shooting everything that moves. Like a lot of bow and arrow heavy shooters in VR, you can rest assured that this one will be giving you quite the workout. The speed at which you’ll be firing arrows and blowing the enemy army to high heaven is a little faster paced than other options in this genre. It also helps that you have multiple trick shot and explosive arrow options at your disposal, so precision aiming isn’t always going to be needed in the heat of battle. There’s a split shot option on your Manticore that will help home in on multiple enemies in a general direction, as well as and a bomb-tipped arrow that comes in handy when firing at giant robots and flammable barrels to take out waves of enemies all at once. The atmosphere of Twisted Arrow really helps it come to life as something much more like a blockbuster action movie than a lot of other archery focused games on the market. Fans have watched for years as super heroes like Green Arrow and Hawkeye stood in the shadows of Superman and Iron Man, but Phaser Lock Interactive’s bombastic take on the genre really show off how underappreciated their skills with a bow truly are. There are a lot options to choose from in the bow and arrow genre of arcade action shooters in VR, but there aren’t many that can go toe-to-toe with this intense, fiery, explosion-filled tour of a city on the brink of chaos. If that sounds up your alley, don’t hesitate to give Twisted Arrow a chance to hit the bullseye! Twisted Arrow is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: High Noon VR Survive the Wild West in this thrilling arcade style shooter. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content You can hear the tumbleweeds blowing and feel the tensions rising as you reach for your revolver. You’re the town’s new sheriff, and it's time to issue justice from the barrel of your gun. Arcade western shooter High Noon VR from Octobox Interactive gives you a huge arsenal of weapons to help you patrol the streets. You'll let no outlaw stand in your way as you dive into this tongue-in-cheek western full of explosive action and smart humor, which will get you shooting from the hip faster than you can say, “Draw!” This is a stationary arcade wave shooter, so you won’t be teleporting from location to location. Instead, you’ll make use of your full floor space as you move left and right dodging arcade-like bullets flying straight for your head. Enemies and bosses get harder to take down after each level, and with every kill, you’ll earn cash to unlock upgraded weapons from rifles and shotguns, to dynamite and harpoon lassos. Pressing the touchpad allows you to reload at any moment, but bullets will automatically refill each time you run out, so be sure to time your firing just right. The art style really helps High Noon VR feel much more like a living cartoon than a hyper-realistic gore fest that may not be appropriate for all players. The atmosphere of the game also never takes itself very seriously, as the intentionally corny voice acting helps usher you into the world with a more lighthearted tone. It’s a feeling that helps you forget you’re in the middle of a deadly shootout and lets you focus on just having fun. Most missions start off with three waves of enemies followed by a boss that takes significantly more gunfire to properly bring to justice. As you progress you’ll unlock new challenges that have you practicing one-shot kills without a single round wasted in your pistol. Keep upgrading your weapons and you’ll be rewarded with some serious chain gun firepower towards the end of the campaign that you’ll have trouble ever wanting to put down. With over nine levels across some gorgeously lit “Wild West” locations, you’ll want to stay on your toes to take down the gangs of criminals before your townsfolk are all scared away back East. It’s hard not to appreciate a game like High Noon VR for accomplishing everything it sets out to do. It succeeds by putting you in the boots of a sheriff tasked with going in guns blazing and helping you feel like you’re inside of the ultimate animated version of every western movie in history. The gunplay is balanced, accurate, and forgiving enough at the same time to help you get a kick out of seeing every bullet land with a big, comic-book style, “Bam!” or “Kaboom!” Mosey on out to the alleyway and give High Noon VR a shot before sundown. It’s one of the better wave shooters on the market that doesn’t involve any zombies, and more westerns are a welcome addition to the VR medium. High Noon VR is available in Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Don't Knock Twice Go in search of your daughter… if you dare… in this spine-tingling horror experience. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content “One Knock to wake her from her bed, twice to raise her from the dead.” This is an echo of the grim urban legend portrayed by an award-winning developer at Wales Interactive in the gripping and paralyzing VR horror/adventure, Don’t Knock Twice. While the game was based on the feature film of the same name starring Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and directed by Caradog James (The Machine), Don’t Knock Twice stands on its own as a terrifying tale that requires no previous knowledge of its source material. Searching for your missing daughter, you’ll play as a mother seeking answers as she investigates a mysterious manor full of frightening puzzles in a race against time to prevent her child from suffering an unthinkable fate at the hands of a demonic witch. Making full support of the Vive controllers, you’ll be able to sit or stand in room-scale using either hand-forward locomotion, head-forward locomotion, or teleportation. You’ll want to find the option that’s most comfortable for you, as you’ll be haunted by demons looking to scare the pants off of you at every chance they get! That’s an ultimate test of the experience as well. Much of the gameplay will have you wandering the manor and interacting with a wide array of highly detailed objects as you seek clues and receive text messages on your phone. You’ll solve five main puzzles before your heart bursts through your chest, across this roughly two and half hour tour into the darkest depths of your own paranoia. Who or what might be lurking behind your back? Searching far and wide across the manor starts out easy enough, but it’s worth noting that these puzzles ramp up the closer you get to finding your estranged daughter. Occasionally, you’ll find a few axes lying around that give you a sense of security and protection from the demons lying in wait, but don't think they'll save you.... It’s often said that what you can’t see on screen is the scariest aspect of storytelling in the horror genre. While that’s true of the mostly invisible demon, the developers at Wales Interactive deserve nods for filling this creaky old house with a horrific and richly detailed environment. The manor is rife with haunting photographs, trails of blood, and mortifying Russian Dolls that are impressive to look at, but also manage to make you keep moving as quickly as you can. The same praise can be said of the dreadful atmosphere in the audio, as the sounds of the rickety floorboards and ominous babies crying engulf you with a pulse-pounding sense of fear. Once finished with the main story, you just might find yourself looking to give it another go to see if you can test the fates to outsmart the witch. Although, the team has done such an incredible job with the terrifying atmosphere in Don’t Knock Twice, that playing through just once may be all your heart can take. Horror fans, this one is for you! Don't Knock Twice is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Cosmic Trip Despite its cutesy image, this strategy VR game provides intense action set in a beautiful world. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content When it comes to virtual reality, the first types of experiences you hear people mention are those that really pull the player in and make them feel like they are these different characters. So, when I first heard that Cosmic Trip, a virtual reality real-time strategy game, was being developed by Funktronic Labs, I was a bit curious, but also wary of what the final product would be. An RTS in virtual reality? It didn’t seem like a winning idea, but when I finally dove into the game, I realized I should have never doubted Funktronic’s ability to create an engaging, fun, and terrifically immersive environment ripe for intense RTS action. Cosmic Trip is reminiscent of other RTS games. You must gather supplies using worker bots, create soldiers, build bases, and eventually take out enemies as you try to survive as many waves as possible before your defenses crumble. To get around the world, you’ll need to teleport to the different bases. This will let you move quickly between areas, which will come in handy as the waves get progressively tougher throughout the match. While not as immersive as games that offer full room-scale VR, Cosmic Trip does a great job of making you feel like you’re in this world. The enemies respond to your actions, as well as your AI worker bots that wave if they don’t have something to do. On top of that, the controls are easy to manage, and it was very simple to get set up and move through the game without much of an issue. That said, this game will suffer if you have a smaller play space, which is something to keep in mind if you don’t have a large office or dedicated virtual reality room. If you can make it work, though, the awe that comes with struggling to keep things managed, while constantly fighting off enemies is a rush that never subsides. Unlike other RTS games (both inside and outside of VR), Cosmic Trip takes on enemy attacks more like a wave-based shooter, which works well given the approach that Funktronic Labs took with the game. It makes for an intense experience. Cosmic Trip is a fantastic game for VR lovers, and it shows that while traditional RTS might be a bit too complex for virtual reality, there is still a place for games that draw inspiration from the best that the genre has to offer. On top of that, it also shows that you don’t have to serve up a first-person shooter experience to make players feel like they are a part of the world and the environment that they explore. Cosmic Trip is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Cat Sorter VR Embrace your inner crazy cat person with Pawmigo Games’ whiskery VR experience. By Desmond Madison, Greenlit Content Cats wearing sombreros and sporting slimy tentacles for arms? They go over here. Cats with bird beaks for noses and cartoon eyes for butts? They go over there! Indie studio Pawmigo Games puts its experience from working at Disney Interactive to unexpected use in Cat Sorter VR, a wonderful, fast-paced, lighthearted arcade experience that’s fun for everyone. Well, as long as you don’t mind helping a few cats get back to “normal” by sorting through their special quirks as they’re rapidly churned onto a conveyor belt ready for inspection. You’ll need at least 2.5 x 2.5 meters of space to go to work in the cat factory, but as long as you have that, you’ll be sorting cats with your friends and family right meow! Each three-minute “shift” on the cat sorting job begins at the Kitty Kreator. There, you’ll prepare by grabbing each cat off of the quickly moving conveyor belt to inspect 11 points of interest for cat quality assurance. Legs, ears, eyes, noses, tails—and yes, butts—must all be inspected for cat manufacturing errors. If you notice a bizarre anomaly like a banana peel for a leg or an antler for an ear, you must turn around and reach for the bin of proper cat parts to quickly get those cats up to factory standards. Once your cats are ready to be sent out into the world, slip them into the pneumatic tube to be sent to the cat scanner to analyze them for defects. The faster you do this, the more points you’ll earn. As long as they’re free of defects, you could earn yourself a purrfect streak. Don’t drop them, though! Cats don’t like being dropped just as much as they often don’t like being held. Although, they do seem to like being hurled across the factory to score extra points when being swooshed through a basketball hoop or sent through a field goal. In case it wasn’t obvious, Cat Sorter VR doesn’t take itself very seriously, even though it’s a serious amount of fun for everyone playing. Another nice feature is the competitive aspect of the arcade-like experience, which allows for players to easily alternate in and out of VR in order to compete for the best scores on the cat sorting job. Cat Sorter VR also features an easy height adjustment option on the in-game Kitty Kreator, so you can easily add both shorter and taller players each round. This comes in handy when you add younger players to the mix, making the game a family-friendly experience, and a great way to introduce everyone to VR and the power of 360-degree room-scale activity. Cat Sorter VR is cute, goofy, fast-paced, and competitive. Even if you’re allergic to cats in real life, chances are there will be little you’ll need to stay away from in this uniquely addictive and downright adorable cat sorting simulator from the brilliantly twisted minds at Pawmigo Games. Cat Sorter VR is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Hangry Bunnies from Mars Studio229’s wave-based defender game overflows with cuteness and frantic gunplay. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content Despite all the horror games that I’ve played in virtual reality, Studio229’s wave-based defender, Hangry Bunnies from Mars, is by far one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing in virtual reality. Of course, the game’s also extremely cute, and offers some fast-paced and frantic gunplay that’s easy to get lost in, which quickly made me fall in love with it. As a clone, you’re tasked with defending the world from an invasion of bunnies. Being from Mars, these bunnies aren’t your typical run of the mill “cute and cuddly” critters. Sure, they might look that way for a moment, but give them the chance and they quickly turn into rabid, terrifying creatures that swarm towards you, threatening to overpower you at every turn. You don’t move much in this game, aside from aiming down the different paths that the enemies can follow. Furthermore, there’s no teleportation system or anything like that to worry about, which makes it even easier to get lost in the action of taking down horde after horde of enemies. Speaking of killing, along the way you’ll unlock upgrades for your weapons. This allows to activate things like power-ups and other abilities, and makes it easier to defend against enemies. After every couple of waves, the game will throw a curveball at you by sending a massive enemy your way. During this time, you’ll have to juggle taking down the big guy, while also keeping the other enemies at bay. It’s a fun challenge that helps keep you on your toes, and keeps things interesting as you work to survive. The overall goal here, of course, is to live as long as you can. If you happen to die, it’s no big deal because there’s always another clone ready to join the fray. By far, Studio229 has made a fun and addicting shooter that offers just enough silliness to keep you laughing as you play. Hangry Bunnies from Mars is definitely one I’ll be holding onto on my hard drive, as it offers a ton of replayability; not to mention it’s great for those just getting into VR thanks to its lack of locomotion and colorful graphics. Check it out. Hangry Bunnies from Mars is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Earthlight: Spacewalk This short but immersive cinematic experience showcases the strengths of virtual reality. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content Depending on who you ask, immersion is often considered more important than gameplay when it comes to virtual reality, and while there is an assortment of cinematic applications out there, few provide the immersive feeling that Earthlight: Spacewalk captures so perfectly. This outstanding game lets you take a spacewalk around the International Space Station (ISS) while utilizing astronaut tools and learning how to move in zero gravity. The experience is extremely short, taking only a few minutes to complete. But the immersion that it offers is well beyond almost anything else available on the market, and it showcases what is possible with VR when you focus on the beauty of things. Of course, this isn’t the type of experience for everyone. The gameplay is short and miniscule. In fact, it holds your hand the entire way, which means you won’t get to openly explore anything—which could be a deal breaker. That said, Earthlight: Spacewalk isn’t meant to wow people with its gameplay. Everything about the experience—from the visuals, animations, and even the movement within zero gravity—feels genuine and realistic. It’s a wonderful app, and as I made my way across the outside of the International Space Station, I was in awe of what we have accomplished by going to space. I’m not sure whether this was the developer’s intent… to celebrate one of mankind’s greatest achievements, but it’s definitely something that resonated in me. As I said, though, the $9.95 (or free via Viveport Subscription) experience is brief, and many might not think it’s worth the asking price. Despite the fact that the game only takes roughly 15 minutes to complete, though, it’s among the coolest games you’ll play. On top of that, it offers—by far—the most realistic spacewalk experience that you’ll find without actually going to the International Space Station. The amount of work and dedication that the developers at Opaque Space put into this title is clear, and if you’re as big a fan of space as I am, then I recommend checking this out. You won’t be disappointed. Earthlight: Spacewalk is available on Viveport, and in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: SteamHammerVR - The Rogue Apprentice Gamestorm VR’s wave-based shooter dazzles and engrosses the player with beautifully created environments and gameplay. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content There are a ton of wave-based shooters for the HTC Vive, and while some of them continue to wow me and grab my attention, a lot of them fall short of offering enough replay value to keep me coming back. SteamHammerVR – The Rogue Apprentice tackles this issue by offering several different game modes, including a story mode, arcade-type mode, and even leaderboards that give players with a competitive edge something to strive towards. I’m a big fan of steampunk games and movies, and getting that old-school steampunk vibe from SteamHammerVR was one of my favorite parts of the game. Everything about it is made to feel like you’re in the steampunk era. As you listen to the narrative and play through the story, you really get this feeling that you’re back in Victorian London, fending off primitive steam-driven machines. It’s a fun and addicting loop that made it easy to get lost in the game, and the SMART movement system that the game incorporates to help you get around is by far one of the best teleport-based movement systems that I’ve ever seen in virtual reality. If you aren’t into the story, you can also take on a more arcade-like experience with Seek and Destroy, which allows you to combo together shots to boost your score and earn a spot on the global leaderboards. This is perfect for those who want a competitive edge in the game because it gives you something to push towards, and getting good at SteamHammerVR is no easy task. The learning curve of the game is one of my favorite things. There are a ton of different gadgets and weapons to cycle through, and figuring out how to use them to your advantage and keep the mechanical vermin at bay requires plenty of skill and fortitude. It’s a lot to take in at first, and it took me a couple hours of playing to really grasp what I was doing, but once I had an idea, I was able to move more fluidly between the gadgets and make the most of them. This is what makes SteamHammerVR shine—forcing you to push through the learning curve and become a better player. Now throw in the insane replay value and options galore, and SteamHammerVR has earned a permanent spot in my library. SteamhammerVR is available in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: SteamHammerVR Gamestorm VR’s wave-based shooter dazzles and engrosses the player with beautifully created environments and gameplay. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content There are a ton of wave-based shooters for the HTC Vive, and while some of them continue to wow me and grab my attention, a lot of them fall short of offering enough replay value to keep me coming back. SteamHammerVR – The Rogue Apprentice tackles this issue by offering several different game modes, including a story mode, arcade-type mode, and even leaderboards that give players with a competitive edge something to strive towards. I’m a big fan of steampunk games and movies, and getting that old-school steampunk vibe from SteamHammerVR was one of my favorite parts of the game. Everything about it is made to feel like you’re in the steampunk era. As you listen to the narrative and play through the story, you really get this feeling that you’re back in Victorian London, fending off primitive steam-driven machines. It’s a fun and addicting loop that made it easy to get lost in the game, and the SMART movement system that the game incorporates to help you get around is by far one of the best teleport-based movement systems that I’ve ever seen in virtual reality. If you aren’t into the story, you can also take on a more arcade-like experience with Seek and Destroy, which allows you to combo together shots to boost your score and earn a spot on the global leaderboards. This is perfect for those who want a competitive edge in the game because it gives you something to push towards, and getting good at SteamHammerVR is no easy task. The learning curve of the game is one of my favorite things. There are a ton of different gadgets and weapons to cycle through, and figuring out how to use them to your advantage and keep the mechanical vermin at bay requires plenty of skill and fortitude. It’s a lot to take in at first, and it took me a couple hours of playing to really grasp what I was doing, but once I had an idea, I was able to move more fluidly between the gadgets and make the most of them. This is what makes the game shine—forcing you to push through the learning curve and become a better player. Now throw in the insane replay value and options galore, and SteamHammerVR earned a permanent spot in my library. SteamhammerVR is available in Viveport Subscription.

Viveport Review: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them VR Experience Warner Bros. dazzles Harry Potter fans with this engrossing and immersive experience that showcases some of the beasts of the Potterverse. By Joshua Hawkins, Greenlit Content The Harry Potter universe (better known to fans as the Potterverse) is a wonderful place, and Warner Bros. has always done a good job of bringing the stories within this world to life. The virtual reality experience that they crafted for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is engrossing, and really immerses the user by showcasing the world in all its splendor. The experience is very simple, and as I dove into it for the first time, I couldn’t help but look around in awe. The environments and animations are all extremely smooth and well-crafted. The waving of your wand feels good within the game, and interacting with this environment is fun, though limited. These limitations are my only real issue with the experience, as I never felt like I had the ability to explore the entire area. The animations and visuals are what really help this experience shine, though, as each of the beasts feels and looks real as it moves around in front of you. I still can’t shake the feeling of awe as the massive thunderbird swooped into its enclosure, landing directly in front of me. The way that it moved, its chest, rising and falling, felt real. I wanted to reach out, touch this creature, and slowly run my hand along its neck. This level of immersion is something that all virtual reality titles should strive to meet. I know I’ve said experience a lot in this review, but I think its important to get the point across. This isn’t a game. You do not have any way to win or lose. This is wholly an experience built from the ground up to give Harry Potter fans a more immersive look into the Potterverse. It’s an expertly crafted piece of media, and Warner Bros. did an excellent job of making the magic and the world feel believable. That doesn’t stop me from wishing there was more to it, though. I want to move around the courtyard and explore; to look at things from different angles, and really get a feel for how big these creatures are. I wish there was more. For now, though, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will become part of my VR collection. While limited, not every virtual reality experience is crafted to bring you back to it. Some merely fill you with awe and wonder for brief periods of time, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them brilliantly accomplishes this. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them VR Experience is available on Viveport.