“Embodiment is one of VR’s biggest strengths, allowing for unrivalled expressive roleplay as you step inside a virtual body and experience the world through it,” wrote studio head Glenn Brace in the post. “One of our core goals with Reach was to push embodiment further than ever before through a responsive full-body avatar that gives you a true sense of presence in the world in a way that’s only possible in VR. Whether you’re reaching for a ledge, dangling above a perilous drop, or dodging an enemy attack, your actions feel natural and fully grounded in the world.”

In the post, Brace also emphasises how important traversal is as a core gameplay pillar of Reach. Rather than simply being a way for players to get from one point to another, traversal is an important part of gameplay that takes advantage of Reach’s full-body awareness of the player. This allows for players to pull realistic-looking parkour moves as they explore the game’s underground world.

When it comes to some of the other aspects of gameplay, Brace noted that player agency is “right at the heart of the game.” This comes from giving players plenty of freedom in how they take on the various combat encounters of the game. Each tool and weapon, for instance, has multiple functions that can adapt to the player’s situation, from combat, to traversal, and even puzzle solving.

As for the PS VR2 version of Reach, Brace has noted that the Sense controllers part of Sony’s VR headset allow for haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to offer more immersive gameplay. This, according to Brace, will let the player “feel the weight, and resistance of objects and surfaces” throughout their time with the game. The game will also make use of the PlayStation VR2’s 4K capabilities to offer high-resolution textures and smooth gameplay.

Reach is coming to PC VR (via Steam), Meta Quest 3 and PlayStation VR2 on October 16. Announcing this, nDreams Elevation had released a trailer back in August that also showcased the game’s pre-order bonuses, which include a Traditional Ferran Outfit, an Ornate Bow, a Ferran Guard Shield, Traditional Gauntlets, and an Ornate Drone.

The studio had also released another trailer during PC Gaming Show – Tokyo Direct last week where it showcased the world of the game. The trailer gave us a look at the underground vistas offered up by Reach’s setting of the city of Ferra, as well as some of the enemies that players will get to face. The story in the title will revolve around the protagonist falling into the depths while looking for an important Power Core.

A lot of the storyline in Reach will revolve around the underground city of Ferra. The city was created by artificial beings that were created by humans at some point in the past, and as the narrator notes, these beings inherited the brilliance as well as the flaws of humanity. “Vanity gave way to envy,” notes the narrator. “Envy to war. And our once great city turned to ruin.”

Along with showcasing the various underground vistas throughout the city of Ferra, the trailer also shows off some of the different enemies that players will have to face throughout their adventure. These enemies can range from typical melee soldiers all the way up to larger beings capable of using heavy weaponry. The trailer then caps things off by showcasing some of the parkour and action-based gameplay of Reach.

Reach is coming to PC VR (via Steam), Meta Quest 3 and PlayStation VR2 on October 16. The release date was announced with a trailer from last month, which also gave us a look at some gameplay, as well as the story setup for the game that results in the protagonist getting stuck in the underground city of Ferra.

The overarching plot of Reach will have the protagonist – a reluctant adventurer that is trying to get her hands on a “Power Core” that humanity depends on – falling deep into the ruins of Ferra where she will have to face off against long-dormant artificial beings in her bid to survive.

There is a big emphasis on traversal in Reach, with nDreams Elevation noting that the VR game will make use of full-body awareness to make sure that players feel immersed. Gameplay will involve fast-paced parkour, as well as other styles of traversal like rock climbing, using ziplines, and even a grappling hook. There are also other tools at the player’s disposal, like arrows that, when shot into a wall, can act as footholds to then allow the scaling of said wall.

When it comes to combat, the primary weapon at the player’s disposal is a bow that can fire a range of different kinds of arrows. Aside from elemental effects, these arrows also often have other uses, like being able to deal incredible damage when hitting weak spots, or even just setting fire to things. Aside from the bow itself, the player will also be able to make use of guns and a shield.

Guns can also seemingly be stolen off enemy soldiers, and can then be used as a quick distraction when you throw them away after finishing up their ammo. The shield is also set to be a powerful tool, allowing the player to block quite a bit of damage from a given direction.

Along with this, nDream has also revealed that those who pre-order Reach will get bonus goodies – a Traditional Ferran Outfit, an Ornate Bow, a Ferran Guard Shield, Traditional Gauntlets, and an Ornate Drone.

The trailer also gives us more glimpses at the gameplay of Reach, while also revealing the story reason for the protagonist having access to the tools that she does, including gauntlets that power up her attacks, as well as a shield that can be used to block attacks, as a thrown weapon, and even as a tool to help with platforming by creating new makeshift platforms.

A closer look at the gameplay of Reach was first showcased earlier this month with an extended trailer that gave us a look at the title’s earlier parts. This trailer showed off the intense combat of the game that will have players make use of their bow, a variety of special arrows, and a shield, as they take on multiple enemies while making full use of the verticality offered by the game’s 3D environments. Players can also grab weapons off fallen enemies to take out remaining, widening the arsenal even further.

On the traversal side of things, Reach will focus quite a bit on fast-paced parkour, complete with ziplines, narrow ledges, and wide gaps to jump over. The player will also have access to a grappling hook to help them zip through some of the wider zones of Reach, and there are also upgrades, like special gloves that can stick to metallic surfaces, or arrows that can stick to walls to give players new ways to traverse the environment.

The story of Reach has the player take on the role of a reluctant hero who finds themselves thrown into a dangerous journey in an attempt to uncover the secrets behind a long-forgotten underground civilisation, and how it turned to ruins. We got to see hints of this story play out in the earlier trailer, which started things off with the protagonist looking for a “Power Core” that humanity depends on before things go wrong and the player finds themselves thrown deeper underground.

Being a VR-only game, Reach will feature a host of features exclusive to the medium, including full-body awareness for hardware that can support it, as well as intense set pieces that involve not only epic boss fights, but also fights against military vehicles like helicopters and trucks filled with enemy combatants.

Some of the clips of gameplay shown off in the official Steam page for Reach also indicate that players will get to hop around between different worlds, both on the surface of the earth as well as underground as they dodge falling debris and enemy gunfire to make their way through.

In Reach, players will take on the role of a reluctant hero who finds themselves thrown into a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of what exactly happened to an underground civilization. Among the title’s key features are full-body awareness and presence for gameplay, as well as tactile interactions that players can experience thanks to the title’s advanced physics engine.

As the gameplay shows off, there are quite a few ways for the player to interact with the world around them in Reach. Along with running, jumping and climbing, players can also make use of ziplines and grappling hooks. Along with this, there are also new abilities that players can unlock, such as being able to grab on to metallic surfaces to climb up, and arrows that stick to walls, giving the player a new way to climb up otherwise impassable walls.

Along with the plenty of traversal options, Reach will also feature combat, both through regular encounters as well as epic set pieces. To take these combat encounters on, players will be able to make use of a range of different kinds of weapons, from a simple bow and arrow, to automatic guns. The combat will also allow players to make full use of their traversal abilities to get into more favourable positions against enemies that might outnumber them.

While we do get to see quite a bit of gameplay, we don’t really get much in the way of story, however. Things start off simple enough, with the protagonist digging into some technologically advanced ruins to get their hands on a “Power Core” that humanity depends on. Right as this goal is reached, things start escalating, and the protagonist now has a seemingly-unstoppable monster chasing them as they fall deeper and deeper into the underground cavern amidst falling ruins.

Earlier this year, Sony had announced a price cut for the PlayStation VR2. The VR headset is now priced at $399.99. There is also a PlayStation VR2 Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle available at the same price. The base set includes the PS VR2 headset, PS VR2 Sense controllers, and a pair of stereo headphones. The Horizon bundle also includes a PlayStation Store voucher for the game.

Considering the fact that the PlayStation VR2 turned out to not be as successful as Sony was hoping for, former executive from PlayStation Shuhei Yoshida spoke about how he was wrong about the VR headset. He had believed that the PS VR2 would invite comparisons with the PS2 in terms of sales. However, Yoshida said, “I’m sorry I was wrong – PS VR2 didn’t become PS2.”

If you’re interested in more VR games to play on your PS5 using PlayStation VR2, also check out Resident Evil 4 Remake, as well as Zombie Army VR.

Aonic has said that nDreams, which currently employs about 250 people, will continue under its current leadership. Co-founders Patrick and Tamsin O’Luanaigh will continue in their roles as chief executive officer and chief people officer respectively, while the rest of the company’s executive team will also stay on.

“We set up nDreams in 2006, pivoted to focus exclusively on VR games in 2013, and we’re proud of everything we’ve achieved as an independent company,” said nDreams CEO Patrick O’Luanaigh. “After 18 months of working together, we’re confident we’ve found the right partner in Aonic. This is the right moment to welcome their support to strengthen our position even further, and seize this critical moment for VR and MR.”

“nDreams has done an unparalleled job bringing some of the biggest VR titles to market, and it was a natural fit for us to welcome them to the Aonic family and provide our studios with the best team when it comes to the VR / MR gaming space,” said Aonic CEO Paul Schempp. “This acquisition is yet another example of Aonic’s commitment to championing mid-sized studios and creating an environment where teams can create fantastic games.”

nDreams has previously worked on acclaimed VR titles like Phantom: Covert Ops, Synapse, and Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, and also published PowerWash Simulator VR.

Aonic and nDreams have stated that all four of the latter’s development studios are at work on future projects, while the studio is also continuing to work with external partners for publishing opportunities, with announcements planned for 2024.

PowerWash Simulator VR brings with it all the content from the original release of the game, which includes more than 40 levels in total. The VR release also features the ability to play the game in co-op.

Owing to it being a VR title, PowerWash Simulator VR also has a few new exclusive features that revolve around aiding immersion in the game. Players can interact with their PowerWash van to pick out the perfect outfit and set of tools they’ll need to take on a level, for example. The game also provides players with a new tool belt which can be used to change nozzles on the tools.

The non-VR version of PowerWash Simulator is gearing up for a host of collaboration DLCs slated for release before 2023 ends. This includes a DLC featuring the Back to the Future franchise, as well as a Warhammer 40,000 DLC.

More specifically, it was recently announced via the official Ghostbusters Twitter that Ghostbusters VR will also launch for PlayStation VR2. There’s no word on when that version will release- but then again, there’s no word on when the game will release at all, so we’ll likely find out later.

For what it’s worth, Sony recently seemed to inadvertently confirm that PSVR2 will launch sometime in 2023, which is in line with what reports have claimed, so that’s obviously the earliest that Ghostbusters VR will be out on the platform- though there’s every chance that it launches later than that, of course.

Meanwhile, if you’ve got the hankering for firing off your proton packs but don’t want to do it in a VR game, there’s other stuff to look forward to as well. Illfonic’s 4v1 multiplayer game Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will be out in Q4 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

You’ve all been asking. We’re here to answer your call. The #GhostbustersVR is not only coming to the Meta Quest 2, it will also be coming to PlayStation VR2! #PSVR2 @SonyPicturesVR @nDreamsVR#GhostbustersDay

— Ghostbusters (@Ghostbusters) June 9, 2022

That will soon be changing though. VR developer nDreams, best known for Phantom: Covert Ops, revealed last month that it was working on “next-gen games” for the PSVR2, and it seems one of those will be announced in the near future.

Taking recently to Twitter, the developer confirmed that following recent announcements of four of its upcoming titles – one of which was Ghostbusters VR for the Meta Quest 2 – it will be announcing two more games in the coming months. One of those, interestingly enough, will be a PSVR2 game.

As for what that game will be, that’s anyone’s best guess right now. Either way, VR fans, especially those looking forward to Sony’s upcoming headset, will want to keep an eye out for the announcement.

https://twitter.com/nDreamsVR/status/1519678936791269377

VR-specialist studio nDreams – known primarily for Phantom: Covert Ops – has announced that its partnering with Sony Pictures Virtual Reality and Ghost Corpos for a new VR-exclusive action-adventure Ghostbusters title. Currently being developed under the working title Ghostbusters VR, the game will allow up to four players to go through its campaign (though solo play will also be possible), which will also see you running your own Ghostbusters HQ in San Francisco.

Additionally, the game’s story is promising “a gripping mystery in the latest chapter of the Ghostbusters universe”, while you can also expect to wield “iconic tools and weaponry as you chase, blast, and trap ghosts across the city”. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Ghostbusters VR is in development for Meta Quest 2. A release date hasn’t been announced.

Meanwhile, series fans can also look forward to Illfonic’s upcoming asymmetrical multiplayer game Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, which is due out later this year.

When those will arrive remains to be seen, but the wheels are certainly in motion behind-the-scenes, as developers get to work on new games made for PSVR2. One such developer is nDreams, known for the likes of Fracked, Phantom: Covert Ops, Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity, and more.

In a recent update announcing a $35 million investment into the studio from the newly set-up Aonic Group, nDreams stated that it’s current crop of in-development projects is the developer’s “strongest line-up”, before adding that it’s got “exciting future projects already in development, including next-gen games for the much anticipated PlayStation VR2.”

What those projects will turn out to be is anyone’s best guess, though nDreams has had a solid track record in the VR space, so there’s reason to be optimistic.

Not many games have been officially announced for PSVR2 so far, with the exception of Horizon Call of the Mountain and Truant Pixel’s RUNNER. Rumours have claimed that a PSVR2 version of Half-Life: Alyx is also in the works, but take that one with a grain of salt for now.

As for backward compatibility, Sony has remained tight-lipped regarding whether the new headset will be able to play games in the original PSVR’s library.

Recent leaks have also suggested that PSVR2 launch in Q1 of next year- read more on that through here.