BLOOD AND TRUTH

SIE London Studio’s Blood and Truth was an unexpected surprise earlier this years. Promising and delivering on the allure of high-octane action and a story you could actually invest in, it was a better game than most expected. Another area where it impressed quite a bit was the visuals, with crisp technical work across the board, excellent animations, and truly impressive facial and performance capture.

GamingBolt spoke to Niklas Walenskin, game designer for The Climb and Robinson: The Journey, about the same and delved deeper into Crytek’s mindset when it comes to virtual reality.

"The Climb’s exploration is focusing on the navigation in the environment. It is about finding the next grip and the best route to the top. Robinson’s exploration is more about the world and the interaction with it."

How has progress been on Robinson: The Journey? How have its game play elements expanded over time?

During development of Robinson: The Journey we went through multiple iterations where we tested different ideas and mechanics. Now the core loop has been tightened and we removed components which didn’t feel right for this installment. In future VR projects we would like to bring those back, because we think they are great ideas once the player is familiar with the medium and the scenarios we create.

Do you think it will be a benchmark setter as far as visuals go on the PlayStation VR?

As Crytek we are known for the graphics quality we can achieve with CRYENGINE, and like on every platform we are doing our best to push the graphics on PSVR to its limits. We want to set a benchmark on this new platform.

Furthermore is Robinson: The Journey a complete exclusive to PSVR? Any chance of it coming to Oculus Rift or Vive?

We’re launching Robinson: The Journey first for PlayStation VR and all our efforts are focused on creating the best possible product on Sony’s platform.  We do have plans for the title’s future which see as many players as possible experiencing Robinson.

The Climb looked really good when we saw it at GDC. How do its exploration aspects and challenge differ from Robinson: The Journey?

The Climb’s exploration is focusing on the navigation in the environment. It is about finding the next grip and the best route to the top. Robinson’s exploration is more about the world and the interaction with it.

Still both titles have benefited from each other. You can interact with the world in The Climb and you have navigational exploration in Robinson: The Journey. They are not the focus in each of the games, but they add some variation and make the gameplay more interesting.

"We strongly believe that VR has a bright future. We already see it not only being used in games, but also other fields like movies or room planning."

When can we expect to see The Climb and Robinson: The Journey release?

The Climb is available since April 28 and Robinson will be released close to the launch of the PSVR in winter of this year.

Do you have any plans to bring The Climb on the PlayStation VR?

At launch The Climb will be an Oculus Rift exclusive title. We are lucky to have a great publishing and development partner in Oculus, who shares our ambitions for the game. We’ll work together to make that vision come true for the Rift.

With so many different VR devices and engines floating about, how does Crytek feel about the potential of the medium in the long term?

We strongly believe that VR has a bright future. We already see it not only being used in games, but also other fields like movies or room planning. With more companies investing in VR and making it accessible to more and more people we are sure that it is a technology that came to stay.

With the resources being invested in VR by Crytek, what kind of returns are expected down the line?

We hope that we can help pioneer VR and show that CRYENGINE is the “go-to” platform when it comes to VR development. Apart from that we want to show people around the world how magical VR can be.

"PSVR definitely has an advantage when it comes to accessibility, since people will only need to buy a PlayStation 4 to use the headset."

Which VR device has you most excited for the long-term?

All of them are unique in their own way, so it is hard to pick a favorite. I guess that the future will show which VR device will be the best suited for each kind of person.

Furthermore, do you think the PSVR will have some sort of head start as far as sales go compared to Rift and Vive? I mean the PSVR already has the PS4 install base as a backup and a low entry price.

PSVR definitely has an advantage when it comes to accessibility, since people will only need to buy a PlayStation 4 to use the headset. However, it is also the last of the major three headsets to be released this year, so the Rift and the Vive will already have a user base.  In the end the software available on each platform will determine its success, and it is hard to judge that right now.

Crytek has been quiet regarding AAA games development. What is happening with Hunt: Horrors of the Gilded Age and Arena of Fate?

Both games are still in development and we can see weekly progress. We hope we’ll able to share interesting news soon.

Crytek may be working on Robinson: The Journey exclusively for the PlayStation VR, but that’s not the only virtual reality game that they are developing. The studio today announced The Climb, the world’s first virtual-reality rock climbing game heading exclusively to Oculus Rift.

To reach the top of each cliff, players will need to to look around and find a suitable path, using the Oculus Rift headset’s VR, and then use their hands to pull themselves up. Both the Xbox One controller and Oculus Touch controller will be supported for the actual control, though it sounds like the Oculus Touch controller would honestly be more suited for a game like this.

The Climb is being developed by Crytek’s Frankfurt team. According to Crytek, the game aims to replicate “the rush and thrill of free solo rock climbing” across various locations from around the world. The game’s starting location has been revealed to be Asia, and Crytek promises that more locations that will be available in the game will be revealed at a later date.

“The Climb uses elements of the real life sport in gameplay to give players the sensation of rock climbing,” said Crytek. “For example, gameplay revolves around exploring rock faces to find a path to the top, and you must find different grips or holds, each with their own challenge, to lift yourself as you chart your own route. Rock climbing in real life is physically demanding. As athletes climb they sweat and chalk is used by climbers to return grip to sweaty hands. This is reflected in the game, as the more active you are, the more you’ll need to use chalk on your in-game hands so you can stay on the rock!”

“Gaming has always given us the opportunity to place ourselves in otherwise impossible scenarios, and VR technology such as the Rift makes us feel present in those scenarios like never before,” added Crytek CEO Cevat Yerli. “The Climb invites players to experience the intensity of one of the world’s most dangerous sports, and they’ll truly feel the thrill of being thousands of meters above the ground with nothing but their skill and a few precarious handholds to rely on.”

Check out the first trailer for the game below.