New VR shooter EVASION showcases impressive free-form bullet-hell mechanics.

Just recently, virtual reality studio Archiact announced their newest game in the works, EVASION, with high hopes for its potential to step atop the pedestal of VR shooters. Defined by its creators as a high-intensity VR bullet hell, EVASION is nothing short of awesome. From the ground up the game has been built with a co-op multiplayer focus. Working in tandem with fellow players is the drive behind the intense action, but even still there was no neglect for the single player experience. Players will have to use their wits and tactics in order to combat their way against swarms of A.I. enemies and achieve victory against extinction level odds. For most VR shooters this sounds like a mighty challenge, to say the least, with your feet planted in place. However, Archiact has allowed us full free-form movement across these projectile riddled battlefields, granting us the freedom and firepower gamers have been craving for so long in a VR game.

Run and gun gameplay makes for an enthralling level of play with friends (or enemies)

So far there are four classes with which to wreak mayhem: the Striker, the Surgeon, the Engineer, and the Warden. Each class has their own unique weapons, abilities, and tactics for you to employ alongside your teammates. We only have details of two of them at this time. The Striker is an offensive, precision class capable of dealing tons of damage quickly. She fires rapid homing shots and uses lasers to burn and mark her targets for even more damage. She’s a bit squishy but her mobility more than makes up for this. The Surgeon is the healer. He’s the one keeping everyone alive and fighting through the endless maelstrom of enemy fire. He can chain-heal nearby allies and even heal himself to keep in the fray. The other two are still undisclosed at the moment. The Engineer will either be the debuff or ability caster for the party, possibly dishing out DPS from afar. The Warden sounds like the defensive tank role, capable of holding his own against the swarms of enemies and bullets coming in. We’ll let you know when we learn more. All of these classes and your own avatar will be customizeable with ability upgrades. Players will mix and match these class combinations for maximum effect and varying play styles, which will permit a good deal of replayability.

EVASION is a true bullet-hell game embedded in the VR environment.

How could such an impressive feat be accomplished in what still seems to be a niche market? There are significant challenges ahead for Archiact. There’s one big challenge facing almost all FPS VR games and that is the concern over motion sickness and disorientation. Watching an immersive world whizz by at high speeds can be nauseating even if you’re running in place on a treadmill. Even games on typical televisions or computer screens can induce this in some players. The original Mirror’s Edge for example had to include a target reticle to give players to focus on to avoid motion disorders. There is also the competition within such a small marketplace in the VR world. Other FPS VR games exist in varying capacities and standing out from them will be hard as it seems to be the defining genre for VR so far. Well, Archiact has a few strategies at hand to bring the intense EVASION experience to the forefront of the masses. Firstly, EVASION will be available for both of the major VR platforms: Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. No word yet if there will be cross-platform multiplayer capability, but it would be a solid feature for a wider appeal in the VR marketplace. Second, they are hoping to feature the game in arcades as a permanent or temporary attraction for people to play. The concept of local arcades hosting VR booths is an exciting potential market for games such as this. Allowing players to experience and enjoy games like EVASION in a consumer friendly manner is a welcome outreach for such a cost-prohibitive platform.

Intel-powered destruction physics powers up the level of mayhem.

Lastly, there are the partnerships with industry leaders to develop EVASION into a genre-defining AAA title. Pulling upon the power of Unreal Engine 4, Archiact has a veritable wealth of potential to work with. The engine provides spectacular platforms for graphical effects and three-dimensional spatial audio, enabling an immersive play experience. The developers are also working directly with Intel for next generation destruction physics, which adds an unprecedented level of depth to the maps. Wrapping up the powerhouse is the impressive IKinema. Their talent for lifelike and detailed avatars offers a fine level of detail which will make each of your movements fluid and fast.

IKinema motion capture technology is at the forefront of EVASION’s movement style.

Archiact is no newbie to the VR development scene, but this is their first major project with such high ambitions. They have been creating VR content since 2013 and in their tenure has amassed an impressive cast of creators and partners within their growing VR sphere. Not to mention, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia they are steeped in one of the hubs of video game development. Working closely with industry leaders has allowed them to put real power behind EVASION. Hosting VU (formerly CVR), Canada’s premiere VR, AR, and MR expo, they have attracted troves of talent from which to draw upon. They are calling the game their passion project, and it really shows from the previews we have seen already. They have already answered interview questions about the game’s development in such a unique market, and you can feel their enthusiasm for their project. You can check out EVASION yourself in Spring of 2018 with all of the following features:

Action packed, high-intensity sci-fi shooter gameplay

Co-operative Campaign for 1-4 players

Total immersion with ‘next-gen’ full body avatars powered by IKinema

Authentic FPS locomotion options for the most realistic VR combat experience

Powerful class-based gameplay with customizable ability upgrades

Best in-class physics & destruction, enhanced for the Intel® Core™ i7 and i9 processors.

Replayable missions with randomized objectives & enemy encounters

Spectacular Unreal Engine visuals & 3D Spatial Audio brings combat to life

Coming to HTC Vive & Oculus Rift early 2018