Magical powers are no longer the stuff of fantasy – not when we can dive into alternate universes.

From the creators of Magicraft, Warlock VR took the second place in this year’s 3D Jam VR Track for its awe-inspiring visuals and satisfying game mechanics. Inside a massive castle hall, you can bring down massive meteors, shoot fireballs, and summon lightning. Storm Bringer Studios have also released Warlock Battle, a multiplayer successor where you can pit your skills against live opponents. Both demos are available free for download on our Developer Gallery.

Warlock VR first emerged on the Oculus forums, where it was dubbed “Mage Battle VR.” Here’s what it looked like at the prototyping phase back in October:

And here’s what a multiplayer magic duel looks like with our older V2 software. (Both games are also fully compatible with the new Orion software!)

The road from prototype to polished demo involved a lot of testing and experimentation. “We started experimenting and tried possibly a dozens on gestures and spell selection schemes,” says Irakli Kokrashvili, co-founder and CEO of the Georgian studio. “We were inviting testers and observing their reactions, how they were trying to cast spells. We were pleased to see the joy and fun they were having throwing spells with bare hands.”

After the end of the 3D Jam and some positive reviews, the team decided it would be cool if players could battle each other. A quick proof of concept and a few weeks of development later, Warlock Battle was born. “We noted one big downside though. We were spending more and more time ‘testing’ the game and dueling, because it was so addictive! Then we found out that we got 2nd place in the VR/AR track – we couldn’t believe it was true at first.”

“People were discussing our game over the Net, something that was only in our minds a few months ago. Comments like ‘This is what VR is supposed to be,’ ‘Take my money now,’ ‘Add some story and release this ASAP.'”

At this stage, he says, the team is thinking about the best way to make a full game from the experience. The magic is only just beginning. To follow the latest Storm Bringer developments, be sure to check out their Warlock VR Facebook page.

Storm Bringer would also like to thank IliaUni Gamelab and GITA (Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency) for their support.