Puzzle games are about as common in VR these days as wave shooters, which is to say you see them everywhere. Unlike most genres, which rely on intense action or engaging storytelling, puzzle games are enhanced by VR due to the simple prospect of 360-degree presence. Instead of inspecting a flat 2D screen you’re required to physically move around the world to figure out solutions which opens up whole new game design possibilities.
When we revealed the game via our first hands-on preview of Awaken last month, the debut VR puzzle game from recently founded game studio Blueprint Reality, we came away impressed. While similar in concept to other “get the ball to the goal” games like Bounce and Grav|Lab, its use of ingenious dynamic music building, mesmerizing art style, level editor, and sheer sense of polish easily set it apart from the competition. The game’s creators are trying to position it as the “Mario Maker or LittleBigPlanet of VR puzzle games.”
“We are very excited to launch Awaken, a visually stunning puzzle game and dynamic music experience,” stated Tarrnie Williams, industry veteran and Blueprint Reality CEO, in a prepared statement. “We set out to make a VR title with approachable, engaging gameplay and a universe that sets a powerful yet meditative tone.”
In my previous demo, it was only a small sampling of a handful of levels, but that’s been expanded to 30 for the Early Access release with a grand total of over 100 planned for full release. With the inclusion of the level editor in this build, Blueprint Reality is also running a level creation contest. It will begin today and run through 2/16/17. All entries will be judged on fun, creativity, and beauty, with the potential to win items such as GTX 1080, 1070, and 1060 graphics cards, as well as featured placement for the in-game community.
You can download Awaken now on Steam with official support for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift at the price of $29.99; a PlayStation VR version is currently in development. The first week of release on Steam will feature a 15% discount, dropping the price to $25.49 until 2/2/17.
