COLD VR promises SUPERHOT in reverse by freezing time as you move, and a Steam demo is now available.
Created by solo Argentinian developer Carlos Alfonso, COLD VR takes the exact opposite approach to 2016's SUPERHOT VR. These blue crystalline foes only slow down when you're actively moving. With a rogue AI attempting to capture humanity inside its simulation, this story unfolds through live-action cutscenes. Alfonso provided UploadVR with a new trailer, which you can watch below, with viewer discretion advised for explicit language.
We spent 30 minutes hands-on with the Steam demo, which includes a tutorial and six levels. The introduction sets the scene well, letting you experiment with a nice range of weapons like axes, katanas, light swords, guns or even your bare fists. COLD VR uses artificial stick-based locomotion and that's for the best; the premise likely wouldn't work with teleportation movement.
Once the levels began, I immediately had to think fast by dodging and deflecting bullets. One hit is all it takes to end your run, and some units' camouflage means you need a keen eye. I'm told enemy placements also change after dying. This adds an enjoyable challenge to each level, requiring you to learn enemy patterns without giving much time to think this over. Good level variety keeps this interesting, though being thrown into the backrooms creates surprising but brief horror.
I'd like to see some currently missing features added when COLD VR launches. I couldn't magnetically grab nearby items, and I do wish you could steal enemy weapons when they die. We encountered a couple of bugs like spawning in the floor or being flung miles across the map. Thankfully, this didn't dampen my enthusiasm, you can quickly calibrate your height by pressing the right stick in or quickly reset. With its intriguing premise, I'm excited for the full release.
COLD VR will launch this year on PC VR, and the free demo is available now. Alfonso confirms plans for PSVR 2 and Quest 2/3 ports after the Steam release, followed by a flatscreen version on PC, Xbox Series, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
