Rebellion’s Battlezone [Review: 8/10] might use the latest VR technology, but it’s actually based on a very, very old game. A free update next week will pay tribute to that original release.
Battlezone is getting a Classic Mode, and it’s designed to look exactly like the original Atari game from 1980, only with the added depth of VR. The new addition keeps you in the Cobra tank from the standard game but hones in on the classic gameplay of the original, forcing you to keep your eyes peeled for hostiles, which is easier said than done given that the entire world is now made out of green wire frames.
Players will be able to use the game’s usual controls in this mode, though there will also be the option to try ‘twin track’ controls. These are the controls implemented into the original arcade game, and have the player using the left and right sticks to operate their respective tank tracks. Writing on the PlayStation Blog, the developer’s Richard May said the controls require “skill” to master and were a “far departure” from the standard controls.
Speaking to UploadVR, the developer’s Robbie Cooke stated that the classic mode wouldn’t be a new campaign so much as a standalone solo mode, with waves of enemies that becoming increasingly more powerful pour in. The mode doesn’t support cooperative play. New missions and levels for the original campaign and a game codex will also be added in the update, which hits on December 20th.
Battlezone was one of our favorite launch games on PlayStation VR. In our review, David Jagneaux called it “one of the brightest shining gems” on the platform with “a ton of content” and a “satisfying procedural campaign.” It was also one of the first PS VR games to support Sony’s new PlayStation 4 Pro. We’re still expecting the game to come to Oculus Rift later down the line, though there’s no specific date on that launch yet.
