If there’s a game that’s headlining PlayStation VR’s launch line-up, it’s arguably RIGS: Mechanized Combat League from Guerrilla Cambridge. This brief new trailer shows you why.
Coming in at 30 seconds, this is just the slightest glimpse of the anticipated new multiplayer first-person shooter (FPS). It was released as part of Sony’s ‘Summer Games 2016’ video series, even though it won’t actually launch until well into the fall. But it’s a pretty effective clip; if the quick cuts, dramatic music and strained faces don’t pique your interest then we don’t know what will short of forcing your head into a PS VR unit and getting you to play a round for yourself.
The trailer highlights some aspects we hadn’t paid much attention to before, such as the game’s melee system, where the arms of your giant mech will violently collide with your opponent. Think of it like Transformers, if the war of Autobots vs Decepticons was actually an e-sport televised for your entertainment. It also appears to be showing off a mode that anyone following the game will already be familiar with, Power Slam. This sees players build up points to enter an overdrive mode, which they’ll then use to jump through a goal as if they themselves were the ball in a game of soccer.
What’s most interesting about RIGS is its commitment to convincing players that a fast-paced multiplayer shooter can work in VR, even with a DualShock 4. It’s the type of game we didn’t expect to see for some time, which makes it all the more impressive that the matches we’ve played have been frantic yet comfortable and, above all, fun. Charging around arenas and shooting down enemies is a real thrill, and proves that PS VR won’t be home to underpowered VR experiences like some had feared.
RIGS will be out on October 13th along with PlayStation VR itself as well as a whole heap of other games. We can’t wait to give you some final impressions on it.
