RUNNER is a newly announced 80s anime-inspired motorcycle action game with first-person VR driving gameplay from Truant Pixel, the developers behind 2MD VR Football, it’s slated to release on PSVR 2 for PS5, PC VR, and Quest.
RUNNER VR
The visual aesthetic, especially in that reveal trailer embedded above, is very clearly and heavily influenced by 1980s era anime like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Macross, and even classic films like Blade Runner. The city shown in the footage is dark and dystopian in a anime-Cyberpunk sort of way that was extremely popular in that era of Japanese animation. It also features a synthwave soundtrack that sounds especially excellent based on the music in the teaser—I am 100% down for the image they’re trying to sell right now.
Obviously the in-game visuals don’t look exactly like an 80s-anime, though. The art style is still very cel-shaded and evocative, but it seems noticeably brighter. It looks like the game takes place while you ride down long stretches of highway on your motorcycle while fighting off bad guys. I want to once again stress the clear Akira influences here, all the way down to the notably red motorcycle, accented by big, round Tron-style wheels.
Here’s the description according to the developer:
“RUNNER is an arcade-inspired VR driving action game. Players take on the role of Mina, a rogue mod-courier at the center of a massive city-wide pursuit. Beginning in the heart of Presidium, the neon-drenched capitol of the mining colony moon N-351, Mina’s only means of escape is the “Thoroughfare,” a massive highspeed expressway that snakes through the entirety sprawling colony complex.
Pursued by the forces of the Caldera corporation, Mina must race through 7 sectors while fighting off relentless waves of autonomous corporate combat drones. Using only their wits, their cybernetics, and a unique array of special abilities, the player will become the runner in this fast-paced, kinetic VR experience.”
Keep an eye on Truant Pixel over on Twitter and the game’s official Twitter for more details. RUNNER should be coming to PSVR 2 on PS5, PC VR, and “mobile VR” which we assume means Quest.
