PlayStation VR (PSVR) didn’t have a big showing as last year’s PlayStation Experience, with just one game announced during Sony’s press conference. We didn’t even think much of that game, Starblood Arena, at the time, but a fresh look at it today provides reason to be excited.
WhiteMoon Dreams, the developer behind this PSVR exclusive, this week posted a far more in-depth look at the game than previously seen, explaining many of its modes and mechanics. Even if you turned your nose up at the reveal of this six degree of freedom (6DOF) shooter the first time, it’s worth taking another look; Starblood is shaping up to be a competent multiplayer game with plenty of content on offer.
We definitely get some Overwatch vibes from the colorful cast of characters featured in the game, no matter how unintentional that is. Each character has their own set of weapons and abilities so you’ll be able to find one that suits your own play style. Gundo, for example, is a cyborg pilot that’s described by the team as “great at any range”, while Buck is a giant blue alien that’s fitted his ship with even bigger guns. There are nine pilots overall, and if you pre-order the game you’ll get access to some exclusive skins.
The game is comprised of both competitive and co-op modes. Based on the trailer we’re hoping it lands somewhere in the middle of RIGS: Mechanized Combat League [Review: 8/10] and EVE: Valkyrie [Review: 9/10], mixing the color and style of the former with the made-for-VR comfort and intense combat of the latter. If Starblood can pull that off then it could be a big new release for Sony’s headset.
Finally, we have a date for the game, or rather dates: it hits the US on Apil 11th and EU on April 12th. That’s a lot sooner than we were expecting given it was only announced in December but, seeing as PSVR has been going through a bit of a dry spell of the late, the sooner the better.
