How 'Marvel's Iron Man VR' Could Unleash PlayStation VR (Demo)
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SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
The year is 2020. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is a worldwide success, selling more than 106 million units to become the second-highest selling home console of all time.
But, gamers clamour for a glimpse at Sony’s PlayStation 5 – this enigmatic machine has become a symbol of what’s new and exciting in the (ostensibly) big future of console gaming.
Against this backdrop, you could be forgiven for thinking that Sony’s dalliance with virtual-reality gaming – the PlayStation VR – has been left for dead. Or, for forgetting that it even happened. After all, with only 5 million units sold internationally, the PlayStation VR can hardly be said to have ‘caught on’ amongst PlayStation 4 owners.
And not to mention (but still, mentioning) that Sony’s competitors - like Oculus and Valve, who pioneered virtual-reality gaming on PCs with more powerful devices - have pulled ahead in advancing virtual-reality technology. In fact, a new device, the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite, released this month.
Yes, you could be forgiven for writing off the PlayStation VR – though I’d be inclined not to. And this isn’t just because I happen to be a fickle individual who plays both sides of his argument.
ON DISPLAY: PLAYSTATION VR AT PAX AUSTRALIA 2016
In this author’s humble (and sometimes not-so-humble) opinion, there have never been more reasons than now, in 2020, to buy a PlayStation VR.
First, no matter how much more powerful competing virtual-reality headsets are, the PlayStation VR – being the cheapest, and readily compatible with a popular console – remains the most accessible virtual-reality gaming solution for the average (and indeed, above and below average) consumer. Second, we know that the PlayStation VR (and PlayStation 4 games that support it) will be forward compatible with the PlayStation 5.
But most importantly, the PlayStation VR is home to thrilling, quality gaming experiences – many of which are exclusive to it. My favourites include Star Trek: Bridge Crew (Ubisoft), Blood and Truth (SIE London Studio) and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (SIE Japan Studio). Each of these exploits virtual-reality gaming to create experiences that consoles cannot otherwise generate.
SOURCE: SIE JAPAN STUDIO
That said, where other headsets allow players to immerse themselves by moving about, the PlayStation VR is more limited. This is one of its most criticised drawbacks; because players’ movements are tracked only from in front, developers can only build games that keep players as still as possible. So, designing free, three-dimensional movement into games is not really possible – or so most people seem to think.
I suspect that with the release of Marvel’s Iron Man VR, these assumptions will be tested and pushed to their breaking points.
American studio Camouflaj (which previously developed République for the Oculus Quest) has worked on this game for more than three years. But, the timing of Iron Man VR seems far from accidental. After the success of Marvel’s Spider-Man (Insomniac Games) on PlayStation 4 and Avengers: Endgame (2019) in theatres, it comes as no surprise that Marvel should want another PlayStation-exclusive title (this time, focusing on Iron Man). With Tony Stark’s ridiculous holograms and heads-up displays showing up across years of comic books, films and videogames, a virtual-reality game is a natural fit for letting players fly a mile in the nickel-titanium alloy shoes of the armoured superhero.
SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
But, are Camouflaj on track to live up to this with Marvel’s Iron Man VR?
Well, I went hands-on with a demo version of the game while attending PAX Australia in Melbourne, last year. It included a tutorial that taught players the basic moves that they’ll use while piloting the Iron Man suit. It lasted for roughly 20 minutes and was played standing up, with two PlayStation Move controllers.
Truthfully, Marvel’s Iron Man VR seems set to deliver an exhilarating (and layered) flying experience that shows that the PlayStation VR has untapped potential and yes, makes you feel like Iron Man!
THEY LOVED IT 3000: DEMO (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY) AT PAX AUSTRALIA 2019!
After wiring up with the PlayStation VR and positioning myself within the game’s digital space, the iconic Iron Man helmet closes over my face. The helmet switches over to a digital display, which folds away to reveal open ocean below and a coastline in the distance.
As expected, there’s a comprehensive HUD detailing my health (‘suit status’), my current objective, a local map and my weapons’ status (‘repulsors’). It isn’t as convoluted as what Tony Stark sees in many Marvel films, but that’s the look Camouflaj are going for. The HUD is partly decorative and sports that ‘techno’ look, making it feel as though I’m seeing the world through the Iron Man suit – but it isn’t intrusive. In fact, the HUD moves aside when I move and when I raise my gauntlets (which are fully rendered, and the only parts of the suit that I can see).
SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
To fly, I activate my thrusters by holding down the triggers on the PlayStation Move controllers. After that, the direction that I fly in is controlled entirely by where I point my hands. In something of a first for PlayStation VR games (at least, to my knowledge), I can freely move up, down, forward, backward or combinations of those – and at variable speeds. To fly forward, I place my hands by my sides with my palms facing back.
As I reach the coast, the logos of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Marvel and Camouflaj all fly past – and then I see a lavish mansion on the edge of the cliff, overlooking some sea stacks. I’m flying in and around 10880 Malibu Point, California – Tony Stark’s residence. I’m not all that familiar with the Iron Man comic books, but I’m definitely picking up some design cues here from Iron Man 3 (2008).
The buildings and structures are surprisingly detailed, but there isn’t time for me to admire things up close. The late-afternoon lighting is breathtaking, and everything is scaled well. With plenty of obstacles around, I can finally gauge my size, altitude, speed and distance from things – and to get a real sense of how big everything is!
SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
After a message from Stark Industries’ CEO, Pepper Potts, it’s time to train with the repulsors! As you’d expect, the repulsors function exactly as they do in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films – they’re fired as beams from the palms of the gauntlets. They even charge with an uncannily similar (but not quite identical) whining noise as in the films. I can fire a standard blast by pressing the Move button, or a charged blast by holding it down and releasing it. I can fire one repulsor or both, simultaneously or in rapid succession. I can even fire one while using the other as a thruster!
They’re a bit hard to aim properly, though. The palms on the gauntlets aren’t mapped to the tracking points on the controllers – so ‘pointing’ my palms doesn’t quite feel natural. Thankfully, each gauntlet is equipped with a laser sight, providing an in-game visual aid for correct aiming, even at a distance. After destroying some stationary targets, I quickly get used to the controls. With each shot, I’m automatically cutting down my reaction time – it feels great, like I’m in this scene from Iron Man (2008) where Stark targets and blasts a group of terrorists in seconds.
TAKING AIM: COMBAT in Marvel’s Iron Man VR
The next move to learn is boosting. Quickly tapping the triggers activates boosting, which drastically increases my speed. In fact, my speed increases that much that the game throws up a horizontal line and a flight path tracker, to help me stay on course. I’m told to boost through a series of rings. Needless to say, this first flight is exhilarating – again, much like this scene from Iron Man.
Some rings are around sharp turns and under sudden drops. They seem like a big ask for me right now, flying this fast – but mercifully, Iron Man VR has a generous margin for error. When I crash into a rock or fall to the water, bumpers gently carry me around or over the obstruction.
But, that isn’t to say flying doesn’t require any skill. Thanks to the incorporation of ‘physics-based flying’, inertia and gravity operate just as they do in the real world. If I don’t factor in these forces when making subtle adjustments to my altitude and speed, I could miss the rings that I’m flying at. Again, this comes down to precisely where you point both of your hands.
SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
Next up, Miss Potts gives me some holographic targets to destroy with the Rocket Punch. This move is more strenuous; holding either the O or X button on a controller while lunging it forward causes Tony to rush forward and punch the target. These strikes lock on and feel good, but the move seems like an unneeded addition. Yes, Tony can certainly throw down in hand-to-hand combat – but with this game focusing so much on air-to-air combat, why would anyone not use the repulsors? Ah, well. I suspect that rocket punches will be used for dealing with swarming enemies – which Tony may (or may not) encounter in the final game!
FUN FACT: This photo was featured on PlayStation Au’s Instagram page!
Finally, Miss Potts pits me against moving targets – drones, actually – that all have weapons trained on me!
This combat challenge is what the demo has been preparing me for; introducing moves one-by-one (flying, boosting, shooting and punching) before layering them together to show me what (I assume) will form the bulk of gameplay in Iron Man VR.
As I engage the drones (and my HUD switches from blue to orange – a nice touch), the satisfaction that I’d felt while getting good at flying, boosting and shooting culminates in a grin on my face. Destroying a group of drones with one repulsor while using the other to stay airborne, then boosting over to a tougher drone, dodging its attack and dispatching it with a double charged shot - ah, it feels…well, badass! And make no mistake; the suit can take damage (so this is a true ‘game’, with winning and losing conditions)!
However, I’m noticing a potential problem. In most shooting titles, enemies are always in front of the player. Here, the drones are placed all around me. Above, below, to my right, to my left and worryingly, behind me. To defeat them, I need to turn the suit around – which I’m struggling to do, no matter where I point the gauntlets – or physically turn myself around, which would tangle me in cables and disrupt the tracking of my movements. Fortunately, I’m able to find a solution by simply flying backwards until every enemy is in front of me. But, being unable to properly turn the suit around might be an issue for some, if it carries over into the final game. After finishing the drones, I land the suit near the mansion and my session is over.
SOURCE: PLAYSTATION
Like many games before it, Marvel’s Iron Man VR looks set to push the boundaries of what can be accomplished on the ‘limited’ hardware of the PlayStation VR – only this time, by changing up how it can feel to move around in a virtual-reality space on the platform!
This is the only PlayStation VR game that I’ve played that gives players total control over three-dimensional movement without resorting to stiff point-and-click controls or putting players on rails. Though that may be a double-edged sword, the PlayStation VR desperately needs bold developers (like Camouflaj) to push it to its limits if Sony wants it to survive the upcoming leap to the PlayStation 5.
For Marvel fans, Iron Man VR will likely be a minor dream-come-true that tides them over until the much-anticipated Marvel’s Avengers (Crystal Dynamics) releases for the PlayStation 4 in September. And if the rumours are true, they’ll have the chance to try a demo (via the PlayStation Store) very soon!
And me? Well, I’ll say this much…come May 2020, I am (playing) Iron Man (VR).
Marvel’s Iron Man VR releases exclusively for the PlayStation 4 on July 3, 2020. The PlayStation VR, PlayStation Camera and two PlayStation Move controllers are required to play.