Team up with friends in this frantic local multiplayer experience based on the upcoming film.
In the upcoming sequel to 2016’s The Angry Birds Movie, The Angry Birds Movie 2: Under Pressure, the beloved franchise heads in a bold new direction when a terrifying new foe threatens to destroy both the Bird and Piggy Islands, forcing both sides to come together in order to save their respective civilizations.
The Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure—available this summer on PlayStation VR—highlights the film’s themes of cooperation and teamwork by offering an asymmetrical local multiplayer experience in which players must pilot the pigs’ enormous yellow submarine while simultaneously working alongside your fellow crew members to keep the vessel afloat.
Here’s how it works: one player in VR takes on the role of captain and is tasked with navigating the large submersible through a variety of undersea hazards; meanwhile three other players—viewing the action on a TV via PlayStation VR’s exclusive Social Screen platform—must work together in order to keep the ship functional.
So far it’s unclear as to what tasks these players will be performing, although based on the images provided it appears as though there will be some form of resource management or possibly some puzzle-solving. Whatever the objectives may be, Rovio promises plenty of “high-pressure situations.” You can even retrieve sunken treasure for piggy leader Leonard for additional bonuses.
With Resolution Games already offering Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs on both SteamVR and Oculus, along with an AR version for the Magic Leap One Creator Edition and compatible smart devices, it appears as though Rovio Entertainment is doubling-down on its commitment to immersive entertainment.
While Isle of Pigs may not be a revolutionary experience, it’s still an excellent reimagining of the mobile classic that adds a fresh perspective to the series while still remaining loyal to the gameplay mechanics that made it such a wild success in the first place. By expanding on that experience using cooperative multiplayer elements, Under Pressure has the opportunity to take the franchise in an exciting new direction.
“VR is an exciting medium, but there are not yet enough games that can be enjoyed with family and friends in the real world,” explains Bobby Thandi, founder and CEO at XR Games, while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. “We saw an opportunity to introduce new players to PS VR by making a game in which VR and TV players have different viewpoints and responsibilities within the same funny, team-spirited game.”
“At Sony Pictures VR, we believe that VR should be social, cooperative and fun,” added Jake Zim, senior VP of VR at Sony Pictures Entertainment. “We’re excited about XR Games’ unique take on The Angry Birds Movie 2 VR game because friends and frenemies alike can team up and work toward a common goal.”
The Angry Birds Movie 2 VR: Under Pressure will launch exclusively on PSVR sometimes during the film’s release this summer.
