Construct dozens of complex interstellar machines, from space drones to antimatter generators, in this freeform puzzle game.
Brought to us by developer Bithell Games (Thomas Was Alone, Subsurface Circular), Arcsmith is an upcoming VR game for the Oculus Quest that has you playing the role of an intergalactic engineer tasked with constructing futuristic machinery under the guidance of master arcsmith Korith Dinn. War is on the horizon, which means things on your little remote space station are about to get busy.
Using a variety of modular parts and diagnostic tools, you’ll build increasingly complex machinery, from space drones to antimatter generators, by balancing heat, power, and other key elements. In the debut trailer released earlier today, we catch a glimpse of the sci-fi-themed freeform puzzle game in action.
It appears as though a majority of the gameplay centers around mixing and matching different parts using your Touch controllers. You can also listen to tunes on the radio as you work.
As you continue to experiment with your library of out-of-this-world technology, you’ll learn more about the intense power struggle unfolding in the background via a series of ongoing news reports. You’ll also learn more about the mysterious past of your new mentor and how it may relate to the recent escalations.
“It’s been exciting developing a spatial puzzle game for virtual reality,” said Nic Tringali, Game Director for Arcsmith at Bithell Games. “We’ve given players a variety of tools at their workbench to design and diagnose their creations, and VR gives us a unique way to present a game with an open-ended puzzle design.”
In a market saturated with futuristic shooters and space-flying games, Arcsmith’s laidback puzzle mechanics look like a refreshing change of pace for a sci-fi VR game. There also appears to be quite a bit of narrative to sink our teeth into. After all, who doesn’t love getting caught in the middle of a good old-fashioned intergalactic conflict?
Arcsmith launches July 29th on Oculus Quest headsets for $24.99. For more information visit here.
Feature Image Credit: Bithell Games
