Play as an enormous stone giant in VR or a pint-sized hero on a desktop PC.
VR Giants is a new cooperative experience in which you and another player work together as a pair in order to solve a wide variety of complex puzzles. But here’s the twist: one player is in VR while the other interacts via a standard desktop PC, otherwise referred to as ‘asymmetrical co-op.’
The player in VR takes on the role of the towering Goliath while the desktop plays the dwarf, David. Each character features its own unique pros and cons in terms of gameplay. As Goliath, you can use your body as a ‘man-made’ bridge and lift heavy objects to build structures David can use to traverse certain obstacles. David, on the other hand, is small enough to squeeze through tight spots to collect coins and keys to open gates and fast enough to jump over various roadblocks.
Now for the cons. Being small means that David is more vulnerable to different hazards such as fire, spikes, and other dangers you’ll encounter through each level. Goliath’s enormous size, on the other hand, makes it difficult to move through certain parts of each level. He’s also considerably slower than his pint-sized partner-in-crime. As a result, you and your partner will have to work together in order to succeed.
Developed by Risa Interactive, VR Giants was first created in 2017 as part of a master thesis regarding body presence in VR. Then, in 2019, the project slowly evolved into a full-blown game. According to the creators, the game is meant to envoke a sense of empathy and comradery between players while, simultaneously, testing their communication skills.
The game has already won several awards, including “Winner of “Innovation in Games” at the Zurich Game Festival in 2019 and “Best Installation” at the JE.F Festival in 2019. Since then, VR Giants have continued to evolve. The game is still in development, though you can play a beta version by joining the company’s Patreon.
A David-level membership ($6 per month) gets you access to the beta, the full game when released (if 5 months subscribed), support, and digital wallpaper. A Goliath membership ($11.50 per month) gets you everything in the David package as well as the full game at release (if 3 months subscribed) and your name in the games’ credits. The Generous Giant membership ($27 per month) gets you everything in the David and Goliath packages, the full game at launch (no monthly minimum), plus a digital artbook with concept art.
VR Giants offers seven fully-playable levels with three different giant types for you to choose from: Solid, Temporary, and Lava. The game also offers four biomes (Ice, Desert, Volcano, and Pasture), each one centered around different game mechanics. In total, the beta offers around two hours of gameplay with new levels and features added each month.
If you want to check out VR Giants, you can download a demo of the game on Steam. To learn more about VR Giants or to join their Patreon, check out their website, find them on Twitter, or join their Discord.
Image Credit: Risa Interactive
