Crytek, once a watermark for excessively intense graphics, have renewed that claim with their new virtual reality game for the Oculus Rift, The Climb. Based around challenges and competition, The Climb simulates a mountain climbing expedition, with all the dangers, obstacles, and realistic vertigo you'd expect.
From Niklas Walenski, Game Designer on The Climb:
We score your performance in a range of different ways. Of course, time is probably the most obvious, and we think the competition will be really intense. It certainly is in the studio! But we also score you on your 'flow' across a range of other mechanics. Can you beat the stage without dying? Without chalking? Without rewinding? Did you climb smoothly? Did you use harder grip types? Did you do cool stuff like huge leaps or hold onto grips with the trigger just half-pressed, something pretty tricky to do? There's a huge range of ways for you to improve your score on every level.
This VR experience incorporates a mountain of content, challenges, and possibilities. In addition to the competitive mode in which players try to beat each other on these metrics, modes such as Boulder mode and Tourist mode employ the software in different ways. Boulders are individual challenge courses, set up to be much harder than normal ascents. Tourist mode on the other hand is a relaxed version with fewer requirements, for players who want the visual experience of VR vistas, without the meddlesome difficulty. Regular solo mode offers this experience of exploration, with the added danger that even a moment's distraction can lead to a plummeting end.
The Climb is out now, and is one of the earliest retailed VR exclusive titles. It may end up being the standout of early VR, but with this level of graphics, challenges, and solo-play potential, it can probably be seen as quite a bit better than the last game to break similar ground.
Can you handle The Climb? Will you buy it, or would you if you owned a Rift? Let us know in the comments below!
