VR rock climbing game to chalk up a lifting experience

If you have not yet experienced rock climbing a new game has been developed called The Climb which offers a rock-climbing experience on a VR level. The game is from Crytek, created in partnership with Oculus. Founder, CEO & President of Crytek, Cevat Yerli, said "The Climb invites players to experience the intensity of one of the world's most dangerous sports."

The video said it brings the rock climbing experience in virtual reality.

Crytek is due out some time next year, said The Verge.

Sam Machkovech in Ars Technica said that "based on our brief test of the beautiful game at a December preview event, we think we've finally found a satisfying, better-in-VR form of a first-person platformer."

"I'm wearing the latest Oculus Rift headset and holding an Xbox One controller, but as I tap A and watch my character leap in the air, I can feel the sweat form on my temples," said Nick Statt, who covers video games in The Verge.

Heavy breathing. Birds excitedly squawk as they scatter from the impact of falling rocks. Actions beckon. Defy Gravity. Make the Leap. Hold On.

It's about solo rock climbing. You are not going to love or hate any character; the player is represented by a pair of hands. "By removing the body of a character," said the makers. "the player's view is not obstructed and the movements made in the game feel much more intuitive and natural."

What happens in the game: You have to lift yourself, plain and simple. You are exploring to find a path to the top, and you need to find different grips or holds, each with its own challenge.

Joel Hruska in ExtremeTech described the situation as "you're a nameless climber using motion controllers or a gamepad to haul yourself up a sheer rock face."

The game presents various settings and difficulty levels. Talking about those levels, Machkovech noted "multiple mountains, each coming in multiple difficulty flavors—meaning, different mountain geometry, more branching paths, different chalking requirements, and other tweaks to make players' attempts for fast times more challenging."

The chalk is used by climbers to return grip to sweaty hands. The more active, the more the need to use chalk on in-game hands to stay on the rock.

Ars Technica noted the scaling of mountains using only virtual hands. "Players control most of the game by looking around, and even craning their necks, to guide either of their free, floating-in-air hands toward nooks and ledges on a mountain's edge."

There will also be a training mode.

As for the specific date of release, the FAQ page on the Crytek site said, "To be confirmed."

© 2015 Tech Xplore