Just watching sharks burst out of nowhere and rip a poor scuba diver in half on the main screen made me feel uneasy about trying Depth VR , but then again that’s the kind of feeling developers Digital Confectioners are trying to achieve in delivering a suspenseful video game experience.
2 years since it was released on Steam, the team behind the hit multiplayer sharks vs human game, Depth return for the follow-up game Depth VR, which the Checkpoint crew were fortunate enough to try out.
Slipping on the head gear, the tension already rose because I was constantly thinking about when the shark was going to come out and go all Jaws on me. Worse yet, I was trying to save myself from screaming in front of a large spectating PAX crowd.
The VR starts off in a submarine with a voice that constantly pressures you to progress further on. From previous talks with some of the Depth VR crew, the games story will see you play as a researcher operating a submarine in search for treasure. While you are following the expedition, you and your team suddenly fall prey to the predators of the sea, instantly turning the expedition into a fight for survival.
“The soundtrack helps deliver the suspense but it’s the games pacing that really puts you on edge.”
The demo really delivered well on its Unreal 4 engine visuals, as well as brilliantly building tension and suspense quite easily. The soundtrack helps deliver the suspense but it’s the games pacing that really puts you on edge. The submarine does not move fast, so you’re always guessing “where is that shark?” This feels purposeful so that you really experience and take in everything that this game has to offer.
The VR controls take some time getting use to. I found myself multiple times trying to ease into the controls and figure out how to move forward, but after several attempts I found myself getting comfortable..
Overall ,Depth VR is very impressive and delivers a true survival experience. It has tension, brutality, fear, amazing visuals, a brilliant soundtrack to uplift the experience and it possesses everything a survival game would need to be successful. For those wanting to experience true survival horror, Depth VR will bring you back to a genre that is now making a comeback, heightened further due to the new technology.
Depth VR is set to release on Steam in 2017, however you can go back to the origins by downloading Depth, which is now available to download from Steam.
About the Author
Anthony Gabb
Anthony is your typical geek who eats coco pops in a cookie monster onesie, works out while watching Dragon Ball Z , plays video games of all sorts, cosplays, makes super awesome tacos and fantasizes about marrying Olivia Munn.
