Previews// PSVR Impressions: Farpoint

Posted 25 Oct 2016 15:43 by
E3 2016
E3 2016
As I stumbled around EGX 2016 and into the Sony booth I was sat down and a strange plastic gun-shaped object was put into my hands. The demonstrator explained that I was going to shoot things with it in VR and described the use of all the triggers and how to change weapons. It was at this point he said something along the lines of 'most people are too scared of picking up the shot-gun, but I recommend it'. Too scared? Of what? What was I about to be subjected to?

Before I delve into that, let me describe Farpoint. Set in a far future, the player takes the role of a marooned astronaut on an unknown planet that is filled with creatures that would prefer it if you didn't exist. Or, ideally, if you actually became part of their sustenance. Either works really, but you not being alive is something they are keen to make happen. I mean, they are exceptionally enthused on this being an actual thing that occurs.

The only way off this rock of things that want you dead is a space station called The Pilgrim that has on it everything you need to get off-planet and back home to safety. As the player moves through the world in a first-person view they discover secrets about the world they find themselves on that give us a clue as to why they are there in the first place.

Farpoint is, at its heart, an FPS with a lot of jump-scares thrown into the mix. The creatures the player faces are arachnids in various forms, some of which are the size of a large office building and have no business existing thankyouverymuch.

E3 2016
E3 2016
As I walked through the desert landscape I saw in the corner of my eye many-legged beasts scuttling about. Eventually these creatures burst from the ground and I was given little chance to obliterate them as they tried to chew my face off. Pro tip: if you have any fear of spiders, do not play Farpoint. It will do nothing to cure you of your phobia; in fact it will probably make it even worse than it already is.

I managed to fend off wave after wave of beasts. The one-to-one accuracy of the gun controller was self-evident as I aimed the assault rifle at the too-many-legged creatures that had their heart set on separating my face from my head. Eventually I came upon a weapon stash, where the shotgun was kept. I knew then why the demonstrator had warned me about this section as it was teeming with hostiles and I was very much on edge when I retrieved the gun by holding the plastic controller over it.

Soon after picking it up I faced a moment of quiet as I had to edge my way across a narrow ledge that wrapped around a cliff. As I did so I looked down to the ground, but it could not be seen as I appeared to be above the cloud level. Those with vertigo need not apply when considering playing Farpoint. Those with arachnophobia and vertigo should definitely not go anywhere near Farpoint.

E3 2016
E3 2016
My brief time with Farpoint was as exhilarating as it was educational. I say that because it did a great job of demonstrating what PSVR is capable of and for that is should be applauded. There is more to Farpoint than jump-scares, of course, as the story behind the title is intriguing and how it will unfold before the player is something I'm looking forward to seeing.

Farpoint is due for release on PSVR later this year.

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