Quickly swinging around on cables may not seem like the ideal locomotion system for virtual reality (VR) gaming but the method is gaining popularity. The latest studio to developer a grapple system is Tomorrow Games which has announced its first title, Grapple Tournament.
As the name implies, Grapple Tournament is an arena-based shooter where players can engage in combat using dual wield multifunctional weapons and grappling hooks. Players have the ability to run, jump, double jump and wall jump as well as using the hooks to quickly dart around arenas to avoid being hit – you can even grapple new weapons.
There’s an arsenal of over 12 guns to play with, from your normal shotguns and grenade launchers to plasma pistols and energy rifles. Weapon combinations can be dual-wielded or use one with the hook. Plus you always have an energy blade on hand for close-quarters encounters. A sandbox mode will also feature to test each weapon’s characteristics.
Grapple Tournament will support both single-player and multiplayer modes. Solo, you’ll fight against bots or there’s the option to complete co-op challenges with a mate. The multiplayer is the core experience with a 6-player free-for-all, 3v3 team deathmatch and a 3v3 capture point mode. Describing the gameplay style, the team has said it combines: “the fast action of the Halo multiplayer with the pilot abilities of Titanfall spiced with some classic shooter elements.”
Tomorrow Games is planning an Early Access release for Grapple Tournament in late October 2020, featuring the aforementioned weapons, gameplay modes, locomotion options and 5 maps. Early Access is expected to last up to 12 months.
Before that, the studio has launched a beta for eager players to test Grapple Tournament out. If you own either an HTC Vive, Valve Index, Oculus Rift or Windows Mixed Reality headset then you can apply.
There are going to be plenty more videogames using grapple mechanics in the months to come. Greensky Games is currently developing Swarm, whilst Stonepunk Studios and Fun Train are expected to release Tarzan VR before the end of 2020. As Tomorrow Games release further details on Grapple Tournament, VRFocus will keep you updated.
