Asgard's Wrathis a 2019action role-playing gamedeveloped bySanzaru Gamesand published byOculus Studiosfor theOculus Rift,avirtual realityheadset. In the game, the player assumes control of aNorse godwho must guide several mortal heroes to fulfill their destinies. The game received generally positive reviews.Asgard's Wrath 2was released on theMeta Quest 2andMeta Quest 3in 2023.[1]
| Asgard's Wrath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Sanzaru Games |
| Publisher(s) | Oculus Studios |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | October 10, 2019 |
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
editAsgard's Wrathis anaction role-playing gamedesigned forvirtual reality(VR) headsets. Set in theNorse mythology,the game sees the player assuming control of a Norse god who is under the tutelage ofLoki.The God must fulfill Loki's request to guide several preordained mortal heroes to fulfill their destinies.[2]The game features five different heroes, each with its own play style and special abilities. Each hero has their own weapon, though weapons can be picked up from defeated enemies. Players swing their sword to defeat enemies and parry to deflect attacks. The weapon can be thrown at enemies and magically summoned back to the player's hand. Some of these weapons have status properties such as lightning and poison. Players need to consume food to restorehealth.As players explore, they can complete side missions, explore dungeons and find treasure chests and crates that can be used to craft useful materials.[3]Players can also recruit various animals and transform them into humanoid companions, known as "followers", who can assist the players in solving puzzles and combat. Loki must give the player the ability to do so.[4]
Development
editDevelopment of the game started inSanzaru Gamesin 2016 when the company was also working on another VR title,Marvel Powers United VR.A team of 90 developers worked on the title. The game's initial vision was similar toLemmings,as the player assumes control of the Gods and solve puzzles by commanding various human characters.[5]Oculus Studiosannounced the game in February 2019 and released the title for the VR headsetOculus Rifton October 10, 2019.[6][7]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 88/100[8] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| IGN | 9.4/10[9] |
| Jeuxvideo | 18/20[10] |
The game received generally positive reviews according toreview aggregatorMetacritic.[11]Critics praised the game's ambition and its status as a full-length title, unlike most other VR games. The game was nominated for Best VR/AR Game duringThe Game Awards 2019,[12]as well asImmersive Reality Game of the Yearduring the23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,[13]but lost toBeat SaberandPistol Whip,respectively. Following the game's success,Facebook,the parent company of Oculus, announced their acquisition of Sanzaru Games in February 2020.[14]
UploadVRpraised the puzzles and the way the game incorporated them into the environment, writing, "The excellent puzzles are a great game mechanic to keep you thinking on your toes and offer a respite from the active, melee-heavy combat, but they’re also a great storytelling device".[15]IGNliked how the game added variety through switching between mortal and god forms, "There’s a remarkable amount of awe to be had when what previously seemed like a towering obstacle suddenly appears small and manageable like a toy piece".Road to VRenjoyed the character animations and the way they contributed to the atmosphere.[16]
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Game Critics Awards | Best VR/AR Game | Nominated | [17] |
| The Game Awards 2019 | Nominated | [12] | ||
| 2020 | New York Game Awards | Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game | Nominated | [18] |
| 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Immersive Reality Game of the Year | Nominated | [19] | |
| Immersive Reality Technical Achievement | Nominated | |||
| NAVGTR Awards | Control Design, VR | Nominated | [20] | |
| Sound Mi xing in Virtual Reality | Nominated | |||
| 20th Game Developers Choice Awards | Best VR/AR Game | Nominated | [21] |
References
edit- ^Hayden, Scott (September 27, 2023)."Quest Exclusive 'Asgard's Wrath 2' Coming December 15th".Road to VR.RetrievedOctober 2,2023.
- ^Grea, Emily (February 5, 2019)."Norse Mythology RPG 'Asgard's Wrath' Heads to Oculus Rift in 2019".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on February 26, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Jagneux, David (October 13, 2019)."Asgard's Wrath guide: How to dive into VR's biggest RPG".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on October 14, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Minotti, Mike (May 21, 2019)."Asgard's Wrath is an ambitious, sometimes overwhelming action game for VR".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Takahshi, Dean (May 21, 2019)."Asgard's Wrath — How Sanzaru is crafting a 30-hour Norse saga game in VR".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on February 26, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Wilde, Tyler (February 5, 2019)."Asgard's Wrath brings fantasy melee dismemberment to VR".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on February 26, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Minotti, Mike (September 25, 2019)."Oculus reveals release dates for Stormland and Asgard's Wrath during games showcase".VentureBeat.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^"ASGARD'S WRATH Reviews for PC".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on March 1, 2021.RetrievedMarch 26,2021.
- ^"Asgard's Wrath Review".IGN.October 10, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on January 25, 2021.RetrievedMarch 26,2021.
- ^"Asgard's Wrath: L'Action-RPG de référence pour la VR".Jeuxvideo.December 5, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on May 1, 2021.RetrievedMarch 26,2021.
- ^"Asgard's Wrath for PC review".Metacritic.CBS Interactive.Archivedfrom the original on December 6, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^abGoslin, Austen (December 13, 2019)."All the winners from The Game Awards 2019".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on March 31, 2022.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020)."Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on March 3, 2020.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^Moon, Mariella (February 26, 2020)."Facebook buys the VR game maker behind 'Asgard's Wrath'".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on February 26, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 26,2020.
- ^"Asgard's Wrath Review: VR's Most Ambitious And Robust Game Yet".October 9, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on May 25, 2022.RetrievedJuly 24,2022.
- ^Hayden, Scott (October 9, 2019)."'Asgard's Wrath' Review – VR's Epic Norse Saga of Godlike Proportions ".Road to VR.Archivedfrom the original on August 11, 2022.RetrievedJuly 24,2022.
- ^Nunneley, Stephany (June 27, 2019)."E3 2019 Game Critics Awards – Final Fantasy 7 Remake wins Best of Show".VG247.Archivedfrom the original on August 28, 2019.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^Meitzler, Ryan (January 22, 2020)."The New York Video Game Awards 2020 Winners Revealed; The Outer Worlds Takes Game of the Year".DualShockers.Archivedfrom the original on January 29, 2020.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020)."Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards".PC Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on March 3, 2020.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^"2019 Winners".National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers.February 24, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on April 16, 2021.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.
- ^Shanley, Patrick (January 8, 2020)."'Death Stranding' Leads Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees ".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on February 17, 2020.RetrievedMarch 19,2020.