We are thrilled to finally announce that Mare, our captivating VR puzzle adventure, launches on PS VR2 today. Our team is excited to share our labor of love and all the unique features of this enhanced PS VR2 version. First, please enjoy our launch trailer:
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As you can see from the video as well as the gameplay clips below, Mare features a beautiful, easy-on-the-eye art style, which combined with a minimalist storytelling approach, creates a unique world that players will lose themselves in as they journey through it. In Mare, you’ll play a benevolent force, embodied in-world as a mechanical bird. Early on, you’ll encounter a young girl, and you’ll navigate through this adventure together, helping each other on the way and ultimately uncovering their fate.
You will use lightning-like powers to aid your NPC companion’s path by interacting and activating objects that will shape new pathways for her to traverse. You’ll need to keep a close eye on her at all times to keep her safe, as malevolent foes will unexpectedly surface and attack her when unwatched. Risking her safety to unlock a new path could put your friendship on the line. When this moment comes, what will you do?
Taking Mare to new heights with PS VR2
At its heart, Mare is an immersive experience that draws players into a mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind atmosphere.To enhance this, we also made use of PS VR2 Headset feedback. As example, flying into a stormcloud, you’ll feel the rain dropping onto your face. Mare takes full advantage of Foveated rendering on PS VR2, adding a significant boost in performance, with the game running at a steady 90fps.
Eye-tracking gameplay and game modes
One of the key elements of this version is that the player can now enjoy and complete the full game using eye tracking input only. To enable this Mare features two game modes, Enhanced and Classic. Classic mode uses the PS VR2 eye-tracking feature to create a well-balanced atmospheric experience. The player can both select and interact with the various puzzle gimmicks just by looking. This took special effort by us to design a clean layout of gameplay objects, so eye-tracking selections would not happen by accident. Fortunately, as PS VR2 eye tracking is very precise, this allowed us to minimize accidental selections with eye tracking. Enhanced mode uses the PS VR2 Sense controllers and includes more puzzles and content as well as additional interactions, such as dragging objects with lightning. Some stages were re-designed and expanded to accommodate these new improved features and puzzle complexity. Also, the Sense Controller’s in-game avatar features a handy compass, making it easier to keep track of your AI companion’s location and offering helpful hints along your journey.
Mare features a world crafted like a painting, with every environment meticulously modeled from scratch, this and an ethereal musical score makes the world come alive on PS VR2. We’re thrilled for PlayStation players to dive deep into our story and become part of our world.