Sony will launch its PlayStation VR Aim Controller in May alongside Farpoint, a first-person shooter that offers players full freedom of movement and locomotion during gameplay.
Designed with input from Farpoint creator Impulse Gear, the peripheral promises to deliver a seamless first-person shooter experience in virtual reality, minimizing the nausea-inducing side effects normally associated with free-movement VR shooters.
Billing itself as “an unnerving VR space adventure set on a hostile alien planet,” Farpoint challenges players to investigate the origins of an anomaly near Jupiter. Gameplay soon takes a turn as the anomaly ruptures, sending players and their squadmates into an alien world filled with deadly threats.
Farpoint is unique among its VR peers, as it gives players full control over character movement during gameplay. Previous VR shooters have adopted teleportation-based movement mechanics, as many VR users experience nausea when given full control over character movement in a first-person context.
The PlayStation VR Aim Controller represents Sony’s attempt to combat this phenomenon, as the publisher claims that its peripheral can deliver 1:1 tracking that syncs up perfectly with in-game aiming and movement. According to Road to VR, the device features a PlayStation Move tracking sphere, a trigger, and a built-in thumbstick, eliminating the need for players to juggle multiple controllers during gameplay.
While Farpoint is optimized for PlayStation VR and the Aim Controller specifically, the game can also be played using a standard DualShock 4 controller. Developer Impulse Gear additionally revealed that Farpoint will feature an online co-op mode, allowing players to team up with multiple PlayStation VR users for the duration of its campaign.
A retail bundle that includes the game and the PlayStation VR Aim Controller will arrive on May 16.
