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Asgard's Wrath

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Asgard's Wrath
Developer(s)Sanzaru Games
Publisher(s)Oculus Studios
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseOctober 10, 2019
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Asgard's Wrath is a 2019 action role-playing game developed by Sanzaru Games and published by Oculus Studios for the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset. In the game, the player assumes control of a Norse god who must guide several mortal heroes to fulfill their destinies. The game received generally positive reviews. Asgard's Wrath 2 was released on the Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 in 2023.[1]

Gameplay

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Asgard's Wrath is an action role-playing game designed for virtual reality (VR) headsets. Set in the Norse mythology, the game sees the player assuming control of a Norse god who is under the tutelage of Loki. 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 restore health. 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

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Development of the game started in Sanzaru Games in 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 to Lemmings, as the player assumes control of the Gods and solve puzzles by commanding various human characters.[5] Oculus Studios announced the game in February 2019 and released the title for the VR headset Oculus Rift on October 10, 2019.[6][7]

Reception

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The game received generally positive reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.[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 during The Game Awards 2019,[12] as well as Immersive Reality Game of the Year during the 23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,[13] but lost to Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, respectively. Following the game's success, Facebook, the parent company of Oculus, announced their acquisition of Sanzaru Games in February 2020.[14]

UploadVR praised 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] IGN liked 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 VR enjoyed the character animations and the way they contributed to the atmosphere.[16]

Awards

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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 Mixing in Virtual Reality Nominated
20th Game Developers Choice Awards Best VR/AR Game Nominated [21]

References

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  1. ^ Hayden, Scott (September 27, 2023). "Quest Exclusive 'Asgard's Wrath 2' Coming December 15th". Road to VR. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  2. ^ Grea, Emily (February 5, 2019). "Norse Mythology RPG 'Asgard's Wrath' Heads to Oculus Rift in 2019". Variety. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  3. ^ Jagneux, David (October 13, 2019). "Asgard's Wrath guide: How to dive into VR's biggest RPG". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  4. ^ Minotti, Mike (May 21, 2019). "Asgard's Wrath is an ambitious, sometimes overwhelming action game for VR". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Takahshi, Dean (May 21, 2019). "Asgard's Wrath — How Sanzaru is crafting a 30-hour Norse saga game in VR". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  6. ^ Wilde, Tyler (February 5, 2019). "Asgard's Wrath brings fantasy melee dismemberment to VR". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  7. ^ Minotti, Mike (September 25, 2019). "Oculus reveals release dates for Stormland and Asgard's Wrath during games showcase". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 30, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  8. ^ "ASGARD'S WRATH Reviews for PC". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  9. ^ "Asgard's Wrath Review". IGN. October 10, 2019. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  10. ^ "Asgard's Wrath : L'Action-RPG de référence pour la VR". Jeuxvideo.com. December 5, 2019. Archived from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Asgard's Wrath for PC review". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 6, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Goslin, Austen (December 13, 2019). "All the winners from The Game Awards 2019". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  13. ^ Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020). "Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  14. ^ Moon, Mariella (February 26, 2020). "Facebook buys the VR game maker behind 'Asgard's Wrath'". Engadget. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  15. ^ "Asgard's Wrath Review: VR's Most Ambitious And Robust Game Yet". October 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  16. ^ Hayden, Scott (October 9, 2019). "'Asgard's Wrath' Review – VR's Epic Norse Saga of Godlike Proportions". Road to VR. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  17. ^ Nunneley, Stephany (June 27, 2019). "E3 2019 Game Critics Awards – Final Fantasy 7 Remake wins Best of Show". VG247. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  18. ^ Meitzler, Ryan (January 22, 2020). "The New York Video Game Awards 2020 Winners Revealed; The Outer Worlds Takes Game of the Year". DualShockers. Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  19. ^ Chalk, Andy (January 13, 2020). "Control and Death Stranding get 8 nominations each for the 2020 DICE Awards". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  20. ^ "2019 Winners". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. February 24, 2020. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
  21. ^ Shanley, Patrick (January 8, 2020). "'Death Stranding' Leads Game Developers Choice Awards Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
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