Arden’s Wake

Arden’s Wake

Beautiful example of how VR can be used to screen a short movie (or should we say “stage a play”? That seems more like it). The general theme (a heroine discovering her family history while transitioning to independence) is somewhat darker compared to “Allumette” but the cheerful artistic style and the rather sketchy character development still give it a light-hearted tone. Some viewers seem to feel “Arden’s Wake” ends in a cliffhanger. Personally I think it does say everything it has to say.

Real player with 1.3 hrs in game


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I got an Oculus Quest 2 and a link cable for my PC this week and this was the first thing that I saw on Steam that I thought I might like, so I picked it up.

It was my first experience with my own VR (I tried my girlfriend’s VR for 20 minutes some time ago). I’m a little embarrassed because I thought that it was a game, but it’s really an animated short. The experience was wonderful for me and I recommend the movie.

I was disappointed that the movie didn’t come with playback controls. I know it’s only a short film, but I had technical issues due to my inexperience and it would have been nice to pause it and to go back to where I left off. All in all, I had to restart a couple of times and watch a good bit of what I’d already seen. Not a horrible thing, but was a little frustrating at the time.

Real player with 1.1 hrs in game

Arden's Wake on Steam

Manta

Manta

Battle Across the Skies and Through the Abyss

Marooned on an uncharted ocean world, hunted by the Federation, you discover the Manta—a biological air superiority fighter, submarine and mobile fleet command. Scour the ocean floor for ancient hull blueprints for your fleet, or genetic upgrades for your Manta. Build and command a fleet to defeat the Federation. Discover the secrets of the lost Order of the Manta, and the source of the sinister telepathic communications you have been receiving.

A Flight Sim, Submarine Sim and RTS

Dogfight interceptors and massive capitol ships in the air. Hunt or be hunted by attack subs in the deep. Command a fleet of futuristic warships to defeat your enemies—all at the same time! Gameplay in Manta blends simulation with real-time strategy, and requires quick reflexes and quicker wit to win.

Engage in pitched airborne battles with support from your fleet

Assault heavy installations with the massive Leviathan submarine

Command your fleet directly from the tactical display, or indirectly through an intuitive target priority system.

Discover Lost Technologies

The ocean floor is littered with lost technology. Find hull and weapon designs to bolster your fleet, or gene sequences to equip your Manta with better weapons, armor or command abilities.

Each ship has multiple hardpoints which can mount multiple weapon types

Search an undersea canyon for lost tech

Build ships with devastating weapon loadouts

Build and Defend your Infrastructure

To build and supply your fleet, you will need to exploit resources found on the ocean floor, but be careful—the enemy will seek to sabotage you at every turn.

Build undersea mining stations

Defend your energy rigs from marauding interceptors

An Original Score by Hammy Havoc as The Orion Correlation

Manta features an original pulse-pounding score composed by Hammy Havoc (performing as The Orion Correlation), known for his music in video game All Walls Must Fall (2018) , and documentaries Coast Land (2020) and The Barima-Mora Passage (2020). The Orion Correlation’s next record release will be the soundtrack for Manta.

Joining Hammy to record Manta’s score are several musicians, including Mary Ann Mahoney.


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Manta on Steam