Mages clash in Spellpunk VR

Casting spells on virtual reality headsets today is Spellpunk VR. The game features a one-on-one battle between magic-wielders and is in early access.

Early casting

As VR games go, this one’s pretty unique. Spellpunk VR gives players the ability to virtually ‘cast’ spells by actually drawing them out in space. Yes, that sounds a little bit Dr. Strange-y.

There would be a reason for that. Developer Incineration Productions is going for a comic book feel with the game and its one-on-one combat. It’s all in on that, with a comic on the way down the line that’ll expand Spellpunk VR’s lore.

Get ready to flex some punk prestidigitation and cast some devastating divinations as you become (and face off against) mighty magicians in a stunningly surreal world with a vibrant comic book aesthetic and sick musical tracks. In SpellPunk VR, you embody a full-body avatar who must duel in fast-paced mana-manipulating multiplayer battles. SpellPunk VR puts extraordinary powers at your fingertips, allowing you to cast some wild wizardry against offline or online foes by drawing magical symbols that unleash terrorizing magical attacks. There’s no spellbook or menus here, champ. You’ll have to correctly draw your various spells in the air with your hands while facing opponents in the three leveled game modes.

Incineration Productions

Here are the finer points of gameplay:

• Throw Up Some Shapes: Instead of choosing spells from a cumbersome menu, become a virtual sorcerer and use your own finger-wands to draw magic symbols in the air for a fully “hands-on” spell slingin’ experience. Cast one-handed or conjure more powerful incantations by combining spells with both hands. String combinations of spells together for the ultimate show of wizardry. With offensive, defensive, and healing spells part of your arsenal, no matter what your playstyle is, you’re fully loaded with everything you need to achieve victory.
  
• More Than Just Floating Hands: Gear up as a full-bodied virtual duelist for a truly immersive combat simulation. Each avatar comes equipped with enchanted masks that feature holographic emoji expressions that change based on how you’re faring in battle, bringing a whole new meaning to “bringing your game face.”
  
• No Flutes, Lutes, or Lyres: This ain’t your granddaddy’s magical dogfight; Spellpunk VR features a slappin’ Hip-Hop and EDM soundtrack composed by one of the top musicians in film and gaming to keep energy levels high as combatants blow each other to bits with fireballs and curses.
  
• Three Tiers of Matchmaking: Whether a lowly apprentice or a Master Mage,  Casual, Normal, and Ranked region-specific matchmaking allows you to climb the ranks  –– or not –– at your own speed. As a trainee thaumaturge, you can even develop your skills offline against a cunning AI opponent in Training Mode, giving you the experience needed to lay a smackdown on the online battlefield.

Early access

Spellpunk VR is available now via Viveport and Steam, in Early Access, for play exclusively on PC VR headsets. If you don’t know, that means it’s not quite done yet, but even so you can pick up a copy. So as you play, the game will receive updates as it heads towards its final ‘retail’ edition.

As for compatibility, there’s a good deal of that too. The game supports a pretty wide scope of headsets too. Those include:

• Oculus Rift
• Oculus Rift S
• HTC Vive
• HTC Vive Pro
• Vive Cosmos
• Vive Cosmos Elite
• …with support for additional VR devices available in the future

You can grab that Early Access copy for $16.99 USD.