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Virtual reality and traditional JRPG’s aren’t two things you’d likely associate with each other, but Soul Covenant might change that.
VRPG
Is VR kinda… sorta… dead? That might be a loaded question, since there are die-hard fans of the medium, but even they would likely agree that virtual reality hasn’t had the easies time finding adopters. The PS5’s PSVR2 has been a commercial flop, and both PC and standalone units don’t seem to have had any better of a time. Not that that’s stopped manufacturers from producing new headsets, as somehow the tech does keep getting fresh revisions (outside of the PlayStation).
Maybe one of the biggest reasons for that, and this is really the same reason for any hardware failing, has been the lack of five star games. There just have not been that many ‘must-plays’ for any of the headsets we mentioned above, and top licenses have been almost completely absent. If you own a Meta Quest 3 or 2, a PSVR2, or a PCVR platform though, you might just want to check out Soul Covenant.
A new title from publisher/developer Thirdverse, Soul Covenant is a JRPG, albeit a real-time one. Outside of the combat though, the title sounds like it should check all of its genre’s boxes. Thirdverse says that it’s set to feature a “narrative-driven experience that explores themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the resilience of the human spirit”.
“We’re thrilled to announce the official release date for SOUL COVENANT and can’t wait to see the response from players,” said Teruyuki Toriyama, Executive Producer of SOUL COVENANT at Thirdverse. “We’re especially proud to reunite with members from the Soul Sacrifice team to pioneer the first authentic JRPG experience in the VR landscape. The game’s intricate narrative, dynamic combat, and the groundbreaking application of VR technology are a testament to the immense effort and passion poured into this project by our incredibly gifted team.”
Teruyuki Toriyama, Executive Producer of Soul Covenant
Just to get back to that headline too, and its Bloodborne reference, we mean that in reference to the above-quoted gentleman. Teruyuki Toriyama is the EP on Soul Covenant, but before that he worked out of Sony’s Japan Studio.
And what did he work on there? Well how about both Soul Sacrifice and Soul Sacrifice Delta for the PS Vita, Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Déraciné for the original PS VR, and both (the PS5’s) Demon’s Souls and Bloodborne. Throw in Bloodborne: The Old Hunters and that’s a pretty nice set of titles for both traditional platforms and VR.
With that sharp pedigree behind it, Soul Covenant is aiming for an April 18th release. As mentioned above, you’ll be able to grab a copy for the Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, PSVR2, or PCVR platforms. Pre-orders are open right now.
