‘Space Pirate Trainer’ Adding Arena And Versus Mode

The legendary VR shooter is getting a massive update this September that adds two new multiplayer modes.

Developer I-Illusions today announced Space Pirate Trainer DX, a major expansion that takes the original VR first-person shooter in an exciting new direction with the addition of not one, but two new exciting game modes. Whereas the original Space Pirate Trainer has you battling deadly combat drones throughout a fast-paced single-player experience, this latest update is all about multiplayer.

Available next month exclusively on Oculus Quest and Oculus Quest 2 headsets, Space Pirate Trainer DX introduces two new PvP game modes to the mix: Versus and Arena.

Arena Mode

Since its reveal back in 2019, we’ve been awaiting any and all news regarding I-Illusion’s highly-anticipated “hall-scale” multiplayer VR game. According to a recent announcement, this free-roam PvP game mode will have you physically moving about a 10mx10m space as you battle human enemies in fast-paced 1v1 skirmishes. The virtual arena in which you’ll do glorious battle has been carefully crafted to prevent wall clipping and player collisions, resulting in a truly unique competitive experience that promises comfort as well as safety.

You can challenge friends remotely and do battle online or meet up in-person for some classic local play with “Co-Located Arena Mode.” While it’s true we’ve seen numerous attempts at multiplayer free-roam gaming on the Oculus Quest in the past (see Triton VR, Cyberaction Arena), it’ll be interesting to see what a team of industry veterans like I-Illusions can bring to the table.

“In the process of creating Arena, we had to come up with a whole bunch of original solutions for problems that arise with 1-to-1 movement-based gameplay. Let’s hope these set the bar for future similar experiences,” said project lead Dirk Van Welden in an official release. “In a lot of ways, this feels similar to releasing Space Pirate Trainer back in 2016. Back then we didn’t know if people would go out and buy a VR headset. There are a lot of Quests out there now, but we’re asking those people to find a safe 10x10m spot to play Arena.”

Versus Mode

While Arena mode has been on our radar for quite some time, Versus mode comes as a very welcomed surprise. Similar to the original single-player experience, this 1v1 game mode tasks you with destroying a never-ending wave of autonomous drones. But there’s a catch: every time you destroy a droid, a new one (or two in some cases) will begin attacking your competitor. So, the better you shoot, the more stress you put on your opponent.

“The experience is genre-defining and the response from early testers has been overwhelmingly positive,” added Patrick Hackett, tech lead of the project. “When Dirk let me play a prototype version I chalked it up on the Mount Rushmore of VR experiences.”

Space Pirate Trainer DX will be available on September 9th at a new price of $24.99. You have until September 8th to pick the game up at its original price of $14.99. Those who already own a copy on Oculus Quest will receive a free download at launch.

We’ll be back with our full impressions soon.

Feature Image Credit: I-Illusions

Source: https://vrscout.com/news/space-pirate-trainer-adding-arena-and-versus-mode/