With EVE: Valkyrie confirmed not only as one of the launch titles for the upcoming Oculus Rift head-mounted display (HMD), but also offered as a free pre-order bonus for early adopters, CCP Games is keen to show off the latest build of its space combat simulator at every opportunity. After a detailed hands-on with the team-based multiplayer modes last month, a new build has been brought to CES showcasing the single-player gameplay.
A mode referred to as ‘Convoy’, the intent implied is an escort mission. However, this isn’t a simple case of staying beside a defenceless AI ship as it poodles along at a snails’ pace attracting every enemy bullet and laser blast in the area. While at first the player is informed to stay close to the ship they are intended to protect, once the enemies arrive the same freedom is granted as in that of the multiplayer gameplay modes.
The visual design is most certainly one aiming for spectacle. A leisurely cruise soon gets interrupted as dozens of enemy drop ships burst onto the scene, spewing from within a seemingly endless stream of small fighter ships. Luckily, these AI ships are ill-prepared to take on the might of their human-controlled adversary, and what ensues is a 5-minutes killstreak designed solely for empowering the player.
Unlike the multiplayer build VRFocus recently got hands-on with, there is no choice of ship class or loadout in the build. Obviously designed with the intention of running a lot of people through it in a short space of time, this new vertical slice is all about getting into the action, making use of the longstanding headlook-based missile system and the various other abilities the basic fighter ship is equipped with. In that same regard, the mission ends abruptly as a large Death Star-alike ship enters the map and charges up a massive blast, ending the player’s run regardless of whether or not they’ve sustained any damage up to that point.
Despite being a very quick and brutal taste of EVE: Valkyrie‘s single-player gameplay, this beginner-level mission was very much enjoyable. It showcased a number of the highlights of fast-paced action EVE: Valkyrie will offer: tight controls, detailed weapon systems, aggressive combat, high quality visuals. The lack of depth certainly doesn’t hinder this latest build as a showfloor showcase of what EVE: Valkyrie will offer the Oculus Rift early adopters in 2 months from now.
Exactly where this mission fits into the final videogame is not currently known. CCP Games has stated time-and-time-again that EVE: Valkyrie is not intended to be a single-player videogame, but yet are offering a small slice of the experience as such to be a training ground for the multiplayer gameplay. While it would be easy to assume that this mission is a piece of that content, it’s more than likely to have been adapted specifically for the CES showcase. It’s only a matter of months until Oculus Rift early adopters will get to see exactly how deep the single-player content will go in the final build of EVE: Valkyrie.
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