Asgard's Wrath 2

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Asgard's Wrath 2
Asgard's Wrath 2 cover.jpg
Developer(s) Sanzaru Games
Publisher(s) Oculus Studios
Engine Unreal Engine 4 [1]
Platform(s)
Release
  • WW: December 15, 2023
Genre(s) Action role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Asgard's Wrath 2 is an action role-playing game developed by Sanzaru Games and published by Oculus Studios for the Meta Quest series of virtual reality headsets. It is the sequel to Asgard's Wrath (2019). The game was released worldwide in December 2023 and was included for free as a launch game for the Meta Quest 3.

Contents

Gameplay

Players control a Norse god who possesses mortals who have important destinies. After being betrayed by Loki in Asgard's Wrath , the protagonist is freed from bondage and sent to Egypt. There, players interact with gods from Egyptian mythology and seek a way to get revenge on Loki. Players can explore the open world; possess four characters, each of whom has their own story and skill tree; talk to non-player characters; play minigames; solve puzzles; and engage in combat with enemies and bosses. Players are assisted in combat by followers, who also have their own stories. [2]

Development

California-based [3] studio Sanzaru Games began development on Asgard's Wrath 2 shortly after Asgard's Wrath's release in late 2019. [4] As a result of Meta's commitment to its standalone devices and its discontinuation of the non-standalone Oculus Rift family of heasets, the sequel shifted platforms, no longer requiring a headset connected to a Microsoft Windows computer and instead becoming exclusive to standalone Meta headsets.

Following the original's success, developer Sanzaru Games was acquired by Meta's Oculus Studios in 2020. [3] Asgard's Wrath 2 was announced alongside the Meta Quest 3 during the Meta Quest Gaming Showcase on June 1, 2023, as a launch game for the new headset. [4]

Oculus Studios released Asgard's Wrath 2 for the Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Meta Quest 3 on December 15, 2023, to be bundled with all Meta Quest 3 purchases until January 27, 2024. [5]

Reception

Asgard's Wrath 2 received "universal acclaim" on Metacritic. [6] IGN gave it a perfect score and made it their editors' choice, writing that it "sets a new gold standard for VR" and competes with the best role-playing games on any platform. [2] UploadVR said it "offers Quest players more than ever, on an uncharted scale". In their review, they praised what they felt was epic gameplay but said the game was let down by adopting the conventions of non-VR role-playing games. [8] NPR 's reviewer said Asgard's Wrath 2 had become his new favorite VR game and wrote that "the gameplay, pacing, and story are a gift from the gods". [9] Siliconera called it "a genuinely cool, well-crafted endeavor" and said the only drawback was that the graphics were limited by the Meta Quest 3 compared to non-VR platforms. [10]

Awards and Nominations

YearCeremonyCategoryResultRef.
2024 13th New York Game Awards Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR GameWon [11] [12]
27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Immersive Reality Game of the Year Won [13] [14]
Immersive Reality Technical Achievement Nominated

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References

  1. ↑ Sutrich, Nicholas (June 1, 2023). "Asgard's Wrath 2 is the VR Zelda I've been waiting for". Android Central . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Northup, Travis (December 14, 2023). "Asgard's Wrath 2 Review". IGN . Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Facebook acquires Sanzaru Games". February 25, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "'Asgard's Wrath 2' Is Coming to Meta Quest 3 + 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Epic RPG". Meta. June 1, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  5. ↑ Baker, Harry (September 27, 2023). "Asgard's Wrath 2 Releases December 15 For Meta Quest Headsets". UploadVR . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Asgard's Wrath 2". Metacritic . Fandom (TPG Inc.). Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Asgard's Wrath 2 Reviews". OpenCritic . Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  8. ↑ Baker, Harry (December 14, 2023). "Asgard's Wrath 2 Review-In-Progress: Godly Scale, But At What Cost?". UploadVR . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ Mitchell, Will (December 14, 2023). "In Asgard's Wrath 2, VR gaming reaches a new God mode". NPR . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Lada, Jenni (December 14, 2023). "Review: Asgard's Wrath 2 Brings a Console Quality Action-RPG to VR". Siliconera . Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ McEvoy, Sophie (January 5, 2024). "Baldur's Gate 3 leads New York Games Awards 2024 nominations". Gameindustry.biz . Archived from the original on January 5, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  12. ↑ McEvoy, Sophie (January 24, 2024). "Baldur's Gate 3 wins big at New York Game Awards 2024". Games Industry.biz.
  13. ↑ "27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences . Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  14. ↑ Chandler, Sam (February 15, 2024). "The D.I.C.E. Awards 2024 winners & finalists". Shacknews . Retrieved January 16, 2024.
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