C-Smash VRS Preview

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an event showcasing the upcoming PS VR2 exclusive: C-Smash VRS. This allowed me to try an early build version of the game from developer Wolf & Wood (known for several other VR titles, including Hotel R’n’R and The Exorcist: Legion VR) and publisher RapidEyeMovers.

Opening the event was Jörg Tittel (developer of the upcoming VR title The Last Worker), a stalwart of the gaming industry who, 23 years prior, had been inspired by Cosmic Smash. Fast-forward to today, and we have C-Smash VRS, a game that has been lovingly crafted as a reimagining of the little-known arcade/Dreamcast title Cosmic Smash. It was clear that this VR experience is a labour of love not just for Tittel, but for everyone involved.

I’ll be honest: I’d never heard of Cosmic Smash before attending this event. Luckily, the arcade version was available to try out, and it was great to be able to compare the modern title with this classic sports/puzzle hybrid. In its most basic form, think of the sport of squash mixed with Breakout. It was addictive and hard to pull myself away from!

Images courtesy of RapidEyeMovers

So onto the game I was there to play. I popped on the PS VR2 headset, the Pulse 3D headphones, and (after some help) managed to get my hands into the Sense controllers. Now, I’m no expert on all things Virtual Reality, so I was fully expecting to make a fool of myself in a room full of gaming industry veterans. To my relief, however, C-Smash VRS was so intuitively effortless to jump into playing that it was instantly a non-issue. The menus were slick, and I learnt — after speaking with one of the UI designers — intentionally kept simple and unobtrusive to keep the action flowing without being bogged down by too many menus.

What first caught my attention was the simple — yet striking — art direction that managed to perfectly encapsulate the futuristic vibe C-Smash VRS is going for. It’s reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey, with a limited colour palette that pops thanks to the sterile nature of the environments. That isn’t to say this is a shameless rip-off of one of Kubrick’s greatest films, as the game has its own unique style that really lends itself to the gameplay.

Then the music hit, and it will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Ken Ishii — co-composer of Rez Infinite — that it just fits the overall aesthetic perfectly. With both Ishii and Danalogue (London-based electronic artist of The Comet Is Coming and Soccer96) providing the retro-future soundtrack, I’m confident in saying that the full game will feature many more brilliant, chilled tracks than the ones I heard during the preview.

The build available at the event only featured a solo training mode and a one-vs-one online match, which tasked me with breaking blocks placed behind the opposing player. The blocks come in a variety of shapes and sizes and will often move around, with the occasional unbreakable obstacle thrown in for an extra layer of challenge, making it so much more than simply aiming to hit some stationary cubes.

Speaking with Wolf & Wood founder Ryan Bousfield, he explained some of the multitudes of game modes that will be available in the full release. From the single-player Journey mode to the fitness-based Infinity mode, there seems to be no shortage of content for anyone that wishes to play alone. That can also be said for anyone who wishes to jump in with a friend, and although unable to disclose all the game types featured, it was the mention of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater franchise’s “Graffiti” style mode that definitely caught my interest. In addition to these, there will be a cooperative experience to enjoy, should players wish to compete alongside instead of against one another. As Bousfield told me: “it’s not all about breaking blocks!”

Gameplay is almost as straightforward as it gets; great for anyone to be able to get involved regardless of experience within VR. One Sense controller becomes a racket, whilst the other is used to pull the ball towards you — alleviating the need to “serve” the ball — as well as strafe left and right quickly with the use of the analogue stick. There’s also a limited-use power shot which, when charged, will allow the next swing (unless you miss!) to fire back a lightning-fast ball, perfect for when you’re up against a player online!

Although the mechanics aren’t overly complex, it was still a relatively demanding game physically, as once fully immersed in the experience, I was hopping left and right, desperately trying not to let yet another of my opponent's curveballs fly past me! I did come across a few tracking issues, such as hitting the ball behind me despite swinging forwards, but as this was an older version, I was told that these bugs will be ironed out before launch. Future support has also been confirmed, and while Ryan Bousfield couldn’t share too much information, it’s clear that the team is fully committed to C-Smash VRS post-release and is looking at implementing new ideas going forward.

In terms of how they want players to react to the game, Bousfield mentioned that they wished for it to “remain true to the original arcade title, whilst providing a zen-like, positive feeling where you can just jump in and chill out”. Although my time with it was short, I feel that Wolf & Wood and RapidEyeMovers have truly captured the essence of Cosmic Smash for a brand-new audience.

With a demo set for release on the 23rd March 2023, I would wholeheartedly recommend giving C-Smash VRS a shot; it’s more than likely you’ll find a wonderfully crafted PS VR2 exclusive that’s perfect for unwinding in!