The 6v6 competitive multiplayer shooter Larcenauts has received its biggest update yet. The Immersion Overload Update brings new features requested by players since its release.
Originally, in Larcenauts reloading happened automatically at the press of a button. Whilst this helped keep the gameplay fast paced, it also lacked the immersion you get by using your hands to grab a clip, and lock 'n' load.
With the new update players are now able to select a manual reload option where they can do just that, but the option of automatic reloading is still available for those who preferred the original reload mechanic.
Another immersion breaking feature of the original release was the one-handed aiming which relied solely on your trigger hand to manoeuvre the weapon even when you had two hands gripping the weapon.
It felt strange to be unable to pivot the weapon using your second hand, making your non-trigger arm and hand feel unnatural. With the latest update players will now be able to use both hands to aim weapons.
The update also brings an immersive sprint mode that allows players to sprint by lowering their gun as oppose to the original sprint mode which would happen at the touch of a button. Both the new two-handed weapon handling and immersive sprint modes can be turned off if players prefer the original mechanics.
When playing the new update with VR Dynamite CEO Derek, the two-handed weapon control and immersive sprint felt great and were a welcome addition for me. However, I soon found myself switching back to automatic reloading because whilst manual reloading felt better, it took longer and put me at a decided disadvantage.
For the manual reloading to work, I feel everyone would have to have this option enabled to keep things fair.
Other new additions with the update includes cross-play lobbies, meaning SteamVR and Oculus players can now join each other's lobby by entering a player's unique lobby code.
Spatialised lobby chat has also been added so the voices of players in the lobby sound like they are coming from the appropriate directions. Also included is native support for bHaptics TactSuit vests along with a free new skin for the infiltrator character Calima which is for free to all users who login before the end of July, 2021.
You can check out the new update for the fast-paced, intergalactic shooter Larcenauts' now on Quest, Rift, and SteamVR with cross-play for $29.99 USD.