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Echo VR is your gateway to Echo Arena and Echo Combat. In the free portion, Echo Arena, your team will face off against the competition in a zero-gravity clash of robotic glory as you glide, boost, and punch your way to scoring goals in a breathtaking virtual arena. It's best described as a combination of Ultimate Frisbee, Tron, and Ender's Game. Two teams compete in a zero gravity compeition, attempting to throw or carry a disc through the enemy's goal. Defense involves attempting to steal the disc or punching other players in their virtual heads, which will temporarily stun them (unless they activate their shields at just the right moment). It supports parties of 15 players and 5v5 private matches, with 5 more slots available for spectators. The actual act of scoring is relatively simple (though long-range throws take a great deal of skill), but it's the game's movement mechanics that really make it something special. Players have boosters and thrusters mapped to different buttons on the Oculus Touch controls, but the most effective way to move is usually through grabbing objects or terrain and pushing yourself off. Another important aspect of movement is grabbing on to other players, since you can use your friends and foes in much the same way as stationary objects and terrain to propel yourself through space and change direction quickly. Echo Combat (Nov 15/2018) is a $10 DLC which adds team-based gameplay and objectives to complete. One game mode involves a payload, which must be either protected or attacked. The defending team need to stay close to the payload or it will refuse to move, but the payload itself travels a wide area with little cover, making strategic movement on coordination between the three-person teams vitally important. Attackers get a simpler job, as all they need to do is slow or stop the payload from moving, which can be done by simply staying close enough to the payload as the clock runs down, but this puts them in range to be gunned down by the defending team. After you’ve scored your goals and delivered the payload why not just hang out in the Echo VR lobby, where you’ll find practice areas to hone both your disc shots and blaster shots. |
