What if Ubisoft brought 'Red Steel' back as a VR franchise?

scitek · May 7, 2020

I've been replaying the two Red Steel games for a retrospective series I'm doing on YouTube and it's been fascinating to see the ideas that didn't work too well in the first game and how they evolved to make something pretty fun and unique in the second game. Then I got to thinking about how the mechanics established in RS2 could potentially be taken to the next level with the VR control schemes we have today. The fact the series is first-person would also help. And given how the second game was a complete departure from the first in everything but the name, it's not like they would have to stick to a certain art style or storyline, either, so the potential to make it something completely new is there. Would you be interested in a Red Steel VR? Or if you're not into VR, would you be into any revival of the franchise?

Spring-Loaded said:
launching dudes into the air, following after them then slamming them back into the ground in first-person sounds like it could be fun

It is indeed fun!

Mariolee · May 7, 2020

Saw this got brought up in another thread and I think it would be incredible. Red Steel 2 was great with Wii Motion Plus, so that with updated graphics and the advancements we've made in VR since it's released would be amazing.

TaySan · May 7, 2020

It would be a perfect fit with the motion controls and roomscale. I would buy it. : P

Lant_War · May 7, 2020

That would be absolutely amazing.

JigglesBunny · May 7, 2020

There are several far more valuable Ubisoft IPs that deserve VR titles before they go crawling back to a mediocre Wii shooter duology that's most notable for the first game's bullshit marketing campaign.

scitek · May 7, 2020

TaySan said:
It would be a perfect fit with the motion controls and roomscale. I would buy it. : P

Maybe they could include a mechanic where you dive behind furniture for cover like the first game's trailers.

JigglesBunny said:
There are several far more valuable Ubisoft IPs that deserve VR titles before they go crawling back to a mediocre Wii shooter duology that's most notable for the first game's bullshit marketing campaign.

See, I think a lot of people see a series getting the VR treatment as some kind of slight. Like it's not a "real" game in the franchise, so they wouldn't be happy with it. For example, if we got a VR Splinter Cell, I'm not sure how well that would go over. But if we got a VR Red Steel, I think a lot of people would look at that and go, "Huh, that makes sense, actually."

Ororo · May 7, 2020

Sure, I'd like it. I'd prefer a new IP though.

Meg Cherry · May 7, 2020

It'd be a perfect fit. Both swordfighting & gunplay are already popular VR genres, and they really could go wherever they want with a third entry.

cnorwood · May 7, 2020

I'd love it. Ibwas hoping someone nodded it for dolphin VR

scitek · May 7, 2020

cnorwood said:
I'd love it. Ibwas hoping someone nodded it for dolphin VR

The two games play nicely in Dolphin. There's even a 60fps hack for the first game. That one holds up especially well at higher resolutions, too.

Spring-Loaded · May 7, 2020

launching dudes into the air, following after them then slamming them back into the ground in first-person sounds like it could be fun

scitek · May 7, 2020

Spring-Loaded said:
launching dudes into the air, following after them then slamming them back into the ground in first-person sounds like it could be fun

Made a new gif, didn't care for that other one.

Video Games Are Dumb · May 7, 2020

I think ya gotta ask yourself, which version?

Part two was clearly the better game. But truth be told, I preferred the first game's V I B E Z

Put that gritty hong kong, neon lights reflected in puddles over concrete sidewalks mood into a VR shooter, I'm in.

scitek · May 7, 2020

Video Games Are Dumb said:
I think ya gotta ask yourself, which version?

Part two was clearly the better game. But truth be told, I preferred the first game's V I B E Z

Put that gritty hong kong, neon lights reflected in puddles over concrete sidewalks mood into a VR shooter, I'm in.

I think something more like the first game could be pretty great. Cel-shaded graphics typically seem to age better, but that game's art style really works well to this day IMO. I feel like the soundtrack is also super underappreciated.

Carbon · May 7, 2020

Spring-Loaded said:
launching dudes into the air, following after them then slamming them back into the ground in first-person sounds like it could be fun

Not in VR it's not (for most people). Vertical VR movement induces motion sickness in a LOT of people.

A more grounded approach (was the first more grounded?) could definitely work though. Put it out on PSVR2.....make it happen Ubisoft!
Edit: Looking at that GIF, that sword juggle/slam practically already looks like a teleport, so you could go the rest of the way and make it more comfortable for a lot of players.

darz1 · May 7, 2020

Aren't they already bringing it back as a Switch game?

Spring-Loaded · May 7, 2020

scitek said:
Made a new gif, didn't care for that other one.

Aw yiss

Carbon said:
Not in VR it's not (for most people). Vertical VR movement induces motion sickness in a LOT of people.

A more grounded approach (was the first more grounded?) could definitely work though. Put it out on PSVR2.....make it happen Ubisoft!
Edit: Looking at that GIF, that sword juggle/slam practically already looks like a teleport, so you could go the rest of the way and make it more comfortable for a lot of players.

Hadn't considered teleporting for that, but that could be good coupled with some time dilation

jdstorm · May 7, 2020

I'd be down for Red Steel Reloaded. Why not.

given how many people played the series it's practically a new IP anyway

scitek · May 7, 2020

Carbon said:
Not in VR it's not (for most people). Vertical VR movement induces motion sickness in a LOT of people.

A more grounded approach (was the first more grounded?) could definitely work though. Put it out on PSVR2.....make it happen Ubisoft!
Edit: Looking at that GIF, that sword juggle/slam practically already looks like a teleport, so you could go the rest of the way and make it more comfortable for a lot of players.

The first was definitely more grounded. It actually broke the sword combat and gun combat into their own separate sections. The sequel let you use the sword whenever you wanted.

cnorwood · May 7, 2020

scitek said:
The two games play nicely in Dolphin. There's even a 60fps hack for the first game. That one holds up especially well at higher resolutions, too.

With motion controls?

scitek · May 7, 2020

cnorwood said:
With motion controls?

Yeah, you can use a real Wiimote and Motion Plus with RS2.

Fart Master · May 7, 2020

Even less people would buy the game

Deleted member 12790 · May 7, 2020

Carbon said:
Not in VR it's not (for most people). Vertical VR movement induces motion sickness in a LOT of people.

A more grounded approach (was the first more grounded?) could definitely work though. Put it out on PSVR2.....make it happen Ubisoft!
Edit: Looking at that GIF, that sword juggle/slam practically already looks like a teleport, so you could go the rest of the way and make it more comfortable for a lot of players.

There is already a game that does all this in VR that's hugely popular:

John Harker · May 7, 2020

Too bad Jason Vandenberghe isn't at Ubisoft anymore

scitek · May 8, 2020

John Harker said:
Too bad Jason Vandenberghe isn't at Ubisoft anymore

I know! I met him once at E3 right after Red Steel 2 came out. Really nice guy.

cnorwood · May 8, 2020

scitek said:
Yeah, you can use a real Wiimote and Motion Plus with RS2.

Damn my bad, I meant a VR controller with 6dof.

Deleted member 51982 · May 8, 2020

darz1 said:
Aren't they already bringing it back as a Switch game?

I don't think so? I'd welcome it though, I have a lot of fond memories of the second game. Split controller input is the key component so it would probably work well there too. I still maintain that either cleaning up the first two a bit or a third with a new aesthetic like a sci-fi setting would be fun.

scitek · May 8, 2020

cnorwood said:
Damn my bad, I meant a VR controller with 6dof.

Ohhh, I actia;don't know if the first game could do that. I have a Rift CV1, I'll have to look into it more. It would be awesome if it did work.

11.0 said:
I don't think so? I'd welcome it though, I have a lot of fond memories of the second game. Split controller input is the key component so it would probably work well there too. I still maintain that either cleaning up the first two a bit or a third with a new aesthetic like a sci-fi setting would be fun.

I love the idea of an anthology series where each game is different. The first two clean up nicely, though. Here's some footage I took of the first game running at 1080p60 in Dolphin.

Deleted member 12790 · May 8, 2020

edit wrong topic

SimpleCRIPPLE · May 8, 2020

A lot of Wii games would probably make great candidates for VR, now that you mention it.

Deleted member 9327 · May 8, 2020

Enjoyed both games a lot and even if it may be a controversial opinion I remember that I've enjoyed the first one more than the second one. RS2's mechanics were better for sure, but I didn't like the art style and repetitive gameplay compared to RS1.

RS in VR would be absolutely awesome, but please in the manner of RS1, not 2...

Deleted member 51982 · May 8, 2020

scitek said:
Ohhh, I actia;don't know if the first game could do that. I have a Rift CV1, I'll have to look into it more. It would be awesome if it did work.

I love the idea of an anthology series where each game is different. The first two clean up nicely, though. Here's some footage I took of the first game running at 1080p60 in Dolphin.

Well when you really boil them down the common elements are some sort of Japanese/American aesthetic mash up whether it's a west coast crime syndicate or a Japanese influenced wild west and having motion controlled first person gun fights or sword duels. You have one in the "past", one in the present and I think a Japanese/American joint space colony with laserguns and swords could be a fun future.

But yeah, Dolphin is really amazing. A lot of wii games clean up nicely since they were usually stylized to compensate for weaker hardware. Nearly all of Nintendo's stuff, NMH games, etc. Madworld looks absolutely incredible in HD.

Jon God · May 8, 2020

JigglesBunny said:
There are several far more valuable Ubisoft IPs that deserve VR titles before they go crawling back to a mediocre Wii shooter duology that's most notable for the first game's bullshit marketing campaign.

This.

jdstorm · May 8, 2020

scitek said:
Ohhh, I actia;don't know if the first game could do that. I have a Rift CV1, I'll have to look into it more. It would be awesome if it did work.

I love the idea of an anthology series where each game is different. The first two clean up nicely, though. Here's some footage I took of the first game running at 1080p60 in Dolphin.

Cool footage. I wonder how the game would look Ray tracing. Suppose that's the next step for these emulators

Issen · May 8, 2020

As long as it's like Red Steel 2, which is fantastic and legitimately one of the best Wii games, and not the first one which sucks ass. That would be really great.

Kthulhu · May 8, 2020

There are quite a few VR games that have similar combat, so I could see it happening.

Gobias-Ind · May 8, 2020

Yeah, Red Steel would be a good match and, like Kreijlooc mentioned with those Sairento gifs, we've already got an example of what it can look like when fast paced ninja sword gun shooting gameplay is done well in VR. Sairento is fun as hell to play.

A Red Steel game in VR with well-executed locomotion mechanics and decent production values would be cool as hell. I really think VR is a good opportunity for publishers to revitalize and reimagine some dormant IPs.

Falchion · May 8, 2020

This would honestly be a great franchise to bring back now with all the VR headsets in the wild.

SamAlbro · May 8, 2020

sdp said:
Sure, I'd like it. I'd prefer a new IP though.

Red Steel has been two wildly different settings, art styles, and gameplay philosophies across two entries. The only constants are the first person viewpoint and the player having both a sword and a gun.

If the IP is already this fluid, there really isn't a point in coming up with a new title just to call it a new series.

Owlet · May 8, 2020

This is a neat idea.

Sounds like something id definitely play.

I KILL PXLS · May 8, 2020

I'd be more in to that idea (based on 2) rather than a traditional sequel.

What if Ubisoft brought 'Red Steel' back as a VR franchise?

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