VR Co-Op Actioneer Raw Data Launches, Out Now on Steam Early Access

As the current lineup of VR titles and hardware has more than proved that the medium is here to stay, many developers are trying to produce games that go beyond the supposed gimmick that the platform is known for. With this in mind, the developers of the famous Project Holodeck have got something just in store for action gamers.

Raw Data, coming from developer Survios, is now available on Early Access. As a new VR action title with a surprising focus on challenge and co-op gameplay, Raw Data and its developers seek to prove that complex and deep action titles can be made with the VR platform in mind.

While at a special hands-on session prior to its launch, I got the chance to play a good hour with the developers and learned just what they hope to achieve with their sci-fi VR shooter. During my playthrough, I got the sense that Raw Data is set to be the most innovative and intuitive shooters on the VR market.

Set in Neo-Shinjuku during the 23rd century, the mysterious hacker group SyndiK8 must battle the Eden Corporation, a global conglomerate that rules the world with an iron fist. With the release of Eden's new model of robots, which are poised to be the most advanced generation of machines, the hacker group must infiltrate the corporation's headquarters, steal valuable information, and battle it out with the company's deadly army of machines in order to expose the corporation to the world and put a stop to their domination.

Launching first on HTC Vive, with additional support for other VR devices in the future, the creators wanted a fast-paced action title to utilize the Vive's controllers and the headset's field of view. This focus on VR gave the developers at Survios a number of opportunities to design a developed action game around the platform. From what we've seen so far from other titles, action games designed around the VR experience seem to revolve around glorified shooting galleries, which ultimately feels a bit one-note. And while Raw Data is a for the most part a shooting gallery, I'm impressed by how fleshed out many of the features are.

Players will be able to choose from a variety of different classes that focus on melee or ranged combat to take down foes and accomplish the various objectives. At launch, Raw Data will have the two starting classes, Gun Cleric and Cyber Ninja, which can be upgraded and customized to their liking. Each class uses special skills and strategies for battle. The Gun Cleric utilizes dual handguns with deadly accuracy and gracefulness à la Christian Bale in the underrated film Equilibrium. The Cyber-Ninja, however, is on the opposite end of the spectrum, focusing on melee skills and abilities that can dispatch enemies with haste.

Playing the game with the Vive controllers, each of them work in tandem. The first thing I did was move my character's hands around to get a feel of things. To say it's intuitive is an understatement. The controls feel very slick, and though the general layout take some time to get a handle of, I got quickly into it once the action started. One thing I'm excited to see more of is the way each of the classes use the control methods. With the Cyber-Ninja, I was firing off shurikens while swinging my sword with the other—and yes, it felt very cool doing it.

Full disclosure: This was also my first time playing a VR title with co-op and multiplayer gameplay. Initially, it was a bit jarring seeing another player in front of me in the VR environment (played by one of the developers in the same room), but after a few fist-bumps and high-fives—thanks to the incredibly accurate Vive controllers—I got quite accustomed to having a buddy to play with. We cleared through a number of challenges together, culminating in a level mostly in the dark. It ended becoming this strange bonding experience, honestly. This is couch co-op taken to the next level. But online play is also available you're in need a friend to clear through the tougher challenges.

With Early Access, the developers plan to steadily introduce updates and fixes to enhance the core game and keep players satisfied. The devs have a full story campaign for players to trek through, but only the initial starting stages are available now during the Early Access period. During this period, the developers hope to hear feedback from fans as they iron out all the features for the game's full launch later this year.

I've played a ton of VR titles over the last year or so, and just when I feel I'm getting a little burned out, titles like this come out of nowhere and get me excited about the potential VR has. If you're looking for cool and unique action-shooter, and have got yourself a Vive and a capable gaming PC at the ready, then Raw Data is one title you'll want to check out.