Tender Claws’ Theatrical Game The Under Presents Takes Center Stage
When it comes to out the box thinking for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) projects, Tender Claws is hard to beat. Having previously released award-winning VR title Virtual Virtual Reality and AR app TendAR, today the studio has launched The Under Presents, an experience which combines gaming with immersive theatre.
Arriving first for Oculus Quest, The Under Presents is an interactive adventure with both single-player and multiplayer elements. One of the most intriguing features of the title is the ability to bump into live actors who will appear on the odd occasion as well as scripted performances.
There’s a hub world called The Under, this is where players can meet each other, explore and watch ever-changing stages shows. The main event is The Aickman which is purely single-player. This is a set narrative piece which takes place on an ill-fated research ship. You can wander around meeting the crew members whilst having the ability to manipulate time and attempt to change their fates.
At The Under, Tender Claws has over ten acts you can watch on stage, some scripted some live. For these live performances, the studio partnered with Piehole, a New York-based experimental theatre collective. They will appear regularly for an initial run of four months, with the actors having access to unique features so they can improvise within the experience.
“At Tender Claws we aim to push the boundaries of how games are experienced and defined. VR is still an emerging medium and with the specific capabilities of the Oculus Quest, we used The Under Presents as a way to explore how traditional gaming and performance could intersect,” said Samantha Gorman, Co-Founder of Tender Claws, in a statement. “The Quest’s untethered freedom and remote accessibility enabled our actors to perform freely and made distributing this project possible. We’re thrilled to have collaborated with Piehole to create this innovation into both theatre and VR that blurs the lines between live performer or a pre-recorded NPC.”
The Under Presents is available now for Oculus Quest, retailing for $19.99 USD. For further updates on this unique title, keep reading VRFocus.
https://www.vrfocus.com/2019/11/tender-claws-theatrical-game-the-under-presents-takes-center-stage/
