Mech Simulator ‘Vox Machinae’ Available Now After Surprise Launch at Oculus Connect

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Vox Machinae, a long running indie VR project, is available right now on the Oculus Rift, SteamVR, and PC. The game received a surprise launch into Early Access today at Oculus Connect 5, bringing a new beginning to a title that’s been in the works for nearly four years.

Available now on Oculus (Rift), SteamVR (Vive, Rift, and Windows VR), and PC (non-VR mode), Vox Machinae is a multiplayer mech combat game that leans decidedly toward the ‘simulator’ end of the mech spectrum, contrasting faster-paced and more arcade-like mech games like Archangel: Hellfire (2017).

Vox Machinae delivers a weighty mech experience where you’ll feel more like you’re operating a giant machine rather than actually being the machine itself. This is achieved with a cockpit full of controls which are manipulated using your motion controllers. That includes the throttle, rotation stick, jump jet control, and even a CB radio microphone which you need to pick up to communicate with your team.

Image courtesy Space Bullet

As your mech has serious momentum, you’ll need to plan your movements carefully if you don’t want to go stumbling into walls or totally botch the landing after using your jump jets. For those who want to be a bit less lumbering, the choice of a smaller mech will increase speed and maneuverability, but of course comes means you won’t be able to take as much damage as the larger mechs.

Image courtesy Space Bullet

Alongside a handful of different mech chassis to choose from, customizable weapons include the likes of machine guns, rockets, lasers, and railguns—the latter being extra effective when paired with a special targeting monitor in the cockpit which offers a zoomed in view of your reticle.

Image courtesy Space Bullet

Vox Machinae is available today in Early Access priced at $25 and supports multiplayer matches with up to 16 players, including bot support, mid-match joining, and full crossplay between Oculus, SteamVR, and non-VR PC players. Developer Space Bullet confirmed to Road to VR that both the Oculus and Steam versions of the game can also be played in the non-VR PC mode.

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Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • HybridEnergy

    No SP campaign what-so-ever?

    • Raphael

      Yes, there is a 5% SP campaign. It’s hidden underneath one of the icons.

  • Jacob Singer

    It’s out now! No campaign yet, but there is bot-play. Hopefully if they sell enough units they can think about adding a campaign.

  • Born’N’BredSheridan

    I almost pulled the trigger on this one until I saw that there was no single player campaign. Still might, but single player would definitely seal the deal.

  • Raphael

    Absolutely amazing! Having played the DK2 alpha years ago (and liked it even though it was limited), this updated version beats everything else mech related. It doesn’t get any better than this. Even the hanger area is a work of art. Mech control is intuitive and easy to learn. Combat is fun. I played with body vibration pack from a standing position but sitting is no issue either.

    The visuals and sound are stunning.

    I played offline bot mode. There’s no story-driven single player campaign but so what? Archangel had an on-rails single player and it was meh. The game didn’t really take-off until they added free-movement multiplayer.

    The inclusion of offline bots with Vox is sufficient. The maps are breathtaking.