First Contact Entertainment launched Firewall Zero Hour for PlayStation VR five years ago. Almost to the day, its sequel Firewall Ultra is set to launch on August 24, 2023.
“Firewall Ultra puts the next-gen VR features embedded in the PS VR2 front and center to deliver a compelling and immersive first-person shooter experience,” says David Jagneaux, Strategic Communications Manager at First Contact Entertainment. “This includes eye-tracking for innovative use cases like closing your eyes to avoid the effects of a flashbang, incredible haptic feedback in the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers for realistic weapon feedback, headset feedback when you take damage or toggle on night vision goggles, and so much more.”
Described as an evolution of the Firewall series, players engage in PvP modes like Contracts, where two teams of four face off against each other in a best-of-three match across several maps.
Each match has a defending team working to protect a laptop filled with prohibited information and must use gadgets and weapons to stop the offensive team. This might mean stopping them at security access points and preventing them from hacking the laptop.
In Jagneaux’s post, he says you must be aware of your surroundings in Firewall Ultra. There are maps set at night, like the Oil Rig, or an indoor map, like the Office, where it is dark and dangerous. There is a sense of immersion and tension thanks to dynamic lighting and realistic shadows.
Firewall Ultra also uses eye-tracking to enhance gameplay, like closing your eyes when a flashlight comes your way. You can even close your non-dominant eye when aiming down sights to get a more precise view. With eye tracking, you can quickly swap weapons on the fly thanks to foveated rendering, keeping graphics crisp.
The Standard Edition launches at $39.99 US/$55 CAD, and the Digital Deluxe Edition launches at $59.99 US/$79 CA. Pre-orders receive the Reaper X75 legendary weapon, and the Digital Deluxe Edition receives weapon skins, immediate unlocks for additional contractors, and the first post-launch Op Pass update.
