DEVELOPED from the ground up for virtual reality gaming, the upcoming Firewall Ultra will leverage the capabilities of the new PlayStation VR2 headset and PlayStation 5 to elevate the expanding “medium” of VR action shooters.

Back in 2018, developer First Contact Entertainment previously did the same with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR when they released Firewall Zero Hour, which was considered by many as the “pioneer in modern VR gaming”.

In a recent blog post, details on the game and what can be done by players through the existing tech were revealed.

A multiplayer shooter, Firewall Ultra, through its primary player-versus-player (PvP) mode, pits two teams of four against each other for three rounds by selecting “contractors”, who come with their own unique skills.

The game will also introduce a new player-versus-environment (PvE) mode to the franchise, where players, either by themselves or with three others, fight against AI controlled enemies.

Immersive eye mechanics

Through the PS VR2, Firewall Ultra will seemingly use a lot of eye-tracking mechanics to deliver more immersive gameplay.

For instance, if a player sees a flashbang grenade landing in front of them or a blinding flashlight, closing their eyes will cause the headset to register their action and have their in-game character raise their hand to cover themselves from the blinding effect.

Even more impressive is how players can close their non-dominant eye when aiming down the sight of a gun to make the view even tighter for added precision.

There are apparently more uses for how developers use eye-tracking for the game.

All in the hands

The haptic feedback in the PS VR2 Sense controllers has also been elevated to provide greater weapon feedback depending on which firearm is being used.

Through finger touch detection and the adaptive triggers, pulling the trigger of a pistol provides a completely different experience from pulling a sniper rifle’s trigger, and both are not even as visceral as the kickback from using a shotgun.

Neat tricks like flipping a knife with your fingers can also be done through the Sense controllers. Players with faster reflexes could theoretically flip a knife, perform a stealth takedown, immediately whip out a firearm, and start shooting seamlessly.

For those taking a more strategic approach, the Sense controllers afford them the ability to make realistic hand signals and silent commands to team members for better tactical realism and interactivity.

Firewall Ultra will launch exclusively on the PS5 on Aug 24.