In describing Pistol Whip, developer Cloudhead Games references the syncing of music and on-screen events in trailers for action films. Apparently, Pistol Whip provides that very distinctive movie trailer experience in a virtual reality game. PlayStation VR owners can give it a go for themselves when the title hits Sony’s platform sometime this summer.
Watch the trailer below to see how Pistol Whip’s breakneck action perfectly synchronizes with the soundtrack music:
Action movies such as John Wick and Equilibrium aren’t the only influences baked into Pistol Whip. Fan-favorite VR games Beat Saber and Superhot also serve as inspirations for Cloudhead Games’ high-octane project. As such, the controls were designed with simplicity in mind, ensuring players can easily invest in a pick-up-and-play experience. Still, Pistol Whip will prove difficult to master, notes Cloudhead’s Community Relations lead Antony Stevens in a PlayStation Blog post.
In Pistol Whip, players aim and shoot with just one PlayStation Move controller. Though it takes inspiration from traditional rhythm games, Cloudhead’s title does not emulate their levels which typically constitute a “static void.” Rather, Pistol Whip continuously moves players through action movie-like “scenes,” such as airship raids and bank heists. To keep the levels fresh, each scene features a total of three difficulties. Players can also take advantage of weapons customization options, leaderboards, and myriad gameplay modifiers.
The game’s rhythm-centric doesn’t hinder creativity, either. If a player wants to follow along to the music’s beat, they are more than welcome to do so. In fact, such a playstyle is rewarded with bonus points. However, choosing to play Pistol Whip in a rhythmless fashion represents another option.
Pistol Whip originally launched on PC (Steam), Oculus Quest, and Viveport in fall 2019. Once it hits PlayStation VR this summer, Cloudhead plans to further support the experience with new scenes, personalization options, and more.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]
