Developer: Globiss Interactive
Publisher: BoomBox
Release Date: 14th February 2024
Platforms: Quest 2 & 3
Reviewed on: Quest 3
Price: £14.99
Who doesn’t want to embark on an eerie adventure aboard the iconic RMS Titanic? The premise is strong and it is a game perfectly suited to VR. History meets science fiction in a haunting tale of mystery and time-travel. But can the vision outweigh the games technical hiccups? Let’s find out.
STORY
Set against the backdrop of the legendary Titanic, you take on the roles of two unassuming protagonists, one male and one female. The story kicks off with the male awakening in a mysterious room, startled to find his hands inexplicably filthy.
Guided by a communication expert, he learns of a mission to investigate peculiar events surrounding the RMS Titanic, propelled by a bizarre time anomaly. Remarkably, a passenger from the Titanic has mysteriously surfaced in the present day. This anomaly prompted a ban on time travel, leading to the disappearance of its inventor.
As the tale unfolds, the narrative seamlessly transitions between the perspectives of the male and female protagonists, revealing the eerie consequences of meddling with the fabric of time and the spectral mysteries of ghostly ships.
VISUALS
This is where Titanic: A Space Between excels. From the meticulously recreated interiors of the Titanic to the eerie ambiance of its haunted corridors, the water effects and more – there were many times that I looked around wishing this had been more of a walking simulator exploring the most famous ship in history.
Exploring the upper deck really gives you a sense of wonder and does a great job of transporting you back, giving you a brief glimpse of what passengers were treated to before the ill-fated voyage went horribly wrong. The world has many items for you to interact with, which does a great job of adding immersion.
GAMEPLAY
While the gameplay may present interesting obstacles, such as exploration, fetch quests, and puzzles, it is often let down by the mechanics. Simple tasks such as picking up items can be cumbersome, leading to frustration. There is also a repetitive nature to the puzzles as well, with it frequently coming down to you just trying to open another door.
There are also various technical issues, which include getting stuck on various objects in the world and one time I was even randomly thrown from one side of the ship to a completely out of bounds area. These are things that I’m sure will be straightened out in future updates, but it is worth mentioning.
An exploration mode is planned for a future update. This mode is said to include an option that will allow players see the water rising as they explore. I really feel like this will add a huge amount to the title, and look forward to exploring it at my leisure. Hopefully this also ties in with the expected PS VR2 and PC VR launch as well.
VERDICT
Titanic: A Space Between is an incredible visual achievement from a small two-person studio. They have created a way to virtually explore one of the most infamous moments in history. Unfortunately the gameplay mechanics don’t match the production value, but with the upcoming exploration mode this could easily end up being one of these titles that you use to show non-gaming friends and family what VR is capable of.
-Mark
