Submerged in the depths of outerspace, phobias become a thing of the past. As the opposition flutters around you, it becomes clear; it’s either them or me. Antagonizing slowly evolved into a ruthless hunt as you stalk the approaching enemy. Enemy Starfighter delivers this vivid portrayal of our galaxy through the use of the Oculus Rift. When the headset comes off and you’ve left your cockpit, reality just doesn’t seem to do the trick anymore.
Mike Tipul, the only developer behind Enemy Starfighter, has worked with Bungie before on science fiction titles. After leaving Bungie, Tipul had a hunger to design more scifi in his own way. When I visited their booth at PAX East, Mike Tipul and his wife were the only ones organizing the booth, which speaks volumes on the dedication behind the effort put forth to make Enemy Starfighter a reality.
The Oculus Rift projects the awe inspiring sensation of our galaxy by immersing you amongst the stars. As you begin to look around, you notice small details that amplify the experience such as noticing the gears and gadgets spreaded throughout the cockpit. This expansive view feeds into the gameplay of taking out the enemy. Using inverted controls, I felt it drag me deeper into the idea that I was an actual pilot controlling my Starfighter. Firing beams and lasers enthralls you to continue until the mission is over, or for me, when the demo was done.[youtube id=”63RG1qmItG8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]
This wasn’t my first brush with the Oculus Rift, and it won’t be my last, but Enemy Starfighter takes a demanding presence in your memory to where you’ll never forget it. Aside from the Oculus Rift feature, I could see myself enjoying this title without the use of it by the fluid mechanics, but it sure as hell helps. An idea founded from the bootstraps of a man with ambition, Enemy Starfighter will be a must when the Oculus Rift is finally upon us.