In the video titled "Espire 2: A Pure Stealth Game, in VR! Congrats to Digital Lode," AI and Games discusses the release of Espire 2, a virtual reality game exclusive to the Oculus Quest 2. The video highlights the game's development journey, the creator's involvement in the project, and the various features that make Espire 2 an engaging stealth game. Digital Lode, a game studio based in Melbourne, Australia, developed Espire 2, and the creator of AI and Games consulted with the team during its early development.
Espire 2's premise involves players taking on a terrorist organization determined to wreak havoc on the world. Players command robot Aspire units to infiltrate enemy territory and eliminate the threat. The game draws inspiration from other stealth games, such as Metal Gear Solid. The collaboration between AI and Games and Digital Lode began as a result of the creator's involvement in the Golden Era documentary about the making of GoldenEye 007. The director of Golden Era, who was working for Digital Lode at the time, recommended the creator as a consultant for the enemy AI design in Espire 2.
During early development, the creator provided guidance on how to iterate the AI design for the sequel. Although the creator is not aware of the final version of the game, they shared their experience working on early builds. The programming and design teams revamped many core mechanics and enemy AI, focusing on different Aspire units with unique abilities for more combat or stealth-heavy gameplay. Some of the new features include Aspire vision, which shows patrol routes, the ability to store dead bodies in lockers, and a voice-powered distraction tool. The team also expanded interrogation mechanics.
Balancing the AI proved to be challenging, as there was a point in the early alpha build where the AI became difficult to overcome even for the developers who played the game daily. The creator also briefly mentioned their experience with the game's multiplayer mode, which was enjoyable even in its early phase.
The creator congratulates Digital Lode on the launch of Espire 2 and encourages those with an Oculus Quest 2 to check out the game. The video serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication that went into creating an immersive and engaging stealth experience in virtual reality.
