Fast Travel Game’s Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife VR, Wander The Dark World As A Wraith

The upcoming title from Fast Travel Games, Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife is slated for release on the 23rd of April. The VR horror title sees one assume the role of a wraith that wanders the halls of the video game stable’s World of Darkness universe’s Barclay Mansion, investigating the circumstances surrounding their own death. 

Virtual Reality technology is designed to immerse people in environments, and have them experience exhilarating gameplay in a more engaging way than ever before. What the Swedish video game firm behind the Wraith: The Oblivion title exemplifies, is just how far the medium allows the mind to stretch, in terms of constructing novel narratives. 

Set to release on Oculus Rift, & Quest platforms, PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, Valve’s Index, as well as Steam within the month. Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife is based on a 1994 book by White Wolf Publishing, that goes by the same title. The game forms part of the stable’s World of Darkness narrative universe. The World of Darkness series of games features other titles, like Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and Vampire: The Masquerade. 

Players who have encountered any of the titles in the World of Darkness series may be familiar with the game’s setting, The Barclay mansion. A palatial residence that has a lot of metaphysical stuff going on beyond its opulent façade.

In the Wraith: The Oblivion game, players step into the shoes – so to speak – of a recently deceased individual who expired under mysterious circumstances, during a séance. Returning as a restless spirit, or wraith, one explores the question of what lies beyond the grave while haunting the Barclay mansion, in search of answers as to why – and how – they died. 

One quickly finds that they are not the only spirits wandering the mansion’s halls. They’re not out to have a conversation or compare notes about the whole ‘being dead’ thing either. Though some combat aspects are incorporated into the title’s gameplay, the game puts a greater emphasis on stealth. This means one does a great deal more sneaking, and escaping than actual fighting. 

Being a spirit – after all – one is equipped with some special abilities to make the investigation a tad easier. Ducking and diving around other restless souls, probably mad about their own deaths, one has the ability to Wraithgrasp, become insubstantial, and employ their Sharpened Senses ability whenever the situation calls for it. 

With the Wraithgrasp ability, one can lift, and move, objects from a distance, regardless of weight, or size. This might be an acquired ability however, not one that is available from the onset. Insubstantiality, on the other hand, allows one the ability to phase through walls, when certain markers appear. Excellent for quick escapes in tight situations. 

Sharpened sense, is pretty much a homing ability connected to the game map. It enables one to, more easily, reach their next objective by scanning their environment with their hand. One of the player’s hands will glow when they are close to getting close.

Though based on a book, the game – put together by a team consisting of director, Erik OdelDahl, designer Daniel Kihlgren Kallander, and programmer, Casper Renman – the game is still set up to be easy to play, by gamers who are to the World of Darkness series.  This game is targeted at narrative-based horror game enthusiasts, and features no gore. Just suspense, and thrill.