IndieZone finalists announced for Develop:VR

Eight finalists have been revealed for the inaugural IndieZone prize at Develop:VR in London next month, a slate of small studio projects which celebrates the creativity, diversity and fresh opportunities offered by VR as a medium.

Criteria for entrants were that the game must be produced by a team no bigger than 12, on a budget of £1 million or less. The ultimate winner will be judged by a panel of three industry professionals, each working to expand the boundaries of VR development themselves: Sam Watts of Make Real, developers of Radial G Racing; Rewind founder and CEO Solomon Rogers; and Hammerhead VR's Steve Jelly.

"It was a tough decision to make being a judge for the Develop:VR Indie Showcase with so many excellent submissions with exciting, fun and technically competent titles to choose from," said Watts. "However we feel that the final selection gives a fantastic broad overview of a range of types of games available, with VR powering new experiences from genuine small teams without publishers or large-scale financial backing. I wish all the participants the best of luck and hope they have a great show!"

Develop:VR takes place in London on November 24. Featuring talks, an expo area and extensive networking, the one day show costs £245 + VAT for early birds who buy before October 15, and £295 + VAT thereafter. GamesIndustry.biz readers can access a 10% discount on those prices by entering the code DEVR16GI at checkout.

The final shortlist for the grand prize is as follows:

The Circle by Manos Agianniotakis

The Circle is a 1st and 3rd Person VR game that utilises the yet unreleased Oculus Touch Controllers. The game is played through the eyes of Alex, a transgender woman recovering from a devastating transphobic attack.

Korix by StellarVR

Korix is a PlayStation VR title that places the player somewhere deep in space, fighting for race's survival after their home world is destroyed. Korix is retro styled real-time strategy crossed with tower defense elements to provide old-school gameplay reminiscent of RTS's from the late 90's.

Tin Hearts by Rogue Sun

In Tin Hearts the player takes on the spirit of a renowned yet reclusive toy maker, as he investigates the circumstances that led to his apparent death. This is done by helping magical toy soldiers navigate the rooms of an eccentric mansion - workshop and gather clues. Tin Hearts is Lemmings meets Pixar with a Tim Burton-esque aesthetic.

Ctrl by Breaking Fourth Ctrl is a compelling drama which follows the story of a young gamer embroiled in a e-sports competition in the midst of a war at home. Video Link: https://www.oculus.com/experiences/gear-vr/766782270092581/

Pierhead Arcade by Mechabit

Pierhead Arcade is a classic arcade simulator based in VR. Players can play any game in the arcade as many times as they want by themselves or invite friends into the arcade and play together. All games use intuitive 1:1 hand motion to play. Throw a ball by throwing it!

Windlands by Psytec Games

Windlands is an ambitious first person grappling hook exploration game. Soar through the ruins of a fallen world and discover the secrets of the ancients. Designed with full Virtual Reality support for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.

PaperLander VR by ThisWayUp Games

PaperLander is the "grandson" of Lunar Lander, born in Little Big Planet. PaperLander is a fragile rocket made out of paper. PaperLander's mission is to find and collect Proto-Stars, pass through the Sectors using the teleporters and bring them to the Anti-Storm Ion Cannon in time to save the Galaxy.

Candy Kingdom by GameplaystudioVR

This standalone version of Candy Kingdom features 18 levels, each with its own difficulty setting and bonus level to upgrade the weapon. It also has an online leaderboard to see scores with other players.