Pixel Ripped 1989 – Preview (PAX East 2018)

Pixel Ripped 1989 may be one of the most fresh concepts we’ve seen for virtual reality platforms yet. While others are still stuck programming platformers, shooters, and puzzle games in VR, Pixel Ripped 1989 is breaking out of the traditional mold and redefining the young genre.

In Pixel Ripped 1989 you play a character who really just wants to do some gaming. Your character is attempting to use a handheld device in a variety of situations to basically save the world. As with any gamer, life continues to get in the way of the gaming endeavors and your character must find new and creative ways to cope with real life as they beat the next boss.

Described by the game’s lead programmer, Ana, as “the video game version of Inception,” Pixel Ripped has you interacting with a game and also fighting off real-game-life obstacles while you’re inside of the headset. Your character has to still live their life while carving out a little time here and there to play their favorite title.

Ana began developing Pixel Ripped 1989 while in school for development and, after a dream she had that gave her a bit of inspiration, knew exactly what attributes she needed to design. From speaking with Ana about her passion, it’s clear to see that she is excited on a surprisingly refreshing level about the title being released after so much hard work. Donning an outfit designed around Pixel Ripped’s character Dot, Ana was upbeat and energetic to the core. She also described her aspirations to have Pixel Ripped be an ongoing series in the form of chapters and show the progression of the character through their life.

So you can have your racers, platformers, racers, and shooters. We’ll take the Inception of video games and get all of the above in one fell swoop.

Pixel Ripped 1989 releases for PlayStation VR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift on May 22, 2018.