Curiscope, the makers of the mixed reality Virtuali-tee educational app, just launched Operation Apex (2017), an underwater exploration and adventure game developed in partnership with HTC Vive Studios.
Quickly traveling through the ocean with your wrist-mounted water jets, you take on the role of research assistant tasked with finding the largest Great White Shark in existence. The underwater adventure isn’t all about swimming with the sharks though, as you collect data from the marine life you find and learn about the ocean’s ecosystem along the way, including human’s deleterious effect on the environment.
Operation Apex is a direct sequel to ‘Great White Sharks’, an educational experience that’s featured in one of the most viewed 360 videos on YouTube at 26 million views.
Curiscope created Operation Apex under the guidance of South Africa-based research and conservation organization Oceans Research. Resident marine biologist Dr Enrico Gennari, known for his research into the Great White, contributed to the project.
“We often forget that actually, the best way to conserve is to have people caring about an issue, falling in love with a species, or even just changing perspective about it,” says Gennari. “I immediately loved the idea of being able to contribute to this project, as I saw a tool to reach a large audience, using a game to teach about the marine environment and the importance of every creature in it.”
Ben Kidd, CCO and co-founder of Curiscope said, “As we all begin to come to terms with how deep our activity on land is impacting the ocean, we’re offering you awe and wonder along with some uncomfortable truths. We are all really excited to invite you underwater, for an adventure. To explore and discover the wonder of our oceans and its inhabitants ‘first hand’. Unlock the secrets we’ve hidden, witness the light and the darkness of the ocean for yourself, and go away with a deeper sense of connection between the land and the sea.”
Operation Apex is now available on Steam and Viveport for HTC Vive. The game currently sells for £15.49 / $19.99 / €19.99.
According to a report by Business Insider, Curiscope says the full play-through should take around 2 hours. The creators also say Oculus Rift is slated for release sometime in 2018, and that the game requires Vive controllers to play.
Check out the gameplay footage below to get a better idea of what’s in store.
