Theatrical company creates VR adventure with loads of deerstalkers and abductive reasoning.
December 14, 2021
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: vrisch
"SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE CASE OF THE HUNG PARLIAMENT"
London, UK
14th December 2021
"Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hung Parliament", a full-motion video adventure game created by theatre company Les Enfants Terribles and VR pioneers, vrisch, has been announced today for Oculus Quest 2.
The game will be launched next year after premiering on the Oculus App lab. The deductive adventure is the first VR game to feature interactive motion video characters you can interrogate and locations you can scour for clues. Join up to seven other players in the game to visit locations all over London, then meet in the ‘Mind Fortress’ to construct a case against your prime suspect. The game challenges you to solve a typically absorbing Holmesian whodunit written by prolific theatre writer Anthony Spargo and Artistic Director Oliver Lansley, whose collective work spans books, tv, theatre and even Netflix productions.
The concept, which initially debuted as an immersive live production, 'The Game's Afoot,' at Madame Tussauds in 2016, was adapted to be enjoyed by an online audience on Zoom early in 2021 to cater for homebound theatre lovers. The VR adaption challenged both Les Enfants Terribles and vrisch to push the technology, their writing and acting skills to create a compelling VR experience like no other.
"This kind of technology is still relatively untapped in the theatre world, and so we're excited to be among some of the first to explore the potential. After the challenges faced by the arts and entertainment industry throughout the pandemic, we've had to really take stock of what's important to the audience and, most importantly, our community. That's why we're channelling our energy into creating a more accessible, immersive experience that you can enjoy from wherever you're based, anywhere in the world," said James Seager, Creative Director of Les Enfants Terribles.
Gabriella Chihan Stanley, VR Art Director of vrisch, added, "It's extremely exciting to design a form of narrative where theatre and VR gaming can coexist and benefit from one another, offering both theatre lovers and gamers a new kind of story-based, interactive theatrical gaming experience.”
ENDS
For more information please contact: Stephen Hey at [email protected]
Game Description:
Don your deerstalker and step into the shoes of the world’s most famous sleuth in this gripping live-action detective adventure.
With three cabinet members already murdered by hanging and Sherlock Holmes missing in action, it is up to you to find the killer before Big Ben strikes midnight. Interrogate suspects, analyse crime scenes, collect evidence, and enter your ‘Mind Fortress’ to construct a compelling case in this ‘Whodunit’ that will push your deduction skills to their limits. Play alone or invite your friends in to make this a social sleuthing experience you will never forget.
Combining the worlds of immersive theatre and cutting-edge VR video technology, Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Hung Parliament’ is a unique ‘evening sized’ Oculus experience that can be enjoyed over and over again.
Will you solve the baffling case in time? Can you call on your friends for help? And where is Sherlock anyway? The answers are far from elementary.
About Les Enfants Terribles https://lesenfantsterribles.co.uk/
Les Enfants Terribles is dedicated to creating original and engaging theatre that puts the audience at the centre of the story. Known for their striking visual aesthetic and innovative use of props, puppetry, and live music, they explore unique ways of telling stories and immersing audiences in new weird, and wonderful worlds.
Run by Artistic Director Oliver Lansley and Creative Director James Seager, the company has received consistent critical acclaim and renowned industry awards, establishing a large and loyal following since its inception in 2002. Over the course of its history, the company has continued to go from strength to strength, producing award-winning shows including the “The Trench” and “The Terrible Infants”, as well as groundbreaking immersive productions such as ‘United Queendom', 'Inside Pussy Riot ' and the Olivier-nominated 'Alice's Adventures Underground', which later transferred to China for a two-year run.
The company is proud to have performed to thousands of people all over the world including Poland, the Czech Republic, Dubai, Norway, Singapore, and Australia, as well as building a vast and engaged rural touring audience in the UK. As specialists in immersive theatre, virtual reality is the next step in helping audience members enjoy a holistic and high-impact experience of the production and there’s plenty of potential to be explored.
Follow Les Enfants Terribles:
Twitter: @lesenfantsterr
Facebook: @lesenfantsterr
Instagram: @lesenfantsterr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/les-enfants-terribles-theatre
About vrisch https://www.vrisch.com/en
vrisch is an award-winning VR AR (XR) production company from Vienna, Austria, that helps people learn, understand, and have fun through immersive entertainment. Founded in 2013 by a Viennese filmmaker and a Paraguayan digital artist (also husband and wife and parentpreneurs), vrisch has become Vienna’s first family-owned content production company solely dedicated to the creation of immersive experiences.
The team consists of international XR pioneers coming from various backgrounds such as digital filmmaking, design, art direction, marketing communications, and software development. All “vrischlings” see themselves as a group of open-minded cosmopolitans who thrive on diversity.
vrisch believes in the importance of communities. In 2016, its cofounder, Gabriella Chihan Stanley founded XRVienna. Up to date, XRVienna is Vienna’s first and Austria’s biggest community for XR professionals and enthusiasts.
vrisch uses the transformative power of immersive technologies to help humans (and themselves) understand and enjoy the world beyond the abilities of physical bodies. Its motto? “We are not trying to replace the real world. We enhance it.”
Follow vrisch:
Twitter: @vrischVR
Facebook: @vrischvr
Instagram: @vrischvr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vrisch/
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