 Early game art | |
| Developer(s) | Ramen VR |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | TribeVR Inc. |
| Release date | 27 January 2022 |
| Platforms | Oculus Rift, Rift S, Quest, SteamVR, PSVR, PC |
| Genre | VRMMORPG |
| Websites | |
Zenith is a VR MMO inspired by our favorite animes and JRPGs, where millions of people can play, socialize, and create their own unique experience together. Fight, craft, explore, and live in the first cross platform VR MMO. Forge alliances and friendships in Guilds and parties. Participate in epic raids and Public Event, or go blaze your own path. Become forever immortalized in a world that will become as important as the real one. If you don't have VR yet, you'll be able to play Zenith on your desktop, too! Enter Zenith and become the hero you were destined to be.
Gameplay[]
Zenith is first and foremost about immersing players in a gorgeous world that you want to get lost in.
We grew up playing games like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, and more recently Nier: Automata. We loved Sword Art Online, Castle in the Sky, and other classic anime. We religiously read books like Snow Crash, Ready Player One, and Rainbow's End. These worlds were integral parts of our lives but it always felt like we were seeing those worlds through a small window. We’re building Zenith because we want to you to experience living in these worlds.
Desktop Support[]
Zenith will be playable on a desktop PC. All backers will receive both a VR version of the game, and a desktop version of the game, tied using the same account ID. Play Zenith in the same world as your VR counterparts! The desktop gaming experience will feature a completely different playstyle and a different class that is custom designed for desktop. Then, when you are ready to switch over to VR, you'll have the VR version ready to go, and we'll even port your progress into your new VR character!
Dynamic Living World[]
We want your life in Zenith to feel as visceral as your real life. That's why we've invested so much time and energy into crafting the environment to be visually striking, and beautiful.
We're partnering with Improbable and using Spatial OS, the world's most advanced MMORPG platform, which will enable us to create huge, dynamic, open worlds. In addition to powering huge worlds, the platform will enable previously impossible things in an MMORPG, like real physics, complex AI, and a landscape that evolves and is shaped by players and NPCs alike. We have plans to fully utilize Spatial OS for features like conquerable player settlements, crafting, and customizable player housing. Zenith will also feature a large, open world, with no loading screens.
Class and Character Customization[]
Play your character exactly as you want. Instead of the typical holy trinity of Tank, DPS, and Healer, every class in Zenith can take on any of those roles, depending on which skills you equip. Want to play the role of a paladin? Or maybe a mage tank? The choice is yours! Customize your character's looks with a variety of different facial features. Zenith will feature full body avatars and animations. No floaty heads and hands typically seen in VR games. Also, change the way you sound, so you can really remain anonymous, becoming who you want to be using voice modulation and filters.
Advanced AI[]
A fully immersive world must be filled with believable characters and AI. Monsters you face off against in Zenith will dodge, hide, and hunt in lifelike ways, unlike any MMORPG you've seen before. Keep your wits about you, or you might be ambushed by wolves on the prowl, and step lightly when you enter your first dungeon! Beasts in the deep have most likely heard your footsteps already.
Streamlined Combat System[]
Combat in Zenith fully leverages the physicality of VR to deliver satisfying gameplay. Pull earth shields out of the ground, suck creatures in with devastating gravity wells, or simply blast them with ultimate power using chain lightning. Mastering each class will feel like mastering a new sport or martial art. For example, the ranged Essence Mage relies heavily on ranged throwing and aiming and accuracy, while the melee Blade Master relies on timing combos. And while we want the game to feel real, and immersive, we also want it to to be easy to learn. Combat is designed to feel satisfying at all skill levels.
And More![]
Of course Zenith will also feature guilds, crafting, social, instanced dungeons, Public Events and all the other things you know and love about MMORPGs. We look forward to announcing more about those features in the coming months.
The World[]
--- Incoming Transmission from Zenith Skywave --- Hey you! Yes, I'm talking to you -- sitting right there, on Urth? Erth? Eh, nevermind. Before you cross the portal into our world, there's some stuff you need to know..
In our world, Essence is the life force inherent in all living things that enables those versed in the Old Way to weave magic. The Zenitheans, citizens of Zenith, harnessed Essence using their amplifiers and engineers to power and run the massive city-state.
Hundreds of years ago a massive vessel from the stars commanded by the God-King Rhel'ka crashed into the world and unleashed unspeakable horrors, and upon the world. The Zenithean Council made the decision that day to close their gates -- sealing off the city off from all outlanders, forever dividing those within, and those without.
Eventually Rhel'ka was sealed away in the darkest depths of the world, but the end of the war marked the deaths of half the peoples of our world.
The only city to emerge unscathed, was Zenith.
Outside the city gates, people have learned to live with nature, rather than rule over it. They have come to love the green, the forest, and even the dark night. But every day the seal over Rhel'ka grows weaker, and there are those who have forgotten the lessons of the past, who would see another Calamity befall the world.
But there are some things that can only be seen in person. Every fiber in my being tells me you have a part to play in our history. Enter the portal, and I will tell you more.
--- End Transmission---
For more story, check out our choose your own adventure game on itch!
Advisors and Contributors[]
Adam Hetenyi - Principal Lead MMO Game Designer, Cryptic Studios[]
Adam is an amazing narrative and game designer that is currently the lead game designer on a secret MMORPG for Cryptic Studios. In the past, he lead game design for The Surge 2, as well as Trove and worked as a game designer on Everquest. Clearly, Adam brings an amazing wealth of experience, and we are super lucky to have him. Here's what Adam had to say about our project:
For people who love online worlds, a game like Ramen VR's Zenith is a bit of a holy grail -- often sought after and wished for, but difficult to find! Which gamer hasn't wished for a fully immersive game experience in a beautiful, atmospheric world with fun and addictive combat gameplay? In Zenith, that's exactly what you'll find, and a whole lot more! Trust Lauren, Andy, and the rest of the Ramen VR team to deliver. They're in it to win it, and you're going to want to be along for the ride.
Emi Evans, Lead Vocalist for NieR:Automata[]
Emi’s vocals have brought us to tears many, many a time, so it really feels like a dream to have her collaborating on this project. We are so excited to being working with this gaming music legend. Here’s what Emi had to say about her collaboration with us:
"I'm really looking forward to helping players become delightfully lost in this beautiful and enticing world"
Zenith in the News[]
Forbes Zenith Is An MMORPG In Development For VR With Rhythm-Based Combat Inspired By Beat Saber
IGN Zenith - Kickstarter Trailer
UploadVR VR MMO Zenith Shows Off Beat Saber-Inspired Melee Combat Gameplay Footage
UploadVR Cyberpunk VR MMO Zenith Launches And Passes Kickstarter In No Time
GamaSutra Zenith, the Cyberpunk VR MMORPG for PC and VR, Launches Kickstarter for Early Fan Involvement in Groundbreaking Cross-Platform Adventures
Massively Overpowered Zenith is a new SpatialOS cyberpunk VR MMORPG – and its Kickstarter just went live
Improbable Games Community spotlight: Zenith by Ramen VR
Supported Devices[]
Cross play between all VR Devices (including Oculus Quest) and PC will be available, and the PC version will feature a novel game experience that's built from the ground up! ==Stretch Goals==
About Us[]
Ramen VR is a VR studio that’s creating the metaverse. Andy and Lauren started Ramen VR in 2019 after coproducing Conjure Strike with Oculus starting in 2017. They have decades of combined experience in software engineering from companies like Unity, and Google. In addition to the Kickstarter funds, they are backed by some of the best investors in Silicon Valley
Lauren and Andy are lucky to be working with 5 other amazing teammates from all across the world to bring Zenith to life.
Will, Environment Concept Artist, Florida
Jessica, 3D Environment Artist, Arizona
Jordan, Composer, California
Majid, Character Artist and Animator, Turkey
Sun, Character Concept Artist, Korea
Funded by some of the world’s best investors and Oculus, we’re building Zenith, the first Cross Platform MMO for both VR and Desktop where millions of players can adventure together in a gorgeous, anime-inspired world. We believe fun, online games can be life-changing experiences that let players realize their full potential. We're driven by our belief to create a cross platform metaverse where you can fulfill your wildest dreams.
Risks and Challenges[]
We quit our jobs three years ago to work on VR, and are staking our entire reputation and income on the success of this game. Building a VR MMORPG is an extremely complex endeavor, but we have decades of combined experience in gaming and companies like Unity, Google, and Oculus. We’re also collaborating with Improbable, whose platform, SpatialOS, makes it much easier to build an MMORPG. In addition, we have already previously shipped a multiplayer VR competitive shooter, which we co-produced with Oculus, and was critically acclaimed. We've already built 7 prototypes, and have been running user playtests with our Discord community for over a month. We’re taking Kickstarter very seriously, and are eternally grateful for your trust in us.