UK-based animation studio and visual effects group Axis Studios have worked in immersive storytelling before, having worked on Kiss Me First for Channel 4, which heavily featured virtual reality (VR) as a storytelling device. Now the company has announced its first owned-IP release, with VR short film The Bond.
The Bond has been part-funded by Scottish Enterprise, and has been created with VR in mind in order to take advantage of the immersiveness offered by VR. Users will see the story from multiple different perspectives as they take the role of different characters to engage with the virtual world.
The Bond tells the story of TiaMuati, who has mystical powers that she uses to watch over the creatures and plants of a world called LuKara. By sinking into a trance, she can see the energy that connects all living things, and uses these powers to seek out animals in trouble and aid them.
Users will be able to follow her on her spiritual journeys as she inhabits the minds of various creatures, from tiny insets to terrified prey animals, with the aim of letting players explore different perspectives.
Olly Reid, director of The Bond, comments: “The Bond is set in an incredibly rich and detailed world, which isn’t easy to pull off in VR. I am incredibly proud of the amazing work the team has produced, as we sought to bring this story and world to life. Virtual reality is the perfect medium to create powerful, immersive experiences for audiences. I’m excited to see what the future holds for VR as a storytelling tool, I can’t wait to be part of it.”
Richard Scott, CEO of Axis Studios, comments: “Axis Studios is built on the ability to tell impeccable stories, and we’ve used real-time tools at the studio for several years now. The Bond has been a fascinating journey in combining these skills and discovering how far we can push the VR medium.”
The Bond is available on Steam and the Oculus Store for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. For future coverage on new and upcoming VR titles, keep checking back with VRFocus.
via Mint VR