When Stress Level Zero released BONEWORKS back in 2019, it exploded. It quickly became one of VR’s most talked-about games for one simple reason — It was endlessly fun. BONEWORKS is more than a game, it’s a sanctuary for creativity. It practically begged you to fool around.
This is what is going to make the upcoming follow-up game BONELAB so special. Originally announced back at the Meta Gaming Showcase, BONELAB is an experimental physics action game that if done right, might define VR gaming’s future.
Here’s why we think you should be excited for BONELAB.
Mods
BONEWORKS broke the mold of typical VR action games and gave you the freedom to add mods to your heart’s content. While this isn’t exactly a new idea, it’s a whole different story in VR. The modding community is filled with creative and innovative people. BONELAB will enable us — the community — to create, destroy and build whatever we want. It also allows users to try new things in VR that might not have been done yet, given how new the medium is.
Using the Marrow Interactive Engine, BONELAB will enable you to import your own avatar, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Want to shoot a gun that pins balloons to a target, eventually lifting them up into the stratosphere? Or drive a go-cart down a giant bowling lane? — Go for it.
The only limit will be your imagination.
Physics
Another reason to be excited for BONELAB is the physics engine. We have no doubts that the physics in BONELAB will be cutting edge. Everything in the BONELAB universe will have weight and behave as it would in the real world. That means that picking up a sledgehammer will be easier than dragging a corpse around. Just like in BONEWORKS, objects will feel grounded. This adds to the immersion and also creates a sense of realism. Even when you’re pushing the boundaries of reality.
Quest 2 Release
BONEWORKS is a fantastic game but it does have one pretty serious limitation. It’s only available on Steam for PCVR. It also needs a hefty gaming PC in order to run it well. BONELAB on the other hand will release on all VR platforms, including the Quest 2 — with full mod support. Check out our article ‘What Makes the Quest 2 Worth It’ for more information on the headset itself.
The Quest 2 is a great headset, but most importantly, it’s affordable. This is exactly what BONELAB needs to grow into something awesome. It needs people. Even if you’re strictly a PCVR player, having a larger community will benefit everyone. User-generated content requires users. The community is what will make BONELAB great — the more the merrier.
It’s also looking great on the Quest 2 from what we’ve seen so far. Obviously, there are limits to what a Quest 2 can do with the built-in chip versus a dedicated graphics card, but color us impressed. We’re excited to see how it plays on standalone.
Here’s a comparison.
PCVR
Quest 2
Final thoughts
BONELAB is generating a lot of hype, and for good reason. It’s already been wishlisted more than BONEWORKS was in 9 months. It might be what pushes VR to new heights. Will it be the game that VR needs to finally hit the mainstream full force? We’ll have to wait and see.
BONELAB is due to release this year. There is no current release date announced. You can wishlist the game on Steam or through the Quest 2 store.
Colin Laurencelle