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VistaVenus will be an online multiplayer game that brings safety and inclusivity to its players whilst engaging them in an interactive and vibrant world teeming with missions and characters to play with. In this age-appropriate environment, users will participate in fun challenges and testing boss battles while learning to grow and connect with themselves and others. With customisability and creativity at the forefront, you can paint the proverbial town red and find new skills that will benefit you in-game and translate to real-world growth.
From the moment you log into VistaVenus, you’re greeted by a veritable boatload of options for what you want to do, with a mix of small gameplay loops for everyday users and long-term rewards from exploring and seeking out the mysteries hidden around every corner. Daily, players will be able to explore the map and find ways to fulfil specific tasks to receive rewards like in-game currency and other important resources.
As part of the game’s opening walkthrough, first-timers will begin to see what’s possible with some initial control demonstrations and exposition regarding the story, framing the cartoon world you’ve found yourself in. As you start to get to grips with your character’s speedy movability, you’ll notice an almost racing car-like user interface that enables players to motor around the map. This racing approach makes the playable character of VistaVenus feel free and loose, but most importantly, easy to handle as they platform through the environment, which is great for mobile users who want a comfortable experience on the go.
While you’re roaming the map, you’ll have access to a smartphone that works as your VistaVenus hub. Always accessible from the main screen, your trusty in-game phone can keep track of world events and help you find the solutions and hints needed to complete all your in-game tasks. Where a typical online game may ask its users to participate in basic and repetitive item collection and delivery tasks, VistaVenus tasks players to think deeply about what they’re being asked to complete, which is a key part of the messaging of this experience. A great example of this mindful practice is one of the musical minigames, which teaches a new way to interpret popular songs across all kinds of genres. This activity leverages recognisable bops to keep things interesting while engaging the user in some mindful low-key puzzles, and also the benefit of discovering new music they may like.
It’s easy to see references to the stone-cold legends of cartoon history like Max Fleischer’s Betty Boop and Disney icon Mickey Mouse in the NPC character designs while exploring the various boroughs of VistaVenus. Those who take the time to explore its nooks and crannies will be rewarded with a dynamic cartoon playground bouncing with upbeat, original venue theme tunes that change ambiently depending on your location. Whether you encounter a member of the villainous Viles or a friendly character, they all share a timeless style that would feel at home in any comic book store or classic tv cartoon.
VistaVenus is also home to hundreds of in-game brands that throw some tongue-in-cheek humour at real-world companies. Take, for example, the in-universe delivery company Congo, whose black and blue logo shares some similarities with a certain billion-dollar online marketplace that’s also named after a rainforest! This branding keeps things familiar while giving the world a modern, graphic, lived-in feel.
Safety is a key pillar of VistaVenus and marks a notable difference between what you’ll find in this game compared to other worlds geared for younger audiences. Instead of it being primarily user-generated, the content in VistaVenus is all curated by a team that intends to give players purpose in their play, putting encouraging moments at the forefront. The intention is to deliver an amusement park for youngsters that offers the opportunity for players to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. This means that even amongst the plethora of fun to be had climbing, jumping and skidding your way through its streets and swimming up its rivers, healthy, grounded themes and challenges are centred in VistaVenus, encouraging collaboration, exploration, discovery and kindness.
Verification will be another important part of the VistaVenus experience, with systems in place to hold players accountable. This process is streamlined by a friendly companion NPC named Verify V Venus, who acts as a helpful onboarding assistant, pointing players in the right direction to access all of the extra content available to those who take the plunge and verify.
What we love about VistaVenus is that it feels balanced – like eating chewy vitamins that taste great and are good for you too. It certainly doesn’t take itself too seriously, though. To complement the tongue-in-cheek branding, NPCs feature plenty of sass in their dialogue, their character models and emotes purveying a strong sense of personality. Here, all of your interactions have the capacity to be as humorous as they are helpful. Even the antagonists – like the bad-breathed bouncer Vengeance V Venus – feature a refreshing silly side. All you need to do is explore their character profiles to find that there’s a ticklish slapstick comedy hiding under their gruff exterior and tough vocal vibrato.
As well as diverse characters, the world of VistaVenus is full of challenging obstacles and missions that don’t pull punches. While the world may be geared toward younger players, venue-based mini-games and individual puzzle solving won’t be childs-play, with a difficulty curve in place that is meant to engage players of all kinds and respect their skills, whether they’re eight or eighteen. This also goes for the in-game battles, so there’s no cheating your way out of combat. No matter how you choose to make your way through the world, there is a joy to be found in this ambient difficulty that encourages repeat attempts to find ultimate success. Even if you’re hitting a wall – keep it up, and you’ll find ample rewards for your ardent efforts.
When it comes to character customisation, there are a plethora of shops, boutiques and branded pops-ups to discover across the VistaVenus map, where you can pick up an ensemble and personalise the game’s cartoon protagonist, known as a ‘Visitor’. Fashion options abound, from graphic tees to hairstyles and hoodies; the variety of styles available makes customising your hero a breeze, delivering a sandbox of identity customisation. And, if you still can’t land on a style, you can revisit these looks within the central UI, so if you change your mind about an outfit after seeing it in the wild, you can easily switch up your attire. Complete enough daily tasks, and you’ll even be privy to unique dress-up items that show off your VistaVenus prowess.
VistaVenus has been created by a team of industry veterans across Branding, Entertainment and AAA Game Development, all united with the intention of building a new approach to the gaming sector, where player interactions are couched in purpose. Expect discovery, puzzles, narrative and positive personal growth, and plenty of platforming fun and character customisation, all wrapped up in a cartoon world teeming with meaningful & mindful activities.
If you want to get to grips with this world pre-release, there’s good news! An exciting opportunity to Alpha Test VistaVenus is on the horizon – just head over to https://vistavenus.com to register your interest – but be quick as there are limited spaces! Or, if you’re just looking for some more footage of the game in action, the @VistaVenus TikTok account is full of helpful videos and teaser content to sate your appetite and to keep you up to date with the latest development progress and behind-the-scenes studio sneak peeks!