I've tried several VR boxing games and none are better than The thrill of the fightI could use some more variety in the fighting styles of the AI opponents, but it feels a lot more like real boxing (a hobby of mine) than any of the other games I've tried, and I really like the pass-through option, which lets me see the room I'm in so I'm not worried about weaving through my filing cabinet.
Overall, it's my favorite VR game (I haven't finished Half-Life: Alyx yet, I admit), or at least it's the one I enjoyed the most and it allowed me to exercise. So, I have some good news: there's a sequel in development and it'll be available in early access in November.
Unlike the first game, The Thrill of the Fight 2 will have multiplayer support. I'm a little disappointed that the early access release only The game will feature multiplayer, but will later get a single-player mode. After the early access launch, creator Ian Fitz, who is working with Fruit Ninja developer Halfbrick Studios on the sequel,says the development team plans to begin working on “an AI that has more capabilities and combat intelligence” than that of the first game.
The Thrill of the Fight 2 will initially launch only on Meta Quest 2 and 3, but a version for PC-tethered VR headsets is “very likely,” Fitz says. I’ve played the first game both tethered and untethered, and while it’s a better experience without a tether (it’s not a graphics-intensive game), I managed to get a lot of use out of it even with the back of my head plugged into my PC. Some realism may be sacrificed, but unless you go out of your way to circle around your opponent, it does a good job of keeping you on one side of the ring to avoid getting wrapped up.
Of course, this won't necessarily be the case when your opponent is human, so perhaps the Quest headset is the better option in this case.
In addition to introducing multiplayer, The Thrill of the Fight 2 will launch with “a new combat system with improved physics and damage calculations meant to mimic real boxing” as closely as possible, Fitz says. It will include a skill-based matchmaking system, as well as private matches.
The Thrill of the Fight 2 will be available in early access on November 21 from Meta Quest StoreYou can find some more details in a Recent Q&A with Fitz.
