Posted in: Games, Video Games, VR | Tagged: BigBox VR, Population: One, vr

Population: One Augments Itself With New Metropolis Map

This week is a big deal for one of Meta's most popular VR games. This Thursday at 12pm PST, Population: One will change in its most future-forward way yet. That's when its latest map addition, Metropolis, goes live. BigBox VR, Inc. was again kind enough to connect us with Early Access and, after a quick demo, it's clear that this VR experience will also scratch that cyberpunk itch.

Yes, it's pretty much a new zone. And yes, new zones in themselves aren't a new concept to Population: One except, this one's scale and ambiance is unprecedented. Replacing the Refinery, Metropolis is an area for those who love their share of futuristic urban neons. It's bigger than the Refinery and freakishly intricate and tall. It feels like there are blocks to travel which, especially in VR, and especially compared to most Minecraft cities, is quite a feat. The area has decoration and literally adds more color than the current Population: One tone.

Strategically, the vertical elements of the new buildings' setup lend tons of variety to a game where you can climb anything and glide almost anywhere.  That feeling like there are blocks to explore is partially because the area's packed with walls and levels.  This is a region containing at least hundreds of ambush and hiding spots. Tons of loot spots. And, separate from shooters like Counterstrike or VR's Pavlov,  players still have to watch out from all directions as they explore. Metropolis is a region that makes it clearer than ever that checking ceilings is a good idea. Add to this the strategic element of pretty much being able to fly across the entire map from Metropolis's highest tower, and players will find tons of reasons to pod in.

More than the room diving activities that could seem more claustrophobic (a la Saints and Sinners), this region succeeds in feeling more like an ultra-modern city tour. Metropolis comes with its obligatory nightclub, and also elements for lore-hunters. It brings views for days and nights because it's also adding a night mode—after Thursday, one out of three matches will take place at night. Metropolis also offers new characters, new skins, and best of all, jump pads that'll add to navigation options. Don't ask how, but said jump pads work for ghosts too, so players working for respawns in Metropolis also get to do less running.

Weapon-wise, Metropolis offers a Cyber sword which seems to come with similar perks to Excalibur. Even though this weapon skips shields, it's not going to be the best offensive tool for most situations. It's really best for its utility of a speed boost which also lets players glide faster. It's more than a tool that gives light-saber nostalgia, that alone makes it a worthwhile slot in a player's backpack.

All in all, Metropolis is an update that'll give Vegas's strip a run for its money. If you want to log in to try out your own shots, the patch is going to go live and will come with a Metropolis Battle Royale mode (18 players) featuring a city-wide deathmatch. We meant it when we posted that Population: One is one of the best VR shooters to have in your library. With this update, BigBoxVR is showing that it's still catching on and staying fresh.

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