To kick off the excitement surrounding VR at Gamescom, nDreams has released an extended and narrated gameplay trailer of The Assembly.

The mystery of The Assembly and their amoral activities remains evasive.

　　In the walkthrough they show how two very different perspectives are integrated near seamlessly into an interesting experience. First we see the introduction scene for Madeline Stone, one of the main characters. It's a slow and gentle introduction to the types of sensory experiences you might encounter with VR. For example, you're strapped to a gurney that intentionally limits your head movements so as to "ease you into the virtual world." As Madeline, you're inducted into The Assembly through a number of challenging trials, a key component to the game.

　　They then show the game from the perspective of Cal Pearson, noting that it contrasts greatly in more ways than one. The story is obviously different, but so too are the choices and explanations that you're given for events. This is to show a very different moral perspective on the very same events unfolding around you. And it's quite fascinating how this is done, the mechanisms they employ.

　　As a launch title for all major platforms it seems well suited for VR in its current state, making novel use of controls to be the epitome of the VR experience. You're not just watching a screen, but interacting in ways that you've likely never done (outside of real life) before. Perhaps a bit slow for the liking of many, but it does look like a great way to show what VR is capable of as an entertainment experience.

　　2 of 9

　　The Assembly is a story-led adventure game that seeks to explore morally ambiguous issues through the use of dynamic perspectives from two different protagonists.

　　A mysterious organisation, The Assembly, has been experimenting below the Nevada Desert. Hidden from the world, unconstrained by government scrutiny and society’s morals, this collective of scientists, engineers and academics are free to experiment as they choose.

　　But what is The Assembly hiding? What will it sacrifice in the name of progress? And how far will it go to keep its operations secret?

　　As a lethal avian virus threatens to escape the confines of its underground laboratory, a chain of events puts The Assembly’s existence on the line. Play as two individuals, each with their own perspectives and motivations, who both have the chance to shake the foundations of this enigmatic collective. For better or worse, the impossible decisions ahead will transform not just their own future, but that of entire nations.