From San Diego Comic Con came the details for Episode II of the groundbreaking Star Wars Virtual Reality experience called Vader Immortal. ILMxLAB’s VPR experience led players through being captured by the Empire and using a lightsaber to deflect stormtrooper blasts. It ended with being confronted by Darth Vader himself and players having the lightsaber ripped from their hands by the Force. Ultimately Vader proposes that players help him in his quest to search for an ancient artifact. Ben Snow, director of Vader Immortal, stated:
You will get to use the Force in Episode II . . . The way we thought about this was, we wanted to give you the Vader equivalent of Yoda teaching Luke about the Force in Empire Strikes Back. So we wanted it to be slightly darker and more twisted. He talks about the power of the dark side as well as the things you can do with the Force.”
Some fun new concept art was released at San Diego Comic Con to promote this new Star Wars VR experience. One particular piece shows a new character called the Black Bishop. Players can secretly watch Vader’s meeting with this character from a ventilation shaft. The two appear to be meeting by some kind of tomb. Snow elaborated:
[The Black Bishop] becomes quite important in Episode II, and we learn about his background. We’re trying to make it feel very atmostpheric. This is a hidden area of the fortress that hasn’t really been explored. The Mustafarians know of it through legend. It’s a good chance to poke around in an unexplored part of Star Wars . . . You’re really close to [Vader] when he has the more private moment. The fact that you have to move your head around to look through the vent just helps you feel like, ‘Oh, I really shouldn’t be here.’”
No details have been given yet on what Episode II will be released. Fans can purchase Vader Immortal: Episode I via the Occulus store here.
