With All on Board, a promising VR game was born out of a passion for a fascinating hobby
The Spanish developer of Blasphemous is breaking new ground with All on Board, aiming to create the best board game simulator in virtual reality.
The Game Kitchen has made a name for itself in recent years with the Blasphemous series, two dark action-platformers set in a grotesque dark fantasy world. Both titles combine Metroidvania elements with a deep and dark story heavily inspired by religious symbolism and Spanish folklore.
How do you go from all that to a VR board game simulator of all things? Studio director Mauricio García and senior producer Hicham Saoud Silva explained it to me at this year's Gamescom.
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A VR game made by fans for fans
"It's simple," laughs Mauricio García during the presentation. "We're all passionate board game fans ourselves, and VR has always fascinated us."
Studio boss Mauricio García (left) introduces me to the virtual world of board games at Gamescom. | Picture: Hicham Saoud Silva
"VR is perfect for board games. You can create an immersive environment, you can play board games that take up a lot of space when you don't have room for them in reality, and most importantly, you can play with friends who can't be there," García enthuses. However, the first thought was not to develop their own VR game.
When he tried the current range of apps that simulate board games in VR, he was quickly disillusioned. “I was so annoyed by the fact that there were no really good board game simulators that I finally decided to invest a lot of money and develop my own game.”
García eventually gathered 15 developers to create the perfect VR app for board game fans — and I can tell you this much: he seems to have succeeded.
All on Board brings licensed board games to VR
With All on Board, The Game Kitchen has created a VR app that brings original licensed board games one-to-one into virtual reality. Recently, the developers were able to add Terraforming Mars to their library.
The 2016 Swedish strategy game won the German Games Award and was nominated for the International Gamers Award, among others. Also included: Richard Garfield's The Hunger, Escape The Dark Castle, Rallyman GT, The Binding of Isaac: Four Souls and Istanbul. More titles will be added to the game via post-launch updates.
Board game evenings in VR and Mixed Reality
The Game Kitchen plans to offer a wide range of board games from various genres, including classics such as Chess and Checkers, for release in early 2025. There will be both cooperative and competitive multiplayer games, as well as something for solo players.
To bring as many board game fans together as possible, All on Board will offer multiplatform support between Meta Quest and SteamVR. For Quest 3 users, there is even an exclusive mixed reality mode where the virtual board can be spread out on your own coffee table.
Authentic board gaming experience with convenient automation
One clear advantage of playing board games in VR is that you don't have to set it up. Once you have created your avatar and selected a game, you will be seated at a virtual table with other players in a VR environment that matches the theme of the board game.
Despite the immersive environment, All on Board remains authentic: "We've built in some automatisms that are logical to make the gaming experience more convenient. But for the most part, it remains a real board game experience, with everything that goes with it," explains Hicham Saoud Silva.
All on Board will also be playable in mixed reality mode on Meta Quest 3. | Image: The Game Kitchen
This means you roll dice, draw cards, place pieces on squares and simply do everything that makes up a board game, just like in real life. The controls with the controllers are intuitive. For example, the precise gripping of the dice works smoothly and All on Board runs like clockwork. The virtual environments made a solid impression on the Quest 3 and the game boards, dice, and cards are lovingly designed and true to the original down to the smallest detail.
Practical: You have access to a virtual rulebook at all times, which provides you with tutorial videos and contextual help. Simply click on any object on the playing field, and it will be explained to you.
As board games can sometimes be a lengthy affair, The Game Kitchen has also built in a save and restore function. This means that you can continue the game at a later point in time exactly where you left off — without the hassle of setting up the gameboard again.
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