Category Archives: Music & Book News

Developer Coverage, Music & Book News

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO THE  BLOODHUNT ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

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Developer Sharkmob is excited to announce the launch of Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt (Original Soundtrack) by award-winning composer Atanas Valkov. The soundtrack is available to stream and download now from major music platforms including Spotify and Apple Music, and available to pre-order as a beautiful physical edition on Vinyl, CD, Cassette or MiniDisc from Laced Records.

About Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt (Original Soundtrack)

The sonically rich score for Bloodhunt was composed by acclaimed Polish-Bulgarian composer Atanas Valkov and features the Sofia Session Orchestra & Choir. The city of Prague, which is the backdrop for the battle royale game, provided much of the aesthetic inspiration for Bloodhunt’s soundscape: classical and romantic, yet with many a shadowy corner in which a vampire might secrete themselves. Valkov enjoyed creating contrast between modern electronic musical elements and old-world ones, as well as layering guitars and using irregular rhythmic structures. The overall soundtrack is both cinematic and brutal.

The soundtrack has also been mixed & mastered with involvement by the composer for spatial audio through Dolby Atmos where available (including Amazon Music, Apple Music and Tidal.)

Bloodhunt’s soundtrack can be safely used by content creators, streamers and players to allow for thrilling videos, podcasts, remixes and more as long as it’s not monetized.

Physical edition Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt (Original Soundtrack)

The physical edition of the Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt (Original Soundtrack) is available to pre-order for CD, Vinyl, Cassette and MiniDisc here:

US + Canada: www.lacedrecords.com/collection/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodhunt

UK + Rest of World: www.lacedrecords.co/collection/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodhunt

Each physical version of the soundtrack features stylish artwork by Sharkmob, and is individually numbered. Purchasing a physical format from the Laced Records store unlocks digital downloads of the album (320kbps MP3s.)

Track List

  1. Bloodhunt Main Theme
  2. Prague
  3. Fight Night
  4. Chasing Shadows
  5. Theme of Brujah
  6. Theme of Nosferatu
  7. Theme of Toreador
  8. Theme of Ventrue
  9. Targeted for Bloodhunt
  10. Vampire Blues
  11. The Entity
  12. Next Time…
  13. The Ultimate Predator
  14. Bloodhunt Main Theme (Classical Version)
  15. Elysium
  16. Ambient Threat

About Bloodhunt (The game)

A third person free-to-play, savage Battle Royale experience set in the Vampire: The Masquerade universe. For the first time ever, experience the concept of vampires at war as sects clash in the city of Prague, triggered by the arrival of strike-teams from the Second Inquisition. Become the ultimate predator by using your supernatural powers, weapons and wit to eradicate your enemies.

Features:

  • Use supernatural powers to battle other players and computer-controlled enemies to be the last vampire standing.
  • Set in the beautiful Old Town of Prague, rendered with high fidelity graphics.
  • Customizable characters – play as a personalized vampire of your own creation. Choose your Clan allegiance to define your playstyle then let your personality shine through as you create your most unique expressive looks for friends and rivals to remember.
  • No “pay-to-win” or similar mechanics – created with a player focused mentality
  • Supporting 12 languages – English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American), Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
Music & Book News

Maybe dystopia isn’t so bad. Relax to this NieR Automata remix album.

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Music label Curaga Records has just released its newest album inspired by Yoko Taro’s NieR: Automata. Video Game LoFi: NieR: Automata features ten chilled out tracks including: ‘Vague Hope’ with vocalist Tiggs, ‘Amusement Park’ with Save Point and ‘Treasured Times.’ Players who have wandered the dystopian world of Nier will feel right at home with this downtempo album.

Video Game LoFi: NieR: Automata artist, floopy, has stated that the soundtrack played a large part in the experience of NieR saying, “I wanted to add my own touch to these tracks while highlighting what makes them so special in the first place. This was my first time working in this genre and it was incredibly fun fitting the pieces of the puzzle together.”

Track List

  1. City Ruin – Rays of Light (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  2. Peaceful Sleep – Camp Music (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  3. Amusement Park (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  4. Voice of No Return (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  5. Grandma- Destruction (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  6. Treasured Times (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  7. Vague Hope – Cold Rain (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  8. Weight of the World (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  9. Blissful Death (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]
  10. Weight of the World – End of YorHa (from “NieR:Automata”) [LoFi Edit]

You can lay back and relax to this album on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp and most music streaming platforms right now. Want to hold the chill tunes in your hands? Physical copies are now available for pre-order. Grab the album on CD or cassette for $14.99 each over here.

Music & Book News

Chorus Official Soundtrack Out Now

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The Chorus soundtrack is out now and discoverable on over 35 different global music streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and YouTube, featuring 26 immersive classical creations.

Composer Pedro Macedo Camacho worked together with Deep Silver FISHLABS’s audio director Philipp Muckenfuss, with the music being created alongside the game’s development over nearly two years, from the first sketches to the final stage.

Classically trained, Pedro created his first musical composition at the age of 10 and has worked on soundtracks for A Vampyre Story, Civilization V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Star Citizen, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.

The atmospheric soundtrack, composed completely remotely, is a truly global project with Pedro in Portugal as main composer, with the lead vocalist Úyanga Bold based in the United States, though originally hailing from Mongolia. Additional work on the soundtrack came from Alex Pfeffer in Germany, along with various artists from France, South Asia, and Bulgaria.

Chorus Soundtrack Tracklist

  • Main Theme
  • Stega Central
  • Revelation
  • Attack on Enclave
  • Old Friend
  • Defender of the Weak I
  • Defender of the Weak II
  • Enclave Station
  • Najara Citadel
  • Arrival in Amarok
  • The Circle
  • The Search
  • Pirates
  • Rising Through the Rift
  • The Faceless
  • Amarok Rift
  • Song of the Void
  • Dead Pilgrims
  • Legion Secrets
  • Ancient Ritual
  • Inner Strength
  • Armada Strike I
  • Armada Strike II
  • Armada Strike III
  • The Prophet
  • In Chorus

About Chorus:

Chorus follows ace pilot Nara and her sentient ship Forsaken on their exciting journey of redemption, expertly balancing the spectacle of space exploration with frenetic, fast-paced action. Explore epic cosmic vistas and tight crystalline corridors as you fight to free the galaxy from a mysterious cult, the Circle.

The Circle is ruled by The Great Prophet and under his command, Nara and Forsaken were responsible for many of the cult’s major victories and atrocities on their path to dominate the galaxy. Once the Circle’s deadliest warrior, Nara is now their most wanted fugitive.

This immersive narrative is supported by stunning gameplay; flying Forsaken is exhilarating and players will find it thrilling to use the ship’s weapons, powers and aerobatic abilities in zero-g combat.

Chorus is out now on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, the PlayStation®5 and PlayStation®4, Google Stadia, PC via Epic Games Store and Steam, and Amazon Luna.

For more information about Chorus, please visit one of the following official sites:

Gaming News, Music & Book News

Learn more about the Original Score of Syberia: The World Before composed by Inon Zur

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In order to allow fans to wait until the release of Syberia: The World Before next year, Microids is pleased to unveil today an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the title’s musical creation as well as to announce the availability of the digital soundtrack album, published by Decca Records US part of Universal Music Group.

Recorded in the Hungarian capital in the presence of the talented Budapest Film Symphony Orchestra, and featuring an interview with renowned composer Inon Zur, who has been involved in the creation process of the saga’s main themes since Syberia 2. The soundtrack features complex and melodic orchestral music, which will transport its listeners to an inspired world through each score.

Inon Zur (EMMY Award Winner and three-time BAFTA Nominee), one of the most talented composers in the industry, behind the works of Starfield, The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Prince of Persia and Everquest, once again, offered to Syberia’s and all adventure-game fans a unique on-size score, bringing classical music in video games to another level.

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“I’m absolutely thrilled and proud to come back to the magical and evocative world of Syberia for the third time. It is very personal to me since the story touches, in many places, the history of my own family. The amazing Benoît Sokal and the Microids team crafted a masterfully written story which I was so taken by, and the music came out from my deepest emotions. I really hope that my music will emotionally move the players as much as I felt when I was introduced to Syberia: The World Before.”

World acclaimed pianist Emily Bear, 20, is featured on the Syberia album and took part in the interview. A Grammy nominated, award-winning composer and recording artist since her professional debut at age five, Bear has achieved groundbreaking success as a pianist, composer, producer and singer-songwriter. She has performed on the world’s most legendary stages and is mentored by producer, Quincy Jones.

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Microids, in collaboration with Decca Records US, is also proud to announce today the digital availability of Syberia: The World Before digital album. A 2-LP vinyl edition will follow in March 2022.

 Syberia: The World Before is available for pre-order on Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store and will be release in Q1 2022. Console versions will be available later.

Music & Book News, Q&A Interviews

Inside the Call of Duty: Vanguard Comic with the Writers

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Writing a video game story is a challenge in and of itself. Expanding that story into a comics took that challenge to a whole new level. Today at New York Comic Con, the writers of our Call of Duty®: Vanguard comic spoke about navigating the narrative minefield of writing for both the game and comic simultaneously.

For fans unable to attend the live panel at NYCC, we’ve put together a Q&A that encapsulates all the details we covered at the event. Panelists include:

  • SM: Sam Maggs, Lead Writer (Previously, Critical Role Origins -The Mighty Nein: Jester (Dark Horse), Marvel Action: Captain Marvel (IDW)
  • SR: Stephen Rhodes, Writer (Previously, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt)
  • TO: Tochi Onyebuchi, Writer (Previously, Beasts Made of Night, Riot Baby, War Girls)
  • BF: Brent Friedman, Writer (Previously, Black Ops Cold War, Resident Evil 2, Star Wars Rebels)

What’s the biggest difference between telling a Vanguard story in comics versus games?

SM: One of the biggest differences between writing for a comic and a video game is that you don’t have the interactive elements to consider in the comic medium. Comics allow us to explore more deeply who our characters are. The game is about action, but the comics give us a quieter space to focus more on emotion, and on understanding who these people are so that the reader can develop a real connection to them before they even turn the game on. Of course, you don’t need to read the comics before playing the game—but if you are the kind of person who always wants to know more about your playable characters, then these comics are definitely for you.

BF: The other thing that is important about these comics is they focus on the biggest character-defining choices that lead up to the story we tell in Vanguard.  The choices our characters make in the game are that of life and death, important but spontaneous decisions. The stories we get to tell in the comic are more personal and intimate and they’re revealing about our characters.

What was the inspiration to create a Call of Duty: Vanguard comic?

SR: We have this really great story in the Vanguard campaign about these characters on their first mission together. But while we were writing the main story, we realized that the backstory of how they get pulled together is also important. Luckily there was this desire from all of us to explore the character’s stories. That’s when the comic was suggested. Looking at all the material we had on the characters, it made a lot of sense to explore the origin story of how they all came together to form Task Force One, and that is where Captain Carver Butcher came in.

Butcher made his appearance in 2017 in a WWII DLC. He was a quartermaster in the Headquarters, and he was fun and witty. Was it planned in 2017 that he would be such an integral character?

SR: He’s one of the best side-character-to-hero stories in a video game. I don’t think any other side character in any game has ever gone on to become the Nick Fury of an entire game. But our Butcher has. I don’t think anyone in 2017 thought he would go on to do these things. But when we were putting the story of Vanguard together and putting the team together, the question came up, “who do they work for?” At the same time, we were developing the plot around the birth of the Special Forces and we were looking for a character to be at the helm of that initiative. Butcher started out as a somewhat minor character and then suddenly he was running this whole global initiative and recruiting people from behind his bandana. It was a great chance to dive into him as a character and sort of show him off a little bit. We asked ourselves, “what can he do when he’s not supplying players with gear?” And we did some pretty wild things with him in the comics.

How many of the characters were inspired by real people?

BF: Every one of the main characters was inspired by real-life heroes from WWII. We have taken some liberties with personality and backstory and other fictional elements, but the battles, heroics, and stories of soldiers all played an important role in inspiring how we built our characters and the narrative.

What are these stories ultimately about?

TO: These stories are a fictional take on the formation of the Special Forces during WWII. But beyond that, they’re a celebration of diversity. One of the ideas that we get into with the game, but particularly with the comic, is that difference can be a real strength.  Whether those differences be skills or personality or culture, when those differences are put together, people can achieve great things.

What was the dynamic like among the writers? 

TO: We [the writers] really are a team of misfits, all coming from different backgrounds in media with different expertise from games, movies, comics, and TV, so we really got to have fun on this project. That variety in talent, and our closeness to the game’s development, really helped this comic come together as seamlessly as it did.

What were the challenges of writing and producing in a pandemic?

BF: The creative process had an evolution to it. Initially, and I think a lot of people can relate to this, as the world moved to video calls, it was awkward, and it felt really distancing. What helped us a lot was how much we loved these characters. The more we talked about them and the more we got into their worlds, the more comfortable we became with each other and those digital barriers started to break down.

Are there any Easter Eggs hidden in these comics?

SR: Yes. The people who read the comic and then play the game will find a lot of interesting connections.

When is the comic released and where can people find it?

The comic is due to come out prior to the release of Call of Duty: Vanguard on November 5th and will follow a weekly release cadence. We will release a physical bind-up of the collection early 2022. Be on the lookout for more information soon at www.callofduty.com/vanguard as well as SHG social channels.

Music & Book News

‘FAR CRY 6’ The Music of Yara – Music by Various Artists

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Today Ubisoft digitally releases Far Cry® 6: The Music of Yara (from the Original Game Soundtrack). The album is a compilation of 28 tracks of in-game original songs and indie licensed tracks (a total duration of about 90 minutes of music) from the highly anticipated sixth main entry in Ubisoft’s critically acclaimed Far Cry® franchise – also releasing worldwide today on Xbox Series X, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Stadia, Amazon Luna and for Windows PC exclusively on both the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store.

Speaking on the authenticity of The Music of Yara, Ubisoft Audio Director Eduardo Vaisman stated, “When we started planning on the music for Far Cry 6, one thing became clear: we wanted Yara to be more than a fantasy place to set the conflict between tyranny and revolution. It needed to feel like a real place, a place most of Latinos can relate to and a place that wanted to be visited by the curious adventurer or tourists looking for beautiful beaches.”

Vaisman explained more about the different styles of music present in the album, “This soundtrack reflects how the Latino culture could be represented like a constellation of different emotions. We have the traditional music deeply rooted in the Afro-Caribbean culture, the power of a rebel youth present through rap and hip-hop, an anthem that brings the feeling of belonging and patriotism and party, and love songs that reflect the uplifting spirit of hope and joy.”

The focus track from this album is “Sueños de Libertad” by Porfi Baloa which is one of the game’s main character’s favorite songs that players can hear on the in-game radio. Other stand-out tracks on the compilation are Gabylonia’s original songs including “Camino Revolucionario”, and La Sonora Yarana’s cover songs “El Bella Ciao de Libertad” and a satirical version of the classic “Mambo Italiano” titled “Mambo Yarano”.

Developed by Ubisoft Toronto, Far Cry® 6 immerses players into the adrenaline-filled world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution set in Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time in the heart of the Caribbean. Playing as local Yaran Dani Rojas, players will explore and entire island nation and join the revolution to liberate its people from the oppressive rule of dictator Antón Castillo and his teenage son Diego – brought to life by Hollywood stars Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian, Breaking Bad) and Anthony Gonzalez (Coco).

Purchase and stream: https://ubisoftmusic.lnk.to/FarCry6_OGS

Gaming News, Music & Book News

LISTEN TO THE SOUL OF YARA IN THE FAR CRY 6 ORIGINAL GAME SOUNDTRACK BY PEDRO BROMFMAN, AVAILABLE NOW

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Today, Ubisoft announced that the Far Cry®6 Original Game Soundtrack is now available worldwide on all major music streaming and download platforms. Composed by the award-winning Pedro Bromfman (Narcos, Robocop), the soundtrack breathes life into the tropical paradise of Far Cry® 6 with each of its 21 tracks.

Inspired by multiple music styles and Latin cultures, Yara is an island frozen in time in the heart of the Caribbean, where listeners will experience dynamic melodies that set the tone of the game and its distinct regions. The Western region is filled with acoustic melodies, while the Central region has a unique blend of urban music and hip-hop elements, and the Eastern region features heavy industrial sounds.

“The album is based on a very modern score, drenched in lush soundscapes, driving percussion, processed organic instruments and a ton of synthesizers. We tried to capture the soul of Yara, and its characters, by rooting the score on traditional Latin American and Caribbean music, while being completely free to experiment with contemporary sounds, elements and techniques, in hopes of creating something very fresh and unique,” says Pedro Bromfman.

Featuring Libertad, the theme for Yara’s revolution, players will feel the pulse of Yara’s revolution building throughout the entire soundtrack starting from El Presidente to the final track, Antón.

Led by Ubisoft Toronto*, Far Cry® 6 will release worldwide on October 7, 2021 on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Stadia, Amazon Luna and for Windows PC exclusively on both the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store as well as on Ubisoft’s subscription service, Ubisoft+.

To purchase the Far Cry 6 Official Game Soundtrack, please visit: https://ubisoftmusic.lnk.to/FarCry6_OGS.

Gaming News, Music & Book News

LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS REVEALS ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK BY ANGUS & JULIA STONE

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SQUARE ENIX, Ltd. have today announced the release of the Life is Strange: True Colors™ soundtrack composed and performed by award-winning indie pop group, Angus & Julia Stone. The album titled ‘Life is Strange’,’ features 12 new songs, led by the track Love Song.

The emotional and thrilling story of the latest instalment in the award-winning Life is Strange franchise, Life is Strange: True Colors inspired the Australian artists to make an album dedicated to the complexity of love between siblings, families and communities – themes that players will also experience in-game.

Click to listen on SpotifyClick to listen on Spotify

Players take on the role of Alex Chen, a young woman navigating early adulthood in Haven Springs, a mountain town where she connects with her long-lost brother and becomes a part of a tight-knit community – her brother having moved there in search for their long-lost father. Amidst this backdrop, Alex struggles to accept a ‘curse” she’s dealt with all her life: having the psychic power of Empathy, a supernatural ability that allows her to experience, absorb and influence the strong emotions of others – which she sees as blazing, coloured auras.

When her brother dies in a suspicious accident, Alex must at last embrace her volatile power to find the truth and uncover the secrets that keep the truth at bay. Alex Chen’s journey, power and future are all fully under the player’s control.

This super-natural mystery is brought to life using full performance capture and VO by rising talent Erika Mori as Alex Chen, incredible music from Angus & Julia Stone’s soundtrack, as well as original tracks from mxmtoon and Novo Amor and licensed tracks from Gabrielle Aplin, Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers and more.

Players can pre-order Life is Strange: True Colors now. Full details on each version of the game can be found at lifeisstrange.com.

Life is Strange: True Colors is slated for release on PlayStation 5®, PlayStation 4®, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC Steam, and Google Stadia on September 10, 2021, and Nintendo Switch later this year.

Read more on the Life is Strange: blog: http://lifeisstrange-blog.tumblr.com/
Pre-order Life is Strange: True Colors: https://lifeisstrange.square-enix-games.com
Visit the Life is Strange official website: https://lifeisstrange.square-enix-games.com
Life is Strange: official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LifeIsStrangeGame/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LifeIsStrange
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeisstrangegame/
Join our Discord: https://discordapp.com/invite/lifeisstrange

Music & Book News

‘TIKAL: NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MOON’ VR Soundtrack Out Now

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Swiss composer and sound designer Jakob Eisenbach (Patient Zero, Temple of the Diamond Skull), in partnership with TRUEVR Systems, a world-leading developer of location-based virtual reality (LBVR) game experiences, releases the original soundtrack to TIKAL: NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MOON on August 19th. Now available at VR locations in North America and Europe, TIKAL: NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MOON is a full-body VR arcade experience utilizing motion capture, physical props and 4D effects to teleport players into an ancient Mayan temple where you and your team are dispatched to stop the awakening of evil in the shadow of the blood moon. TRUEVR’s most sophisticated experience to date and setting a new benchmark for the LBVR industry, Eisenbach’s original musical score was recorded with a full symphony orchestra and choir in Budapest, Hungary. Watch behind-the-scenes with composer Jakob Eisenbach and the Budapest Art Orchestra at https://bit.ly/3rBS4rh and download or stream the soundtrack album at https://bit.ly/36ZG6y4.

“TIKAL is a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience that takes place during a long prophecised event in an ancient temple of the tikal,” explains Eisenbach. “The focus and aesthetics demanded huge dimensions: especially in the vertical dimension, since this can only be achieved in a VR environment. Musically we needed to tell this story with an epic-sized orchestra, which I pushed to have recorded live and TRUEVR felt the same way. Inspirations for this epic journey were the symphonies of Anton Bruckner, the orchestration finesse of Franz Schrecker, the massive power of Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’ and a very important touch of simplicity to not overwhelm players while immersed in the game.”

As composer and sound designer for TRUEVR Systems, Eisenbach has also created soundtracks for other best-in-class location-based VR experiences such as Patient Zero, The Cube, Biohazard, and Temple of the Diamond Skull. For more information, visit https://www.jakobeisenbach.com.

“TIKAL was always planned to become our flagship experience from the very beginning,” commented TRUEVR Systems CEO and Producer, Philip Lacoste. “Therefore, it was clear to us that in addition to creating a stunning level of visual detail, the music needed to be beyond the highest standards that any location-based VR experience has done before. The score was crafted accordingly by our composer and sound designer Jakob Eisenbach. To bring real emotions to this one-of-a-kind experience, we knew the score had to be recorded live with a full symphony orchestra and choir. The results that Jakob achieved with the Budapest Art Orchestra not only brought the heart and soul into the game, but we truly believe this level of quality is unparalleled in the LBVR industry.”

To book tickets for TIKAL: NIGHT OF THE BLOOD MOON in North America, visit TRUEVR Systems centers and licensed partners Virtualis VR (Las Vegas) and Hyper Gate VR (Los Angeles). For additional information and locations in Europe, visit TrueVR Systems.