Trapped in a hostile alien dimension, surrounded by relentless creatures driven by an otherworldly force, your only weapons are your hands—or rather, the devastating magic that surges from them. Welcome to VEX MAGE, a groundbreaking movement-centric shooter from Nervous Systems and Fast Travel Games that blends the frenetic energy of classic FPS games like Quake with the immersive magic of VR. Available for pre-order now, VEX MAGE launches on October 16, 2025, for just $9.99 USD on the Meta Horizon Store. Ready to wield the elements and dominate the leaderboards? Let’s dive into what makes VEX MAGE a must-play VR experience.
What Is VEX MAGE?
VEX MAGE is a fast-paced, first-person shooter that reimagines the genre with a magical twist. Developed by Nervous Systems and published by Fast Travel Games, this title draws inspiration from retro shooters like Heretic and Hexen, infusing them with modern VR mechanics and a spell-casting system that puts elemental power at your fingertips. Whether you’re playing in VR on Meta Quest, SteamVR, or in flatscreen mode on PC, VEX MAGE delivers heart-pounding action, seamless cross-platform multiplayer, and a campaign that’s as chaotic as it is thrilling.
In VEX MAGE, you’re a spell-slinging mage navigating deadly arenas filled with enemies that attack from every angle. Your survival depends on mastering movement, combining elemental spells, and maintaining relentless momentum. With a demo already available on Meta Quest and Steam, you can experience the magic firsthand before the full release.
Spell-Casting Combat: Wield the Elements
At the core of VEX MAGE is its innovative spell-casting system. Each hand wields an elemental rune—magma, lightning, or ocean—that you can cast individually or fuse for devastating combined effects. Picture hurling a magma blast to incinerate foes, unleashing a lightning storm to stun enemies, or summoning a tidal wave to clear a path. By combining these elements, you unlock powerful new spells, adding depth and strategy to every encounter.
The combat is designed to keep you on your toes. Enemies swarm from all directions, requiring quick reflexes and precise aim. VEX MAGE rewards aggression and creativity, letting you experiment with spell combinations to find the perfect balance of offense and mobility. It’s a game that feels like a wizard playing Quake, with all the speed and chaos that implies.
Movement Is King: Traversal in VEX MAGE
Momentum is everything in VEX MAGE. The game’s movement system is inspired by classic FPS mechanics like rocket jumping, but with a magical twist. Use water-bombs to propel yourself to high ledges, dash through arenas with lightning-fueled speed, or surf across surfaces with ocean magic. These mechanics make exploration and traversal a core part of the experience, encouraging you to zip through levels as fast as possible while dodging enemy attacks.
The game’s levels are designed to reward skilled movement, with platforms, ledges, and open spaces that invite creative navigation. Whether you’re playing solo or in co-op, mastering VEX MAGE’s movement system is key to surviving its relentless challenges.
VR Survival Systems: A New Layer of Immersion
VEX MAGE goes beyond traditional FPS mechanics by incorporating VR survival systems that add depth to the experience. In VR mode, you’ll need to monitor essential stats like oxygen, nutrition, health, and power to stay in the fight. These systems create a sense of urgency, forcing you to balance combat with resource management. Run low on power, and your spells might fizzle out at a critical moment. Neglect your health, and a single enemy hit could spell disaster.
These survival elements are seamlessly integrated into the fast-paced gameplay, ensuring they enhance rather than detract from the action. For VR players, this adds a layer of immersion that makes every decision feel impactful.
Resource and Crafting Systems: Build Your Arsenal
To keep your mage battle-ready, VEX MAGE includes resource and crafting systems that let you establish production loops and craft essential tools and upgrades. Gather resources from defeated enemies or environmental anomalies, then use them to create spell enhancements, movement boosts, or survival gear. These systems encourage strategic planning, as you’ll need to maintain a steady supply of resources to keep your operation running smoothly.
Crafting isn’t just about survival—it’s about gaining an edge. Upgrades can increase your spell potency, improve your movement speed, or bolster your defenses, giving you the tools to tackle even the toughest enemies.
Exploration and Traversal: Uncover an Alien World
VEX MAGE’s alien plane of existence is a compelling landscape filled with secrets to uncover. Exploration is a key component, with tools like jetpacks, hover bikes, and rovers allowing you to traverse vast, dynamic environments. Seek out anomalies—mysterious phenomena that reveal pieces of the game’s unfolding story. These narrative breadcrumbs add context to your journey, making every discovery feel meaningful.
The game’s environments are designed to reward curiosity, with hidden paths, collectibles, and lore scattered throughout. Whether you’re soaring through the air on a jetpack or speeding across the ground on a rover, VEX MAGE makes exploration as exhilarating as combat.
Dynamic Contracts: Missions with Purpose
To keep the gameplay fresh, VEX MAGE features dynamic contracts—mission-based objectives that task you with mining resources, exporting materials, or completing combat challenges. These contracts reward you with resources, tech upgrades, and blueprints, allowing you to expand your capabilities and customize your playstyle.
Each contract adapts to your progress, ensuring a consistent challenge whether you’re playing solo or with friends. The variety of tasks keeps the campaign engaging, with new goals and rewards driving you to push further into the alien world.
Base Building: Create Your Martian Outpost
In addition to its action-packed combat, VEX MAGE includes a base-building system that lets you plan, position, and manage structures to create a strategic Martian outpost. Build power generators to fuel your spells, storage facilities for resources, or defensive turrets to fend off enemy waves. The base-building mechanics add a layer of strategy, as you’ll need to balance expansion with defense to protect your growing operation.
Your outpost serves as a hub for crafting, upgrading, and preparing for missions, making it a critical part of your survival. Thoughtful planning can turn your base into an impregnable fortress, giving you a safe haven in the hostile alien world.
Solo or Co-op: Play Your Way
Whether you prefer to go it alone or team up with friends, VEX MAGE has you covered. The campaign supports solo play or co-op with up to two allies, with adaptive difficulty that scales to your group size. Co-op mode is where VEX MAGE truly shines, as coordinating spell combos and movement strategies with friends creates moments of pure chaos and camaraderie.
Cross-platform multiplayer ensures you can play with friends on Meta Quest or Steam, and global leaderboards let you compete for bragging rights. Whether you’re aiming for the top spot or just enjoying the ride, VEX MAGE offers a flexible and replayable experience.
VR and Flatscreen Support: Accessible to All
One of VEX MAGE’s standout features is its optional VR support. With full six-degrees-of-freedom VR on Meta Quest and SteamVR, the game delivers unparalleled immersion, letting you physically aim spells and dodge attacks. For those without VR headsets, the flatscreen mode on PC offers the same fast-paced action in a traditional format.
The cross-platform integration ensures seamless play between VR and flatscreen players, making VEX MAGE accessible to a wide audience. Whether you’re a VR veteran or a classic FPS fan, there’s something here for you.
Pre-Order and Demo: Try VEX MAGE Today
VEX MAGE is available for pre-order now on the Meta Horizon Store for just $9.99 USD, with a release date of October 16, 2025. A co-op multiplayer demo is set to launch on October 13 during Steam Next Fest, following the single-player demo already available on Meta Quest and Steam. These demos offer a taste of the game’s spell-casting combat, movement mechanics, and chaotic arenas, letting you hone your skills before the full release.
Don’t miss your chance to jump into VEX MAGE early and experience the magic for yourself. Wishlist the game on Meta Quest or Steam to stay updated on its launch.
Why VEX MAGE Stands Out
VEX MAGE is more than just a shooter—it’s a bold reinvention of the genre, blending retro FPS energy with modern VR innovation. Its elemental spell system, dynamic movement, and deep survival mechanics create a gameplay loop that’s as addictive as it is challenging. Add in co-op multiplayer, base building, and a compelling narrative, and you have a game that’s poised to leave a lasting mark on the VR landscape.
From the developers at Nervous Systems and the publishing expertise of Fast Travel Games, VEX MAGE is a love letter to fans of fast-paced action and magical adventure. Whether you’re dodging enemy hordes, crafting powerful upgrades, or building your Martian outpost, every moment in VEX MAGE is designed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Get Ready for VEX MAGE
With its October 16 release fast approaching, VEX MAGE is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most exciting VR titles. Pre-order now, try the demo, and prepare to unleash your inner mage in a world where speed, skill, and strategy reign supreme. Will you claim your immortality on the leaderboards? The alien plane awaits.