It looks like Punxsutawney Phil is out to teach someone a lesson again as Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is now available. This virtual reality narrative adventure game is set in the same world as the Groundhog Day film. Released in 1993, the film focuses on the adventures on TV weatherman Phil Connors as he is caught in a time loop and repeats the same day over and over.
The game continues the story of the film as this time, the focus is now on the charming, but arrogant Phil Connors Jr. As Phil Jr. returns to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, he becomes trapped in his own time loop. The game features puzzles and a branching narrative with players exploring the town, interacting with new and familiar characters, and solving puzzles, all in order to get out of the time loop.
Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is developed by Tequila Works, produced by SPVR and MWM Interactive, and published by Sony Pictures Virtual Reality.
According to Sony Pictures Entertainment Senior Vice President of Virtual Reality Jake Sim, when Groundhog Day is mentioned, a lot of people immediately talk about the film like an immersive game. He added in a press release that it was thrilling to take a classic movie IP, develop it for VR, and surprise people. He went on to say that virtual reality allowed the company "a unique opportunity to take audiences inside beloved Sony Pictures properties like Groundhog Day and share sequels to stories that otherwise might never get made."
For Tequila Works CEO and Creative Director Raul Rubio, the game served as "a rare opportunity to take an incredibly iconic IP and use it as a jumping-off point to explore modern ideas and themes." Rubio shared in the press release that players can expect a lot of fun with the game, and since it is up to them to get Phil Jr. out of the loop, it leads to some comedic and thrilling moments.
Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son is now available on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Vive Cosmos for $29.99. The game can also be purchased on Steam.
