Heraklium VR : Age of Atlan

Inspiration

Heraklium VR: Age of Atlan was inspired by the thrilling combat loops of Diablo III and the idea of bringing that energy directly into VR. We wanted to blend the depth and excitement of classic action RPGs with the immediacy, intensity, and physicality only VR can offer. The question that started it all was simple: What if you could feel every swing, dodge, and impact in a fast-paced, mythic adventure?

What it does

Heraklium VR is a VR hack-and-slash survival adventure where players become Atlan, a warrior fighting through mythic arenas in aprox. 25-minute combat runs. Players battle waves of enemies, collect upgrades, unlock powerful abilities, and progress through randomized encounters that keep each run fresh. The game is built for Meta Quest users who love quick, high-intensity action sessions with strong replay value.

How we built it

We built Heraklium in Unity 6, focusing on VR-first combat design and smooth standalone performance. Every mechanic from melee hit reactions to enemy AI patterns is crafted for fast, responsive gameplay. Levels use a modular, procedural approach that lets us create replayable 25-minute runs without sacrificing handcrafted style. The entire system is optimized for the Meta Quest’s hardware to maintain fluid action even during large-scale battles.

Challenges we ran into

Balancing VR performance with large numbers of enemies was one of our biggest challenges. Achieving responsive combat that "feels right" in VR required repeated testing, reworking hit detection, refining animations, and ensuring players can move, dodge, and attack freely without motion discomfort. Designing a world that is both mythic and readable during fast-paced combat was another key challenge.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of achieving smooth, satisfying VR combat that captures the spirit of hack-and-slash ARPGs while still feeling natural and physical in VR. Our modular level design system successfully delivers a fresh experience each run, and we’ve created a strong visual identity for Atlan’s world that blends ancient mythology, fantasy energy, and fast-paced action.

What we learned

We learned how essential player feedback loops are in VR timing, sound, visual effects, and enemy reactions all matter far more when the player is physically inside the world. We also learned that short, replayable sessions work incredibly well on Meta Quest, giving players the freedom to enjoy intense action without long commitments.

What's next for Heraklium VR : Age of Atlan

Our roadmap includes a fully playable 10 Quest base open world adventure with new weapons, additional enemy factions, new skill and weapon paths and boss encounters. We plan to introduce meta-progression, seasonal challenges, and new environments tied to the deeper lore of Atlan. Longer-term, we aim to add cooperative modes and new character classes.

Built With

• blender
• c#
• metaquest
• unity
• visual-studio