Screenshot of the VRyu dojo scene

An immersive, fun VR experience teaching newcomers traditional Japanese swordsmanship

project overview

The Japanese sword arts, kenjutsu, are a difficult practice to enter. VRyu is a fun, gamified introduction for beginners to the field. Through tightly designed gameplay and tasteful visuals, we aim to spark curiosity and excitement for this martial art and its associated culture.

slicing

Screenshot of the VR player slicing a watermelon

VRyu is designed around a central verb: cut. You practice by cutting bamboo, you cut flying watermelon, you cut your humanoid opponents made of wood, and when they try to attack, you cut them right back! The sword arts are about focus, practice, and attention, which is why we have designed every player interaction to center on bettering their own cutting skills..

aesthetics

Screenshot of the VRyu dojo scene

The game takes place in a realistic dojo scene handcrafted by our art team, the place where one might traditionally learn kenjutsu. It, along with the rest of the game's assets, were inspired by a mix of authentic iconography from Japanese culture.

combat

Screenshot of the mannequin enemy

As the game's finale, the player must use all their learned skills to attack and block a humanoid enemy styled after a mannequin, seen above. This simulates the act of sparring with a training partner, an essential practice for training key swordsmanship skills.

philosophy

Screenshot of the VRyu tea room scene

The game ends in a lovingly crafted side room to the dojo, complete with a ceremonial tea set and incense. With this, we dispel the myth that sword arts are about violence by showing the more peaceful and disciplined core of their related philosophies.

peripheral

Photo of the 3D-printed controller peripheral

We collaborated with a mechanical engineering team who produced a fully 3D-printable controller attachment to make gameplay more immersive. Players can feel the heft of a real katana while practicing cuts!

engineering expo

Photo of Benny Beaver posing with VRyu

VRyu is Benny approved! On June 5th 2026, we demoed our project at OSU's Engineering Expo. Here's a link to our poster.

download & links

credits

Art Development


Game Development


Controller Peripheral


Project Partners