EVE Valkyrie Starbuck Katee Sackhoff

Since the very first players got to experience the in-development project known as 'EVE-VR' - now officially titled EVE: Valkyrie - a space combat simulator placing users into the cockpit of a starfighter with the help of the Oculus Rift, the comparisons were clear: this was a dream come true for every fan of Battlestar Galactica. Apparently that fact was obvious to the developers at CCP Games as well, as they have today announced that leader of the Valkyries, 'Ran Kavik,' will be voiced by Katee Sackhoff - none other than Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace herself.

The announcement brings with it some of the first details concerning the actual story of the game, casting the player as one of the mysterious fighter pilots known only as 'Valkyries.' Apparently, as the name of the group implies, it consists of pilots who have been saved from death and allowed to fly another day - provided they do it under the leadership of Ran.

With development of the game now having shifted from Unity to Unreal Engine 4, the developers have released a new look at alpha gameplay shown at EVE Fanfest. Besides showing off the improved visuals of the Oculus Rift's most head-turning title, it gives players their first dose of narration courtesy of Sackhoff, and is enough to have every BSG fan scrambling for a pre-order. Take a look below:

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The reason for turning to Sackhoff's vocal talents is clear to any fan of science fiction or space combat in general, but according to the game's official statement, it was Sackhoff's enthusiasm after trying the game herself which sealed the deal:

"The first time I played EVE: Valkyrie I immediately knew I had to be a part of it. Even with the roles I have played, it is the closest I have ever felt to being a real spaceship pilot. It is truly a transformative video game experience."

Those sentiments seem to mirror those of nearly everyone who experienced the VR title firsthand. And while the exact story of the game may still be a mystery - promised to eventually be worked into the larger world of EVE Online - it's good to know that the developers have a good handle on their target audience. Even if the Battlestar brand has suffered in recent years, this may be the closest thing fans get to experiencing the thrill of the series themselves.

Fortunately, it won't just be PC gamers who get to experience Valkyrie, as the formerly Oculus Rift-exclusive title has also been confirmed for the PS4 following the announcement of Sony's own VR headset, dubbed 'Project Morpheus' for now. Whether Sackhoff's involvement is where the BSG connections end or not, fans have one more feature to get excited about.

What do you think of the improved visuals and casting? Is Valkyrie likely to earn more of your attention as more than a tech demo for the Oculus Rift, or is it still not quite of interest? Sound off in the comments.

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EVE: Valkyrie is currently without a release date, but is expected to launch for PC and PS4 alongside the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: CCP Games, Polygon