It’s never simple to cover the launch of new PSVR2 gaming hardware, but it’s particularly challenging with the PlayStation VR2 because no one, not even Sony, seems to be certain of what will be available on launch day. There is an official launch lineup, but since it differs from what is advertised on the PlayStation Store, it’s unclear how much of it relates to the UK. Because of this, we frequently don’t know what will be released or how much it will cost.
Despite so, we were able to obtain the majority of launch games, and while Horizon Call of the Mountain has been our top focus, we have had time with all the others. Not enough to give the others comprehensive reviews, but given that the vast majority are remastered versions of already-released PlayStation 4 and PC games, drawing conclusions hasn’t been too difficult.
The PlayStation VR2 goes on sale for $633 on February 22 and may come with more titles than just this one. We’ll cover those whenever they’re ready.
Horizon Call Of The Mountain
The most technically complex game for PSVR2 is shown here, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with gorgeous visuals combined with an unexpectedly uninteresting mountain climbing simulator. Despite the fact that movement is severely constrained while in battle, utilising a bow and arrow is a tonne of fun and incredibly accurate, and many of the other devices and set pieces are very enjoyable as well. Yet it’s incredibly pricey for a rather little experience with a dull main gameplay mechanic.
The Last Clockwinder
The Last Clockwinder is one of the few PlayStation VR2 games with substantial content. Even the finest VR games typically lack in gameplay and complexity. The complicated background goes a little far, but at its core, Harvest Moon is a puzzle game in which you control a robot that is attempting to gather fruit from a huge tree. You end up recording yourself making a motion for a few seconds and then creating a replica that can continue on its own since you need to harvest a particular amount of fruit to move forward, which can’t be done on your own.
Even though there is only one environment, the puzzles are smart and make fantastic use of. The single setting can get a bit monotonous, but the puzzles are clever and make excellent use of the physicality of VR.
Demeo
Demeo is a virtual reality recreation of a PC tabletop role-playing game. It was first released on the PC. The entire game can be played solo if you choose, although it’s a rather straightforward dungeon crawler that feels strangely dated given the cutting edge VR technology. Nonetheless, that adds to its attractiveness because it closely mimics the tabletop experience with turn-based combat and fog of war rather than attempting to imitate a contemporary computer role-player.
Since that’s what it was originally intended for, we’d have to play it in co-op before we could recommend it without any reservations. However, even though the likelihood of knowing three other people who have PlayStation VR2s is remote, the game can be played on the PlayStation 5 without VR and supports cross-play with the PC version and Meta Quest. Even the console version of Skirmish has a pass-the-controller couch co-op option.
Cosmonious High
This game, one of many that weren’t accessible for pre-launch reviews, at least has a respectable pedigree because it was created by the same team as Rick & Morty Virtual Rick-ality, Job Simulator, and Vacation Simulator. All of those games have a strong sense of humour and a tonne of engaging interactivity, but they all seem pretty gimmicky and like standard VR tech demos. Nonetheless, Cosmonious High carries a warning for “crude humour,” which may or may not be a good thing depending on how funny it is.
The Light Brigade
This game, which was among many others that weren’t accessible for reviews before to release, at least has a respectable pedigree because it was created by the same firm that produced Rick & Morty Virtual Rick-ality, Job Simulator, and Vacation Simulator. Although all of those games are really gimmicky and seem like typical VR tech demos, they have a fantastic sense of humour and loads of engaging involvement. But, there is a content warning for “crude humour” on Cosmonious High, which may or may not be a good thing depending on how funny it is.
Altair Breaker, Dyschronia: Chronos Alternate, And Fantavision 202X
Although it’s currently unknown which, if any, of the six Japanese games coming to PlayStation VR2 will be offered at launch in the UK, we’re grouping these together because they were all revealed at the same time. According to what we can discern, Dyschronia is a “investigation game,” whereas Altair Breaker is a first-person sword-fighting game whose PC version has received mixed reviews. It could be interesting to watch in VR since Fantavision 202X is a follow-up to the old PlayStation 2 launch title, which was effectively a fireworks simulator.
Townsmen VR
You’ll immediately have a sense of what Townsmen VR is about if you used to appreciate The Settlers games (which ironically have a reboot coming out this week). It’s essentially a city-building game with a lighthearted mediaeval background in which you construct settlements, make sure the residents have the resources they need, and repel attacks. It functions adequately, but the controls can be difficult, especially when you’re attempting to offer certain items to specific individuals. In addition, the combat is extremely straightforward and appears to lack balance. It still functions reasonably well, but you can’t help but wonder how much better it might be if the creator had more money and experience.
Moss and Moss: Book 2 Bundle
It’s largely useless to say which is the finest VR title because so many games are still in the tech demo stage, but Moss is one of the front-runners. It’s a first-person game, where you play an enigmatic spirit assisting a painfully adorable mouse named Quill. In what is effectively a third person action platformer, you are almost fully motionless while still being able to control Quill using a standard joystick.
Quill can protect herself against adversaries, but you can also aid her by interacting with larger-than-life items and backdrop elements in the game area. Not only is Moss a fantastic game, but it also understands how to get past technological constraints without ever being overt about it.
Tentacular
Tentacular isn’t really about controlling a big octopus, despite what you may think since that would result in the VR version of the old coin-op classic Rampage. There is a surprisingly long narrative about you discovering your place in the world and helping out common people by cleaning up the oceans, testing space rockets, and tinkering with enormous magnets. You can do a certain amount of damage and picking up and throwing people into the water is one of the game’s consistent pleasures.
As you have two enormous virtual tentacles that can grab anything with a squeeze of the shoulder pad, the game’s major gimmick works quite well even though the many mini-games all seem a bit random and the frequent chatting makes it rather slow-paced.
Thumper
Since Thumper is the only rhythm action game that evoke thoughts of existential dread, it is suggested that you play it in VR or not. The combination of Guitar Hero and Lovecraftian sorrow may not have been intentional, but it works incredibly well thanks to its menacing soundtrack and complete absence of context. Here is our whole assessment of the original, but because you are continually moving ahead in a straight line with the PlayStation VR2 edition, the atmosphere is much more suffocating and unavoidable.
Rez Infinite
For more than 20 years, we have played Rez in a variety of different configurations. Yet, this is the best iteration yet. The first time was on the Dreamcast, and one of the last times was on the PlayStation VR. Although the fundamentals remain the same, playing it in virtual reality (VR) makes it much more immersive and engrossing, much like Thumper did. The original Rez is an on-the-rails shooter that seamlessly blends gameplay, graphics, and music so that none of them stand alone.
Infinite also adds a brand-new, multi-stage portion made just for virtual reality (VR), where you have complete freedom of movement and more intricate visuals. However, the PlayStation VR version’s weak handling and low resolution considerably diminished its impact, with PlayStation VR2 revealing its full magnificence.
Tetris Effect: Connected
Even though Tetris has been around longer than Rez, Tetris Effect, which is likely the definitive version, at least for non-portable systems, was just released in 2019. Created by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man behind Rez, it doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel but instead goes back to the fundamentals with the gameplay and adds fresh musical and visual elements that give the single-player mode an intriguing sense of advancement. The Connected version, which was reviewed here, included multiplayer, and this VR edition added some incredibly calming music and VR effects to the mix.
After The Fall – Complete Edition
There are five zombie-themed shooters for every cent on VR, but very few of them go beyond being shooting galleries. While After The Fall does support single-player and co-op play, game falls well short of Valve’s masterpieces in terms of opponent and level design. It tries valiantly to be the VR version of Left 4 Dead.
The action lacks enough nuance, and despite some attempts to remedy it with weapon customization, the experience is still too limited to pique anyone’s interest. To make a final judgement, we’ll need to play it properly in co-op, although we’re not very thrilled about the possibility.
Zenith: The Last City
Even though we haven’t had the opportunity to play something as complex as an MMO, the fact that one is available on the PSVR2 indicates the developer had some ambition. On what seems to be a limited budget, the graphics seem a little rudimentary, and it’s definitely trying to bite off more than it can chew, but we’ve heard generally positive things from people who have played the original PlayStation 4 and PC versions.
Puzzling Places
Over the years, video games have largely imitated analogue amusement, from pinball to tabletop role-players, but jigsaw puzzles haven’t really seen any digital love. This may be for quite obvious reasons, but it all makes more sense when you put them in virtual reality and give them those oddly costly 3D puzzles that you’ve never seen someone own in real life.
Even though you’re essentially just putting 3D items together, the aesthetics are fantastic enough to make the whole thing pleasant and enjoyable. The controls are still a little more difficult to use than they should be, and we’re concerned about the cost, but assuming it’s not too bad, you should find the whole thing unexpectedly amusing.
Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition
A lot of games are simply ports of older games, which you might normally dislike, but playing them on the PlayStation VR or Meta Quest instead of the PlayStation VR2 is a real eye opener. Galaxy’s Edge is the name of the sequel trilogy region from the resort, and Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge is half tech demo and half advertisement for Disneyland.
The shooting mechanics are decent, but there isn’t nearly enough substance in the plot or structure to distinguish it from a semi-interactive theme park attraction. While the whole game is reasonably useful as a first exposure to VR, the missions set during the High Republic era of the Jedi are more interesting but feel utterly disconnected from the rest of the game. Moreover, the game is simply too pricey.
Gran Turismo 7 VR Update
This is perhaps the closest thing to a killer app for the PlayStation VR2 at launch, even more so than Horizon Call Of The Mountain. Given how realistic Gran Turismo 7 already is, the ability to sit in your cockpit and see around with the headset is not simply a gimmick; it will be quite helpful to the gameplay. Driving games benefit greatly from VR. The only issue is that the update wasn’t accessible before to launch, so we can’t make a definitive judgement until then.
Resident Evil Village VR Update
Although this update won’t be accessible until the game’s launch, it’s reasonable to believe that it will perform at least as well as Resident Evil 7‘s VR mode. It will be intriguing because Village was more of a straightforward action game than a terrifying one (apart from that one small portion). We’re not sure if being in VR would make it inherently scarier, but we have a feeling Lady Dimitrescu’s castle will become much more fascinating.
