Jim Hargreaves's Reviews
Corners needed to be cut and while the game doesn't waltz flawlessly into the VR realm, for it to work this well is still an achievement.
It’s definitely more of a management sim than a true survival horror game and, in truth, that makes for an interesting premise. However, the inherent unpredictability, lack of direct combat, and some gameplay mechanics that don’t gel ultimately hold Distrust back from being more than an experimental blending of genres.
Elastic has really thrown down the gauntlet here and although fans have had to wait, Last Year: The Nightmare is easily one of the best, most inventive horror games of the past several years and one that will hopefully ply us with new skin-crawling content in the weeks and months to come.
RUSH VR is not the realistic skydiving sim some may have expected but there's still a novelty to it that some virtual reality gamers will appreciate. It's definitely cheaper than booking the real thing, though given how repetitive races can get after your first few, you're likely to get more bang for your buck elsewhere considering the bumper crop of PSVR bangers we've had this year.
For those who simply must know what happens in the lead up to that first game, Hello Neighbor: Hide & Seek is essential for filling in those blanks. However, those who are simply looking for a fun game to play are likely to be left deeply unsatisfied.
A simple premise brought to life as a transfixing mix of lights, sound, and swords every PlayStation VR owner should consider buying.
Omen of Sorrow is a budget fighting game with AAA ambitions. AOne’s attempts to stretch it into something bigger don’t pay off and while there’s some enjoyment to be had, there are so many better, more polished alternatives that offer way more value for your money.
While it packs in more content than its predecessors, RIDE 3 feels soulless and nonessential if you already own last year’s instalment.
A Surprisingly Bland Entry For The Popular FPS Franchise
Turf Wars makes good on continuing to flesh out Spider-Man’s story.
Déraciné isn't for everyone, even if you fancy yourself a staunch fan of FromSoftware's previous work. The slow, deliberate pacing, the vague puzzles, and a story that revolves around fairies don't add up to a must-buy PlayStation VR experience. It's an oddity and one that wants you to occasionally stop, stare, and soak in its atmosphere. Déraciné will be divisive; a borefest for some, yet bizarrely enthralling for others.
Survival Horror and PlayStation VR Make For A Lethal Combination
Firewall: Zero Hour is essential for PlayStation VR owners. Despite this being First Contact's debut game, it flawlessly executes on what the studio set out to do: to create PSVR's first must-have multiplayer shooter. It may even sway some of those yet to purchase one of Sony's high-tech headsets.
Overcooked 2 may be short on surprises, but that's totally fine. It expands and refines exactly what we loved about the original, with plenty of fun and challenging stages to be played again and again, whether alone, with friends, or online. You couldn't ask much more from this indie sequel: a filling follow-up that, while familiar, will have fans reaching for their aprons on launch day.
Those wanting a great squad-based shooter or a truly essential Warhammer 40,000 game will have to keep searching. At a glance, Deathwing seems like a solid adaptation and it nails that distinctive Space Hulk look and atmosphere, but there's just not enough variety or depth to keep players engaged beyond those first few encounters.
Looping back to the beginning of this review, we already have a solid stable of go-to VR shooters. Killing Floor: Incursion definitely makes it onto this list though, trails towards the bottom half. It's a great adaptation of the series but lacks longevity, mainly thanks to its reliance on using the same swarms of braindead cannon fodder instead of adding more diversity to its firefights.
Dead Secret lasts for just a few sittings, but it's a game you'll walk away from satisfied. As bigger studios keep fumbling around for a VR blockbuster blueprint, indies like Robot Invader continue to fill in the gaps with smaller, more experimental games.
A lot of what goes into God of War feels as though it was cherry-picked from the modern gaming zeitgeist. The semi-open world structure, loot system, and a much deeper narrative focus work well, but are all trends being pushed by most other big games. As a result, God of War can feel slightly homogenised in a way that some fans may find unappealing. Thankfully, a strong sense of setting and brutally satisfying combat help maintain that God of War identity. If it wasn't made abundantly clear already, this is the first in what will most likely be a new trilogy for the God of War franchise, and this first instalment serves as a pretty great foundation.
Instead of being a full-fat adaptation of Survival Evolved, ARK Park is more of a taster, chopping that game into smaller chunks, then isolating them. This isn't the same sprawling open world shooter – it's something much smaller and less substantive, though still looks to capture that core ARK essence. It may succeed on some level though, needless to say, those players who pony up £30 and go in blind could come away deeply dissatisfied.
Ultimately, Bravo Team adds nothing to the VR shooter scene and it's somewhat baffling to see Sony pushing the game so hard considering how it has turned out. If you were considering paying top dollar for that tempting Aim Controller bundle then don't.