All in all, Hitman 2 is the series at its best without shooting for the stars. It's an incremental update to a working formula that is fun to play, but it can sometimes feel underwhelming. Based on its level design and gameplay opportunities alone, Hitman 2 is one of the best entries in the series — and that's all you need to know if you're a fan of the franchise.
Taken as the sum of its parts, FIFA 19 is the most complete and beautiful soccer game around. Upon closer inspection, the latest entry doesn't shine as brightly. There are some admittedly great additions to this year's offering, but they don't add enough to the game to make it worthwhile for returning players who are invested in single-player content.
At the end of the day, Astro Bot Rescue Mission is an incredibly fun platformer that plays great and is even greater in VR. While not consistently mind-blowing, it often surprised me by its inventive level design and VR implementation, making it easily the title to own if you want a quality experience that is as innocent as it is fun to play.
Déraciné has equally surprised and disappointed me. It's a gorgeous, story-driven experience, but the story has a few pacing issues and can drag along while not making the most of its gameplay mechanics. It's a slow burn, but if you enjoy eerie stories and atmosphere, Déraciné may be worth checking out. It certainly pulled me in and punished me for my naivete as the story grew darker by the minute.
While it's not the best VR game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR is the most massive RPG on PSVR, and it's just as addictive as it's always been. Regardless of whether you play the main quests, chase down all of the side content, go hunting, go dungeoneering, be a smith and forge your own weapons, or go wherever you want to go, Skyrim works well enough, and that should be good enough for most players.
In the end, Space Pirate Trainer may have come a little too late to PSVR. While the platform has a larger install base, the genre has already seen countless entries. Space Pirate Trainer was one of the first and is probably the best and easiest way to get going with VR in a small and satisfying package that works remarkably well. If you get easily hooked on simple-to-learn and tough-to-master high-score games, this is an easy recommendation.
As a sum of its parts, Borderlands 2 VR is a good and fun game even though it shows its age in the level design. Its VR implementation is impressive but not perfect. The lack of DLC content, co-op or AIM support may turn off players, especially given the game's high price point, but it's truly a solid and long VR experience that will keep you entertained for at least 30 hours. If you cannot wait for Borderlands 3 or have never played Borderlands 2, Borderlands 2 VR is perhaps the best excuse in a while to immerse yourself and return to vault-hunting on Pandora.
All in all, The LEGO Harry Potter Collection on Switch is a fun game that is suited for all ages, and it's best played with a friend or family member.
Apex Construct is neither long nor perfect, but it's an intriguing and immersive adventure. The controls sometimes work against you, the pacing can slow down a bit too much, and the story isn't as surprising as it could be. What's left is a very good bow-and-arrow shooter with some excellent environmental storytelling and atmosphere that pulls you through from start to finish. After a few updates and quality of life improvements almost a year after its original release, Apex Construct is certainly a well-made experience on PSVR that will satisfy everyone in need of an original adventure built with VR in mind.
In the end, NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 is a fun game that may not excel from a gameplay standpoint, but its fun arcade action that has become rare in the genre. Basketball and sports fans would enjoy Playgrounds 2 if it weren't for the grindy implementation of card packs and in-game purchases.
All in all, The Mage's Tale is a great VR title that showcases how well games in the genre can work if they're built from the ground up for the technology and the developer pays attention to the details. It's funny and immersive, and while it surely isn't a masterpiece due to its technical issues and lackluster enemy AI, it's a good title that anyone who's hungry for more VR will surely appreciate.
It's not for everyone, and it isn't absolutely perfect, but Sekiro is the best game I've played in a very long time.
Unravel Two improves upon its predecessor and has a decent showing on the Switch. The gameplay is as fun and clever as it has ever been, making it one of the best cooperative (and mobile) experiences money can currently buy on the Switch, even though the technical downgrade to make it feasible is noticeable throughout. If you aren't bothered by that, be sure to check out Unravel Two.
Silence: The Whispered World 2 is a beautiful and polished experience with a distinct focus on its story. It still holds enough traditional gameplay to be considered a point-and-click adventure rather than a "walking simulator," but it sacrifices complexity and variety for a more streamlined approach. It's also a very short experience, which doesn't necessarily work in its favor. It doesn't overstay its welcome, but many of it is too short-lived to make the impact it's so clearly striving for.
Saints Row: The Third – The Full Package is no masterpiece. It never was. However, it is a fun action game that could've been a decent open-world game on the Switch. Instead, it is one of the most poorly optimized ports we've seen on the system thus far, making it hard to recommend. It is not unplayable and it is still somewhat fun, but the technical limitations get in the way almost all the time. For the $40 price point, The Third isn't worth the price of admission.
When considering the sum of its parts, Abzu is a masterfully crafted experience from start to finish. It's a beautiful re-creation of the underwater ecosystem, from big predators to schools of colorful fish. Add to that the mystery of exploring an unknown civilization and a musical score that is beyond captivating, and you are in for a treat for all of your senses. It's not for everyone, but if you let it, Abzu may captivate you.
Fans will certainly appreciate God Eater 3 as a solid continuation of the franchise. Newcomers, however, will probably have to force their way through a significant part of the experience to feel the same joy. There is a solid monster-slaying action-RPG buried under here; it's just a matter of how deep you're willing to dig to uncover its treasures.
All in all, Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a great port of a good game. While it's not necessarily innovative, it is well executed and uniquely presented, something that still holds up well after almost 10 years since its original release. Not everything in the title has aged well, but it still plays and works as well as intended. The only letdown is the price tag of $30 when the Warmastered Edition arrived for $20 on all other platforms almost three years ago. In any case, Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a great game that's worth experiencing for the first time – or once again on the Switch.
Sairento is fun, and it's highly recommended if you own a PSVR headset — assuming your stomach can handle the erratic movements and jumps.
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled on the Switch is my favorite kart racer, even managing to outshine Mario Kart.