Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is not only a worthy successor to Remake, but to the original title. With an incredible and multi-layered open-world, outstanding combat, and a heartfelt story that takes you on a beautiful scenic route, Rebirth reaches heights you'd need one wing to touch. Rebirth is special; First-Class in a way only the best Soldiers can be.
There’s so much more we could say about Asgard’s Wrath 2, but we would be doing it a disservice to not keep playing it. One thing is for certain, Asgard’s Wrath 2 is a pinnacle for VR and should be praised. Not all games are worth the cost of admission, especially in virtual reality, but Asgard’s Wrath 2 transcends those stereotypes and blazes a fresh trail for the medium.
Resident Evil 4 was a triumph of a remake, and it somehow one upped itself with VR. The movement is perfect, the terror is real, and it's a fantastic new way to experience one of the best ways of the year. After eighteen years, Resident Evil 4 is the gift that keeps on giving.
Although a lackluster campaign and reused content holds it back, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III has a few great tricks up its sleeve. The multiplayer engages in a way its predecessor missed the mark, and open-world Zombies is exactly as entertaining as it sounds. There's more to be desired as a whole, but as rushed as it was, MWIII has solid elements that can be enjoyed.
Just like RoboCop himself, Rogue City is only human, but it's still pretty great. With an intriguing narrative and stellar side missions, exploring Old Detroit is a real treat. Gunplay feels heavy, and engaging your friends and opponents with words as well as bullets is satisfying. In a year filled with blockbusters, this is a cult classic.
There is nothing you'll play this year like Alan Wake 2. The choice of two protagonists works wonderfully, with an interwoven plot that is Remedy at their best. I love the twists and turns it takes, with an incredible atmosphere set that boosts everything it touches, including the combat. Alan Wake 2 is breathtaking both visually and audibly, whether in Bright Falls or The Dark Place. Our departure thirteen years ago is long forgotten; Alan Wake's return is a triumph.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a straight-out-of-the-comicbooks masterpiece, and one of the best superhero games ever made. The narrative swings to heights writers dream of, and every aspect of the gameplay has been gone over and improved off of it's already stellar design. Insomniac Games has proven lightning strikes several times, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is every adjective it's namesake's comicbooks carry, whether Superior, Ultimate, Spectacular, Sensational, or Amazing.
Wild Card Football is not just a perfect break for the Madden player, but a fantastic throwback to playground football. With recognizable NFL athletes playing in wacky uniforms and stadiums, it's hard not to have a blast. This is arcade football at its peak; Playground Sports has nailed the nostalgia for PS2 games past.
The issues Crossfire: Sierra Squad runs into aren’t dire in any case. This is still a game technically in early access (at least according to the Steam designation), so there is plenty of time for Smilegate to mold this into a killer app for the PSVR2 and PC. For the moment, it’s fun to blow off steam with, but doesn’t get much further than that.
Overall, Firewall Ultra has great gameplay elements working in its favor, but a lack of content and shameful grind and monetization systems make this a hard one to recommend at this point in time. Maybe after a few updates it’ll be ready to go, but for now it’s time for First Contact to grab another mag and get to work.
Bethesda Game Studios has reached new heights in Starfield. A thrilling narrative, loaded with an entire universe to explore and backed by sublimely polished systems, has ushered in the ultimate Bethesda experience. It's truly hard to summarize just what makes Starfield special, and that's because so much of it is. You'll be glued to your screen for hours, going where no explorer has gone before.
I wouldn't go into Atlas Fallen looking for a great story, but if you're looking for an interesting world to explore, this might fit the bill. The gameplay is a lot of fun, with foes worth your time to engage, and a fantastic customization system to battle your way. Atlas Fallen fills that old "AA THQ" hole, perfect for what it is.
Crash Team Rumble is a pick up and play multiplayer game that is shockingly fun. It gives players freedom while encouraging teamwork, with a variety of stages and characters. It has quirks and imbalances, but you're never too far from the next match or unlockable.
Just like Gollum, I'm a bit split. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum features a great story that adds to the lore, along with a terrific stealth system, but it misses the mark in other areas. A finicky and redundant platforming system, mixed with a dialogue system that lacks bite makes for a combination that drags the rest down. Gollum is always so close to The Ring, but ever so far.
Redfall resembles the vampires it's based on. It lacks identity, and sucks the life out of you. Every time I see a spark of potential, it's stomped out by bugs, braindead AI, and an empty world not worth exploring. I wish Arkane well in their next endeavor, because they need to let this one die.
Burning Shores is more Horizon Forbidden West, which is enough to tell you to grab it. Although the narrative isn't as gripping and the new characters aren't as compelling, being able to explore more of the West and fight new giant robot dinosaurs makes this a fun jaunt in Los Angeles as we await Horizon 3.
Sherlock Holmes The Awakened is an amazingly creative way of remaking a game. Taking a piece of your past and making it a building block for your future is genuinely impressive, and it's a captivating tale that can be experienced now in a deeper capacity. He may not be the same after what he's just experienced, but Sherlock Holmes has never looked better, and I can't wait for the next one.
GORN is a great popcorn video game. Nothing about it screams game-changer, but it's so much fun to play you might spend more time with it than other more refined experiences. With plenty of weapons to decimate your enemies with and plenty of them to pulverize, GORN is certainly an enjoyable and outrageous game.
While Tchia's story doesn't find the steadiest of footing, its world and portrayal of culture are outstanding. The gameplay is also a lot of fun, even with a decent amount of padding to keep you busy in the gorgeous open world. New Caledonia is certainly worth the visit in this digital representation.
It's definitely better with friends, but Pavlov VR is an absolute showcase for what an FPS should be in VR. It runs tremendously, it has an awesome amount of content to play, and it's just fun to play. This one should be in your PSVR2 library right now.