Mechanically, Synapse is incredible, but the breadth of content is another story. This feels like a proof of concept for a full experience, once the amount of content can match the level of gameplay.
The updated version of Layers of Fear is incredibly impressive. In addition to offering high-quality remakes of the entire series, this version goes a step forward and creates new material with the explicit purpose of bringing all pre-existing content of the series under one umbrella. The exceptional visual overhaul, fascinating transforming environments, and great sound design ensure this horror series has done a phenomenal job of making sure it continues to be an experience worth having.
While the gameplay doesn’t evolve nearly enough given the game’s runtime, you still wind up with a fun experience. And for anyone invested in the history of the medium, there’s a lot to love.
Ultimately, the issues that arise aren’t enough to quash the immense level of fun or the mastery of design on display. Red Matter 2 is a PSVR2 must-play.
Even with these setbacks, you still get a brutally exhausting, immensely fulfilling gameplay loop with masterfully charted songs. However, until those issues are fixed, what you have is merely an adequate port.
With lofty ambitions and some great elements, After Us lets itself down in as many ways as it triumphs. Gorgeous art direction and an admirable anti-pollution message aren't enough to make up for tedious combat, performance issues, and open-ended level design that plays things a little too loose. If you're itching for an experience like this, there are better options out there, at the very least until After Us' performance issues are addressed. There's the core of an incredible experience here, but it's just not ready yet.
Another Fisherman’s Tale is every bit as worthy of your time as the first.
There is nothing brand new to look forward to in the title, but Afterlife VR effectively takes a blender to a number of horror tropes and settings, delivering a sufficiently worthwhile experience.
While the AI will soon find you too much to handle, even at higher difficulties, the online component is where the specials really shine. The strategy of choosing when to slot your attacks in becomes paramount. It’s easy to lose the rhythm of the song if you get too cocky. As long as the game can nurture and maintain a player base there should be ample reason to keep coming back to God of Rock time and time again.
The script itself doesn't strike a good balance either, often transitioning from subjects such as a rumination on class inequality directly into a slapstick comedy sketch before interjecting a news bulletin about an impending natural disaster. It's, to put it mildly, a mess. And this happens over and over throughout the 4-5 hours required to complete the game. While pitch-black comedy can work, the writing in Mile 0 is awkward enough that it feels accidental rather than deliberately irreverent. What you're left with is a fun rhythm game surrounded by a plethora of questionable writing decisions.
The Light Brigade is one of the shining stars of PSVR2's launch. A game that doesn't feel the need to reinvent the wheel, developer Funktronic Labs instead decided to focus on making the best rogue-lite that PSVR has yet seen rather than get crazy with new systems. With unique, varied classes and brilliant gunplay, the title does a great job of ensuring that we want to keep returning to its chilling, bleakly beautiful environments again and again.
As a result, the game subscribes to the “easy to play but difficult to master” cliché, and offers enough replay value thanks to its varied track list that it's worth sticking with over many sessions.
You just have to hope the game cooperates to let you finish! We had multiple hard crashes, one of which corrupted our save, wiping away nearly an hour of puzzling. Still, we're going to assume the developer will issue a patch promptly, and as long as it does, this is PSVR2 at its most relaxed.
Not that the title should be a hard sell to begin with! With its colourful environments and masterful level design, there’s very little to poke holes at here. The gunplay functions brilliantly on its own, as does the rhythm gameplay. So, when these two disparate elements harmoniously converge, the product ends up supremely easy to recommend.
Quite the opposite is Area X, the level made for PSVR, which was reason enough to buy Sony's headset all on its own. Despite how incredible an impression that area left last time, it's that much better now. Between the resolution bump, the HDR, the upgrade from Unreal Engine 4 to 5, and the improved tracking, the newly refreshed Area X is every bit the must-play it was seven years ago. If you're on the fence about dishing out for the relatively slight upgrade fee, rest assured, it's worth it.
Throwing in the heart-melting cuteness of ASL fluent Quill, a career-best soundtrack from Jason Graves, and an emotionally resonant story, Polyarc’s upgrade exists to remind you why Moss was one of PSVR’s must plays.
What you walk away with is a unique and wonderful rhythm title that’s been improved in nearly every way.
Ragnarock is a rough-around-the-edges rhythm game that's super fun to begin with, but the appeal may start to wane after a handful of sessions.
What you’re left with is a solid VR showcase game, but the good-not-great music, and the hit detection issues ultimately hold it back from being anything more.
Ultimately, what you're left with is the definitive version of the game, even with the changes being relatively slight. It was one of the best games on PSVR back in the day, and the same can be said for its port on PSVR2.