The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR Reviews
The graphics and sounds in the game are sharp and immersive and the game does a good job of setting a chilling atmosphere and engaging players. My only regret was not having a multiplayer option and that at times some of the later stages became a bit frustrating trying to shoot and reload when enemies kept coming but in the end, the game delivered and I highly recommend it to any horror fan and the game actually worked well when we had guests over as the family enjoyed taking a turn or watching the mayhem.
An extremely fun and satisfying shooter gameplay, but with a very strong and indivisible arcade component of the proposal, something that is transferred to its short duration.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is an on-rails shooter with multiple paths but has subpar visuals. It offers immersion through haptic feedback, 3D audio, and eye tracking, but the puzzles can be frustrating, and it requires patches to fix technical issues before being recommended.
Switchback VR is fun, and tries to make the most of the PSVR2 but its wildly bouncing storyline and one-trick-pony gameplay means you’ll tire of it fairly quickly.
Switchback VR begins as everything I wanted from a follow-up to Rush of Blood. By the end of the first track, I was sold and ready to sign off on it for anyone interested. Then it slowly took one step back for every two steps forward. Atmosphere is creepy and tense, but it isn’t all that scary. Environment is so fantastic and awe inspiring, but that screen door effect. Graphics and character modeling are outstanding, but those fire effects. Switchback VR is a fantastic game, and you should grab it in case you own a PSVR2, but there is always small “but” hindering it from becoming perfect.
The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR is a terrifying VR romp that’ll keep players entertained with its non-stop scares and frantic shooting action. It captures the frightening vibe of The Dark Pictures series perfectly, whether that’s when simply navigating through the eerie locales or facing off against one of their familiar nasties. That Sailor Girl from Man of Medan will NEVER stop giving me the heebie-jeebies, though re-visiting the deadly tunnels from House of Ashes felt ominous too… Add to that the fun and varied gameplay, the immersive haptic feedback, and the brilliant eye tracking implementation, and it’ll be clear that The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR delivers another entertaining experience for PlayStation VR 2 owners to get stuck into. There are a few technical issues that hold it back a little, but other than that it’s another stellar release from the team at Supermassive Games.
Switchback VR is a steady rail shooter that offers decent variety and an interesting tour through some old levels, but never tries to earn The Dark Pictures name. The choices don’t matter, the Curator is just a creepy Where’s Wally?, and the stakes or even setup for rescuing characters was lost on me. However, it’s reliably spooky, action-packed, and has the best designed villain in the series. It’s a rail shooter obsessed with its own past, so it makes sense that it’s two steps forward and one step back.
As a more or less classical rail shooter, Dark Pictures Switchback VR is no complexity monster – and it's short concerning a single playthrough. But the simple and good working gameplay mechanics are nothing less than a perfect match for VR. The shooting trip also benefits from its scary atmosphere while particular connoisseurs of the core series will enjoy the similarities.
Review in German | Read full review