Harmonix Music VR (VR)
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Harmonix Music VR (VR)
Sadly, even loading an MP3 of ‘90s favorite “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows didn’t make any of these four music mini-games and passive experiences any less boring or more bearable. If my friends came over to check out my new $400 VR headset, Harmonix Music VR is the last thing I’d want to show them.
If Harmonix Music VR sounds like your jam, it probably is. Plopping on the helmet after eating your favorite comfort food can make for a really relaxing afternoon, but the other modes aren't even worth the time of day.
Harmonix Music VR feels like it should have been a part of the PlayStation VR demo disc, or at least part of a compilation of VR experiences. By itself it lacks any real compelling reason to buy it. When I listen to music, it’s usually while doing something else. The idea of listening to Finch’s Say Hello to Sunshine through Harmonix Music VR doesn’t strike me as the best way to experience my favorite album. Getting past the reloads after each song, the lack of streaming support, and relatively limited overall scope, Harmonix Music VR is a mildly interesting virtual reality music player, but it’s not going to become a staple in either my gaming or music listening life.
There’s little value and almost no substance in Harmonix Music VR. Its drab modes and environments fail to add anything interesting to the music listening experience.
Music VR isn’t so much a game as it’s more of a music visualizer with a focus on letting you experience your music in a way you haven’t before.
Harmonix Music VR somewhat justifies its existence. Having a drawing app available for PlayStation VR out of the gate is nice, but everything beyond that is kind of pointless. 'The Trip's' kaleidoscope visuals are great for a couple of songs, and it's a wonderful starting point for VR beginners, but the remaining two experiences are redundant and unappealing. This is something that will be nice to have at launch for a few people, and for anyone that wants a drawing app now, but a year or two – maybe even sooner – from now, this will be a long forgotten relic of the peripheral's launch.
Harmonix Music VR is a half-hearted compilation of four tech demos that are interesting for less than a minute apiece. With so many other things to try on PSVR for a similar price, you’ll feel short-changed if you waste your money on this.
What you’ll get out of Harmonix Music VR depends on whether you really enjoy listening to music while shutting your mind off in various types of visualizers with different levels of interaction. The Dance and The Easel are clearly going to be the most attractive and are ideal for group settings, while the strict visualizer ones -- The Beach and The Trip -- are meant for only the person in the HMD.
