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SportsBarVR is a solid collection of multiplayer sports bar games, with pool and darts being the stand out experiences. However, the other experiences on show seem to have been rushed a little to hit PlayStation VR's release date, and the small pool of online players detracts from the overall appeal of the package a little.
Following on from I Am Setsuna earlier in the year, Square Enix has produced another RPG with traditional elements for the current generation, and it's once again found success. World of Final Fantasy offers a polished and pretty adventure through a lovingly made world, and even though its story is let down by some poor writing, the addictive process of capturing and training monsters is enough to keep you playing. All in all, this is a great little spin-off.
Contrary to common opinion, Farming Simulator's always had the root of a great game buried beneath its Eurojank surface, but now that nugget's really starting to blossom. This edition doesn't reinvent the veal [Sorry – Ed], but it refines what's enjoyable about the originals, and sprinkles some Miracle-Gro on top. It's still an acquired taste, and you're going to need to be patient to get the most out of it, but if you've ever dreamed of being an agricultural extraordinaire, then this is a series now very much in its hay-day.
The Playroom VR is a good collection of couch co-op mini-games that demonstrate the capabilities of the VR headset superbly. Although a few of the games you'll play once and never touch again, Robots Rescue is a standout experience that you'll wish was a fully-fledged game in itself.
Batman: Return to Arkham isn't the greatest ever remaster, but the price offers excellent value and the gameplay of both Asylum and City still hold up. Couple two of the greatest superhero games of all time with their DLC, and you get a lot of bang for your buck here.
While it can't resist urge to go over the top at times, in doing so, it at least delivers one of the best Battlefield campaigns to date.
RIDE 2 is a game for motorcycle enthusiasts without question. However, it's a game that is lacking in excitement for the material it covers. There's a great amount of content and production values, but not a whole lot of hook to the gameplay to keep you drawn in. While die-hard motorcycle racing enthusiasts may find some enjoyment, few else will be enticed.
EVE: Gunjack is a nice little title to help round out the PlayStation VR launch. Really fun to play for short stretches and then come back to repeatedly, it's a worthwhile venture. A very low price point – $9.99 – paired with some immersive environments makes this a game that, while probably unknown to many, should be sought out. For anyone that likes good, simple fun, this is for you.
Exist Archive: The Other Side of the Sky is an advertisement for the mantra that less is more. There's an enjoyable ten hour game here, but it's buried in a repetitive and frustrating forty hour experience in which the majority of the content not only feels superfluous, but actually detrimental to the whole. The story it tells might be good enough to justify grinding through the uninspired battles and platforming sections were the game dramatically shorter, but as it is the sporadic narrative can't save what is a largely tedious affair.
Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through a haunted world. What the game lacks in plot originality, it makes up for with its interesting and unique game mechanics, as well as its wonderfully designed cast. It can be accursed with repetition, but there's ultimately a lot to wrap your head around, and the many tactical nuances do a lot to keep boredom at bay.
Viking Squad isn't the most creative or exciting beat-'em-up on the market, but it's easily one of the most consistent. Packing a colourful campaign across a series of varied stages - complete with alternate routes that add a lot of replay value - this is a well made arcade brawler that's especially fun with friends.
The overall experience at the centre of all Skylanders: Imaginators' toys and loot chests is so charming and feature-rich that kids will enjoy it and adults won't begrudge playing it alongside them. If you don't mind the potentially large financial undertaking that a Skylanders game represents, then this is perfect for younger players. The return of Crash is also good value; it's simply heartening to see that the 90s mascot feels at home in a modern platformer.
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.
EVE: Valkyrie is one of the better PlayStation VR experiences out there at the moment – a true Top Gun. Packing slick design and stunning visuals, as well as thrilling gameplay. For fans of multiplayer space dogfighting, this is the (un)real deal. Virtual hats off to CCP on creating a fantastic space combat experience.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes utilises the PlayStation VR headset superbly to create an excellently immersive, couch co-op experience, with tight controls that make it easily accessible for new players. The gameplay is enjoyable, and there is plenty on offer in terms of replayability to keep you coming back for more.
If you're a die-hard Duke devotee, then World Tour is probably your holy grail, bringing the original onto new hardware with some gimmicky yet functional additions, delivering the most definitive Nukem romp yet. For the Duke Nukem virgins among you, though, it's probably best putting this back on the shelf to wait for a drastic price drop. Although it's nowhere near the mess that Duke Nukem Forever was, this massive heap of fan service will fail to resonate with those unaccustomed to the breed of shooter found back in the 90s.
We know it sounds like we're being down on Mantis Burn Racing, but it should be made clear that the fundamentals here are spot on. The racing itself is fun and fast-paced, and the upgrading system works well to keep you coming back for a good few hours. It's just unfortunate that pretty much everything else doesn't quite measure up. The music, the environments, and the presentation all fall behind, which is a shame, as VooFoo Studios has the foundations of a strong top-down racer. With updates, the game could blossom into something more interesting, but as of right now, its decent gameplay just about overtakes its shortcomings.
100ft Robot Golf delivers a winning combination of sci-fi anime and nicely playable golf. It won't win any awards for production values, but it's such a fun solo experience and manic laugh in multiplayer that you'll be happy to look past that. Importantly for PlayStation VR owners, piloting a 100ft Robot is a joy in virtual reality mode – but the core gameplay works fine in the standard not-as-cool regular mode.
Here They Lie is not a perfect horror game – but it's tense and well worth experiencing if you're looking for some frights for your new PlayStation VR headset. The narrative could have been stronger, and the way it displays textures is odd, but the cavernous environments and clever control scheme make this a ride worth taking.
The Assembly isn't bad, but it's not good either. It's a puzzle game without enough puzzles, and a pretty forgettable plot. A massive downgrade from the PC version of the title, the visuals can induce headaches or nausea if played for too long, and this is made even worse by the fact that the game doesn't need to be in virtual reality to begin with. It's a title that's cynically riding on the coattails of VR novelty, and while that may make for smart business, it doesn't create a great experience.