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PlayStation VR Worlds is intended to raise belief in its accompanying hardware. And it does; once for each of its five technical showpieces. Afterward that high is only reached through a vicarious transfer from newcomers, positioning VR Worlds' potential as a dramatic flash instead of an imposing statement.
Pixel Gear seeks enrichment from the path of least resistance. Its virtual shooting gallery is adequate enough to qualify as a game, but its vacant ambition prohibits sustained engagement or durability. The bare minimum is a discouraging target. Pixel Gear's gunplay is not capable of aiming any higher.
DICE made a perfect game with Battlefield 1. It has a competent campaign that properly does justice to The Great War and a deep, fun multiplayer experience that reminds us why Battlefield does it better than anyone on a massive scale.
Ace Banana demonstrates that virtual reality experiences can be as creatively bankrupt and technically destitute as the most cynically conceived mobile games. It's an untended facsimile of wave-based survival that specializes in unreliable control, dubious assembly, and the induction of nausea. If critics are concerned that virtual reality may be a fleeting gimmick then Ace Banana is their core example.
Competent virtual reality creates a profound shift in the way games immerse players. Past the novelty, however, comes the demand to have a material effect on the virtual world. Being a witness is fine, but becoming a participant is better. Job Simulator, perhaps more than any other PlayStation VR launch title, neither dwells in abstracts nor resides in stasis. Its cartoony confines are genuine, and player agency, however modest, feels authentic.
Virtual reality is an apt home for Battlezone's class of tank busting pandemonium. Appropriating its arcade doctrine, filtering it through 36 years, and then projecting it as a full-priced product may have been a reach. As an experience, Battlezone VR is neatly matched to its hardware. As a game, however, it doesn't (yet) have quite enough firepower to oppose any presumed opposition.
When Arkham VR works, I am Batman breathing in the ambience of Gotham City. When it fails, I am a human being in my basement struggling to convince suspicious technology to behave correctly. This creates a curious dichotomy, one that actively embraces virtual reality's capability to magically transform the world while also bearing the burden of hardware in its infancy. Whether or not Arkham VR can find balance may come down to a set of personal preferences and, to a certain extent, luck.
WWE 2K17 has clear focus with what makes for a good wrestling experience. The visuals, the options for gameplay and the beautiful atmosphere of the game make this wrestling title worth your time. The controls do bring the gameplay down a bit, though, as they feel stiff and linear for the most part. Regardless, the rest of the game shows that Yuke’s and Visual Concepts has certainly started to point this series in the right direction.
SuperHyperCube leverages virtual reality as a space for three dimensional thinking. It may be the most straightforward game of PlayStation VR's launch, but its intelligible nature makes it no less effective at creating panic. SuperHyperCube is fast, smooth, and, right now, an ideal entry point for virtual reality gaming.
Thumper wraps a trip through spectral hell, the sensation of travelling down an interminable barrel of a gun, and a pounding rhythm game into an articulate package. It condenses to a sensory rampage that feels as concerned with survival as it is as consumed by perfection. Hitting notes on highway isn't a new concept, but performing it under the threat of phantasmal horror, and somehow empowering progress, positions Thumper as a modern apex.
Chase is a very brief but also really enjoyable game that is worth picking up.
Gearbox did a fine job here and the new goodies and content are a huge plus. I do wish the other content from the Megaton Edition were here, but this is still a great addition to your digital library.
An overall solid sequel and a great game, with some evolutionary game design from previous titles in the series that may or may not appeal to you.
The death of the Dreamcast. The birth of PlayStation VR. Rez's singular orbit stays outside of a mercurial industry and remains as powerful and as relevant as it was fifteen years ago. By its architecture and through its nature, there isn't a time when Rez won't be beautiful. PlayStation VR, as it happens now, is the best way to experience it in 2016.
Would you prefer a tenacious coach who encourages you to do better or an obstinate teacher who seems aroused by failure? Necropolis expects its audience to compose the latter. No one needs their games to be nurturing or complimentary, but the decency to spotlight meaningful content and abandon waste is a manner Necropolis could stand to learn
Skylanders: Imaginators is a fantastic release that brings some new value to the series through gamer Skylander creation and great gameplay in the main story. Toys for Bob and Activision are certainly keeping this series fresh with good ideas and execution.
Atlas Reactor is an impressive turn-based tactical game that has ground work built on fast action and a steep learning curve.
Rise of Iron is a rather fitting end for Destiny and is worth the purchase for those who've followed the game thus far. The changes made by Bungie over the course of its lifespan have made the game a much more fun place to be. There are still the old drawbacks of the grind for gear but given that it's something so integral to the game it's not surprising this hasn't changed.
Dragon Quest Builders is a stunning balance of build and adventure. I was incredibly skeptical that the two genres would ever evenly mix, but somehow Square Enix found the right spots and put together one helluva package for Dragon Quest and Minecraft fans to enjoy. It’s really quite good and addictive.
Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor is a hallucinogenic merry-go-round of oddities operating at dangerous speeds. Some passengers will be bored to tears at its perceived mundanity while others will find themselves charmed by its stylish construction and otherworldly performance. A select few may be eaten by the ride. In any case, riders will find their expectations carefully challenged.