Blair Loveday
With PlayStation VR almost being out nearly three weeks now, many of us will have seen the glowing reviews about the hardware. It is not the best VR, but it is excellent, especially for its price, so when you are buying games too every dollar counts at that point.
Fortunately, PlayStation includes a demo disc and an even more elaborate version which can be downloaded meaning you can try most before you buy and a large number of titles outside of these have their own demo. The problem is when you buy your nice fancy new bit of tech, sometimes you want to grab a game with it to start up as soon as everything is plugged in.
With such a significant launch line-up none of us want to catch a stinker when there are diamonds to be played; as such here is my list of the best games currently available on the hardware.
5. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
Due to my usual wussy nature I am not the biggest fan of horror, but I had to try it in Virtual Reality to see what it is like. Unlike another horror game in VR, I was able to play Until Dawn: Rush of Blood without feeling squeamish, but I did have to stop semi-regularly due to being terrified.
Set up as a ride through a house of horrors, it is a literal on rail shooter where you use the move controllers as guns which worked fantastically. The guns have flashlights attached meaning while there is light around, it is dark and creepy and just an unnerving game.
4. Thumper
Thumper is a game I did not expect to like, but fell in love with quickly. It is a rhythm game which has your shiny beetle flying along a track, you control nothing but hitting X and moving slightly to the left and right. Its fast paced action and smooth gameplay makes it super easy to start playing but really difficult to master as it becomes faster and more complex and thanks to its super simple gameplay even when it is difficult you always feel like you can do better. The very simple aesthetics and fantastic soundtrack makes the experience something that still sits with me and tempts me to go back and play some more.
3. Headmaster
Headmaster is a game that seems like it would fit well in an arcade to steal your coins. You are enlisted in a football academy to teach you to be better at heading footballs. One major quirk is you see nobody else, all of the instructions are spoken through a cold war sounding speaker and the balls and challenges are all delivered mechanically. The darkened football pitch only lighting what you need and the barbed wire around the perimeter fence give a very sinister feel, which is offset by some over the top silly humour that had me chuckling out loud.
Another quirk is that you do not need a controller, you just head the ball at targets by moving your head and thanks to excellent motion tracking small changes in where the ball hits you on the head changes the balls trajectory as well as how hard you hit it. It is a game that did not take long to click and at that point it is very addictive and fun.
2. Batman Arkham VR
Batman Arkham VR is a short, around an hour for a play through game where you play as the masked crusader as he solves a close and personal crime. The way the world is built and how you put on the Batsuit makes for the most immersive experience I could have dreamed of. It is scary how even with very minimal combat, using your tools and seeing your reflection makes you feel like Bats.
The story is interesting and the world is well crafted, even with playing through a couple of times it is still quite pricey but worth every cent.
1. RIGS: Mechanized Combat
RIGS is a simple mechanical sport game, where you can either play mechanical-football, mechanical-shoot the other guys, or mechanical-shoot the other guys and then jump through a circle. All of the game modes are well crafted and the rules are thought out to the point where they seem like they are close to a real sport.
Its simple art style and reasonably simple gameplay makes RIGS a fantastic game, for all of the reasons I loved Rocket League. At first I found myself a little queasy around the hour mark but over time that tolerance has grown, but it is best played in small doses. Most nights I get home from work I cannot wait to play a couple of rounds of RIGS before I do anything else. It is everything I wanted from VR and more.
Honourable Mentions
SuperHyperCube
SuperHyperCube is a great game that has you controlling a cube which has to fit through a shape in a barrier as you soar towards it. Each time you go through barrier another cube is added to your cube, which you need to turn on the X and Y axis to fit through gaps as your shape and the gaps become more complex.
What makes it feel really great is you need to physically peer around the cube to see the shapes in the barrier, especially as it gets much larger. It is a fun little title that is not the best VR game, but it is quite unique and fun for short bursts.
PlayStation VR Worlds
PlayStation VR Worlds is a collection of small games\experiences that make for a great introduction to VR. The shark attack experience is very fun for those who have not experienced VR yet as you go on a ride that drops into the waters depths and involves nothing but looking around. Dangerball is great pong game where you control the paddle on n X and Y axis to hit the ball as it flies towards you and it is fun simple and addictive. The London Heist is an awesome short narrative focused game which is well created, interesting and when you need to interact, fun. On its own I could not recommend the London Heist enough. There are also a couple of other games that are hardly worth mentioning.
The problem PlayStation VR Worlds faces is, is the price tag. I struggle to justify the price, but if you can pick it up for the right price it is a worthwhile title.
