VideoGame_Discussion

I love VR ports. As long as they're done well, keep 'em coming. The difference between playing RE7, for example, flat vs in VR is really notable.

This looks decent. Besides RE8 and that on-rails shooter I'm forgetting the name of that was like a sequel to Rush Of Blood, are there any notable horror games on PSVR2 yet? And has that on-rails shooter been patched up yet compared to the state it launched in?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRvlNJPBJKI

Phasmophobia coming to consoles in August. Will support PSVR2 and cross-platform multiplayer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdHp_fHmJEY

anyone remember the name of the wilderness crafting survival game? It's not song of smoke, it was a newer one not out yet with better graphics.

EDIT: Nevermind found it by browsing past state of play, that's where I thought I saw it. Def gonna wait for this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub2G8f1-NCw

Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission VR is out and it doesn't seem to be very good. Every time an on-rails VR shooter is released and ends up not being very fun, I feel like Sega and Namco are missing out on some easy money by not bringing over Time Crisis, Virtua Cop or House of the Dead to VR. They even released a House of the Dead Remake last year and were too stupid to put VR support in the PS4 version.

This reviewer ended up getting the platinum trophy in 2 hours and says even on the hard difficulty it was still too easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLumJYMDxtg

Switchback getting a big update that includes "graphical, gameplay improvements and more."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6-pyr0ILug

I finally saw a PSVR2 in the wild. They had one left at Walmert. Unfortunately it was the base unit and not the one that comes bundled with the Horizon game, so it was a lot easier to resist the temptation.

Are there any PSVR2 purchases you guys have made that you regret? Everyone asks for the hidden gem recommendations and stuff, but what about games you think people should avoid? Or is it still too soon for there to be many of those?

I don't have one yet and have been keeping an eye on the titles being released. It's been quiet, no?
Not a lot has caught my interest and having a Quest 2 makes the PSVR2 even less of a must-have right now. Gonna wait a year and a price drop then catch up on the games I missed.

I've been trying to keep up with new releases, I'm really just waiting for an excuse to pull the trigger and buy one. Horror games are what I'm most interested in, so I'm checking reviews on YouTube each time a new one gets released, but there aren't enough good ones yet. This might be one area where it might be smarter to look into PC VR instead, but I'll always be more of a console guy.

In the mean time I'm going through my unplayed PSVR1 games, which is likely in the range of 20-25 games at this point because I keep buying more in PSN sales. But it just sucks playing VR in summer time, so I try to keep the play sessions short.

PizzaTheHutt wrote:

Wasn’t a fan of horizon tbh

I got the base model just because all of my systems complete with the box are original base model styles and don't include a pack in or bundle. Except systems like Wii of course, where it was standard. But thats more a collecting continuality quirk of mine.

This Mannequin game was just announced and I'm hoping it turns out to be good. "Asymmetric multiplayer hide-and-seek VR game."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trPqc7tu_8I

The world has stopped. Time is frozen. All attempts to make contact with the aliens have failed. Special Agents have been deployed to neutralize the threat once and for all. Humans call the aliens: Mannequins. Mannequin is an asymmetric multiplayer game for up to 5 players, filled with suspense, social deduction and fast, sudden action. Play as alien Mannequins and set up deadly ambushes by posing as humans frozen in time, or as human Agents and wield high tech gadgets to neutralize the Mannequins from a distance.

You can apply to playtest the game on their Discord server.
https://www.mannequingame.com/playtests-mannequin-...

Anyone play anything good on this thing recently? Or anyone start to feel like they might've bought one too soon and it hasn't been getting enough use?

I'm thinking I'll finally pick one up in early-mid January. I've been holding off because I feel like the library really isn't quite there yet to justify the price, but I'm convinced there's enough good games coming in 2024 that it might be worth it to just get it early and play the few good games already out while I wait for some of the new ones. Plus my birthday and Christmas coming up, I've made it clear I only want gift cards, so I expect that might help cover maybe $150-$200 of the cost.

What's the battery life like on the VR2 Sense controllers? I've reached the point where one of my PS Move controllers doesn't seem to hold a charge as long as the other, but since VR games are not long anyway, I've never had it die on me in the middle of a play session.

So, I haven't played as much as I wanted to, but I've enjoyed everything I've played so far (Horizon: Call of the Mountain, The Light Brigade, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge, and Kayak). Of those, Kayak was my least favorite (although still neat), and I had the most fun with The Light Brigade. I don't personally feel like I bought it too soon. I still have 40+ games in my backlog that I bought but haven't gotten around to playing yet (just because there have been a buncn of great non-VR games out recently (Diablo IV, Baldur's Gate III, etc.). The battery life on the Sense controllers hasn't been an issue for me, but, then again, the most I've played at a time is a few hours. I haven't had them die on me yet.

In terms of stuff to play, Resident Evil 4 Remake's VR mode comes out as a free upgrade on December 8th. I'm really looking forward to that one.
 
PizzaTheHutt wrote:

I remember you mentioning The Light Brigade before. I don't know much about it but just put it in my wishlist now.

I've heard on Discord that the VR2 Sense controllers can last around 4-5 hours, but that they charge really fast, like it'll only take 15-20 minutes to recharge fully. If true, that's great and I wish the regular DualSense charged that fast because its got about the same amount of battery life.

Nice. Take my recommendation with a little bit of a grain of salt though, because I love roguelites, and The Light Brigade is one. Also, the controls take some getting used to. That being said, it's pretty addictive and has some great boss fights. The platinum was tough, but I powered through it, because even when I had a hard time with some runs, it has that "just one more time" quality to it.

PizzaTheHutt wrote:

Arizona Sunshine II reviews are out and it's currently at 81 on Metacritic. It seems to be less janky than the original (which was one of the most janky/buggy PSVR games I've played), but overall after watching and reading some reviews I'm not convinced I want to spend $50 on it.

The co-op mode in the campaign seems fun, but the horde mode only has one map and it's the same one from the first game, and apparently takes upwards of 30 minutes before it becomes challenging. On the plus side it makes good use of the haptics, and the campaign is approximately 7 hours long, I feel like I want to support developers that make VR games that last more than just 2 or 3 hours because that's often my biggest complaint with VR games.
https://www.metacritic.com/game/arizona-sunshine-2...

If anyone is looking to add another PSVR2 game to their collection, Best Buy's deal of the day today is Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 for $30. I'm not big into racing sims, but I'm gonna be desperate for some VR games to play in a few weeks when I pick up my PSVR2, so I ordered GT7 since I know they did it right this time and made the whole game playable in VR, unlike last-gen.

GT7 is excellent. Even if you don’t love racing it may hook you.

Oof, as more reviews trickle in for Arizona Sunshine II the score has dropped to 75 now. Oh well. I still wanna play it though, but this is making me feel I'm right for not wanting to spend $50 on it.

Anyways, has Sony gone in-depth on what their long-term plans for PSVR2 are? Like, is it always just meant for playing games and that's it? From my understanding you can do lots more with PC VR headsets. Even on the original PlayStation VR there are apps where you could watch VR videos and 3D movies (even the adult kind if you really wanted to), and the YouTube app had the option to watch videos in 360°, but you can't do any of that in PSVR2 (yet). I wish they would address this. Of course the games are first and foremost the reason I'll be buying it in a few weeks, but at the price they're charging it'd be nice if it could do other things too. I'm hoping for something big planned in February to celebrate the first year anniversary, like maybe putting a few games on the PS+ Extra tier, that'd be nice and maybe help justify the recent price hike a little.

Ven VR Adventure released today at $20. I don't expect it to be on the same level as Astro Bot on the old PSVR, but this looks like it'll be nice to play after I get through RE 8 and RE 4. Is this the first 3D platformer on PSVR2 or are there others I should be looking at?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKzNXpe3aqI

I have Ven on the Quest2. It's not as polished as Astrobot but it's more challenging and has more variety. It isn't amazing but I had lots of fun with it. There aren't a lot of games like this unfortunately so I was willing to put up with some occasional clumsiness. $20 is prob the highest I would pay for it.

Nice. By the time I finish the two RE games maybe it'll be on sale, but if not, if it's a decent game I'm willing to pay the $20. The easy difficulty was really the only complaint I had with Astro Bot. That game did everything else right and convinced me 3D platformers have a place in VR, there just needs to be more of them.

This reminded me I have Super Lucky Tale or something on the old PSVR that I still need to play.

I got some Pulse Explore earbuds today for my birthday and also modded my PSVR2 headset with a globular cluster module, and it’s a whole different experience. It’s more immersive, I can stay in the sweet spot pretty easily, it’s more comfortable, and the earbuds sound better than I expected them to. (The key is definitely getting the right earbud tips. You can tell when they’re right, as they kinda lock in and seal your ear canal, and everything sounds way better.). Anyway, I’d recommend both (and especially the globular cluster module). I had a blast playing RE Village tonight with this setup.

Bleed_DukeBlue wrote:

I got the pulse earbuds coming in too and were hoping they were good for vr. Good to hear. That globular cluster setup looks intense, in a good way

The globular cluster was much easier to install than I had thought it would be. You just pop out the front and back pads and the replacements click in. There’s an optional top strap, but I don’t even use it. I read that it’s mainly for if you have an overly large or overly small head. It makes the headset noticeably more comfortable and stable on my head.

Shane12m wrote:

I got cockblocked by two Walmarts trying to pick up a PSVR2 today. Don't ever trust their app...or the people who work there apparently. I started by going to a Walmart 30 minutes out of the way because the app said that was the only store around that had it in stock, but the dude working there said not only do they not have any in stock, but that he hasn't seen any in that store "in a while". So then I went to another one, even though the app said they didn't have it in stock I know I've seen them there in the weeks leading up to Christmas, so I thought maybe the app was incorrect since it was wrong about the other store already. But they were sold out too and the woman in the electronics section said "I don't even think we sell those", but like I said I've seen them there before but I didn't want to waste my breath explaining to her that they do indeed sell them and it's part of her job to know that they do. I could've saved myself the disappointment (and gas) by just calling ahead of time, but nobody at either store would answer the phone. Oh well, I just ordered one online that'll be here Wednesday, but I was really hoping to pick one up in person so I can have it set up for some guests tomorrow while waiting for the countdown.

Anyway, I bought a couple more games in the current PSN sale so I'll have stuff to play as soon as I unbox that sumdog. Current PSVR2 library:
Resident Evil VIII Village - It's the PS4 version, but it'll upgrade to PS5 for free, just been waiting until I can play it in VR.
Resident Evil 4 Remake - Also been waiting for VR to play it.
Gran Turismo 7 - I wouldn't have bought this if Best Buy didn't have it on sale earlier this month. But at least I know it's not a half-assed VR mode like the PSVR1 GT game.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Switchback VR - I've read it has been patched up enough now that it is the complete game it should've been when it first launched.
Garden of the Sea - I watched the trailer and couldn't help but think this might be the closest we get to an Animal Crossing VR anytime soon.
Ven VR Adventure - I decided not to wait for a sale on this one and just bought it 10 minutes ago. I'm already spending $600 between the headset and Sense VR controller charger, what's another $20?

And my unplayed PSVR1 games that I know offer free upgrades to PSVR2 version:
Beat Saber, Job Simulator, Pistol Whip and Pixel Ripped 1995

I think that'll be enough to keep me busy for a little while, though I might buy another game or two before the PSN sale ends on the 6th. But I really don't want my PSVR2 backlog to get out of control like my PSVR1 backlog did where I'm still trying to catch up to it years later.

I got my PSVR2 today and first thing I noticed was the tape/seal on the box was already broken... Hopefully that doesn't mean anything. Everything else still looks like it was never touched. I bought a couple more games last night, After The Fall and I already forgot what the other was.

I'm charging up the VR2 Sense controllers and then I'll hop in and play some Switchback. A Google search says the controllers take 2 hours to fully charge, but I was told on Discord they only take 15-20 minutes. Somebody's lying to me.

Enjoy! I love my PSVR2. I still play my PSVR, but it's a night and day difference.

PizzaTheHutt wrote:

I played a bit of Switchback (about 40 minutes or so) and so far early impressions, this is already a big improvement over the original PSVR. Like, when I'm in the roller coaster thing I can actually turn my upper body and head to look behind me and not have to worry about the camera telling me I'm "out of the play area" or something. PSVR was my gateway into VR and I got tons of enjoyment out of it (and still do), but damn that whole external camera gimmick for tracking was just a bad idea.

I'm not gonna try any other games until I finish Switchback. It's probably a fairly short game like the first one was, but I hope to do at least two playthroughs before I move on to something else.

Went ahead and ordered the pulse explore buds. I’ve been debating it for weeks and got some extra Christmas funds. I’m excited to try it for the portal and especially the VR2.

I've just been using my regular Pulse headset with PSVR2. I don't know why I never thought to wear it when playing PSVR1, I guess I just thought over-the-ear headphones wouldn't fit comfortably.

The Pulse Explore earbuds are too pricey for me, and I've heard the bass isn't very good, and that the volume control on the earbuds don't work when they're connected to a non-PlayStation device.

I’ve used the Pulse earbuds a fair bit with the Portal and PSVR2. They’re great for those purposes, but I wouldn’t use them as general headphones. (I prefer my Focal Clears for everything that doesn’t involve portability.)

I have a good set for work out etc. I just wanted these for the ps stuff. Hopefully if there are performance issues they can update easily. I use my portal for at least an hour nightly.

I told myself I was done, but I just went back for a few last minute purchases before this PSN sale ends.
Puzzling Places - PSVR2 Probably should have played the free trial on PS+ Premium first to know if I'll like it.
Drums Rock - PSVR2 Never played the drums in Guitar Hero or Rockband, but this looks fun. And a VR headset is easier to put away when not in use than a bulky plastic drumset would be.
Anyone's Diary - PSVR1 I don't plan to abandon this thing just because I upgraded to VR2.

There's a couple of other games in my wishlist I've had my eye on, but would like to find some other opinions of first. One being Galaxy Kart, which I know released in a rough state, but I want to know how much better it is now compared to 9 months ago. I'm a kart racing game fanatic but I know at launch it only had 4 tracks (quite pitiful) but I know the devs were committed to fixing it up post-launch, I just need to know how much progress they've made.

Akka Arrh is getting a PSVR2 release in March and it looks kinda...funky. It's a Jeff Minter game who is probably best known for Tempest 2000.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03PDtTYx8yI

I had an idea I was all excited to try. VR 360 videos on youtube of rollercoasters. But PS5 isn't compatible with Youtube VR is it?

I see a lot of comments how PS4 was, but no update to make PS5 compatible yet. I know the resolution on those aren't that great, but I'd love to go into VR and move my head around while on one of those coasters in VR. Would be fun I think.

On that note, Epic Roller Coasters is kinda fun and is out on PSVR2 now: https://www.metacritic.com/game/epic-roller-coaste.... (A lot of the tracks are separate DLC purchases, but the game is technically free, and you can try out a few of them without purchasing anything.)

ErickRPG wrote:

Got my pulse explore buds. These things are pretty great. Can’t really feel them in ear as much as other buds. The spatial sound is excellent. I hate the dongle connector but I’m not sure if I even need to be using it?

ErickRPG wrote:


It's true that PS4 could do it but PSVR2 can't. The US side of the PSVR2 division is kinda slacking. You can watch 3D movies on this thing...if you have a Japanese PSN account and VPN and super fast internet because you have to stream the movies, they don't download (which imo makes it not worth it if you're outside of Japan). General consensus seems to be if you want VR for more than just gaming, head over to Quest. I think at some point I might end up getting one of those too.

As for roller coasters specifically, as already pointed out there is Epic Roller Coasters you can download for free. I tried one roller coaster on it so far, it was...alright, I guess. I was riding on a track while explosions were going off around me causing boulders to come crashing down. It was kinda cool but awfully quiet (there's no screaming sound effect of other people on the coaster with you, which to me is half the fun of irl coasters).

Some quick first impressions of a couple of games I started recently:

Drums Rock - This is fun. Unfortunately I don't seem to have the reflexes to keep up with most songs even on medium, which is a problem I had with Guitar Hero and Rocksmith as well and pretty much stuck to the easier songs and never felt motivated enough to try to get better. Main downside so far is the lack of licensed music, and what's there isn't the original songs but sound-alike cover versions like in the early days of Guitar Hero.

Ven VR Adventure - Oh boy, the jank is off the charts. I'll stick with it because there seems to only be 12 levels and I've already finished 7, but I guess I was a little too eager to jump at this one because I just wanted a 3D platformer in VR and from what I can tell on PSVR2 there are no other options yet. Also there's an annoying glitch at the end of level 4 and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong that triggered it, and when I was able to bypass it I wasn't sure what I did right. That definitely needs to be patched, I think they were just in a hurry to get this out before Christmas.