When the PSVR came out, it was sort of a shock to most people, including myself, especially when compared to other powerful VR systems, like Vive and Oculus, both needing hefty systems to run it. Nobody was really sure if the PS4 could actually run it, and if it would be any good (some also wondered if Sony had lost their mind).
Even more surprising is that it basically came out of the blue, and wasn’t just something completely new from Sony, but also managed to resurrect both the Playstation camera and the PlayStation move, the latter of which was mostly forgotten. While it did have somewhat of a rocky start, especially since it didn’t come with a game like almost every other platform release by Sony had, it slowly grew into the juggernaut it is now.
More and more 3rd party support and games coming out meant that the PSVR was no longer just a crazy experiment by Sony, but rather a really intelligent and fun gamble, one that paid off. That being said, it’s certainly true that games on the PSVR are somewhat expensive for what you’re getting, especially as developers learn the ropes of VR development.
In that vein, I’ve collected some of the best PSVR games that you almost certainly should buy if you can afford them. Some of these games are PSVR-only, and others are reintroductions of 2D games in a 3D world. Even better, PSVR even features some outstanding PS4 exclusives. So, all in all, there’s a great mix in there for everybody.
Before I start, I should mention that the PSVR has two models, with Model 2 being the one that you’ll most often find at shops. There’s really not much of a difference between them, only that the Model 2 has the headphone jack and buttons integrated into the headset, rather than the cable. Also, the on button is moved from the bottom of the headset in Model 1 to the top of the headset in Model 2. Otherwise, they’re exactly the same.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s knock-on. 👓 🎮
#1 Borderlands 2 VR
The first game on the list doesn’t really need an introduction, considering it’s had around 13million in sales, there’s a high probability that you’ve already played it. In fact, Borderland 2 got a place in our top first-person shooters of all time article. So the real question here is whether VR adds anything to the Borderland 2 experience, and the simple answer is . . . Yes, yes, it does.
As you might expect the level of immersion that’s provided in VR works incredibly well with Borderlands 2, and the cell-shaded graphics of the game mesh well and not only provide great performance but also look really good. Similarly, feeling the scale of things in the game world, something you don’t get on a 2D screen, just makes the whole experience completely different.
Towering bosses, long rifles and a variety of other things makes everything more real, and quite honestly, invests you a bit more into both the story and the gameplay. There are also some really neat additions, such as the new slow-mo ability that only exists in Borderlands 2 VR, something a die-hard fan might be skeptical about. Don’t worry, though; it’s really fun and certainly required when you consider the difficulties of movement and the current VR tech.
Speaking of difficulties of movement, Gearbox have done a solid and included a ton of different ways for you to adjust your VR experience, from teleportation to walking, and even movement speed and blinders. Unfortunately, there are some downsides.
Cutscenes haven’t been made 3D, so you’re basically stuck watching 2D cutscenes whenever they pop up, which sort of breaks up the immersion a little bit. Similarly, the game is still in stereo and doesn’t have any 3D audio, another thing that sort of breaks the immersion. Finally, there’s no aim assist for help, which is a shame because there’s no co-op either, so you can’t form a party to help get around some of these issues.
All in all, though, Borderlands 2 VR is an excellent VR port, that offers more than it takes away. If you’ve never played Borderlands 2, this is the perfect time to give it a shot, and if you have played Borderlands 2, then you might consider picking up the VR version when it’s on sale.
#2 Astro Bot: Rescue Mission
Astro Bot: Rescue Mission is the game that really shows you the potential of what VR can do. The studio that made it, Japan Studio, has a history of working on showcasing new Sony tech and in fact, they’re the one who made Ape Escape to showcase the DualShock controller. So as you can see, they have quite the pedigree, and this game is no exception.
What really makes it stand out from your day to day platformer, is that you actually have a physical presence in the world, along with the character you control (named Astro Bot). This means that you’re personally included in all the action and cutscenes of the game (no seriously, they’ll fly right up into your face and make you flinch away). It really is so fresh and innovative; it’s almost hard to describe how enjoyable and engaging it is.
One example is that the level design takes your perspective into account, so you might have to peek over an edge to see a ledge below you, or it might go behind you, so you have to turn around in your chair literally.
Another example is that enemies in the game will try and attack you, which among other things can take the form of smashing into your screen to make it look broken, or shooting goo at you to obscure your screen and you can only get it off by shaking your head. It’s not as tiring as it sounds either since you inhabit a physical space, you can totally dodge out of the way of these things.
Of course, the game is not always about you, and the platformer portion is conventional with a nice and interesting story. Taking this philosophy of including the player at a meta-level, you’re sometimes given things which allow you to shoot out ninja stars for attack and to create platforms for Astro. Astro himself has his own moves, including a spin attack and leg lasers which he can also use for a little bit of extra flight time.
What really makes the game stand out though, is this meshing of platformer gameplay and including you in the mechanics. It certainly makes Astro Bot: Rescue Mission stand out in a sea of new and emergent gameplay that VR has ushered in. If you can get your hands on this game, it’s a must buy.
#3 Beat Saber
Now I know what you’re thinking because I thought the same thing when I first saw Beat Saber: another rhythm game with a gimmick. Truth is though, it’s actually a really, really fun game, which at face value seems pretty simple, but when you get to the nitty-gritty of it, is both engaging and challenging. So, don’t dismiss this game just yet.
The game is pretty straightforward; there are two colored blocks that move towards you, with arrows on where you need to hit them. Of course, it’s never that simple, and as you ramp up the difficulty, the number of blocks and the wide variety of ways you need to hit them really makes it challenging. Not only that but more often than not, you’ll probably fill in the gaps between each hit with your own moves and twirls and fun movements that your body gravitates to.
I have to say that hitting the beats is really satisfying, more so than you’d think, with the blocks breaking up with colors and pulses of lights far off in the background. Speaking of the background, it doesn’t drown out what’s right in front of you, and it’s just the right amount of subtle and awesome to offer some fun support to the whole experience. Add to it the walls and little mine things that you have to avoid, and you get a VRscape that is dynamic but not overly so.
I’ll also say that the move controllers continue to impress, even after being out for a decade they’re still smooth and don’t miss a beat (pun intended). The game also has tons of modes, difficulty levels and a variety of things to keep you interested and coming back to the 15 tracks that are included in the base game.
That’s where the downsides come in, and having only 15 tracks in the game is a little bit unimpressive when you compare it to the plethora of tracks in games like Rockband. Not only that, but the majority of tracks are really beat-heavy, and there’s not much variety, which is unfortunate. That being said, the game will have DLC with new tracks to choose from, but whether you think that’s worth the price will depend solely on you.
Beat Saber is a fun game that breaths some life back into rhythm games while taking the VR experience in a new direction. Sure, track selection and amount isn’t great, but that’s likely to get rectified in the future. Even if it’s not, you’ll certainly get several hours of fun out of it that are worth the $30 price tag.
#4 I Expect You to Die
Combining VR, a spy movie and an escape room experience, I Expect You to Die is a super fun game that really manages to do quite a bit with VR.
The story is that you’re a spy, and you are put through a variety of scenarios that require you to do some puzzle-solving to get out free. That can be anything from mixing chemicals to getting a car off a plane’s hold that’s filling with gas. There’s actually tons of time pressure you have to deal with, so if you can’t handle that, maybe you should think of another career path.
In all seriousness, though, it’s actually a lot of fun trying to figure out how to solve puzzles while using the motion controllers. What makes this game stand out, is that you can basically interact with everything telekinetically while you yourself remain fixed in one position. This ends up making you spin around in your chair to wildly look around for the thing you need while something is ticking down or an alarm is going off.
Obviously, the biggest part is the immersiveness of 3D, and it’s nearly impossible to describe it without you experiencing it yourself. Suffice to say, adding a layer of perspective and depth makes things much more difficult, but not necessarily frustrating. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the scenarios since I feel like that would be spoiling the fun, just know that they’re great and really fit them well.
Oh, and the game has some really great banter and humor, so I’d pick it up for that alone. While I Expect You to Die doesn’t break any new ground, it’s still an excellently solid game that is worth the purchase. You’ll also get a ton of replayability trying to beat your own scores and figuring out how to solve the puzzle in different quicker ways, (which you can absolutely do).
#5 Moss
Moss is a game that is very much in the same vein as Astro Robot: Rescue mission, in that it’s a beautifully crafted experience that really shows you what VR is capable of.
Much like Astro Robot, you have a sort of physical presence in the game world, but rather than being something that is attacked, instead you can grab and alter things in the game world. You do this by using the motion-sensing in the DualShock controller where you can select and move objects, slow down rotating mills, and things of that nature. You also control Quill, the titular mouse character as well, and it’s kind of like trying to rub your belly while patting your head.
The game places you within a storybook style setting where everything is scaled down to the size of a mouse, which is what the titular character is. With the stereoscopic 3D aspect, you can really feel the world and game wrap around you, and the environment can feel grand in one moment and then tiny in the next. This also plays into the puzzle-solving an aspect of the game, especially obtaining secrets, where you’ll have to look around to find hidden areas or solutions to puzzles.
What really stands out though is the level of immersion, and a lot of that is brought to you courtesy of Quill. She is so cute and incredibly well animated to the point where she almost feels real. Sometimes she’ll look back at you as if making sure she’s doing what you want, and sometimes she’ll even help you out in puzzles by pointing you in the right direction.
When she falls in the water, she brushes herself off after getting out, when she’s standing still her ears droop, and her facial expressions change, and she’ll even reach out to touch you if you get close to her. Really, the whole thing just makes her one of the most incredible and endearing characters I’ve seen. Oh, and you can totally pet her (which she loves).
But while Quill might be the star of the show, the environment and voice acting in the narration really pull everything together. You get lush gardens and beautiful environments to play around in, and as you progress in the story, the audio narrative bits really pull your attention. There are even points where big deer in the background moving around make you really feel the small scale you’re in.
Really, the biggest issue with Moss is that it ends too soon. It creates this incredibly crafted experience that ends in around four hours with a bit of sequel baiting. I guess that’s just a testament to how great this game is; you really just want to spend as much time with it as you can.
#6 Firewall Zero Hour
If you’re a fan of tactical shooters like Rainbow Six Siege, then Firewall Zero Hour is probably right up your alley . . . Well, more like exactly right up your alley.
While the game only really has one mode called contract that is essentially a 4vs4 attack and defend-style gameplay, it actually does a really good job of keeping you invested in the game. Since it is an online tactical shooter, the other three people you play with are real, and you get the same requirement for communication and tactics that you do with R6S.
This is especially the case since you’re playing against real people, rather than just a bunch of bots (although you can do the latter in a 4-person or solo setup).
What really sells it though is the 3D aspect, and this game has managed real well with not having to fix your weapon to the camera and making the aiming pretty good. The audio is also pretty excellent, and while it isn’t necessarily the best, sound does come from the direction it originated from, so you hear everything in 3D. Hearing somebody around a corner, leaning around it physically, and taking them out is an incredibly satisfying feeling that you just won’t get outside of VR.
Luckily, even though it’s only one mode, there are nine different maps available (roughly the same as what R6S had when it came out), and they’re all excellently built for different types of gameplay. Some maps have tight corridors that force you into close quarter combat, and some maps have open spaces with lots of vantage points that you can take advantage of (or worry about).
Generally speaking, good maps is half the battle when it comes to a good competitive shooter, so I’m very happy that the maps here are really excellent.
When you start off, you have 9 of the 12 operators unlocked, each with their own skills and perks (see I told you it was like R6S). While operators have 1 set skill, you can add secondary skill to them if you wish, of which there are 22. Unlocking skills and operators is exactly how you’d expect, with leveling up and gaining currency which you then spend to get whatever you want.
Finally, there are 13 primary guns, 5 secondary guns, and a bunch of consumables like grenades for you to play with. Weapons also have attachments, both mechanical and cosmetic, that you can also purchase, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t have sniper weapons or zoomed scopes, and that’s mostly because it would require a second render of the game world, and that taxes the PS4 a bit too much, although we could see it coming in the future with more optimizations.
Firewall Zero Hour is a surprisingly deep game that brings tactical FPS to the Playstation and VR. It’s an excellent all-around game, and with developers who are supporting the game, as well as an active community, you’re likely to get tons of hours out of it.
#7 SUPERHOT VR
Another game that’s been around for a while that’s come to VR, this port really makes you feel as if you’re Neo, dodging bullets and slowing downtime. Regarding PSVR, it’s one of the best FPS games you can find.
If you haven’t played the game before, it’s pretty simple; the game world is paused except for when you move. Turning your head, moving your hands, and shooting your weapon all unpause time, where enemies are running and shooting at you. It’s sort of like a first-person bullet hell game, with the added ability to pause time when you don’t move.
Of course, you aren’t completely defenseless in all this, as you do sometimes get weapons such as guns, or objects such as bottles of glass to disarm an opponent that sends their weapon flying in your direction. You also have to lead your targets, because your weapons aren’t hitscan, and even your bullets stop when you don’t move, so if you aim at an enemy in one place, by the time the bullet gets there they might have moved.
Put all that together, and you get an experience where somebody is rushing at you with a gun, you throw a bottle at them which disarms them, makes their weapon fly at you, and you grab it out of the air and shoot at another target. It’s really cool, and you could even say it’s . . . super cool (I know, I’m hilarious, I’ll be here all week).
Unfortunately, it is a rather short game, with the main ‘campaign’ only lasting a couple of hours and leading you through the cryptic and enigmatic ‘story.’ After that, though, you do have an endless mode that you can play and five locations to pick from. That might not sound like much, but you can spend hours having fun trying to beat your own kill count.
There are some other minor issues too, such as the motion controllers being a bit wonky sometimes and not always lining up properly (and it really is only sometimes, like 3-5% of the time). Also, while the graphics overall are pretty good, the game desperately needs some anti-aliasing to help with those jagged edges, although it’s not super noticeable, especially when you’re in the middle of a hectic fight. Again, these issues are pretty minor and don’t really get in the way the majority of the time.
Superhot VR may seem very simple, but it’s actually a really, really excellent and fun game. It really makes you feel as if you’re a badass superhero that is able to take down several targets with some cool tricks and moves. While the campaign is short, the endless mode more than makes up for it, and it’s certainly worth the money you’re paying for it.
#8 Star Trek: Bridge Crew
If you’re a big Star Trek fan, then you’ve probably heard about this game, which puts in the bridge of a starship and essentially lets you loose. The real question though is whether it lives up to hype and expectations . . . And yes, it mostly does.
Putting you on the bridge of the ageas for the first game, the VR really sells the immersion and just being on a literal starship bridge. It’s really incredible, with all the buttons, screens and sounds just firing shots of nostalgia right into the pleasure centers of your brain. There’s also a DLC that puts you in the original Enterprise, and the difference is almost night and day in terms of what the two ships can handle and even what they look like.
Now gameplay can be done either in solo or with a group of up to four friends for the four different positions. You have helmsman who pilots the ship, tactical which does scanning and ‘hacking,’ the engineer that handles power and repair, and finally, the captain who has an overview of everything. It’s actually surprisingly deep and might even be a bit daunting when you first play it.
Whether you play in solo or with friends, there are several different modes you can play the game in, from a campaign to randomly generated missions. For the campaign, you get a set of story missions and dynamic missions, all loosely tied together and it should take you around 8 hours to complete. As for the random missions, they can be hit and miss in terms of action and fun, although they’re still enjoyable for the most part.
Of course, not everybody can arrange for three other people to play an 8-hour game with them, and solo becomes the best option. In this mode, you take the seat of the captain, and you send out commands to three different AI through the radial menu. For the most part, they’re pretty good, although the helmsman seems to have a few issues following commands, that’s generally pretty rare.
There’s really so much more to get into that I don’t have space for, so let me just that Star Trek: Bridge Crew is the quintessential Star Trek and VR game. The level of emersion is excellent, and even though narrative and mechanics peter out near the end, a lot of the fun comes from being in command of a whole starship. Add some friends into the mix, and you can get hours and hours of fun.
#9 Resident Evil 7
Resident Evil is a long franchise with a bit of a troubled history; lots of somewhat bad games in the middle and a terrible movie franchise spin-off, a lot of people had lost faith in the franchise. Thankfully, Resident Evil 7 swooped in and took the franchise back to its roots, making a focus and a truly excellent horror game that is terrifying.
While most of you will probably think that playing RE7 on PSVR won’t offer much, the truth is so, so different. Playing on VR is a completely new experience that only stereoscopic 3D can offer and if you thought you were immersed before, wait until you play it in VR. The presence that you have in the game and the world itself is really hard to describe, especially if you haven’t played VR before, but you really do feel as if you exist in the game.
It’s that level of immersion that actually makes RE7 so, so much scarier in PSVR. When you play it on a 2D screen, it’s much easier to mental escape by just looking away from a second or grounding yourself. In VR though, you’re completely encompassed in the world, and things feel so incredibly real, and you have no escape from them. I know I’m making it sound terrifying, but it’s also exhilarating, almost like going on a rollercoaster.
Even though it is quite scary, there are certain comforts, and that comes in the form of head tracking. While in non-VR RE7 you can’t look around corners or anything like that, you absolutely can on VR, and not just looking around corners, but also peering through cracks in the wall and things like that. It’s actually nice when you’re absolutely terrified to peek around a corner and see what’s coming up so you can steel yourself.
Now I’m sure that many of you are probably worrying about motion sickness and I’m happy to say that RE7 does an excellent job of avoiding that. You actually have a ton of options for you to choose from in-game that will let you play the way you want it. For example, you can choose to snap turning or smooth turning, the former of which is designed to alleviate any motion sickness (although it somewhat breaks the immersion).
Something else that ties into both previous points is how you aim and shoot while playing in PSVR. Unlike the 2D version of the game where you aim with the stick or mouse, in VR your aim is where you point your head, with a reticle in the center that shows you what you’re aiming it. This might sound a bit silly, but it actually adds a lot, making it feel as if you are the one taking the shots, rather than some disembodied stand-in for you.
Overall, Resident Evil 7 on the PSVR is an amazing experience, well worth it to play again, and if you’ve never played RE7 before, you should probably do it in VR the first time. I would certainly call this the killer app for PSVR; it’s that good.
#10 Tetris Effect
It’s easy to overlook Tetris Effect as just another Tetris game, or even just brush off the whole franchise altogether. With so many hardcore titles, it’s certainly odd to see a more casual and slow-paced game, one that many gamers might ignore. Honestly though, if you skip out on Tetris Effect, then you’ll miss out on one of the best VR experiences out there.
What really makes Tetris Effect stand out is how it meshes the age-old Tetris formula with some incredible music and particle effects, all of which come to life as you play. One moment you could have a particle effect whale going around you while swimming underwater, another you can be taken to a dark and orangish stage with energetic music.
Every time you place something down or even just switch up the shape, the music and/or the background react, making the whole thing come to life. This is especially evident when you talk about VR and the incredibly immersive experience that you get.
While there are standalone missions with a variety of different modes, the majority of the game comes in the campaign mode, simply called “Journey.” This journey of sorts will take you through an incredible number of locations, some that are familiar and some that are just incredibly bizarre. Regardless of where you go through, the simple flow of the gameplay pulls you in, and you really do always want to play just one more level.
While you won’t find many changes to the base mechanic of Tetris, Tetris Effect has added an interesting one, called ‘Zone.’ Basically, as you play and complete lines, a meter fills up until maximum where you unlock the Zone, which once triggered essentially freezes everything so you can take your time. Think of it as a sort of pause where you can make strategic decisions and place down tetroids without having to worry about a timer.
It’s in this Zone that something very interesting arises; the ability to create decahexadrons, or basically clearing out 16 lines in one go. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but when you clear four lines it’s called a Tetris, ergo the name of the game. So this new chance at changed the age-old formula is pretty fun and interesting.
All in all, the Tetris Effect is an excellent game that allows you to tune in and zone out while experiencing an immersive, beautiful, and musical land that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
Conclusion
Well, that was certainly quite a little journey we went on, and I do hope you enjoyed it. As you can see, there’s no better time than the present to jump into the PSVR if you don’t have it already. There are a plethora of amazing games on it for you to pick from, especially if you consider that this list only really covered ten games.
VR really is an amazing experience, and you should try it once in your life if you can. Either way, I hope you’ve found some PSVR games you’d like to play, so I wish you good luck and have fun playing! Also, check out our article on some of the most amazing VR games.