We’ve been learning more and more about the PSVR2 over the last few weeks and months, and while it still remains to be seen exactly when the new virtual reality headset will launch, there’s no shortage of excitement surrounding it. We, of course, are keenly anticipating its arrival as well, and are hoping for a solid selection of games not just over the course of its lifetime, but in the early goings following launch as well. Obviously, there isn’t much info out there on what games will be releasing for PSVR2, but like many others, there are some that we definitely hope to see on the hardware. Here, we’re going to talk about a few of those.
RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE
Let’s start with one of the more obvious picks. Resident Evil 7’s VR support was one of the game’s biggest features, and the survival horror title stands as one of the best games on the PSVR even now. Many had expected that Resident Evil Village would follow in its footsteps, and while that didn’t happen, we’re hoping that was more a case of timing than anything else. Hopefully, Capcom has been working behind-the-scenes to have the game ready for the PSVR2, because another virtual reality Resident Evil adventure would be very hard to say no to.
HALF-LIFE: ALYX
Arguably the best VR game ever made (and maybe even one of the best games across all hardware in recent years), Half-Life: Alyx was a watershed moment for the medium when it launched in 2020. Given the limitations of the original PSVR’s hardware, it was always more than a little unlikely that Valve’s shooter would make it to PlayStation- but with the PSVR2 boasting much better hardware and significantly better controllers, we’re hoping that will change. Rumours have suggested that a Half-Life: Alyx port is indeed in the works for PSVR2, so let’s hope that there’s some truth to that.
ACE COMBAT
The Ace Combat games lend themselves perfectly to VR as a medium, and sure enough, the VR Mode in Ace Combat 7 was a solid proof-of-concept for that. With a new Ace Combat game currently being in the works and PlayStation VR2 on the horizon, our hope is that the stars align and Bandai Namco’s dogfighting game ends up going all in on virtual reality support. Having a full-fledged Ace Combat experience would be a major victory for PSVR2, so we’re definitely keeping our fingers crossed for this one.
ASTRO BOT 2
Alongside the aforementioned Half-Life: Alyx, Astro Bot Rescue Mission is one of the best VR games we’ve ever played, so it goes without saying that we’re desperately hoping for a full-fledged sequel. Honestly, even though one hasn’t been announced, we’d be extremely surprised if Team Asobi wasn’t already working on a new Astro Bot game for PSVR2. The original title showcased the PSVR’s capabilities in excellent fashion while also being an incredible and charming platformer in its own right, so it’s no surprise that a sequel that does the same on a new virtual reality headset is in high demand.
GRAN TURISMO 7
Racing games are another genre that are tend to be a great fit for virtual reality, and while there’s no shortage of options in this area for games we’d like to see being brought over to PSVR2, the one we’re hoping for the most is Gran Turismo 7. Being able to completely immerse ourselves in the game’s incredibly detailed vehicle cockpits and driving through its meticulously crafted crafts sounds like a salivating prospect, and we’re sure (or we’re hoping, at least) that Polyphony Digital sees things the same way. GT Sport featured support for the PSVR, after all, so the chances of something similar happening with GT7 are pretty high.
BLOOD AND TRUTH 2
SIE London Studio’s Blood and Truth was another highlight in the original PSVR’s library, delivering a bombastic, adrenaline-fueled cinematic shooter that was teeming with tense action and excellent set-pieces. The developer is working on a new IP now, and one that seems to be multiplayer-centric, so the chances of Blood and Truth 2 being made for the PSVR2 in the near future are slim. Our hope, however, is that the studio will return to the property down the line for that sequel. And if not, we’d at least love to see a remastered version of the first game.
MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN VR
This one would be a little tricky, honestly. Mobility and motion sickness are among the biggest stumbling blocks that virtual reality games face even now, and both of those issues would be front and center in a game like Spider-Man. But if Insomniac can figure out a way to deal with those problems, a VR Spidey game could be something special. Imagine being able to swing through New York not just in first person, but with the full immersion of VR. If you’re not throwing up, you’re going to have a lot of fun.
THE LAST OF US VR
Honestly, we just want more of The Last of Us, whatever form that takes. So why not let it take the form of a dedicated VR game, as a spinoff if nothing else? Naughty Dog has always excelled at getting the most out of whatever hardware it has worked with, and we’d absolutely love to see what the studio does with a VR game. And as the aforementioned Blood and Truth and Half-Life: Alyx showed us, games don’t need to compromise on tense action and storytelling in order to properly adjust to VR as a medium. We don’t honestly know what exactly a VR The Last of Us game would even look like- but boy would we like to find out.
UNTIL DAWN SEQUEL
Yes, Supermassive Games has released two Until Dawn-related games for VR hardware in the past with Until Dawn: Rush of Blood and The Inpatient– but as we’re sure you’d agree, those weren’t exactly stellar experiences, and fell far short of the level of quality that is associated with the game that spawned them. To see Supermassive returning for a full-fledged Until Dawn sequel would be an absolute treat, and to see that game featuring full support for the PSVR2 would be the cherry on top of that sundae. Horror games, after all, lend themselves extremely well to VR, so this could work out perfectly.
Speaking of which…
DEAD SPACE REMAKE
As anyone who’s played the original Dead Space would tell you, it was horrifying enough to roam the halls of the USG Ishimura in that game as it existed. Can you imagine how much scarier it would be if you could do it in VR? The upcoming Dead Space remake is looking promising in more ways than one, and yes, we’re sure it’ll be the star of our nightmares for quite some time after it releases- but we’d love for those nightmares to be even more acutely crippling if what they were drawing from was even tenser and more immersive experiences with the game in virtual reality.