No Man’s Sky

Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky might not have started life on the best foot forward, but it has quickly grown into one of the best space exploration games on the market over the course of many significant updates. No Man’s Sky features a huge open world filled with all sorts of planets to discover and things to do, and the VR edition adds another layer of immersion to it all – making it the definitive way to experience what it has to offer.

Beat Saber 

Beat Saber is all about slashing your lightsaber to rhythmic beats, and while that might sound pretty simplistic at first – it makes for an incredibly fun time. A lot of what makes it so addictive boils down to the visuals and audio, which feature some clean neon-heavy visuals and catchy electronic beasts respectively. It’s a great example of how something so simple can be made so addictive with the right design choices – and Beat Saber will easely keep you hooked for hours on end.

Half-Life – Alyx

Half-Life: Alyx is a sequel to what is one of the most respected franchises of all time, so it’s obvious that it had some pretty big shoes to fill. But it’s safe to say that Valve confidently stood up to those expectations, and Alyx manages to capture the spirit of Half-Life in a new dimension. Everything from the compelling narrative to the brain-tickling puzzles and frenetic combat works flawlessly, making Alyx easily one of the best VR games that you can play right now.

Superhot VR

Superhot operates on a simple principle – time only moves when you do. That singular mechanic is what makes the moment-to-moment gameplay so good, allowing for some amazing action sequences where you dodge past bullets, throw bottles at enemies, and knock someone else out in just a few seconds. Superhot VR adds that extra level of immersion to the whole affair, making that action all the better and those time-defying stunts all the more personal.

Horizon Call of the Mountain 

Horizon Call of the Mountain was a launch title for the PSVR2, so it had to be a great experience if it wanted to drive sales for such an expensive add-on for a console. Set in the titular post-apocalyptic world of the franchise,Call of the Mountain excellently translates that open-world mechanic into a bunch of carefully curated roller coaster sequences that make this VR title an absolutely thrilling experience.

The London Heist 

London Studio’s The London Heist is a VR adventure where you get to experience some high octane chase sequences, thrilling firefights, and a constantly twisting story that keeps you at the edge of your seat at all times. It boasts some impressive production quality, and the gameplay also manages to keep things interesting with memorable chase sequences and high fidelity graphics which makes it a game worth seeing through to the end.

No Man’s Sky

No Man’s Sky might not have started life out on the best foot, but Hello Games was able to turn the game’s fates around for the better with a constant influx of meaningful content updates post-launch. One of these updates also included the ability to enjoy the game in VR, which adds an extra level of immersion to the galactic exploration. Witnessing the beauty of procedurally generated planets is a consistently enchanting experience, and is a must-try for fans of the genre.

Gran Turismo 7

Despite some initial balancing issues, Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 7 has morphed into a big hit, and for good reason. The simulation gameplay at its core is complex in all the right ways, and that coupled with the immaculate attention to detail makes it a worthy sequel to this long-running franchise. And if you are a gearhead, you have to check out the VR mode that quite literally transports you to the driving seat of your favourite supercars  – allowing you to live out your racing fantasies to the fullest.

Resident Evil 7

Resident Evil 7 made some really big changes to the horror genre, and it’s safe to say that those changes were for the better. The shift to a first-person perspective makes the survival horror experience even more immersive, and those horrors become even more defined through the VR mode. The slow pace of gameplay and the renewed focus on survival horror works surprisingly well in VR, and it’s inarguably the best way to see what the Baker Mansion has to offer.

Hubris

Hubris is a story driven sci-fi action game that utilizes the cutting edge technology of VR to make you experience an intriguing story set on a distant planet. Hubris features a fun movement system where you can climb, jump and swim through a wide array of diverse environments along with great shooting mechanics and simple crafting systems. It’s a surprisingly vast game for the VR platform, and fans of action adventure games should definitely try it out.

Lone Echo 2

Lone Echo 2 starts off from where the first one left off. The sequel puts you in the shoes of Jack, an Android working on a mining station on Saturn who is tasked with helping a crew member when an unknown anomaly appears and everything starts to go haywire. Lone Echo 2 gives you this surreal feeling of dread where you have to navigate through an empty space station and complete objectives in zero gravity whilst in VR. The game features some fluid mechanics along with interactive environments, which makes Lone Echo 2 a pretty thrilling experience.

Walkabout Mini Golf

Walkabout Mini Golf is a great game to play alone, against other players online or with your friends that lets you enjoy the sport in a wide array of distinct golf courses. It features some pretty sophisticated physics systems that makes it a game where you can really sink your teeth into, and that pursuit of perfection is duly rewarded with a steady stream of unlocks including but not limited to customization options for your avatar.

Pistol Whip

Dodging bullets and killing bad guys all the while vibing to your favorite might just be the best description for Pistol Whip. It’s a rhythm shooter with fast and frenetic gunplay where you must sync your shots perfectly to the tune of backing tracks. It pays a ton of attention to the visuals and audio, and the stylish combat along with its cool selection of stages makes this game a must-try on VR.

Red Matter 2

Developed by Vertical Robot, Red Matter 2 serves as a sequel to the original in every sense with better graphics, puzzles, environment details and improved physics. Set during a dystopian cold war era, players take on the role of a Cosmonaut trying to uncover the mystery behind the Red Matter which revolves around exploring a Lunar Base on Saturn and solving brain teasing puzzles. What makes it special is its ability to keep you engaged with its atmospheric design and engaging gameplay, which makes it a game that’s worth trying on the VR platform.

Astro Bot Rescue Mission 

Sony Japan’s Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a wonderfully imaginative platformer that puts you in the robotic shoes of the titular protagonist as you hop and glide through carefully crafted levels in VR. It’s a simple game with a solid set of mechanics, but what makes it special is the level of care and attention that has gone into each aspect of the experience.

Blaston

Blaston thrusts players into a deathly duel of careful dodges and strategic throws against the backdrop of a neon drenched world. It’s created by Resolution Games, and expertly manages a surprisingly deep set of gameplay mechanics with a fast and frenetic pace of gameplay to create an experience that’s really hard to put down once you get the hang of it. Blaston is also free to play, so there’s literally no excuse for you to not try it out if you have a compatible VR set.

Asgard’s Wrath 2

Asgard’s Wrath 2 thrust players into a world where they need to explore to unravel the mysteries this world holds. The gameplay revolves around solving puzzles and fighting vicious battles through its fast and frenetic action combat. Asgard’s Wrath 2 is an ambitious open-world game which excellently balances elements like exploration, combat, and progression. Asgard’s Wrath 2 is available on Meta Quest VR and comes free if you purchase a Quest 3, which makes it a must have for platform owners.

Half-Life: Alyx

Half-Life: Alyx was a dream come true for legions of fans, but when Valve announced that it was a VR-only game – there was an element of skepticism associated with anticipation. But when Half-Life: Alyx was finally released, fans were elated with joy and all those skepticism washed away. In so many ways, Half-Life: Alyx is the perfect example of how to craft a AAA game for the VR platform – thanks to a potent combination of a meaningful story and well-designed gameplay ideas that leverage the capabilities of the platform to the fullest.

Sony has announced a spotlight on PlayStation VR titles for this week, starting today from 7 AM PST and lasting till Friday. There will be announcements and news for a number of different PlayStation VR titles, though the focus is on previously revealed games. This spotlight coincides with a PS VR promotion on the PlayStation Store stating on September 9th.

Some of the titles that will see discounts in the sale include Arizona Sunshine, Blood and Truth, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Borderlands 2 VR, Farpoint, Superhot VR, Tetris Effect and more. The promotional sale will be available until September 23rd, 11:59 PM PST. Of course, the obvious question is: What about updates on the PlayStation 5?

Sony noted that there would be no PS5-related news for the week, which is a bummer. Nevertheless, with rumors stating an event happening sometime in mid-September, we may see something announced for next week. This would be in line with UK retailer SimplyGames’ emailing customers about pre-orders going live “any day now.” As always, stay tuned for more information in the coming days.

Unorthodox first person shooter SuperHot is a fairly niche title that’s managed to find a good degree of success. Even more intriguing however is the game’s VR success. Developer SuperHot Team confirmed in a vastly under-publicized trailer that the VR version had sold over two million copies since launch.

It’s interesting because as of April 2019, all versions managed to hit two million copies sold with the VR version accounting for 800,000 copies and over $2 million earned in just seven days. These latest figures would indicate that SuperHot VR is driving sales. Which is exceptional when you consider how virtual reality gaming still isn’t very “mainstream.”

Regardless, the market for VR games has been expanding in recent years. Valve Software’s Half-Life: Alyx, which launched in March to rave reviews, is a good example. Beat Saber has also done extremely well with one million copies sold as of March 2019. Time will tell how the VR player base grows though, especially with the next generation of consoles on the horizon.

The popularity of virtual reality titles is a bit hard to gauge but that doesn’t mean certain developers aren’t doing well for themselves. Take Superhot VR, virtual reality version of Superhot Team’s innovative first person shooter. According to VR consultant Callum Underwood, who is also director of special projects at Superhot Team, the shooter has grossed over two million dollars in just seven days.

The sales account for all platforms that the game is available on. PlayStation VR numbers are still an estimate but Underwood noted that IndieBI analysts were “confident”. All in all, it’s a pretty strong showing for a title that released in December 2016.

It’s also good news for upcoming VR titles like Valve’s Half-Life: Alyx which launches in March 2020. The title is free for Valve Index owners and the hardware subsequently selling out following the game’s announcement. Could this signal the technology becoming even more popular, if not spurring more VR projects from Valve? Time will tell so stay tuned.

https://twitter.com/DevRelCallum/status/1211284629031915520

(Note that PSVR is an estimate as we won’t get numbers till next year, but our IndieBI analysts are confident!).

— Callum UwUnderwood (@DevRelCallum) December 29, 2019

Off-beat puzzle shooter Superhot is finally coming to PlayStation 4 this week. It will be available on July 21st in North America (Europe gets it on July 19th though). Superhot VR will also be available for PlayStation VR and both games will retail for $25 each.

You could pick up both titles in the Mind is Software bundle for $40 however and those with PlayStation Plus subscriptions can pre-order the games for 20 percent off. This discount applies for all territories the game is being sold in.

Superhot VR was previously available for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. With the PlayStation VR version, Sony promised full support for both PlayStation Move and the DualShock 4 controller. PC users that are yet to play Superhot or the VR expansion then you can head over to Steam and try it out right now (especially with its average system requirements).

Thoughts on the game finally heading to PS4? Let us know in the comments.

Just how good is The Last Guardian now that it’s finally out? Edge has released its brand new swath of ratings and the long awaited game got the highest rating of them all.

The Edge review scores show that The Last Guardian scored a 9 in their review scores. Just how good is that score? It’s not only the highest rating of the recent group, it’s also the only one that got a 9. The only game that even came close to getting that score was Superhot VR which scored an 8.

Perhaps the most surprising score in this group is Final Fantasy 15, which earned just a 7. Other games on the list include I Expect You To Die (7), Dead Rising 4 (6), Steep (7), Let it Die (7), and Super Mario Run which also got a seven. The 9 rating is especially interesting for The Last Guardian when you take into account that sales for the game, at least right after launch, were not that good.