So, I’ve been on a hiatus for the last month which has proven a good one for VR with three new AAA titles released. So let’s take a look at the early feedback and see if any are worth getting.
The Elder Scrolls VR: Skyrim VR – 17 November
If you have a PSVR then this is without doubt the best title released for PSVR, so far. This isn’t just an experience or a taster, like many other VR releases, but the full game including DLCs in full VR. Yes the move controls take some getting used to and the lack of a back button is frustrating, but you can just play it with the DS4 controller, if it gets too fiddly. However, I personally chose to stick with the moves, as for those who choose to go archer or caster then the moves do add a great new level of immersion. Melee, for me, is better played with the regular controller, as fast turning and moving to track close enemies has proven tricky in my experience with the move controllers.
Yes, technically, this is just a port of a last gen game but then again it also isn’t. I played this game originally on the, Xbox 360 and back then I really wished that I could just step into the screen and actually go there. Now I have, and despite the blurriness of the visuals, as my original PS4 struggles to run it, the vistas and experiences still took my breath away, from the opening scene with the dragon landing right above my head to the bridge to the college in Winterhold. The difference between playing it on a screen and living it in VR is gigantic. With the potential of a 100 hours or more of gameplay, there is a lot of it to live and without doubt this is the best value for money you’ll get out of a VR game to date. I will be giving this title a full review in the coming weeks.
Monsters of the Deep: Final Fantasy 15 – 21 November
This is a game I would have invested in had Skyrim VR not released in the same month. Feedback has been conflicted for this title with some saying it is a shallow and weak fishing sim and others expressing their delight in being able to explore Eos in VR and meet up with their FF15 buddies. This title evolved from the promises of a VR component for FF15 that went up in smoke when the reception of short trial segment proved tepid with it accused of being short, restricted and rather pointless. Instead, efforts were turned to producing something that would translate well into VR. Now, the fishing component is a great little mini game inside of FF15. I did spend many hours in it but how it will stand as feature gameplay in its own title is questionable, as the mechanics aren’t exactly deep and involved.
The feedback since release seems to be that if you’re a FF15 fan then there is enjoyment to be had here, but if you are a fishing fan hoping for the exhilaration of a fishing sim then it might be best look elsewhere, as the actual gameplay is rather limited and buggy. As a FF15 fan, I’m sure I’ll be checking it out at some point. However, right now the promise of a limited exploration of ff15’s Eos doesn’t win out over the ability to fully immerse myself in Skyrim. Sorry Noctis, you’ll have to wait your turn.
Doom VFR – 1st December
This is a game than many Doom fans have been waiting for and while formed from the recent Doom remake, it isn’t, unlike Skyrim, the full uncut version but more of an abridged version with maps adapted from. However, the decrease in length is reflected in its cost which is around £15. Again, this is a game I would have invested in if not for the titan released a few weeks before it. However, the title has been well received, especially on PC, with praise for its visuals and immersion. However, the price in terms of entry for the PC specs required to run it has been grumbled at by many as a possible cause of bankruptcy for PC gamers.
The PSVR version has also been praised for its visuals, taking into account the obvious reduction in processing power available, but the control system has been pretty widely condemned as being clumsy and unintuitive. It’s also worth pointing out that while PC has smooth movement, the PSVR version is limited to teleportation which is putting many fans off. Again, I will be giving it a try at a later date but the allure isn’t enough drag me away from my mage studies at Winterhold.
Well back to Skyrim VR for me:
Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But the magefire is so delightful
And since we’ve no place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow
