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The 8 best PS VR2 games to play right now

abraham smithFebruary 24, 2023

0 0 6 minutes read

Raise the coffee tables out of the way, remove any pets from the room and be prepared to look immeasurably less cool than you think because the PlayStation VR2 is finally here.

We’ve already reviewed the hardware, but if you took the plunge into PlayStation’s latest attempt at VR gaming at launch, you’ll probably want some games played on it. Luckily there are more than 30 games on the grid, many of which are available now and more to come in the coming weeks.

If you’ve been paying attention to PS VR2 news leading up to the release, you’ll know that the platform is currently lacking in exclusive games, with the vast majority of release titles being souped-up ports of VR games already available on platforms like the best-selling Meta Quest 2. But many of these are also some of the very best games to play with a headset strapped in front of your face, and there are a few games that you can only play on PS VR2. We’ve spent the better part of a fortnight playing as many of them as possible to your advantage.

Let’s get into that then, shall we. Here are the best PlayStation VR2 games you can play right now.

Table of Contents

horizon call of the mountain

horizon call of the mountain is not *quite* that of PS VR2 mario 64, but it’s definitely the game that best showcases the new headset’s new features right now. It’s set in the same world as the hugely successful ones horizon Series, call of the mountain Inhabit the body of Ryas, a former soldier who you quickly learn isn’t particularly popular. Aloy from the PS4 and PS5 games pops up from time to time, but the narration isn’t why you should play this VR spinoff.

horizon call of the mountain is really a very polished tech demo for your new toy, putting the Sense controllers to work as you scale huge rock walls and battle mechanical dinosaurs with your trusty bow, both of which make great use of haptics and adaptive triggers. call of the mountain is also one of the most visually stunning VR games ever, bursting with color on the PS VR’s enhanced 4K HDR OLED displays and at times (assuming you’ve got the stomach to do all the climbing) will you forget the real world and really believe you are exploring this lush post-apocalypse for yourself. It’s a brief experience that achieves a fraction of the running times of games in the mainline series, but you’ll be excited to see what’s to come.

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What the hell?

The sequel to the (also brilliant) mobile game, What the gulf?, is another physics-based comedy puzzler, except this time it’s in VR and the golf clubs have been swapped for baseball bats, which also happen to be your hands. This might sound like a difficult existence, but the game does everything it can to show you that you can actually do a lot with hand clubs, including (but not limited to) smashing, painting, brushing your teeth, ironing, cooking and, obviously hit.

There are over 100 ridiculous and consistently imaginative mini-games to work your way through, and at first What the hell? was a roomscale-only game that severely limits the number of people who can realistically expect to be able to play it, the developer has already released a patch that will allow you to play by simply clicking on the spot stand. With this update, we can heartily recommend it to any new PS VR2 owner.

Moss: Book 1 and Moss: Book 2

moss was a single-player action-adventure puzzle game that was one of the best games on the original PlayStation VR. Last year there was an even better sequel Moss: Book II, and both games have been updated for the PS VR2. In both games, you play as The Reader, who helps guide a little mouse named Quill – who you also control as a third-person character – through a series of fairytale-like diorama levels that are lovely to look at.

There’s some light combat and a lot of easy environmental puzzles to solve, but this moss Games are very gentle affairs, both in terms of what you do in-game and in terms of comfort, because unless you’re craning your neck to get a better look at something, you’re staying stationary, increasing the risk of motion sickness is as good as eliminated. This makes them a great choice for those who are still finding their VR legs, but they’re a must have for anyone who hasn’t done so on other VR systems.

Tetris Effect: Connected

Tetris Effect: Connected has been ported to pretty much every platform imaginable, but VR is arguably where this great twist on what is perhaps the most famous puzzle game of all time shines brightest, and the PS VR2 version makes a great game ever even greater. If you haven’t played Tetris Effect (What are you doing with your life?), think tetris but with funky graphics, euphoric electronic music synced to what’s happening in a level, and a mechanic called Zone that lets you slow down time and clear lines for huge score boosts. Taken together, it’s a truly Zen-like experience that somehow enhances a perfect concept.

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At least the PS VR 2 version. The tactile feel of the headset and Sense controllers make pulling off a Tetris feel even more satisfying, and you can zone-trigger by closing your eyes. It’s very cool.

Gran Turismo 7

The latest entry in Sony’s long-running racing sim series remains one of the best games to showcase the PS5’s monstrous power, and the VR is even more impressive. The entire game is playable in virtual reality, while a new VR showroom lets you get up close and personal with your growing car collection.

With many of them being ports of older titles, not every PS VR2 launch game is a visual feast, however Gran Turismo 7 looks phenomenal and when you’re in the car you can really feel the tracks as you tackle corners and hills. You won’t find as many comfort settings as something like this horizon call of the mountainbut if you own the base game, you must try one of the few other PS VR2 exclusive games.

Resident Evil Village

Waiting for Resident Evil 4 make new? Capcom has something to make ends meet. The latest game in the series (and one with more than a touch of resi 4 about it) is fully playable on PS VR2, and it’s brilliant. The poor old hands of Ethan Winters become your own as you unravel the mysteries of the mutant-inhabited village to save your kidnapped daughter. Shooting feels great, while taking full advantage of the new hardware’s 3D audio and tactile feel makes for a significantly more terrifying experience, especially when you’re having your first encounter with the now-iconic Lady Dimitrescu-looking self bigger in VR. There are now three ways to play this game – the original first-person perspective, third-person via last year’s DLC, and in VR – and virtual reality is for the bravest among us.

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A word of warning: there are a decent number of comfort options to combat motion sickness issues, but every once in a while you’ll lose control in a cutscene, and that can get your lunch out faster than you can say “zombie.” Luckily, you can skip these or pause to watch them on a virtual flat screen, but you’ll have to think fast when it happens if you’re anything like us.

tentacle

We all dream of being a gigantic sea monster from time to time, and tentacle fulfills this wish. But while destruction is an essential part of the experience, your goal isn’t to wreak havoc on the island you tower over. In fact, you’re just trying to make a living like everyone else. As a player, you take on the role of the monster and your hands become giant tentacles. You’re hired to help around town, which is essentially one big physics sandbox for you to play around in.

VR games often work with the gimmick of your arms turning into something crazy (see What the hell? above), but tentacle is one of the more entertaining examples, with the inaccuracy of wiggling tentacles leading to many comedic moments. The oddly heartwarming story that underpins it all probably doesn’t need to be there, but we’re glad it is.

Kayak VR: Mirage

Kayaking is pretty fun in real life, but you’ll need water and probably a wetsuit and a willingness to get wet. It’s then much easier to launch this incredibly realistic VR simulation where all you have to do is hop around some beautiful real locations. Kayak VR: Mirage is so realistic that sometimes we really forget that we were actually sitting on a sofa in East London and not in a kayak on the crystal clear waters of Kings Canyon in Australia’s Northern Territory.

As you might expect, the Sense controllers become either side of a paddle, and since the game uses the right physics, there’s every chance you’ll be as useless as we were to begin with. Let’s just say we spent a lot of time inspecting the 4K textures of a rock ledge just inches from our face. There’s a Time Attack mode for those who get good, but every minute we’ve spent with the game so far has been in the relaxing Free Roam mode, usually to calm down after one Resi Village Meeting.

We’ll be regularly updating this list with new PS VR2 games, so stay tuned for more recommendations.

abraham smithFebruary 24, 2023

0 0 6 minutes read