The biggest event in the videogame calendar, The Game Awards, has announced all of its nominees across 30 categories. Of course, the Best VR/AR category returns with entrants from across the year and multiple platforms, the one omission being no augmented reality (AR) content has made the cut.
Each category is made up of five nominees with Sniper Elite VR, Resident Evil 4, Lone Echo II, Hitman 3 and I Expect You to Die 2 all making the cut. It’s great to see I Expect You to Die 2 getting a nomination as it’s the most niche of the lot, a comedic escape room title rather than big AAA adventures like the rest.
The rest aren’t too surprising as they do offer up some of the best VR gaming around. Oculus owners may also notice that the platform dominates with two exclusives, Resident Evil 4 and Lone Echo II. Only Hitman 3 doesn’t support an Oculus headset as its PlayStation VR exclusive.
Resident Evil 4 (Armature Studio/Capcom/Oculus Studios) arrived only a month ago for Oculus Quest 2, while Lone Echo II (Ready at Dawn/Oculus Studios) also dropped in October for Oculus Rift after several delays. Sniper Elite VR (Coatsink/Just Add Water/Rebellion Developments) and I Expect You To Die 2 (Schell Games) were both well-received summer releases, whilst Hitman 3 (IO Interactive) dropped in January.
As for the other categories, no other dedicated VR title has appeared elsewhere, unfortunately. Only Microsoft Flight Simulator with its optional VR support appears in the Best Sim/Strategy segment.
The Game Awards 2021 will be taking place on 9th December 2021 with a live stream usually filled with big announcements of what’s to come in the following year. Free public voting is now open. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Yes, the wire hurts and yes we’re probably talking about an expensive machine. Those issues aside, a device with better resolution than Quest 2, packed in with controllers with improved haptics, all boosted by the power of the PS5 and accelerated by smart software techniques like foveated rendering starts to paint a very promising picture for Sony’s next VR effort.
What most excites me about PSVR 2 isn’t the hardware, though, it’s the games.
As part of PSVR Without Parole’s report on this week’s Sony VR developer summit (which we also verified took place), the company allegedly expressed a desire to bring AAA, console-quality games to the new headset by appealing to flatscreen developers to implement optional support into their titles. Think along the lines of existing VR support for PS4 games like Resident Evil 7, No Man’s Sky and Hitman 3.
Immediately, the mind sets ablaze with possibilities. Post-launch support for Resident Evil 8 and potential day one integration for Gran Turismo 7 is an incredibly potent pairing to appeal to hardcore gamers when the device launches (hopefully) next year. From there, who knows where we could go; prized PlayStation brands from world-class developers seem ripe for VR integration, as do a number of third-party efforts. If I was Sony, for example, I would be throwing money at EA to make sure that Dead Space remake arrives with full PSVR 2 support. It’s exactly what I said the company should be doing at the beginning of last year.
I do want to spare a thought, though, for the potential caveats of this situation.
By now, I think the question’s been pretty definitively answered; yes, you can port non-VR games into VR and, with enough time and consideration, either make a great experience or at the very least amplify what’s already there. Resident Evil 7 might not have been a fully-tracked and completely immersive VR game, but just seeing its terrifying world inside a headset was more than enough to enhance the atmosphere. Hello Games, meanwhile, went above and beyond to make No Man’s Sky’s VR integration feel native. It doesn’t always work, of course. Some games like (don’t shoot me) Doom 3 just never really felt like they suited VR in the first place.
But what none of these experiences offer, to my mind, is what I’d call the bleeding edge of VR game design.
By that, I’m mean when a world is intrinsically built to be experienced in VR, to the point you simply can’t replicate the experience on a flatscreen. I mean the moment you first threw yourself through zero gravity in Lone Echo. I mean that part of Boneworks you realize you can hook your crowbar on the ledge of a platform and use it to climb up, or grab one of the game’s robotic spiders by any leg and swing it above your head. I mean the moment in The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners when you master the exact technique needed to solidly plant an axe in a zombie’s head and the quick yank needed to remove it once more. And I definitely mean that moment in Half-Life: Alyx when you have to get uncomfortably close to a certain monster.
These, for me, are definitive VR moments, genuine glimpses of the future and how we can use this technology in incredibly different ways. And these aren’t achieved by going back and wedging in VR support in the middle of a development cycle. They’re also not experiences you can easily make well in VR and keep the flat version compelling – Boneworks and Saints & Sinners just wouldn’t work half as well on a controller without that spatial reading of the environment.
I’m all for Sony doubling down on AAA VR – I’m sure you can implement motion controller support into Deathloop and end up with a game that’s just as compelling inside a headset. But it’s also crucial that Sony doesn’t forget those native experiences that push the industry forward. It helped expand those horizons with the VR-first design of Astro Bot, the immersive superheroics of Iron Man VR and the highly interactive action of Blood & Truth and, undeniably, you couldn’t make a flatscreen version of any of those games that mirrored the VR experience. You can still take Astro and make magic like with PS5’s Playroom, but it’s a fundamentally different experience to Rescue Mission.
Sony can’t lose sight of that even as it doubles down on bringing more AAA developers to VR. PlayStation still needs to be investing in native, VR-only experiences too. We’ll no doubt see strong support from indies that are all-in on VR but it’s inherently riskier to release something that can only be sold to PSVR 2 owners and not the wider PS5 install base.
Fortunately it seems like the company understands this. PSVR is enjoying a strong final year in which Sony got behind not only VR-supported games like Hitman 3 but also ambitious new native titles like Fracked fron nDreams and Endeavor One’s Arashi: Castles of Sin. Those studios will continue to need support from platform holders to justify those risks, and not be passed up in favor of games that were already going to be successful without VR integration. If Sony really wants to make a mark on the industry with PSVR 2, it needs to nurture the content that really sets the medium apart just as much as it does the blockbuster experiences we all want.
Yup, 2021 is already halfway over. It’s been a busy six months for the VR industry with plenty of new releases. So let’s round up the best VR games of 2021… so far.
This list is comprised of every game we rated four stars or higher in the first six months of the year. And it’s only counting genuinely new games, not ports of older titles. So that’s why you won’t see the likes of A Township Tale and Carly and the Reaperman on here just yet.
As we move into the second half of the year, we’ll be interested to see which of these titles makes it onto our Game of the Year nominations come December.
The Best VR Games Of 2021 (So Far)
Mare – Quest
Mare emulates the rustic wonder of ICO, Shadow of the Colossus and The Last Guardian with ease. The game casts you as a mechanical bird that glides from perch to perch, guarding a young girl as she makes her way through a crumbling set of ruins. What the gameplay lacks in depth, Mare makes up for in atmosphere, with biting winds and stunning vistas that demand to be seen inside VR. An oddball treat.
We were skeptical that IO Interactive could make VR support for Hitman 3 really work given it all relied on the PS4’s DualShock 4. And you definitely do miss out on some of the fun not having two-handed motion controls, but this is still a brilliant, expansive VR playground with plenty on offer, including the last two games in the trilogy too. Here’s hoping PC VR and PSVR 2 ports are in the game’s future.
The long-awaited follow-up to The Climb didn’t disappoint, giving us yet more heights to scale in imaginative and thrilling new ways. Visually the game left a little to be desired, which is why we’re still hoping we might see a PC VR version of the title release later down the line, too.
Hyper Dash is a great indie success story, fostering its own community for its fast-paced multiplayer VR matches. This is a nimble FPS that trusts players with a range of locomotion styles and a steep learning curve. If you’re looking for an alternative to VR’s abundance of military shooters, Hyper Dash is definitely worth a look.
Cosmodread might as well be called Dreadhalls 2, as it’s essentially a sequel to one of the earliest VR horror games. But, whereas Dreadhalls was all about escaping the unknown horrors that lie in wait, Cosmodread does give you the tools to fight back, making for an evolved experience. Rest assured, though, that it’s still every bit as scary as its predecessor, with terrifying monsters making sounds in the dark.
A wonderfully inventive bit of VR puzzling – Floor Plan 2 feels like a trip to Sesame Street. You travel between different floors in a building, each of which is essentially its own reality, and solve impossible challenges. Truthfully the puzzling can be a little too cryptic for its own good as the experience carries on, but the game is never short of funny, intriguing ideas that will put a smile on your face. If you missed out on Floor Plan 2 earlier this year, make sure to right that wrong.
Fast Travel Games took an unexpected turn for its fourth release, trading in the vibrant worlds of Apex Construct and The Curious Tale Of The Stolen Pets for the horrors of the World of Darkness universe. Wraith is a moody survival horror experience steeped in dread and offers an interesting story that explores the tabletop universe like never before.
Within your first few minutes of playing Demeo with friends it feels obvious that it’s on to something special. The tabletop game itself is a lot of fun, but it’s the social VR element that really enhances the experience. Demeo is one of the few apps that genuinely feels like it leaps the distance between friends and offers a true one to one (or one to three) social experience, and that’s hugely significant.
Snowboarding shouldn’t really work in VR. And Carve certainly doesn’t compare to actually hitting the slopes in real life, but it is about as close as you can currently get with a headset. The game’s smart controls essentially see your hands fill in for your feet, making jumps and tricks easy to pick up but difficult to master. Carve Snowboarding is proof you can do great extreme sports games in VR.
The narrative around Larcenauts is a little messed up. Some launch issues lead a lot of people to conclude that the game was really an early access release and shouldn’t be a full priced title. In truth, the game already offers a lot of content, strategic multiplayer VR battles and developer Impulse Gear has already set about fixing some of those early issues. If you were put off by the conversation around the launch of Larcenauts I implore you to give it another look – it’s a gem of a multiplayer VR game.
Yup, it’s chess in VR. But, crucially, Chess Club does enough to ensure it’s the only take on the classic board game you’ll ever actually need in VR – it’s got robust options for AI opponents and even a suite of online features including tackling friends and strangers that the game thinks will be a good fit for you. Plus with both classic and animated boards the game takes full advantage of VR whilst paying respect to the staple experience, too.
Rebellion’s new VR shooter seemed like it might never actually come out, but Sniper Elite not only made its way onto all three major VR platforms, it pulled off pretty great versions on each, too. If you’re on PC and Quest then this offers just the right balance of authenticity and accessibility across a really enjoyable campaign. PSVR owners, meanwhile, get the added bonus of the excellent PSVR Aim Controller. Wherever you play Sniper Elite VR, though, you’re in for a treat.
Today see’s IO Interactive launch its Seven Deadly Sins season for Hitman 3, the start of a seven part DLC expansion. For those who haven’t stepped into the world of Agent 47 in 2021 then today offers a different surprise, free content so you can demo the videogame and carry your progress over should you wish to continue with a purchase.
The developer is launching the Hitman 3 Free Starter Pack today, available until 5th April. Download the pack and you’ll be able to play the first mission, Dubai, where you have to explore the tallest building in the world to complete your objectives. While the window for playing the free mission is limited, the studio will be continuing the free feature into the future.
Hitman 3’s free starter pack will provide permanent access to the ICA Facility where you can meet your handler, start earning XP as well as unlocks for the main paid title. Down the line, you’ll be granted free limited-time access to Hitman 3’s other locations, and as an extra bonus today you’ll be able to play the ‘Nightcall’ mission set in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand from Hitman 2.
And why stop there. One of Hitman 3’s most interesting features was the ability to bring locations from Hitman 1 & 2 if you owned the videogames. The starter pack has that ability from 31st March: “Import the locations that you can already access in HITMAN 2 and carry over your progress to start playing with the new features and improvements from HITMAN 3,” notes an IO Interactive blog post.
And what about players that have already bought Hitman 3? Well, anything freely available via the starter pack is also accessible to them as well, which include the ‘Nightcall’ mission. Anyway, they’ll be too busy playing the new Season of Greed which has paid DLC and free Escalations, Featured Contracts and Elusive Targets cropping up.
Hitman 3 has been well received across all supported platforms but when it comes to virtual reality (VR) the title is only compatible with PlayStation VR. As further content updates are released, VRFocus will let you know.
IO Interactive announced new expansion DLC plans for Hitman 3 this week, as well as outlining the continuing plans for more free post-launch content.
The ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ expansion will be released as 7 content packs, each one focusing on one of the seven sins. They will be priced at $4.99 per pack or available in a slightly discounted bundle at $30 for all 7.
According to IO, each pack will include “a visually distinct contract, sin-themed unlockable suit and at least one sin-themed item that can be used across the World of Assassination.” The first content pack, Greed, will drop on March 30 and include a new escalation contract called The Greed Enumeration, set in Dubai.
Escalations are contracts built around existing maps with new targets and objectives — however, as the name implies, escalations offer increased difficulty with harder targets and objectives over multiple playthroughs. In the new Greed escalation, you will also be able to carry certain items over between each of the three escalation stages, in keeping with the theme.
Besides the escalation contract, the Greed content pack will include the unlockable ‘Rapacious’ suit, pictured below, and two “sin-themed items” — the ‘Greedy Little Coin’ and ‘The Devil’s Cane’.
After Greed drops on March 30, the remaining six content packs will release one-by-one over time.
When it comes to new free content, IO is switching from its monthly content roadmap system and lining up new free content with each of the new DLC themes. When each new paid DLC pack drops, so will more free content, including more escalations, featured contracts and elusive targets. IO says that each ‘Season of Sin’ will last 4-6 weeks and to expect the next detailed roadmap for upcoming free content in the first week of April. As with all previous Hitman content updates, all of the escalations and DLC should be compatible with PSVR.
Will you be checking the Greed pack out on March 30? Let us know in the comments.
IO Interactive launched Hitman 3 back in January for multiple platforms but only PlayStation VR saw exclusive virtual reality (VR) support. Today, the studio has announced a seven part DLC expansion for the title, all based on the seven deadly sins.
It all begins on 30th March with the release of Act 1: Greed, which will provide players with a specific contract in Dubai to complete, the sin-themed unlockable Rapacious Suit and at least one sin-themed item – either the Greedy Little Coin or The Devil’s Cane. This first stages focuses on a new Escalation called The Greed Enumeration: “which allows you to carry certain items over between each of the three stages.”
The studio hasn’t revealed when each subsequent act will arrive but the DLC launch this month marks the start of the Season of Greed, with each season lasting between 4-6 weeks. Each season will include free content with regular Escalations, Featured Contracts and Elusive Targets cropping up. IO Interactive will be releasing the full content roadmap for the Season of Greed in early April.
When it comes to purchasing the Hitman 3: Seven Deadly Sins DLC there are two ways to go about it. Each content pack can be individually bought, retailing for $4.99 USD / £4.99 GBP / €4.99 EUR. Or there’s the Seven Deadly Sins Collection which will set you back $29.99 / £29.99 / €29.99, saving you a bit of cash instead of buying them all individually.
For PlayStation VR owners Hitman 3 provided quite the content lineup with features not attempted before. Not only could you play the entire campaign in VR – unlike some VR titles which only offer a cutback VR mode – the videogame also allowed them to import Hitman 1 and 2 environments to play in VR if they owned the games.
As IO Interactive release further details on Hitman 3: Seven Deadly Sins, VRFocus will let you know.
Hitman 3’s February patch is now live, bringing new content available in both regular and VR mode for PSVR.
For those that own the Deluxe Edition of the game, two new deluxe escalations are now available — The Gauchito Antiquity and The Proloff Parable. For those who only own the base game, two other escalations were made available earlier this month — The Baskerville Barney and The Sinbad Stringent.
Escalations are basically remixes of existing Hitman maps, with new targets and specific objectives that the player has to complete multiple times, each time getting progressively more difficult and involving more complications. Finishing all the levels of an escalation contract will grant weapon and suit rewards that can be used in the entire game.
An elusive target contract is also set to begin on February 26 and will end on March 8. Elusive targets are limited time modes where you only get one chance to play through the contract and eliminate the targets. You can’t save and can’t go for a second attempt — it’s all or nothing. February’s elusive target contract is The Deceivers, which is actually a returning contract that was first made available in 2019 for a limited time. The contract takes place on Hitman 1’s Sapienza map, so you’ll need access to that map in Hitman 3 if you want to give it a shot.
A new suit, the Tactical Turtleneck, can also be unlocked by all players now by returning to the ICA Training Facility and completing The Final Test.
In terms of PSVR-specific changes, IO has made some adjustments to how certain UI elements work in VR mode. The Silent Assassin and difficulty level indicators are now available as part of the back-of-your-hand HUD, while the mission timer can be seen on Agent 47’s wrist when looking down. The leaderboards will now display a VR icon next to a score that was achieved using VR, and several other small HUD and visual clarity changes were made as well.
Several maps have also received small changes and bug fixes, along with general fixes for some of the connectivity issues that players were experience after launch.
