If you’re a PS Plus member, you’ll be able to nab three top PSVR titles for free this November that will have you playing from now until the Holiday season.
October was a bit of a bust for PSVR owners, as PS Plus only gave out flatscreen titles Hell Let Loose, PGA Tour 2K21, and Mortal Kombat X. You can still get those until November 1st, although you might want to save some room on your SSD for these top-rated titles.
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
This physics-based zombie slasher from Skydance Interactive is super immersive and offers up a substantial campaign that pits you against hordes of walkers and human gangs alike across post-apocalyptic neighborhoods of New Orleans.
You might think of it as a pared down RPG with open world elements, which was totally built from the ground-up for VR. We liked it so much we gave The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners our Oculus Quest Game of the Year in 2020, and it’s only gotten better since thanks to some choice DLC drops since launch.
Until You Fall
Until You Fall is a roguelite adventure from VR veteran studio Schell Games that offers up challenging combat which will have to itching to enhance your weapons as you fight, fall and rise again. Every time you’ll grow a bit stronger as you battle through the stylized neon environment and strike down hordes of magic-infused monstrosities.
We gave it a solid [8/10] in our full review on Quest when it came in late 2020 for its deep combat systems that makes for meaningful strategic choices about the weapons you bring to the battlefield and the way that you use them.
The Persistence
The Persistence (2018) is another roguelike, this time serving up a sci-fi horror-themed environment full of zombies. Created by Firesprite Games, this PSVR exclusive offers asymmetrical gameplay by allowing a single VR player to haunt the procedurally generated levels while a friend connects via their phone or tablet to disable (or enable) traps, baddies, and scavenge for goodies.
Don’t forget to pick up standard PS4 and PS5 titles First Class Trouble,Knockout City, and Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning for free starting November 1st.
Three of PSVR’s very best games are being given away at no extra charge for PlayStation Plus members next month.
As part of the headset’s fifth-anniversary celebrations, Sony is giving away The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, The Persistence and Until You Fall from November 2nd. As long as you’re signed up to Plus, which you need to play online and get access to other PlayStation giveaways too, you’ll be able to download them with no trouble.
Each of these three titles features in our current list of the 25 best PSVR games. In fact, Saints & Sinners is currently in our #2 spot (and tops our list of the best games on Oculus Quest, too). We love it for its visceral, physical zombie action that takes full advantage of the platform, and developer Skydance Interactive recently launched a huge free update for the game, too.
Until You Fall, meanwhile, is a fantastic roguelite from Schell Games with thrilling arcade melee combat. Finally, The Persistence is a great gamepad-based, procedurally generated horror title. It’s developed by Firesprite Games, the UK-based studio that Sony itself recently acquired to make exclusive PlayStation titles in the future. We already know the studio is working on a new VR game, too.
These free PS Plus games also make for a good reason to plug PSVR back in towards the end of its lifecycle. 2022 is approaching and we’re expecting Sony to soon share more on its PS5 VR headset. You can check out everything we know about that device right here.
Firesprite, the UK-based developer behind virtual reality (VR) titles The Persistence VRand The Playroom VR has been acquired by PlayStation Studios, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced today.
No details pertaining to the purchase have been released but Firesprite has a long history with PlayStation. Some of the team used to be part of Sony Liverpool, the studio behind Wipeout that shuttered in 2012. Since then, Firesprite has grown considerably to more than 250 staff.
Firesprite’s biggest IP has to be The Persistence, originally a PlayStation VR exclusive set aboard a doomed spaceship. Featuring procedurally generated environments and an asymmetric multiplayer, the horror title then made it to more VR headsets alongside a flatscreen edition.
“We are delighted to welcome Firesprite into the PlayStation family,” said Jim Ryan, President & CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment in a statement. “We have a rich history of working with the founders of Firesprite and are excited to grow the PlayStation presence in Liverpool. The portfolio of titles Firesprite has developed has continually demonstrated the team’s ability to transcend traditional gameplay experiences and brilliantly showcase the potential of our hardware.”
“At Firesprite, we’re always striving to bring something new to a game or genre and developing for new technologies is a driving force of our passion at Firesprite,” adds Graeme Ankers, Co-Founder and CEO, Firesprite. “Joining PlayStation Studios will allow us to amplify this passion, working more closely on cutting-edge hardware without any limitations and furthering our studio’s heritage of creativity and technical innovation to offer some truly unique experiences for PlayStation fans.”
As for what’s next now that Firesprite is part of PlayStation Studios the developer is staying tight-lipped. Currently, its careers page lists vacancies for a “narrative adventure” and an “action shooter”. Considering Firesprite’s expertise in VR, the acquisition could be gearing up for the launch of PlayStation VR 2 which is expected to happen in 2022. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Sony Interactive Entertainment today announced it is acquiring Firesprite, the developer of VR horror hit, The Persistence.
The acquisition was announced over on the PlayStation Blog, though no financial details of the deal were disclosed. Firesprite itself is based in Liverpool, UK and features members of WipeOut developer Sony Liverpool, which closed its doors in 2012. Alongside The Persistence, which launched as a timed exclusive for PSVR, the team worked on The Playroom VR too.
Sony Buys Persistence Dev
Neither Sony nor Firesprite confirmed what their next project will be, nor made any mention of working in VR specifically. That said, in February of this year we reported that Firesprite was hiring for a VR game based on one of the “successful multimillion selling console IP titles in the last 10 years.” The game will be a “whole new chapter” in a “highly original universe” and utilize “the full immersive capabilities in VR”.
Job listings for that game, described as an action-adventure, are still live on Firesprite’s website. At the time, we speculated that the project could be tied to Sony given the team’s close links to PlayStation. The company has several other projects in the works, though it’s not clear if these are VR-supported or not.
Notably, the news also comes after Sony closed another PSVR-exclusive developer in the nearby town of Manchester last year. That team was reported to have been working on a helicopter action game for the headset.
The headline also breaks as we await more information about the confirmed PS5 VR headset. We know it’s not releasing this year and that we won’t see it at Thursday’s big PlayStation Showcase, but we are expecting to hear much more in 2022. UploadVR was the first to reveal specs for the device earlier this year.
We’re starting to see more virtual reality (VR) titles make use of NVIDIA’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology which began last month with the likes of No Man’s Sky and Into the Radius. At the end of this week another will be added to that list, Firesprite’s procedural horror The Persistence. In doing so players will also gain access to an experimental feature, ray-traced reflections.
All part of a larger update called The Persistence Enhanced, Firesprite is adding a bunch of lighting and particle improvements alongside quality of life and UX/UI refinements for both VR and non-VR players. With the addition of full DLSS support for NVIDIA RTX graphics cards – which uses AI to boost a PC’s graphical performance – players can unlock the experimental ray-traced reflections feature to make their gameplay experience look even better.
And when Firesprite says experimental it means it, saying: “we are not going to develop this any further, but we want to include this for those that want to tinker.” The studio does recommend using one of NVIDIA’s higher-end RTX cards like the 2080 Super – or an RTX 30-Series if you can get hold of one – so The Persistence maintains the necessary VR framerate.
If you have the hardware capable of running the new features then all you have to do is: “head to the “Raytracing” menu to turn it on along with configuring a DLSS profile,” the developer advises. However, it’s worth noting that: “Realtime Global Illumination and Ray-traced Shadows unfortunately cannot be enabled whilst in VR as the game does not boot.”
Originally for PlayStation VR back in 2018, Firesprite brought The Persistenceto multiple platforms including PC VR headsets in 2020. Finding yourself onboard a doomed deep space colony starship in the year 2521, you play a security officer who wakes up to find the crew have been turned into horrific monsters. All the levels are procedurally generated so every time you die it’ll change, offering an everchanging labyrinth to explore and survive through.
Firesprite will be releasing The Persistence Enhanced update this Friday, 11th June as a free enhancement for current PC owners via Steam. Take a look at the new ray-tracing reflections in action below and for further updates on the latest VR videogames supporting ray-tracing and DLSS, keep reading VRFocus.
Cosmodread (formerly known as Cosmophobia) is the latest game from Dreadhalls creator White Door Games. If you’re curious about whether or not this VR horror roguelike lives up to its potential, we’ve got you covered with our full Cosmodread review included down below.
White Door Games is a very small indie development studio with only seven people listed in the “credits” section of the Cosmodread site. It was founded by Sergio Hidalgo, who does all of the design and programming himself.
Cosmodread Review – The Facts
What is it?: VR survival horror roguelike about escaping a dying spaceship Platforms: Quest, Rift Store,andSteam Release Date: March 25th, 2021 Price: $14.99
Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Cosmodread is essentially a game about the fear of the unknown. You’ll spend tons of time creeping around corners, poking your head out to see what lies beyond the next hallway, and slowly opening doors in fear of what’s on the other side. The vast majority of my time with this game was spent entirely shrouded in darkness, both literally and figuratively, and it’s the type of suffocating terror that often feels overwhelming.
You see, in Cosmodread, it’s pretty much always pitch black. You’ve got a little wrist-bound flashlight on your right hand, but other than that and the limited hall lighting, it’s very, very dark in this game.
The premise here is similar in concept to The Persistence in that you’re stranded aboard a decrepit spaceship that remixes its layout every time you respawn and you’re tasked with slowly exploring it all in an effort to escape. In practice though, Cosmodread is much more about slow, methodical stealth in an effort to avoid all of the various horrific creatures.
The lore is dolled out gradually over time by picking up audio logs, as is standard with these types of games by this point, and you’ll also collect blueprints for items as you explore. The structure is a bit like a Metroidvania in that you need to locate the appropriate keycard to unlock new sections of the ship, but the locations of items, doors, and ship regions are all procedurally placed so no two playthroughs are ever identical.
One mechanic I really appreciated is that you’ll find batteries in wall panels that are used to power rooms. This might just include lights and illuminated wall panels that light up an area, or it might include actual machines and levers that can be used. Each battery has a limited number of charges so you’ll need to stick them in your inventory and conserve them for the right moment. Monitoring your oxygen levels is key to survival as well, since you can die if you’re not careful.
Cosmodread Review – Comfort Settings
Cosmodread features the typical assortment of comfort options, ranging from teleport and “dash” movement to smooth, analog stick locomotion, You can tweak the speed of rotations, or switch to snap turning instead. I played with all options set to smooth and my turn speed maxed out, but personally chose to just physically turn my body since I was on Quest. There enough options here that I would imagine most people could find a workaround that is comfortable enough to play the game.
I spent around 10-hours with Cosmodread and, truth be told, still haven’t seen everything it has to offer. It’s one of those types of games that you can honestly play over and over and still feel like you’re getting something a bit new and unique each time. To its credit, this is exactly what fans of this genre love—however, it absolutely does get stale after a while. Cosmodread is definitely a game for fans of roguelikes first and foremost – don’t expect a campaign-like structure.
There is of course combat in Cosmodread, but it’s far from the focus. Stealth is absolutely the preferred method most of the time here if for no reason other than your options for fighting back are painfully limited for most of the time you’ll spend aboard this dying spacecraft. That, and the enemies are absolutely relentless and deadly. Setting a trap from a distance and luring them to death is usually more effective than facing them head on.
Since White Door Games is such a small indie studio, Cosmodread predictably reuses assets liberally. Virtually every hallways looks the same, the random junk items laying out on tables like canned food containers and empty boxes are copy-pasted across the whole ship, and, on Quest, all the textures have a sort of ‘muddy’ surface layer that lacks definition. You can get lost easily in Cosmodread not just because the layout changes every time you respawn, but because every room basically looks the same.
That wouldn’t be a huge issue if the quality of the visuals was higher, but as it stands it feels a bit undercooked. It’s a few steps up from Dreadhalls, for sure, but other things I’ve seen in VR recently—even on Quest natively—are leagues beyond Cosmodread. Especially when you consider how dark the game is, you’d have hoped that would have freed up resources to render higher detail environments.
Thankfully the sound design elevates things considerably. Each enemy makes unique and distinguishable sounds and you’ll often hear them on the other side of a wall or even sometimes coming from the vents above. The disgusting, tentacle-like growth that spreads throughout the ship makes a wet and pulsating sound as it extends, letting you almost feel the tendrils that coil around your feet and stretch up the walls.
Honestly, it’s some of the most effective 3D audio I’ve ever heard in a VR game and is a great reminder of just how important and impactful great sound design is for immersion.
Once you advance far enough into the ship, when you die, you’ll unlock different modifiers that can be used to alter your next run. For example, you could opt to start out with zero weapons (not even the basic crossbow) or choose to double your inventory space in exchange for lopping off a chunk of your health bar. There are tons of modifiers like this to help spice things up and keep it interesting beyond just a new map layout each time.
Cosmodread Review – Final Verdict
Cosmodread is a worthy successor to the cult-classic grandfather of VR horror games, Dreadhalls. Although it doesn’t do a whole lot to push the genre forward in many meaningful ways, it absolutely nails the suffocating terror, incredibly immersive atmosphere, and unnerving tension that makes VR horror so powerful. Visually it leaves a bit to be desired and can get repetitive due to its roguelike design, but it’s still a supremely effective and harrowing experience that all fans of spooky space adventures should absolutely check out.
For more on how we arrived at this score, read our review guidelines. This review was conducted using a digital pre-release version of the game on a Quest 2 headset.
Cosmodread is available starting today for $15 on Steam for PC VR, the Oculus Rift store, and the Oculus Quest store.
The Persistence developer Firesprite is working on a new VR game based on a new, multimillion-selling console title from the last decade.
Job listings for the UK-based studio (first spotted on Reddit) outline an action adventure game that’s “adapted from one of the most original and successful multimillion selling console IP titles in the last 10 years.” A listing for a Lead Producer says the developer is working with the IP holder to release a “whole new chapter” in a “highly original universe”. It will also uitlize “the full immersive capabilities in VR”.
There’s no other hints about what the title could be but it’s worth noting that The Persistence was initially released as a PSVR exclusive with the help of Sony before coming to PC VR and flatscreen consoles. Given that that relationship already exists, and the fact that Sony has released multiple successful new IP in the past 10 years, could the team perhaps be working on another PSVR project? If so, which IP would you want to see brought to VR?
The developer appears to have multiple other projects in the works right now, including an action shooter and a narrative-led title, but these don’t appear to be linked to the VR project.
We were very fond of The Persistence when it released a few years back. “The Persistence offers something fresh and engaging by mixing different genres that we don’t often see melded together so well,” we said, awarding the game 8/10 (yes, we used to do that scale). “On a moment-to-moment basis the horrors lurking around every corner keep you on your toes and the give-and-take aspect of its roguelike nature ensures that no two runs are ever quite the same.”
What do you think Firesprite is working on in VR? Let us know in the comments below!
Our list of the best VR stealth games is stepping out of the shadows to help you on your next sneaking mission.
Stealth is one of those genres that seems like a perfect fit for VR. The ability to physically hide around corners, distract enemies by making noises and then knock them out when they get close feels incredibly empowering, and one of the best expressions of how the medium can enhance traditional games.
But making a good, comprehensive VR stealth game is incredibly hard; not only do you have to accommodate all those elements, you have to make sure enemy AI doesn’t fold under the weight of these systems. This list of the 10 best VR stealth games definitely isn’t free of those issues, but they’re all encouraging signs developers are getting closer to nailing the perfect experience.
Republique might not make the most exciting use of VR, but you can’t deny that it’s a good stealth game in its own right. Camouflaj first dived into VR with this port of its third-person episodic series, which borrows liberally from Metal Gear Solid and other series. There are some neat features here for the VR version and the campaign’s quite lengthy, but this is definitely more your traditional stealth experience that just happens to be playable in VR, putting it at the tenth spot of our best VR stealth games list.
9. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Quest, PSVR, PC VR
Though it might be one of the overall best games on this list, Saints & Sinners scores towards the high end of our top ten given that its stealth is only one small part of the overall experience. The option to sneak through enemy encampments and avoid walkers definitely has tactical advantages and works pretty well, too. Ultimately, though, it’s more fun to stab zombies than it is evade them, so Saints & Sinners comes near the start of our best VR stealth games list.
Panther VR is a hugely ambitious stealth game that aims to let players pick and choose how they navigate through its levels. And developer Wolfdog Interactive has certainly proven its commitment to the Early Access release in the past year, having released plenty of updates to help improve the gameplay. We’re looking forward to Panther’s full release, which is when we’ll really be able to judge if it can climb the ranks of the best VR stealth games.
7. Arashi: Castles of Sin – PSVR
It’s not quite VR’s answer to Tenchu, but Arashi: Castles of Sin still offers around five hours of rock-solid sneaking, tasking players with taking down six Japanese warlords. Open level design gives you some say in how to get from point A to B, and a range of weapons can make for some intentive scenarios. Plus, Arashi features VR’s goodest dog, who can distract enemies on command. Sold.
Jurassic World is definitely on the short side (a second part is still to come later down the line), but what’s already here works really well. Remember the classic kitchen scene from the original Jurassic Park? This is basically that incredibly tense moment stretched across an entire game, asking players to sneak through environments and avoid becoming dino-food. Once the second part arrives we’re hopeful this’ll rank higher on our best VR stealth games list.
Of all the games inspired by Metal Gear Solid on this list, Espire 1 is definitely the most blatant. The game directly lifts a lot of the key features first established in MGS2 but finds new use from them in VR. You can actually say ‘Freeze’ into your headset’s microphone to hold up enemies, for example, and then knock them out cold with the end of your gun. Weak enemy AI holds the game back from being something really special, but we’re hoping to see this franchise expand with a stronger sequel in the future.
Like Saints & Sinners, stealth is really only an option in Sniper Elite VR, but it’s much more intrinsic to the gameplay. When you’re not nestled up in a sniper nest you’re crawling past enemies, scoring headshots with silenced pistols and trying to make it as far into a level as possible before the game’s up. And by building on its work with the existing series, Sniper managed to be a consistent, comprehensive and fair stealth experience. It’s an easy pick for one of the best VR stealth games, then.
Once again, stealth is merely an option in the Hitman series but, whereas Sniper Elite and Walking Dead emphasize action first, Agent 47 is all about sticking to the shadows and fighting back only when absolutely necessary. Adopting a first-person perspective for the first time completely changes the sneaking in IO’s iconic series, making every careful lean from behind the corner a potential run-ruining decision. But it really gives you the feeling of sneaking through areas you shouldn’t be in, making it one of the best VR stealth games.
Lots of VR stealth games aim to give players an expansive set of tools to play with. The result is something that’s often a fun sandbox, but crumbles when you expect enemies to properly react to your discovery. Phantom is a smartly constrained experience in that sense – not only is the kyack-based gameplay completely immersive, but it keeps enemies at a distance and makes their reactions much more believable. Add in some great weapons and inventive use of the game’s sole location, and Phantom: Covert Ops remains one of the best VR stealth games to date.
Budget Cuts 1 may have launched with some problems but Neat Corp has addressed a lot of those issues over time and, more importantly, worked with Fast Travel Games to greatly expand on its premise in Budget Cuts 2. This is VR stealth at its physical best: teleportation-based movement that gives the world context without breaking immersion, skill-dependent gameplay that leaves you feeling lethally effective in your best moments and an utter clutz in your worst, and tongue-in-cheek humor that makes this one of VR’s funniest games. For that reason, the Budget Cuts series finds itself at the top of our best VR stealth games list.
What did you make of our list of the best VR stealth games? Let us know in the comments below!
In these difficult times, videogames are providing an important entertainment outlet, whether you want to join friends in some multiplayer action or get lost in a fantasy world by yourself. This coming week, players across PC and console VR headsets will have more immersive experiences to enjoy.
Gorn – Free Lives
Highly brutal and comedic in equal measure, gladiatorial sim Gornis finally coming to PlayStation VR. The spongy, rag-dill opponents which can be ripped to shreds using all manner of wobbly close combat weaponry, Gorn is a single-player hack ‘n’ slash experience like no other.
Supported platforms: PlayStation VR
Launch date: 19th May
Pixel Ripped 1995 – ARVORE
Release in the Americas a few days ago, now it’s the turn of EU PlayStation VR players to enjoy Pixel Ripped 1995.A love letter to old-school gaming, the story is set during an era when videogames were moving from 16-bit sprites into 32-bit 3D titles. Mixing together various genres from the 1990s including action RPGs, brawlers, platformers, space shooters, and racing games, the gameplay offers an eclectic retro mix.
Supported platforms: PlayStation VR (European Launch)
Launch date: 19th May
War Remains – Flight School Studio
Part film, part educational experience, War Remainstakes place during WWI on the Western Front. Viewers to bear witness as history unfolds from a soldier’s point-of-view in this active battle scene.
Based on a mobile videogame, Spaceteam VRis a cooperative shouting match where players have to perform tasks to keep their spaceship in one piece. These challenges are randomly generated, incorrectly assigned instructions filled with technobabble which mean a lot of fast paced teamwork.
Originally released for PlayStation VR in 2018, The Persistence is a horror title with procedurally generated levels and a crew that have been turned into monsters. Supporting both VR and non-VR gameplay, one of The Persistence’s unique features is that friends can jump in via iOS or Android devices to control some of the spaceship, either helping or hindering the main player.
Back in March, we reported that former PSVR exclusive, The Persistence, would be coming to PC VR headsets this summer. We now know exactly when that will be.
The title, from developer Firesprite Games, will touch down on May 21. The Persistence is actually coming to Xbox One and Nintendo Switch as well as flatscreen versions for PS4 and PC that day too. The game will cost $29.99 on PC.
We confirmed with Firesprite that the PC version would officially integrate Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Windows VR support as you’d hope given that the game was first made exclusively for VR. Take note that you’ll need a standard gamepad to play, so hopefully Valve Index will work too even if it isn’t mentioned.
Plus fans that own the game on PSVR will get the flat PS4 version for free. Perp Games is doing a physical release for the new version of the game on consoles too. That release will arrive later on this summer.
The Persistence is a first-person horror game that initially launched on PSVR back in 2018. The game sees you sneaking through a procedurally generated ship that’s infested with murderous monsters. Friends can join in via a companion app, either helping you on your way or alerting enemies to your presence.
“The Persistence offers something fresh and engaging by mixing different genres that we don’t often see melded together so well,” David wrote at the time,” we said in our review of the game. “On a moment-to-moment basis the horrors lurking around every corner keep you on your toes and the give-and-take aspect of its roguelike nature ensures that no two runs are ever quite the same.”
Will you be picking up The Persistence on PC VR? Let us know in the comments below!
