It’s fair to say, it’s uncharted waters. There is literally no guide as to how to do it. It’s been a journey of discovery, and to be honest, we are still learning. Our hope is that others will see what’s possible with this engine and on this platform and understand that it is more than possible to build experiences that are absolutely best-in-class. We don’t want to rely on the qualifier of being “good for a VR game” at all, we just want to make great games in VR. We’ve never been good at accepting that this or that is not possible in VR.
Detailing how Firewall Ultra benefits from Unreal Engine 5 specifically, First Contact cites the focus on real-time lighting and claims UE5 is a good fit for live-service games, stating how “future-proofing our engine choice was an important factor.” Calling lighting a major focus for Ultra across this interview, the team explains why this is important for Ultra’s gameplay:
We don’t consider this merely dressing. When your goal is to create as immersive an experience as possible, the closer we can get to people’s real world experience of light and dark, the richer the experience becomes.
Beyond Unreal Engine 5, First Contact discusses the benefits PSVR 2 brings, clarifying why additional peripherals like the PSVR Aim Controller aren’t required, HDR support, and touching on previously announced features like eye-tracking. 60fps gameplay was confirmed, meaning Ultra will use reprojection to hit 120hz similar to Horizon Call of the Mountain and Gran Turismo 7.
Firewall Ultra arrives later this year exclusively on PSVR 2.
Skydance Interactive released a new The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution trailer, offering a fresh look at the PC VR and PSVR 2 editions.
Arriving next month on both platforms, this new trailer follows last year’s Quest release for Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution, which shambled at launch with performance issues. Developers have been issues fixes, though, and this latest trailer is called “Save the City” and aims to highlight the “greater visual and graphic heights” on both platforms. Footage is captured from the PC build in the trailer. You can watch that below:
A new hotfix is also available for the Quest version, while a larger update on March 21 will bring “more improvements” and a new weapon recipe for The Orphan. You can find the hotfix patch notes below:
Missing Open Chem Vials can now be found.
Steel Pipe material spawn rate increased.
Bugs related to Sable have been corrected.
Enemy spawns during certain Sable missions are corrected.
Salvaging crash fixed.
When players complete the “Scribe’s Boon” task they will now be properly rewarded and the task will be marked in your journal.
We had mixed opinions in our Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2 review on Quest last December. While we praised Retribution’s storytelling and “outstandingly visceral” combat, Retribution’s buggy launch performance with gameplay systems “almost identical” to the first Saints & Sinners left us unable to recommend it at launch.
At launch, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution is reasonably allegorical with its own subject matter. Something that was once alive, visceral and vibrant has been reanimated into a pale imitation of itself, shambling aimlessly and consuming the world it once created… The deeply atmospheric world of post-apocalyptic New Orleans, complete with its rich characters and its brooding, oppressive sense of desperation remain fundamentally intact.
We’ll be looking to revisit Retribution on PSVR 2 and PC for graphics comparison and updated thoughts as soon as we can. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution arrives on March 21 for PC VR, PSVR, and PSVR 2. Otherwise, it’s available now on the Meta Quest platform.
As shown in no particular order, these are our top five PSVR games that we’d love to see on PSVR 2.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Resident Evil Village is one of PSVR 2’s major launch games, so we’re hopeful that Resident Evil 7 will eventually follow. While official VR support remains PSVR exclusive for RE7, Capcom remastered the flatscreen version of this acclaimed survival horror for PS5 last year, adding ray-tracing support, improved framerates, haptic feedback and resistance triggers. This remains one of VR’s scariest games, and we’d love to see it back with further enhancements.
Blood & Truth
PlayStation VR Worlds might have been little more than a PSVR demo disc, but the London Heist minigame remains a standout. Sony London expanded this into a full release with Blood & Truth, which sees you saving your family from a London crime boss. With its high production values and entertaining set pieces, London Studio’s hit FPS deserves a second chance.
Wipeout Omega Collection
As the remake of a remake, Wipeout Omega Collection can feel overfamiliar for long-term fans, but it’s one of the best entries in this beloved sci-fi racing series. Elevated further through its optional PSVR support, Wipeout’s campaigns for HD, Fury and 2048 are all playable alongside multiplayer, and you can access three VR-exclusive ships. Omega Collection is highly polished, thrilling, and easily worth a second look.
Astro Bot Rescue Mission
Astro’s Playroom is an enjoyable showcase for the DualSense controller’s abilities on PS5, and we would love to see Astro Bot Rescue Mission back on PSVR 2. Initially featured in Sony Japan’s The Playroom VR mini-game compilation, Rescue Mission took this petite and adorable robot on a 3D platforming adventure to save his friends. It’s an absolute joy that remains the no.1 pick in our best PSVR games list.
Star Wars: Squadrons
Star Wars is already on PSVR 2 in Tales From The Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition, but we’d never turn down more adventures in a galaxy far, far away. Alongside Vader Immortal, EA Motive’s Star Wars: Squadrons also released on PSVR and provided something completely different. Swapping lightsabers for X-Wings and TIE Fighters, this space dogfighter comes with a full campaign, online multiplayer, and optional VR support. Considering EA ported Jedi Fallen Order to PS5, we hope Squadrons will follow one day.
Gran Turismo 7, Sony’s flagship racing series, arrives as a PSVR 2 launch title. Available as a free update for existing PS5 owners, here’s our full review.
Gran Turismo Sport promised greater things to come on PSVR. With VR support limited to 1v1 races against an AI opponent and time trials, it amazed and frustrated many back in 2017, and Gran Turismo 7 shows us how it’s done on PlayStation VR2. Polyphony Digital claims this latest entry was always designed for VR, and you can play the entire experience in your headset – split-screen multiplayer aside. Outside of the driver’s seat, most of Gran Turismo 7 remains flatscreen.
Polyphony Digital is clearly passionate about motorsport and the wider car industry, and Gran Turismo 7’s campaign goes beyond a few races strung together. Progression occurs through the GT Café where the menu is more of a shopping list. You’re tasked with collecting cars based around a specific theme which are earned through good performances in races. Some challenges require you to hold a National License obtained by completing set challenges.
Completing menus gives you a brief history lesson and the café owner details the legacy these cars left behind. This adds some appreciated context, making this more than a pretty vehicle sim. Your selection is initially restricted to basic used cars before more expensive dealers become available. There are currently 460+ cars available and more are likely to come through regular updates, too. Every car is also upgradeable from road vehicles to racers for better speed, handling, cornering and more.
You’re not getting a Ferrari or Bugatti straight away, though the campaign has clearly defined progression through these menus that works toward fancier options. Campaign races usually require a top-three finish to clear them before moving on; winning isn’t always necessary. Some races mandate specific vehicle types, like Japanese vehicles only, encouraging you to try other cars. There’s also a VR showroom for viewing your collection, and though it’s a fun novelty to pad out PSVR 2 support, that wears off almost immediately.
Naturally, racing is where VR gameplay truly shines, which usually begins with a rolling start before placing you in the driver’s seat. I was immediately impressed by Gran Turismo 7’s attention to detail with its working speedometer and realistic interiors, and you can minimize the heads-up display (HUD) elements like driver names for greater realism. Watching the raindrops fall across the windscreen and seeing the sun accurately reflect in the mirrors all complemented this.
Your avatar responds to your headset position and if you lean out too far, everything turns into a wireframe outline, so no sticking your head out the window. I wished for more interactivity here, though I’d say the same for most VR racers. It feels incredible being out on track in VR and I found myself driving more cautiously. AI cars won’t hesitate to shut the door on you so you’ve got to carefully time precisely when to overtake. Executing some tricky passes and seeing that checkered flag as you enter 1st place feels incredibly rewarding.
What’s here is highly polished but not always consistent. It’s one thing that replays can’t be viewed through VR, but pitting mid-race oddly goes back to flatscreen view temporarily. Admittedly, not many campaign races would ever need you to pit since they usually last 2 or 3 laps, but swapping between these views during a race doesn’t feel right.
That aside, Gran Turismo 7 packs some enjoyably varied circuits, and as a Formula 1 fan, I was pleased to see Suzuka, Nurburgring and the Red Bull Ring. Combined with off-road tracks and wet weather options, I’m thrilled at what’s here. If you’re struggling in races, there are three difficulty settings you can switch between, alongside on-track assists like racing lines and auto braking options.
There’s also a multiplayer mode gated behind campaign progression, but it doesn’t take long to unlock. As mentioned, split-screen multiplayer isn’t available on PSVR 2, which is understandable. You can take this casually through standard races, host lobbies with friends, or do ranked matches at the Sport Pavilion.
As for controls, Gran Turismo 7 doesn’t support the PSVR 2 Sense controllers at review time. Granted, VR racing sims often rely on more traditional gamepads, though more minor things like pointing at where I’d like to go on the world map would be nice. This leaves you with two options: a standard PS5 DualSense or a choice of steering wheels. Using DualSense has merits like haptic feedback which lets you feel changes in the road surface, while adaptive triggers add resistance when braking.
I preferred the steering wheel, and for this review, I received a Thrustmaster T248 from the manufacturer. You don’t get that same buzz from the DualSense haptics, but controls feel tighter and more realistic with its force feedback, and putting my feet to the pedals and handling the wheel directly adds considerable immersion. The T248 requires three wires: a power supply, a connector to the pedals, and a USB cable to plug into the PS5. Overall, it’s a great steering wheel for racing fans. The T248 and alternative wheels aren’t usually cheap, but they can absolutely be a fantastic way to enjoy the Gran Turismo 7 VR racing experience.
Gran Turismo 7 Review – Comfort
Gran Turismo 7 is bare on PSVR 2 comfort options. Outside the VR Showroom you don’t explore beyond the driver’s seat in VR. Headset vibration during collisions and impacts can be turned off, while force feedback on steering wheels and DualSense trigger strength is adjustable. The controller’s vibration strength can be changed too. Haptic feedback can be entirely switched off from the PS5 settings menu.
GT7 reprojects its 60 frames-per-second gameplay to 120Hz, something previously confirmed by Polyphony’s CEO. I didn’t notice any issues relating to ghosting but it’s possibly apparent or uncomfortable to some. For more details on reprojection, check out our PSVR 2 tech analysis.
Gran Turismo 7 is a solid racing game made better in VR. Unfortunately, GT7’s problems from the original PS5 release haven’t disappeared because it now uses a headset. Most egregious is the always-online requirement, meaning you can’t play the solo campaign mode without a connection. Polyphony claims this requirement prevents cheating. Only 13 cars and a limited arcade mode with ten tracks are available when playing offline. That isn’t terrible for a quick fix, but with 30+ tracks total, most of the game becomes unplayable if there’s an internet outage.
Earning credits to buy new vehicles doesn’t feel too grindy, but some cars are priced so high it incentivizes players into microtransactions. Want that McLaren F1 ‘94? You better find 20 million credits, with $20 buying 2 million credits on PSN. That’s a more extreme example, but many vehicles aren’t cheap. Roulette tickets are awarded for free upon completing menus, offering five options that provide credits or cars, which lands on the lowest value choice almost every time.
Gran Turismo 7 Review – Final Verdict
Gran Turismo 7 is one of the most potent racing sims ever to grace VR and Polyphony Digital’s passion for motorsport is in every moment. GT7 is a love letter that celebrates cars old and new, offering a significant range of playable vehicles and racing tracks that take full advantage of the new hardware. A few lingering problems from the original release dampen things slightly but make no mistake; Gran Turismo 7 with PSVR 2 is a must for racing fans.
UploadVR focuses on a label system for reviews, rather than a numeric score. Our reviews fall into one of four categories: Essential, Recommended, Avoid and reviews that we leave unlabeled. You can read more about our review guidelines here.
Spider hunter game Kill It With Fire is coming to VR headsets later this year.
Update March 24, 2023: As confirmed during the Future Games Show, Kill It With Fire VR arrives on Quest 2 and PC VR on April 13, while it launches for the original PSVR and PSVR 2 later this year. Original article, published February 24, continues below with a new trailer attached.
This new VR version of the game is set for release on Quest 2, SteamVR, the original PSVR and PSVR 2. While we don’t have any VR gameplay just yet, you can check out the trailer for the flatscreen version embedded above.
The game will see you go to war with house spiders, tearing rooms apart and building new tools from household items to get rid of the arachnids menaces once and for all:
The leggy lurkers hide anywhere and everywhere. Even the odds collecting a bevy of weapons, utilising state-of-the-art spider-tracking technology, and mastering the new VRACHNID() gloves to better detect the eight-legged enemies. Follow the tracker and listen for the telltale squeaks indicating spiders, spiderlings, and other unholy abominations.
Smash arachnids with office supplies and frying pans, blast spiderlings with shotguns, and slice through eight-legged armies with ninja weaponry. Lob TNT at them for good measure. Still feeling phantom legs crawling around? Whip out that flamethrower and burn it all down.
Development of the VR release is being handled by Casey Donnellan, the same solo developer behind the flatscreen release, and published by tinyBuild. “Fans have been asking for a VR version of Kill It With Fire since the very first footage of the original game,” said Donnellan, in a prepared statement. “I’m really happy that we can finally put horrifying spiders on a screen less than an inch from players’ eyeballs!”
Upcoming dark fantasy combat game Hellsweeper VR will release on PlayStation VR2 later this year.
It’s a new title from Mixed Realm, the team behind Sairento, and will be published by Vertigo Games, known for Arizona Sunshine, A Fisherman’s Tale and more. Hellsweeper was originally set for release on PC VR and Quest 2 in late 2022, but in November a delay was confirmed, pushing the game to Q2 2023.
Vertigo and Mixed Realms confirmed a PSVR 2 release for Hellsweeper this week, with the PlayStation blog stating that the PSVR 2 version will arrive “later this year.”
We tried the game out last year at Gamescom, noting that its fast-paced and intense combat was a lot of fun. The game focuses on a gesture-based system that lets you summon expendable weapons with awesome results:
What makes this system really interesting is the combos you can create by combining two weapons or spells together. If you summon an item in each hand, you can smash them together to create a unique combination with different effects. Smashing my fireball onto my sword, for example, gave me a flaming sword. Likewise, combining a fireball and a bow together creates flaming arrows. You can even combine multiples of the same spell together – two fireballs merge to create one massive ball of energy, which I could shoot across the map and detonate at will.
For more info, you can read our full Hellsweeper VR hands-on from Gamescom.
Hellsweeper VR releases for PC VR, Quest 2 and PSVR 2 later this year – keep an eye out for more news in the months ahead.
Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue will release May 24 for PlayStation VR2.
Developers tinyBuild first revealed the game several months ago, announcing a simultaneous launch on PSVR 2 and PC VR on February 22. However, a few weeks before PSVR 2 launch, the game’s release date was removed and it was seemingly delayed with no update release window.
This week, Hello Neighbor: Search and Rescue’s PlayStation page was updated with a new release date, accepting pre-orders for May 24, 2023. The PC VR release remains unconfirmed and is still listed as ‘Coming Soon’ on Steam. We sought confirmation from a tinyBuild representative on both the PSVR 2 and PC VR release dates and will update this piece if we receive a response.
Hello Neighbor is a popular flatscreen franchise and this will mark its first venture onto VR headsets. Described as a VR horror-puzzle game, tinyBuild says that players will “sneak into your creepy neighbor’s house to save your friend,” with multiple playable characters, environmental puzzles and non-linear exploration.
Guardians Frontline is almost here – Fast Travel Games confirmed that the FPS and RTS hybrid hits Quest and PC VR on March 9.
Originally released as Guardians VR on App Lab, SideQuest and Steam Early Access, developer VirtualAge took direct inspiration from Halo and Starcraft with Guardians Frontline, which significantly expands upon the original version. Offering a single-player mode, four-player co-op and an eight-player PvP mode, the game also features an in-game level editor and custom maps can be shared with other players. Here’s the official description:
With a dangerous alien onslaught looming, players must take control of the battlefield to protect the federation as they work to extract a mysterious power source. Strategically place buildings for cover, call in space crafts for air support, or face the enemy head-on with powerful heavy weapons.
“Every encounter in Guardians Frontline is unpredictable,” claimed Carles Ballabriga, CEO of VirtualAge, in a prepared statement. “The strategy that worked for your first game isn’t guaranteed to work on the second, third, or even fourth game. Think outside the box, be creative, and give all of its mechanics a try to find the best combination to succeed.”
We went hands-on with Guardians Frontline last September, believing it offered a promising halfway point between the FPS and RTS genres. Calling Frontline “more than the sum of its parts,” we weren’t completely sold on the FPS mechanics but praised its strategic gameplay. “Individually, the FPS gameplay isn’t terribly exciting but it compliments the strategic side well, offering a nice change of pace.”
Guardians Frontline arrives on March 9 on Meta Quest 2 and SteamVR for $24.99.
New tweets from a Resident Evil Twitter account indicate that development has started on PSVR 2 content for the Resident Evil 4 Remake, set to release next month.
The tweets in question come from the official Resident Evil account on Twitter and while the content was tweeted in Japanese, running the tweets through online translators does reveal some info. Translations of the first tweet indicate that the studio has “started development” on a “VR mode” for the Resident Evil 4 Remake. Translations of the second tweet indicate that the VR mode will be “distributed as free DLC for PlayStation5 / PlayStationVR2.”
What’s most interesting about these new tweets is that they refer to a ‘VR Mode’, which is the same language used to describe Resident Evil Village’s PSVR 2 support. In the initial announcement, Capcom described VR support for the RE4 Remake as ‘PSVR 2 Content‘, stopping short of saying the entire game would be playable in VR.
All that said, this remains unverified and the unreliable nature of online translators means that we can’t be certain what the ‘VR Mode’ will and won’t include. Regardless of what content is included, it seems fair to assume that the PSVR 2 support might not arrive for the Resident Evil 4 Remake at launch. The remake is set for a March 23 release date – a month away – and according to these tweets, development on VR support has only just begun. Plus, the description of it being “distributed as free DLC” makes a post-launch arrival seem even more likely.
This will be the second version of Resident Evil 4 available on VR headsets. Previously, Meta released a reimagining of the original for the Quest platform, translated and re-worked for VR by Amarture. However, this new version of RE4 coming next month is a full remake and any VR content is likely to look – and play – very differently to that Quest release.
Earlier this week, PSVR 2 supported went live for Resident Evil Village on PS5. Stay tuned for our full review coming next week.
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded reimagines this arcade light-gun shooter for PlayStation VR2, significantly improving the Quest and PC VR release. Here’s our full review:
VR offers a natural successor to light-gun shooters, and I’d argue Zombieland: Headshot Fever is a better House of the Dead game than the recent HOTD remake. Undead shooters are a dime a dozen, so it’s tough standing out, and Headshot Fever’s poor visuals and short length hampered the original version’s charms. Two years later, XR Games is back with a Reloaded edition on PSVR 2, adding many new features.
Zombieland fans should find plenty to like. It’s a self-contained story set after Double Tap, and Headshot Fever sees you playing “New Guy,” who joins the original quartet as they train for a sporting event called the ‘Zombieland Invitational.’ Headshot Fever retains the film’s humor and though most of the original cast don’t reprise their roles, Abigail Breslin (Little Rock) returns, while XR Games brought in Woody Harrelson’s brother, Brett, to play Tallahassee.
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded Review – The Facts
Developer: XR Games and Sony Pictures Virtual Reality
Price: $24.99
Using a mansion as your hub, there’s a practice range available and Tallahassee provides new weapons in exchange for TP (toilet paper), the new post-apocalyptic currency. New Guy can equip two guns that split into two categories: main weapons like pistols with unlimited ammo, alongside powerful secondary weapons with limited ammo best saved for trickier moments, such as your shotgun. Special perks can be equipped for bonuses like increased ammo supply, earning more TP per mission and steadier aiming.
Each level involves shooting live zombies inside an on-rails race course. However, Zombieland forgoes a traditional points system and ranks clear time, uploading these results to online leaderboards. Reloading weapons requires emptying your clip by flicking the joystick down, then moving your gun toward fresh ammo that hovers in front of you.
Hardly convoluted, but for a game prioritizing quick reactions, an automatic Pistol Whip-style reload where you point guns at the floor would go a long way. After clearing an area, a marker appears to teleport you onto the next area and, in Reloaded, that’s activated by quickly staring at it through eye tracking, which feels intuitive.
Chasing faster times is tough, but that’s where Zombieland’s ‘adrenaline mode’ kicks in. Activated by two consecutive headshots, time slows down and that’s extended through repeated headshots. Blowing apart these zombies in slow motion remains very satisfying, and decent enemy variety keeps life interesting. Throwers, unsurprisingly, throw objects which can be shot down. Big Guys are the tank class Zombie, while Ferals charge you. Be careful not to shoot Homers; these large but harmless zombies add a 5-second penalty if killed, though you can disable that with perks.
When it comes to gameplay, Reloaded largely remains the same Zombieland experience we saw two years ago. It’s not particularly ambitious and doesn’t take ages to complete but what’s here is good fun, which is more than I can say for most licensed tie-ins, and there’s strong replayability to each level.
However, similar to Cities: VR and Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, Zombieland received major upgrades that puts it a cut above your average PSVR 2 port. There’s expanded content with an extra story level, three new remix levels, additional Gun Range challenges, new weapons and more. Adaptive triggers provide weapons with different resistances when pulling the trigger, and you can feel the headset haptics kick in when zombies attack you.
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded starts by asking what your preferred settings are. It supports seated and standing play, you can select your dominant hand, adjust both the vibration and adaptive trigger’s intensity, and choose a more comfortable height for your belt and gun holster. If you’re not comfortable with blood, or would prefer to tone down the action while streaming, bloody kills can be turned off in the settings menu.
More prominently, Reloaded uses a new cel-shaded art style with revised character models and new animations, which feels like night and day compared to the original game. It’s a highly welcome upgrade from the Quest and PC VR version’s distinctly low budget look and shoddy character designs. The new art style is noticeably cleaner, which looks better in the headset than it does across flat screenshots, and kills feel more stylish.
Zombieland: Headshot Fever Review – Final Verdict
As someone who grew up playing arcade shooters like Ghost Squad and House of the Dead, Zombieland: Headshot Fever almost feels nostalgic, and the Reloaded edition addresses most of my previous concerns in the Quest version. XR Games put considerable effort into this revamp and while you don’t need long to see it all, Headshot Fever remains an enjoyable time that stays faithful to the source material. If you enjoyed the film series or simply love a good shooter, Zombieland’s worth a look.
UploadVR focuses on a label system for reviews, rather than a numeric score. Our reviews fall into one of four categories: Essential, Recommended, Avoid and reviews that we leave unlabeled. You can read more about our review guidelines here.
) gloves to better detect the eight-legged enemies. Follow the tracker and listen for the telltale squeaks indicating spiders, spiderlings, and other unholy abominations. 
