What is it? What’s the formula, the secret ingredient to make a VR game bring pure excitement and adrenaline to the players? How can we make them smile and go “wow” after they take off the headset? For us devs at Something Random working on Harpagun, it all comes down to a few simple elements. Let’s take it from the top.
Play Video Movement that matters: Speed, control, and immersion
Action games are all about movement. An issue mostly already solved in flat screen games but still problematic in VR. Some forms of locomotion allow for precision but are pretty slow and unresponsive. Others let you zoom around the locations, but can be uncomfortable. Those that are, are limiting or take you out of the illusion of “being there”.
In Harpagun we needed a system with a clear set of goals: comfort, simplicity, responsiveness, speed and immersion. In a proper arcade game players have to be able to react in a blink of an eye, immediately focus on what’s the...
Picture yourself stranded alone on an alien planet. With no-one around to help, and no-one coming to the rescue, your only salvation lies in the endless darkness of a sprawling cave system. Would you dare face the dangers that lurk in the dark?
Welcome to the world of Into Black, a VR action/exploration game about a deep space scavenger trying to repair his ship and escape a mysterious alien planet. You scour the caves for resources to upgrade your gear and rebuild your ship, all while fighting off hordes of deadly alien creatures.
And while the game features a fully voice-acted story campaign, playable solo or in co-op with up to 3 friends, as well as a standalone battle royale mode, the true heart of Into Black is the sense of exploration as you navigate the darkness and uncover wonders and dangers beyond reckoning.
PS VR2 owners will soon get to experience this sense of exploration first hand, but rest assured, this is no mere port. By utilising the power of the PS VR2...
The wait is over! Masters of Light is now one of the first games to introduce full hand tracking on PlayStation VR2, pushing the boundaries of immersive gameplay like never before. As the creator of Masters of Light and co-founder of Coven, I’m beyond excited to bring this revolutionary update to PlayStation fans.
Learn specific gestures to teleport, block meteors and fight!
Harness magic with your own hands
Imagine stepping into the world of Masters of Light and casting spells with nothing but your hands—no controllers needed. This is the power of PS VR2’s new hand tracking technology, allowing you to unleash beams of light, summon shields, and control energy like a true celestial warrior. Every flick of your wrist, every precise movement, translates into real-time spellcasting, making battles feel more intuitive, immersive, and exhilarating than ever....
Baby Steps was first revealed to the world in June 2023, and upon first viewing it, I didn’t know what to think. Surprises are few and far between when you have been gaming for over 30 years, but the reveal trailer left me with perplexing emotions. I was in a mental tug-of-war between, ‘I’ve never quite seen something quite like this’ and, ‘Does this concept really have a leg to stand on?’ Well, after about an hour of playing the game, I was ten toes down.
The game starts with a snippet of exposition. You’re a grown man named Nate living at home, and without warning, you’re thrown into the game world. You’re taught how to walk and tasked with making it out of a cave that serves as the tutorial area, and then you take the first steps into the open world, with one goal in mind: make it to the mountain in the far off distance....
Last week, we asked you to take a leap into Assassin’s Creed Shadows and share epic moments of dual protagonists Naoe and Yasuke using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
TakaSanGames shares Naoe in traditional Assassin white, in front of the Hidden Ones symbol
Evo_Pixel shares Yasuke striking with his katana in the rain
Hey, everybody! Sid, Kristen, Brett, and I are back this week to discuss the new take on Pac-Man Shadow Labyrinth, the wonders of hand-tracking in PlayStation VR2, what it’s like to learn how to walk in Baby Steps, and their most played games on PlayStation.
Stuff We Talked About
Next week’s release highlights:
Koira | PS5
Croc: Legend Of The Gobbos Remastered | PS5, PS4
The Last of Us Part II Remastered | PC
Shadow Labyrinth — Release Date (July 18 for PS5)
Into Black (PS VR2) — Announcement Blog (coming soon)
PlayStation Store’s Spring Sale begins tomorrow, Wednesday March 26. For a limited time* you can enjoy deep discounts of up to 75% off across a wide selection of games and add-ons. That includes Elden Ring (40% off), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 – Cross-Gen Bundle (30% off), Baldur’s Gate 3 (20% off) and many more*.
What other games are included? Well, it’s a list so big we can’t fit everything in this PS Blog post, but we can give you an early preview of some of the titles which will feature below. When the promotion goes live tomorrow, head to PlayStation Store to discover the full lineup as well as your regional discount pricing.
Protect the streets of Detroit, survive a family of horror icons, and turn digital detective with April’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup. RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory will be available to PlayStation Plus members from April 1.
Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. With your powerful Auto-9 or one of a range of weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your...