#PSVR 2 controllers

[gamesatwork]

e493 — A VR Merry Holiday

e493 with Andy, Michael & Michael — all things #VR, from #AndroidXR & Project #Moohan to #GorillaTag to the #NFL #Funday crossovers with the #Simpsons and a whole lot more!

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash Published 16 December 2024 e493 with Andy, Michael & Michael — all things VR, from #AndroidXR & Project #Moohan to #GorillaTag to the #NFL #Funday crossovers with the #Simpsons and a whole lot more! Andy, Michael and Michael are back together again, and have a whole episode full of VR, AR, MR and XR stories to discuss!  The team starts things off with the…

[metaverse-ar-vr]

Apple confirmed at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last week that Vision Pro is set to support PSVR 2 Sense controllers when visionOS 26 launches this Fall. While still in developer beta, YouTuber ‘Nathie’ got a chance to go hands-on, sho #AR #VR #Metaverse

[cpdchengemao]

Game Analysis: Horizon Call of the Mountain

Horizon Call of the Mountain delivers a highly immersive experience through PSVR 2's high-resolution display, eye-tracking, and haptic feedback technology. The game's natural environments, such as dense jungles and mechanical creatures, are meticulously rendered, allowing players to observe the details of machines up close and even sense their breathing and movements.

Technological Innovation

Eye-Tracking: PSVR 2's eye-tracking technology enables players to select menus or aim at targets using their gaze, enhancing the intuitiveness of interactions.

Haptic Feedback: The haptic feedback and adaptive triggers of the DualSense controller provide realistic physical feedback when players draw a bow, climb, or perform other actions.

3D Audio: The game utilizes PSVR 2's 3D audio technology, allowing players to determine the location of machines and environmental changes through sound.

Set in the world of the Horizon series, the game follows a new character, Ryas, as he explores uncharted territories and battles mechanical creatures. The gameplay combines climbing, exploration, and combat, requiring players to physically draw bows, throw tools, or dodge attacks, immersing them more deeply in the game world.

As one of the launch titles for PSVR 2, Horizon Call of the Mountain has garnered significant attention. It not only showcases the potential of PSVR 2 hardware but also sets a new benchmark for VR game design. Many reviews consider this game a prime example of the integration of VR technology with AAA gaming.

References

Smith, J. (2023). Horizon Call of the Mountain: A new benchmark for VR gaming. VR Focus. Available at: https://www.vrfocus.com/horizon-call-of-the-mountain-review [Accessed 10 Oct. 2023].

Guerrilla Games (2023). Horizon Call of the Mountain - Official Website. Available at: https://www.guerrilla-games.com/horizon-call-of-the-mountain [Accessed 10 Oct. 2023].

[laurentgiret]

Apple has reportedly teamed up with Sony to make the company’s PSVR 2 controllers compatible with its Vision Pro headset

[metasoilverse1]

Virtual Reality Gaming Platforms: Revolutionizing the Gaming Experience

Virtual Reality (VR) gaming platforms are transforming the landscape of digital entertainment, offering immersive experiences that transcend the boundaries of traditional gaming. What was once a niche technology reserved for high-end developers or science fiction enthusiasts has rapidly become a mainstream sensation. The rise of VR platforms represents one of the most significant leaps in gaming technology, changing how players interact with digital worlds. This article explores the evolution, major platforms, and future potential of VR gaming.

The Evolution of VR in Gaming

Virtual Reality Gaming Platforms began with a vision of creating immersive worlds where players could physically move, touch, and interact with virtual objects as though they existed in the real world. Early VR attempts in the 1990s, such as the Virtual Boy by Nintendo, failed due to poor execution and limited technology. However, technological advancements in the 21st century have revitalized the dream of fully immersive VR gaming. The development of motion-sensing technology, high-definition displays, and powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) has paved the way for today's VR platforms.

It wasn’t until the launch of Oculus Rift in 2016, followed by PlayStation VR and HTC Vive, that VR gaming became accessible to the mass market. These platforms offered players a way to step into the game world, transforming gaming from a passive activity to an active experience. Coupled with the development of VR-specific titles and content, VR gaming has grown in popularity.

Leading VR Gaming Platforms

Several VR gaming platforms dominate the market, each offering its own unique features and experiences.

Oculus Quest and Meta Quest 2 Developed by Meta (formerly Facebook), the Oculus Quest and its successor, the Meta Quest 2, have revolutionized the VR market by offering a completely wireless and standalone experience. Unlike earlier VR systems that required high-powered PCs or gaming consoles, the Quest series provides an all-in-one solution. With access to the Oculus Store, players can explore a wide range of games, from action-packed adventures like "Beat Saber" to social experiences such as "VRChat." Its portability and user-friendly interface make it one of the most popular VR gaming platforms available today.

PlayStation VR PlayStation VR (PSVR) is Sony’s flagship VR platform, designed for use with the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles. PlayStation VR offers an extensive library of exclusive games, such as "Astro Bot Rescue Mission" and "Resident Evil 7," which have captivated audiences with their rich, immersive worlds. Sony’s PlayStation VR 2, released in 2023, improved on its predecessor with enhanced graphics, better tracking, and more comfortable hardware.

HTC Vive and Valve Index HTC Vive and Valve Index are premium VR platforms designed for high-end PC gaming. These systems provide advanced motion tracking, finger tracking, and the highest resolution displays, making them the choice for VR enthusiasts who seek an unparalleled, deeply immersive experience. With access to SteamVR, a platform offering thousands of VR games, the HTC Vive and Valve Index have become a go-to for PC gamers interested in VR.

Windows Mixed Reality Windows Mixed Reality (WMR) is Microsoft’s foray into the VR market. Though initially marketed as a mixed reality system capable of both augmented and virtual reality, WMR has primarily been used for gaming purposes. It supports both the SteamVR ecosystem and Microsoft’s own content library, providing users with a versatile gaming experience.

The Future of VR Gaming Platforms

The future of VR gaming is incredibly promising. As technology continues to evolve, VR systems will become more accessible, affordable, and powerful. The growing interest in haptic feedback suits and more advanced motion controllers suggests that future VR experiences could become even more immersive, allowing players to feel every step, punch, and environment they encounter in virtual worlds.

Additionally, the rise of multiplayer VR experiences could reshape social gaming. Platforms like Horizon Worlds and VRChat have already shown that VR can be more than just a single-player experience. In the future, we can expect VR to play a major role in creating expansive, shared online worlds where gamers can interact in real-time.

 

Metaverse Platform for Virtual Events are rapidly advancing, offering players unique and immersive gaming experiences. From the wireless freedom of Meta Quest 2 to the high-end capabilities of HTC Vive and Valve Index, VR gaming is no longer a dream of the future but a reality of the present. As the technology continues to grow, VR gaming platforms are set to become a dominant force in the gaming industry, transforming how we play and experience video games for years to come.

[theclubhero-blog]

Sony aplica aumento de preço nos controles DualSense na Europa e EUA

Por Vinicius Torres Oliveira

A Sony decidiu aumentar o preço de seus controles DualSense na Europa e EUA, seguindo um acréscimo nos valores praticados no Japão

A Sony Interactive Entertainment aumentou o preço dos seus controles DualSense nas lojas da Europa e dos EUA, uma movimentação não anunciada e que deve pegar de surpresa muitos consumidores que estavam economizando para comprar um.

Antes os controles de cor branca e os modelos Midnight Black, Cosmic Red, Starlight Blue e Galactic Purple estavam sendo vendidos por $69,99; agora com as lojas praticando o novo preço de $74,99. Vale notar que é um valor próximo do visto nas suas variantes mais recentes, como do Astro Bot e as cores metálicas, que são vendidos por $79,99.

É importante mencionar que este parece ser um movimento da Sony Interactive Entertainment que está passando por “fases” – começando pelo Japão e seguindo agora para a Europa e EUA. Não seria estranho se isto impactasse o Brasil nas próximas semanas, então é recomendável se manter alerta.

O aumento não está ocorrendo apenas da propriet��ria da PlayStation, mas também é visto por parte da Microsoft – que também teve um aumento recente no preço de seus hardwares Xbox e periféricos em escala global de agosto para cá.

A Sony Interactive Entertainment não se manifestou sobre o aumento dos preços no Japão, então é seguro afirmar que também não devem apresentar uma justificativa para o aumento que também é visto na Europa e EUA.

Recentemente a fabricante trouxe um software próprio para configuração e personalização do controle DualSense Edge nos computadores – permitindo que tenha mais opções com ele no ambiente dos games feitos para PCs.

Vale lembrar que recentemente a Sony esteve disponibilizando diversos títulos de seu catálogo nos computadores, assim como trouxe um novo adaptador para que possa usar o PSVR 2 nestes dispositivos. Fora isto, as vendas do PlayStation Portal também está incentivando eles a ficar de olho no mercado de dispositivos portáteis.

[skyclimberstudios]

Professional Work

In addition to the various personal and side projects I've worked on over the years (some shared here, and plenty more locked away), I have also worked in industry as a professional Game Engineer. Let's take a moment to look at some of the more interesting projects and my contributions to them.

I had the opportunity to make significant contributions to a wide swath of Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach (FNAF: SB) during my time at Babaroga. My work in Unreal Engine included solutions in both the 3D (most Security Office challenges, Fazer Blast, etc.), 2D (all secret arcade games), and user HUD parts of the game with additional contributions to lighting, cameras, level design, and AI. I was also lead on implementing achievements, both backend (Steamworks and PS4 Dev Net) and frontend (game triggers, additional hidden content, etc.).

After FNAF: SB, Babaroga formed a three engineer team tasked with porting Not For Broadcast (Unity) to multiple Virtual Reality platforms (PSVR, Quest 2, Index, and Vive). My work on this project included implementing the VR and input backend systems (not the frontend physical interactions) for each platform’s unique hardware and software requirements, along with completing countless gameplay improvements and fixes.

At one of my earliest industry positions, I was the lead game and UI engineer at Barrett Technology, a robotics company creating physical rehabilitation hardware and software. I built their entire Unity development framework and the vast majority of their content from scratch.  Nearly everything you can find in this blog post is something I either built myself or heavily modified. This included developing a number of tools that handled common behaviors and integration with other programs so that external developers could focus entirely on making content. I would also regularly manage interns and their creations, upgrading their initial rough concepts into something that felt “right” to play with appropriate physics, haptics, and controls.

Most recently, I have had the opportunity to work with Dartmouth College on multiple aquatic robot simulators in Unity. This fascinating work has primarily been focused on converting equations from whitepapers into code so virtual sensors in Unity can replicate real world behavior. I also provided a workflow that will allow researchers to take real world elevation data and convert it to virtual landscapes without having to use complex and expensive software. Additionally, the simulators have ROS integration, allowing researchers to test their real world control software with virtual robots and sensors and limiting the amount of wasted time, money, and potential danger that would come from doing initial testing on real hardware in real aquatic environments.

[gertlushgaming]

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Review (PlayStation 5)

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Review, 42 of the weirdest, trippiest, sheepiest games ever created. Enter the mind of Jeff Minter, the legendary creator of Attack of the Mutant Camels, Gridrunner, and Tempest 2000, in this interactive documentary from Digital Eclipse.

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Review Pros:

- Graphics are from every generation. - 3.97GB download size. - Platinum trophy. - You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game. - Interactive documentary gameplay. - You work your way along the timeline of events. - Videos can be fast-forwarded, rewound, and paused. - Subtitles can be turned on and off with a button press. - High-quality video. - Simple controls. - You can turn menu music on and off. - Clear crisp and clean menu system that is just so good to look at. - An excellent time capsule. - If you have played the Atari 50 The Anniversary Celebration you get that again but for the one game. - Thumbnails for the games show the original box art and original scans of the floppy discs. - There are four chapters to the documentary and each has a completion percentage. - Original scans of paperwork, notes, concept art, letters, and more. - All images can be zoomed in and out and pan around. - Attack the documentary in any order you like. - Such high production value. - Full games list - - Sinclair ZX81 - 3D3D - Centipede Commodore VIC-20 - Abductor - Andes Attack - Deflex V - Gridrunner - Hellgate - Laser Zone - Matrix: Gridrunner 2 - Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time - Ratman Commodore 64 - Ancipital - Attack of the Mutant Camels - Batalyx - Gridrunner - Hellgate - Hover Bovver - Iridis Alpha - Laser Zone - Mama Llama - Matrix: Gridrunner 2 - Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time - Psychedelia - Revenge of the Mutant Camels - Revenge of the Mutant Camels II - Rox 64 - Sheep In Space - Voidrunner Sinclair Spectrum - City Bomb - Headbangers Heaven - Rox III - Superdeflex Atari 8-bit - Attack of the Mutant Camels - Colourspace - Gridrunner - Hover Bovver - Turboflex Konix Multi-System - Attack of the Mutant Camels '89 Atari ST - Llamatron: 2112 - Revenge of the Mutant Camels - Super Gridrunner Atari Jaguar - Tempest 2000 Reimagined - Gridrunner Remastered - A real joy to experience. - It's such a fun amazing insightful trip into the mind of one of Britain's most popular and famous Developers. - You get a glimpse into how the British gaming scene was in the early days like events and the art of selling. - Play all original and concept games. - High-scan images of the cassettes and box art with all of them in 3D. - Each timeline has an explored percentage and makes a noise to say you've done it. - Handy just play the games option. - 43 games to play including the different versions of the same game. - You can launch games from the timeline. - An excellent mix of games and mini-documentaries laceEvery game has a fast save/load feature. - Each game has a screen mode, filter, and border settings. - Stick settings can be adjusted – Invert the axis and sensitivity sliders. - You can reset games. - All games can be quit and returned to the main menu. - This shows again why Digital Eclipse is the team to deliver these exceptional museum pieces. - You get to see how devs used to show off and introduce their games to the public. - Full history of the Llama obsession? - Shows how the game used to be whacky, fun, a bit out there and dare I say experimental. - Gameography shows each game in a list. Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Review Cons: - No cheats or adjustments are built into any of the games. - Doesn’t have any online leaderboards. - Uninspiring trophy list with nearly half of them being for one game. - The background music is not great. - Timelines in this one seem a bit more subdued with a lot of images and only a few videos per chapter. - Doesn't include the newer games like PSVR games and Atari branded games. (more an FYI) - Needs a physical release. Related Post: Tomb Raider I-III Remastered Starring Lara Croft Review (PlayStation 5) Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story: Official website. Developer: Digital Eclipse Publisher: Digital Eclipse Store Links - PlayStation Read the full article

[thispatternismine]

So I very briefly owned a Meta Quest 2 & damn F- would not recommend. Who designed that thing? It was actually painful to wear to the point where I'd start getting a headache about 10 minutes after putting it on, & yes the straps are adjustable, but it does need to be held against the face, so if I loosen the straps so it's not pressing against my forehead then it just slips down my face & I can't see shit

'Well how else can a VR headset stay in position?' you may ask. Like idk Sony managed it. Twice

Yeah I traded that shit in after only a day of owning it & got myself a PSVR2. Solid, well-designed piece of kit that

And my opinion of the MQ2 actually went down even further, because when I tried playing Beat Saber on the MQ, & was struggling to clear levels on normal difficulty that I'd aced on expert back when I played it on PSVR. 'Damn,' I thought. 'I'm really out of practice!'. Except no! Because I breezed through a level on expert first time. (And, no, playing on MQ2 didn't count as practice, as I could barely get any play time in before the headset got painful, & also I found I could play songs I either haven't touched since I played them on PSVR 4 years ago, or have never played at all because they're newer.) I'd noticed my heads starting to cramp a little, but put that down to me being used to the move controllers. But I had no issues with the PSVR2 sense controllers. They fit perfectly in my hands

So yeah. Bad design all round

Only issue I have on the PSVR2 is the earbuds not staying in my ears but that's cos my ears are weird & reject earbuds, & I prefer over-ear headphones anyway. I used my PS4 gold headphones on the PSVR, & they'll probably still work here. Gonna have to investigate options

BTW if you're waiting for a fic update from me then sucks to be you I guess? Was really intending to get some writing done this week, but... oops?

[audiogrizzly]

Time for another list. I usually start these with a bit of a personal update. Last year I was banging on about losing 60lbs and there being an ASDA Expressnear my flat. This year I’ve been able to maintain that weight loss (plus an extra 10lbs on top of it) and I’m moving into my own house! Means I will have to say goodbye to the ASDA Express, but at least there’s a full sized ASDA closer to me.

Anyway, games. I’ve bought 2 new systems this year, a PSVR 2 and a Quest 3, so it’s been a VR year. My living situation has meant that I’ve not been able to get too much into games in the last quarter of the year so it’s feeling a little light for my selections’ but I feel like I’ve got some good games on here. But more than any other year I have not been able to fit everything in.

Before we get into my list, I should say that I did give Balders Gate 3 a good shot, but I didn’t get too into it. Other games I was only able to scratch the surface of include Starfield, Like a Dragon Gaiden (which I’m playing right now), Pikmin 4, Asgards Wrath 2, A Highland Songand Resident Evil 4 remake. Nothing against any of those titles’ I just haven’t got round to playing them in full.

Let’s get into the list, starting as I have done before, with my game of the year selection, followed by 2 runners up and a list of honourable mentions before some special mentions. Enjoy

My game of 2023: Street Fighter 6

I always say that it’s hard for fighting games or racing games to win GOTY in any end of year multi genre list. But SF6 is the game I am selecting this year because it was the game I was most excited to play where I felt that my expectations were met. In future, I do want to avoid more games with micro transactions and seasonal content because I can’t keep up, I have too many games to play. I was still able to dedicate about 50 odd hours to the latest in Capcom classic fighting series though.

This time round, there’s no shortage of recognisable fighters in the base line up, all extra fighters look interesting and there’s less of a carrot dangling in your face when it comes to unlocking new ones. To me, I know that in order to get the added fighters, 8m going to have to pay for them, which I am cool with.

The new World Tour mode is a great addition, adding a daft story line to the game which was missing at the launch of the previous entry in the series, this time round it is not shy about how absurd it is while characters you have grown up with are struggling with modern technology like texting each other etc.

And it’s the first time in a while I have been able to get into online gaming in a fighting game, even won a few matches.

So SF6 is my game of the year, a tribute to my favourite game as a teenager (Street Fighter 2) and a legend that has truly lasted the years!

Runner up #1: Fire Emblem Engage

I didn’t get into the previous game, the one where you are a teacher in a school, with the 3 houses etc. This entry is more like a traditional FE, one which forgoes all of the social linking any that guff, just a straight up tactical RPG.

And I, a bit of a wuss, I never turn on the permanent death mode, I play on the easiest level too, because I just want to follow the story. And it was a blast, I really enjoyed this and didn’t mind the fact that it went on and on. Tried to experience as much of it as possible too, bought the dlc, played through the stories that enabled me to use each of the older characters. And that’s something else I love about it, there’s a lot of nostalgia if you have played older Fes, which I have. So this is right up my alley.

Runner up #2: Assassin’s Creed Mirage

This was a sort of a surprise, I loved the recent ACs because they were large open world games, but Mirage was meant to be closer to the old games, the ones which alienated me after part 4. But there’s still a lot of the mechanics in the recent titles like Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla which have made it over into the way this game controls. It’s just that Basim is not this out and out warrior like the protagonists in those games, but I do love me a bit of stealth.

Baghdad is a gorgeous location for the game too, the world was what I loved about Origins and this reminded me a lot of it. Short one too, but I still gave it 18 hours of my time!

Honourable mentions:

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

It’s not in my top 3, and its predecessor was only number 5 in my 2017 list but that doesn’t mean I don’t love these new Zelda games. It took me a while to get my head around the building mechanic and the resource collecting, plus all the merging you could do with items, the food cooking is always a weird one to get into too. But I loved the adventure.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

My intro may have given the impression I have had a bit of a VR year, but this is the only title that has made its way into the top end of my list. It’s a little derivative of all the climbing games you get on headsets, but you still get to experience the Horizon world and the appearance of a certain protagonist reminds you that you are playing in the canon of the main series. Shout out to the Burning Shores, the proper Forbidden West expansion, which was another top title this year.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor

A few performance issues made sure that I was not quite as into this game as I had hoped I would have been (the 60fps performance mode that eventually came out came a little too late) but this was still an enjoyable romp. I’m not even a bit Star Wars head but I do like a good sci fi action game and that’s just what this is.

Hogwarts Legacy

I’m not a bit Potter head, I was too old for the books and dismissive of the films but I do like an open world action game and Hogwarts Legacy is a very good one. Again, I had a few performance issues with the PC version of this, but I persevered and I might even try and play through it again one day. It’s perhaps the closest thing we have to a new Bully game here in 2023. In that it’s an open word game where you play as a school student, just a magical one.

Mortal Kombat 1

Unlike Street Fighter 6, the new Mortal Kombat doesn’t have to prove itself over its predecessor quite as much, but Mk1 doesn’t disappoint on all the things that have made the recent games in the series great. Could do with playing it a bit more but I haven’t had much of a chance to play it as of late. Looking forward to getting to grips with the DLC characters though.

Super Mario Wonder

This will be many other peoples GOTY, and rightfully so. For me, I played it a bit too recently and didn’t get to explore it to its full extent, just enough to finish its story. But I have not played a 2D platform that is this close to Super Mario World, and that’s why this is great, just like Street Fighter, it brings me back to my wonder years.

Quake 2 Call of the Machine

Another “call of the” game. This is merely an added campaign to a remaster of Quake 2. But that was always a special game and Machine Games didn’t muck this up a great addition to a classic, which itself is now available to more platforms.

And now some shout outs, other games I have played this year:

Forspoken

Hi-fi Rush

Dead Space

Metroid Prime Remaster

Dead Cells Return to Castlevania

Diablo IV

Cocoon

[hardcoregamer]

Review: NFL PRO ERA II

NFL PRO ERA II offers a solid update over the original and this one would be the one to pick up for those who missed the first one. It’s only thirty dollars on PSVR 2 and offers a type of immersion that isn’t seen anywhere else. The improved controls are certainly that, but still far from perfect. 

Read more!

[ozzdog12]

2020 Top 7 (and 1)

2020 am I right? We saw an insane amount of games come out and 2 brand new consoles. What a wild and weird year for gaming, and life in general. In case you are relatively new here, and to be honest that would be completely fair considering I don't post very often on Tumblr anymore, every year going on the last 4 years (on here) I have done a Top 7 (& 1) for my favorite videogames of the year. Check out 2019, 2018, & 2017. What’s wild, as I look back on my list of games that I’ve completed and played, only maybe 10 came out this year. 2020 was a huge backlog year. 

Lets get on with the ‘And 1!”

Favorite Game that Didn’t Come out in 2020: Control (PS4)

Control may very well have been my 2019 Game of the Year, had I played it in 2019. I LOVED Control. I wanted to play it in 2019, but initial reports that it was a little rough on base consoles put me off until it was fixed. And Holy smokes what an insanely fun and trippy game once I finally started it. I knew within the first 20 minutes this was going to be the shit when I went down a hall, walked into a room and talked to the “janitor” left out a door behind him and the entire building had shifted. I’ve always liked Remedy games, but from a distance. Max Payne 1&2 and Alan Wake all oozed with weirdness and intrigue, but never enough for me to finish them. I missed out on Quantum Break. The story is Control is just the right amount of mind f*!$ for me and builds a universe I didn’t know I needed. It take some time to piece everything together, then everything just clicks. The game does have a weird difficulty spike when fighting bosses and the checkpoints were too far apart at times, but those were later patched. I spent an insane amount of time within the Federal Bureau of Control building and even more time after that with the Foundation and AWE DLC and it STILL wasn’t enough. I wanted more. Outside of Prey, I can’t think of another game that stuck in my brain more after I’d finished it. Control is absolutely a MUST PLAY title. In a world where everything sort’ve feels similar, Control stands out of the crowd.

Number 7: Astro’s Playroom (PS5)

I never thought in my wildest dreams that a game I had almost zero interest in playing would end up on my list of favorite games this year. Astro’s Playroom is being labeled as a ‘Tech demo’ but that feels like an insult to what it is. It’s a full fledged game and its free! I’ve paid more for less. A charming little platformer that lives and breathes the history of the Playstation. So many cool Easter eggs and references. It certainly centers its gameplay around the DualSense controller and everything it can do, but at its core, its a completely approachable and forgiving 3D platformer. I played it just to see what it was about, next thing i knew I had completed all the levels and wanted to further explore all the nooks and crannies within the game. I wanted to see everything the game had to offer and I had an absolute blast doing so. Makes me kinda wish I’d played the previous game on PSVR (I’d have to have a PSVR too)

Number 6: Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5)

Another quality title, albeit a spin-off, from Insomniac to add to their Spider Man universe. Gameplay felt obviously like Spider-Man, but Miles has unique abilities that made the game feel different enough, especially the cloak and stealth. I enjoyed the fact that it was short and concise. The issue with most ‘open-world’ games is that they are entirely too bloated with unnecessary filler content (I’ll get to that in a later game), something I felt the first game suffered from, but I also understand why they are there. However I could’ve use one or two more story missions to help flesh out some characters, but it wasn’t required and didn’t change my opinion one way or the other. My one BIG gripe was with Miles himself. He is an extremely smart young kid, but so incredibly naïve. Peter Parker tells him the one thing he SHOULD NOT do is tell people he is Spider-Man. I get it, that’s part of his growth, but Miles thinks he can just solve his problems by revealing his identity and it almost certainly never works out. 

Number 5: The Last of Us: Part 2 (PS4)

The Last of Us Part 2 may be the most polarizing game in the history of the medium, but for the absolute wrong reasons. I’m in the minority that I very much enjoyed my experience with TLOU2, quite a bit actually. Its better in every single way over its predecessor, except the overall story. There are plenty of fair criticisms to be had about the story and various things within the game itself, but I thought the gameplay was so tight and crunchy. There were genuine moments of suspense and terror that I felt that no other game has ever given me. The entire hospital section (2nd time) was so susensful, I had to put my controller down to gther myself. Some of my favorite moments in the series I experienced with a character I wasn’t overly fond of. How many games can do that? The Last of Us Part 2 was meant to invoke emotion, not necessarily joy. I think that's what people lost along the way. Say what you will about the direction Naughty Dog has taken over the years, but you would be hard pressed to find a studio that makes games graphically better than they do. Yes, I know about their crunch culture, but this is not a place for that. I will say, the game was a tad bit too long, which is not something it typically say for a single player, narrative driven game. The pacing and the way the story was told wasn’t my favorite, but I respect what it was trying to do, even if it failed in some aspect of that, I finished the game within the week it was released. Something I RARELY ever do. I’m a father and I related with Joel a lot in TLOU, but I also recognized how wrong he was. There is a lesson to be learned. Your actions always have consequences and while he was doing what he thought was the right thing, it wasn’t his choice to make, and in doing so set up a series of events that were entirely avoidable, but again, that’s the point isn’t it?

Number 4: Grindstone (Switch)

I’m counting this as a 2020 game since it just came to the Switch this year ( less than a month ago) but its not the first time I’ve played it. Grindstone was the only reason I kept my Apple Arcade subscription and when I let it lapse, there was a void I just couldn’t fill. I bought Puzzle Quest on Switch but it just wasn't the same. Its THE perfect game for bite sized play, even though in its addictive nature, you’ll clear a few levels and an hour has passed before you know it. It has the perfect amount of depth that most ‘match’ games don't. You have different weapons, items, and outfits w/perks to use and experiment with to keep it fresh. I went months without playing my Switch and when this was announced in August, I couldn’t wait! Sadly, I had to wait 3 months, but since then I have spent so much time on the Switch. It gave me a reason to play it again. The art style and humour is great. The variety of enemies and challenge is just right. I can’t recommend it enough. Seriously, check this game out!

Number 3: Doom Eternal (Xbox One)

I will be the first to tell you, I did not like Doom (2016). I found it extremely boring and trite. I understood what Doom(2016) was doing and it succeeded, maybe too much. Nostalgia is a helluva thing. So in saying that, I was mildly interested in Doom Eternal. Doom Eternal is nothing like 2016 outside of it being a Doom game that connects to the rest of them (& also being a sequel to 2016). The mechanics are drastically different with more platforming (for better or worse). Eternal is challenging, at times very hard, especially early on. Eternal has no respect for its players, in a weirdly good way. It laughs at how you’ve played FPS before this one and WILL MAKE you play it its way, not your way. Yes, you point and shoot, but ammo is scare and you MUST use everything in your arsenal. No more using just 2 guns for the whole game. The enemies are relentless. Sometimes you have to pause and take a breath after a battle because you go a 100 mph for the whole fight. You have to continuously move or you die. There is an enticing rhythm to it. I categorize Eternal as ‘Blood Ballet’. Its a game where when your feeling it, much like a rhythm game, you get in the zone and there is no stopping demons from getting slayed. Surprisingly, unlike most games in the genre, it seemed to get easier (sans one extremely frustrating platforming section late in the game) the longer you played it. Was that a testament that I ‘learned’ the Eternal way or it truly did get easier? I don’t know, but the final Boss(es) were....easy.. I had more problems and deaths within the first 4 hours than I did the final 8-9 hours. The multiplayer was also surprisingly fun. The older I get, the less interested I am in multiplayer, but I found myself coming back for more for a good month or so. 

Number 2: Gears Tactics (Xbox One)

As 2020 comes to a close, I came to a stunning realization. I might be a bigger Gears of War fan than I had previously thought. Don’t get me wrong. I love Gears, but I seem to love Gears more than I thought. I'm way more invested into the lore than I recall. Anyways, Gears Tactics is everything XCOM 2 SHOULD’VE been. Not only does Gears Tactics utilize the Overwatch action, its makes it EXTREMELY important. The story revolves around the father of Kait Diaz, Gabe and a ragtag group of mostly random soldiers to take down Ukkon. Anyone who is remotely interested in the Gears universe will love the story and references. The gameplay is just so damn satisfying. The bosses are very challenging and different. I actually had to change my strategy to finish the final boss. I experimented with a totally different style of class and was rewarded for it. The post game stuff is also aplenty. This game scratched a VERY specific itch for me and I’m itchy to jump back in. I’m glad this came to Xbox One because I’m current computer could not run it.

Number 1: Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)

I have a very odd relationship with massive open world games. I love them, but I get very burnt out on them. They all have a relatively same-y formula and are often populated with bloat. GoT does have some of that but to its advantage, its not very populated, in a good way. One of the things that I really appreciated about GoT and its side quest is most of them felt meaningful. The thing that really stood out to me about GoT is the absolutely satisfying combat. It just feels SO GOOD. It requires timing and patience. There are different fighting styles for different enemies and even the armor you wear is more than just cosmetic. The combat is so fun and satisfying that I was immediately excited when they announced Legends, a multiplayer add on, for free. Its so much fun and is a blast to play with a group of friends. I’m sporadically still playing the Legends mode. I initially wanted to play the game in ‘Kurosawa’ mode but I am glad I didn’t because the game, even on the PS4 is stunning, and on the upgrade on PS5 is jaw-droppingly smooth. I did play the entire game in Japanese with English subtitles. I still don't know what Jin’s English voice sounds like. GoT does a good job a drip feeding you new abilities and things to keep things fresh. I love stealth and once I unlocked it, I spent the majority of every battle taking out as many enemies as I could while in stealth mode. Ghost of Tsushima does a lot of things very well, that the few things it doesn’t can be easily overlooked.

[metaverse-ar-vr]

Apple confirmed at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last week that Vision Pro is set to support PSVR 2 Sense controllers when visionOS 26 launches this Fall. While still in developer beta, YouTuber ‘Nathie’ got a chance to go hands-on, sho #AR #VR #Metaverse

[nightglider124]

Hey, remember that post in the week where I was like ‘the june chapter of Subscribe will defo be posted this week’?

That was a lie, i would say. At the time, i was like 100% sure i would get it finished.

However, the psvr move controllers finally came back in stock after literally half a year of searching so I bought them and spent a fuck load of time using them.

I had a Fear Street movie marathon which took about 6 hours to binge so yeah.

And also, I had my first vaccine dose and my arm was heavy as shit and sore so it made it difficult to keep my arms straight to type.

Anddd, I’m still doing a load of workout stuff when I get in from work and that takes a surprising amount of time up and by the time I’ve done it, showered and eaten dinner its like 10pm and I’m exhausted and having work the next day.

The July chapter is due in like 2 weeks so I’m hoping to get June’s up next week but I’m also busy and staying late at work since UK restrictions are lifting tomorrow… so we’ll see what happens.

But, thought i’d give an update and to let y’all know I’m not dead. 😂😂

[lewa358]

Game Retrospective: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Note: this post contains vague spoilers.

Screw it, I love horror games now.

I was always a bit of a coward growing up. I remember refusing to watch the first Harry Potter flick because the three-headed doggo in the trailer scared me too much. But I’m much older now, and with that age came maturity--at least, enough maturity to slap on a VR headset t creep through a dilapidated old house filled with people and monsters that want to do god knows what to me.

So I’ve beaten this. My second RE game after 4 (third if you count Leon A as beating REmake 2), though I played quite a bit of the first Revelations before the final boss decided to be obnoxious, and that shitty version of RE1. But that doesn’t really go into how brave I’ve become, at least when it comes to experiencing horror media.

See, most RE games are silly nonsense. Gory, dark, and powerfully atmospheric, sure—but also remorselessly goofy. Be it the hokey FMVs and voice acting of the first game, Claire’s silly outfit in the third, the demon Napoleon Bonaparte in the fourth, or the gonzo action gameplay and frenetic pacing of Revelations, this franchise has only rarely be truly horrifying. Don’t misunderstand: these games can absolutely be scary as hell when they want to. But the tone of the series as a whole has veered more towards the silly than the scary, especially after 4.

Which is why 7 felt so radically different. Damn near all of the earlier games’ inherent goofiness suddenly vanished, and instead we have a story of a guy trapped in a house with insane, seemingly cannibalistic freaks that refuse to die. The rooms ooze with grotesque detail, and the story is told in cutscenes that are as serious and polished in their animation and delivery as any western game. The whole thing is in first-person as well!

The gameplay is a nice change as well. What I really liked about RE2’s remake is that, in terms of level design, it felt halfway between an adventure game and a Metroidvania. You had to explore and backtrack across a cramped, claustrophobic environment to collect items that are used in other rooms to solve puzzles and explore more of the environment. Unlike an adventure game, these “puzzles” are usually relatively simple, but unlike a Metroidvania, the items rarely granted you extra abilities. And unlike in either genre, you had to carefully manage inventory space, ensuring that you had enough room for both key items and gameplay stuff like ammunition, weapons, and healing items.

And there’s also the enemies. Strong, brutal enemies, but the most reliable way to kill them is to use your incredibly limited ammunition, so simply running from them is a legitimate strategy.

I like that general design, and it’s here in RE7—mostly.

See, RE7 barely has normal enemies. For the first 6-ish hours of the game, your only opponents (with like 2 exceptions) are the Bakers--fully fleshed-out NPCs who are either completely unkillable or tied to a boss fight. This honestly works very well—it ensures that the enemies you fight are genuinely intimidating. That first house is horribly creepy, with fantastic detail crammed everywhere, and quite a lot of fiendishly creative tricks played on our woeful protagonist.

But after a while the game gleefully reconstructs the previous games’ approach, and honestly I liked that too. The game is great at both slow-paced, spooky exploration and relatively linear gunslinging, so I welcomed the change, especially given how hard the first half of the game was, and how satisfying the guns were to fire. And those boss fights are brilliant! Chainsaw duel! Running a guy over with a car in his own garage! Whatever the hell Jack was, with the upside-down head!

Now all this is great on a flat screen…but in VR, it’s a completely different beast. Being able to look around the Baker mansion and its related areas by moving your actual neck, and seeing it all in stereoscopic 3D, is wonderfully and disturbingly immersive. Being able to aim by looking at enemies is also a blast. It fully confirmed that VR is my favorite way to play games like this…even if the implementation here is drowning in caveats:

The resolution and other graphical capabilities of PSVR are extremely limited. This isn’t a problem in graphically simple games like SUPERHOT VR or games designed from the ground up for the platform like Astro Bot (which is still my favorite VR game)—but in a game as intricately detailed as RE7, you run into a lot of problems. All the character models look janky, with jagged edges and other limited details. Still incredibly immersive, but the issues are there.

As mentioned, you aim with your neck (or, in other words, moving the headset) rather than pointing a controller. The former is fine, but the latter would be much more immersive, and allow me to shoot without looking at these hideous beasts. There is, of course, no support for the Move or Aim controllers. Playing with the standard PS4 controller works perfectly fine, and aiming with my neck is definitely better than aiming with the control stick (or, dare I say it, a mouse), but it’s an odd choice that few VR games make.

Many times, the game switches from in-engine cinematics to pre-rendered ones. The former work in VR…but the latter do not. This is intended to be a subtle switch, but it’s jarringly obvious in VR, since it suddenly goes from a full immersive environment to a flat screen. This has the effect of lessening the impact of some twists and scripted sequences, especially in the final boss fight. 

Despite how seriously the game takes itself, I was never truly horrified like I was with, say, SOMA. The game never really dives into any deep, thematically resonant territory—at least, not themes so simplistic, or maybe just subtle, that I dismissed them outright. It’s just Spooky House With Kooky Killers, The Game. There’s nothing really wrong with that, but I honestly feel like it should be more. The game is so damn good at being a Spooky House game, and does it so artfully, that I feel that something deeper should be easy for the game’s writers.

Like, what is there? Parental abandonment? You can’t really claim that’s a theme when the “parent” is an evil creator and manager of B.O.W.s and the “child” is an explicitly insane eldritch abomination. Those things completely ruin any chance of the story working as an allegory.

But still a great game besides that.

Game notes:

Developer/Publisher: Capcom

Time to beat: about 10 hours

Got Ending 1, normal difficulty, playing mostly in VR

Header image from the game’s Steam page; other images are screenshots from the game’s PC “Beginning Hour” Demo (and thus are not representative of how the game looked when I played it, especially in VR).

[reviewgamesite]

PlayStation VR – Review

Organisasi tradisi "Luar Biasa" seringkali menjelaskan, tapi VR betul-betul terima pujian. Saya betul-betul tidak yakin apakah yang sukses sampai saya menyaksikannya sendiri. Perlu beberapa saat buat piranti lunak untuk mengetahui kekuatan headset VR. Tetapi, tehnologinya sendiri benar-benar memusingkan sebab Anda sebetulnya dapat berhubungan dengan dunia maya. Jadi kami punya mimpi jika itu tidak keluar ke Oculus Rift. Serta HTC Vive awal tahun ini. Benar-benar mengagumkan jika headphone Sony PlayStation VR tawarkan pengalaman inovatif buat semakin banyak orang dengan kurangi kendala ekonomi untuk masuk tanpa ada sepakat.

Kontrol yang Dijual Terpisah

PlayStation VR cuma diiklankan seharga $ 399,99, tapi harga menyimpang sebab tidak ada harga tanpa ada camera $ 59,99 PlayStation dipasarkan terpisah. Disamping itu, banyak game peluncuran yang memerlukan atau memakai satu atau dua pengatur pencarian gerak untuk PlayStation Move Anda harus dibeli dengan cara terpisah pada harga $ 20 sampai $ 30. Paket (berdasar pada rangking ini) ada pada sebuah set komplet, pada harga $ 499,99 serta masih jadi keuntungan harga penting. HTC Vive, yang meliputi dua sensor mercusuar serta pengatur pergerakan, bernilai $ 799,99. Ongkos Oculus Rift $ 599,99 serta diperlengkapi dengan sensor serta controller Xbox One (serta dongle nirkabel). Tetapi, Oculus akan selekasnya mengeluarkan pengatur sentuh pada harga yang tidak dipastikan, yang diprediksikan ada di rata-rata 200. $. Digabungkan dengan bukti jika PlayStation 4 sampai $ 299,99 dibanding dengan PC gaming yang membuahkan lebih dari pada $ 700 selama ini, selama ini adalah pilihan paling murah dalam fakta. Mesin virtual yang benar-benar baik dengan kontrol gerak.

Murah hampir tetap dengan peringatan "peroleh apakah yang Anda bayar", serta PlayStation VR tidak kecuali. Tapi dibanding dengan kenakan headphone, bedanya mempunyai efek yang kurang dari yang saya harap. Monitor salah satu sisi penting dari headset VR. Sesudah memakai Oculus Rift serta HTC Vive dalam resolusi tinggi (menyatukan resolusi 2160 x 1200 serta memakai dua monitor), saya berkesan dengan kualitas gambar PlayStation 1920x1080 VR. Monitor nampak resolusi rendah, tapi saat Anda lihat semakin dekat, "dampak monitor" dikarenakan oleh garis sirna yang memisahkan pixel monitor. Itu tidak jadi masalah. Teks dalam game benar-benar gampang dibaca (walau harus semakin besar dari headphone yang lain). Plus, dua headphone yang lain tidak mempunyai atau mungkin tidak mempunyai mode lensa yang diperlebar serta dampak sinar yang nampak.

Anda bisa melihat dunia virtual lewat kacamata pengaman Anda dengan headphone string favorite Anda. Bagian pandang PlayStation VR sedikit semakin kecil dari bagian pandang pertandingan (kacamata nampak semakin tebal), tapi pada step yang serupa. Tiga ketidaksamaan itu minimum. Karenanya, Anda tidak lihat terkecuali Anda memperbandingkannya satu demi satu.

PSVR-13

Salah satunya pertanyaan besar ialah apa PlayStation 4 berkekuatan yang cukup untuk jalankan game pada kecepatan 90-an / detik hingga VR perlu meminimalisir mual. Selama ini, ini terus kerja dengan benar-benar baik di salah satunya game yang sudah saya uji, tanpa ada dengan cara relevan perlambat kecepatan edge. Ini bisa diketemukan di game yang benar-benar detil seperti Batman: Arkham VR atau EVE Valkyrie, serta game yang kurang detil seperti Tumble VR atau Job Simulator. Satu kali lagi, ini tidak sebaik permainan PC Rift atau Vive, yang bisa membuahkan gambar yang semakin tajam serta lebih detil, tapi PlayStation VR kerja secara baik. Tidak ada yang memberikan laporan permasalahan mual yang tidak biasa sebab sebagian orang menghubungi kantor IGN minggu kemarin.

Pelacakan Gerakan 

Sisi besar lain dari penataan teknologi di ps VR semacam ini ialah pencarian pergerakan. Karenanya, saya berasa jika cubitannya menurun. Memercayakan PlayStation VR dengan satu camera video ialah kekurangan penting bila dibanding dengan Vive serta dua sensornya, yang dengan cara diagonal melewati ruang permainan. Ini kerja benar-benar baik, karena kekuatan deteksi kedalaman ke-2 lensa, tapi bagian pandangnya cukup sempit hingga seringkali diraih dengan pengatur Geser. Jarak yang dianjurkan di antara saya serta camera ialah 6 kaki, jadi Anda harus sesuaikan pojok membuat perlindungan diri waktu bergerak dari Batman: Pengalaman Arkham VR ke pengalaman SuperHyperCube.

PSVR_CAM

Saya merasai cubitan saat saya ke sungai. Serta yang paling baik, itu tidak dapat tutupi semua badan Anda serta lantai di sekelilingnya. Karenanya, bila Anda mendapatkan suatu hal yang mengkilap di atau dekat lantai, Anda tidak bisa ambilnya. Semua game yang sempat saya mainkan (Job Simulator, Tumble VR, Batman, dan lain-lain.) Menerangkan ini dengan hidupkan kembali lagi apa yang bisa Anda mainkan waktu Anda menjatuhkannya, tapi mereka mengayunkan tangan Anda sejauh 2 kaki dari Anda. Menjauh arah. Anda bisa memberitahu seorang tidak untuk lakukan ini sampai muka Anda membiru, tapi semua titik VR membuat otak orang yakin apakah yang mereka melihat ialah riil, hingga mereka masih punyai waktu Saya memiliki komitmen untuk lakukan itu dari sekian waktu sebab kekeliruan, sebab kekurangan yang menempel, apa saja yang bisa berlangsung dimanapun, serta bila Anda tenggelam di dunia virtual 360 derajat, tapi Anda tidak bisa memutar 180 derajat untuk tembak binatang di belakang Anda. Nampak oleh kami. Saat gurauan badan berada di tangan Anda serta camera PlayStation, Anda tidak dapat tahu dimana mereka ada serta Anda kehilangan kekuatan untuk mencarinya.

(Sulit untuk dengan cara langsung memperbandingkan camera PlayStation dengan sensor Rift tunggal sebab pengatur sentuh belum ada. Tapi dalam pengalaman pemantauan kepala saya, bagian pandang Rift nampaknya semakin luas.) Bagus dalam kerja. Kini saatnya, namun kebalikannya itu membuat frustrasi.

Pada umumnya, keunggulan pencarian pergerakan bisa beragam dari memberi kepuasan sampai disetop, khususnya untuk kontrol gerak. Tidak ada fakta saya bisa memperlihatkan jika itu ada dari sekian waktu serta tangan saya tersesat dalam permainan atau mulai terbang di luar kendali. Tetapi, session selanjutnya di lingkungan yang serupa baik-baik saja. Untuk kepastian, itu berperan secara baik beberapa waktu, tapi tidak saat frustasi.

Pengontrol 

Sangatlah baik jika DualShock 4 Light selanjutnya bermanfaat untuk suatu hal. Bila game Anda memberi dukungan, Anda bisa lihat controller di lingkungan VR. Bila Anda meredam pengatur, Anda akan seringkali lihat perintah saat tombol didesak. Ini dapat membuat Anda malu serta tanpa ada Alihkan pengatur. Ini ialah feature yang tidak bisa dilaksanakan dengan pengatur Xbox One yang termasuk juga dalam Rift, sebab tidak ada trek light.

PSVR_MOVE CONTROLLERS

Tetapi, banyak game membutuhkan atau benar-benar mereferensikan pengatur PlayStation Move untuk berhubungan dengan lingkungan virtual. Ini ialah langkah yang semakin alami untuk capai serta sentuh suatu hal. Pemakaian controller PlayStation Move Sony semenjak 2010 mempunyai keuntungan yang beberapa dari mereka telah ada (yang dapat benar-benar berdebu) serta tombol serta penyebab mereka mempunyai benda atau senjata Baik untuk memperlihatkan tangan. Benar-benar disayangkan tidak ada suara, karenanya salah satu tanggapan sentuhan saat tentang memukul suatu hal yang tidak ada atau tembakkan senjata yang semestinya menyepak... [Diperbaiki: Pengatur pergerakan disebutkan menderu, tapi menurut pengalaman saya itu benar-benar loyo hingga kemungkinan tidak ada].