Ones To Watch In 2018 – PlayStation VR Exclusives

2018 will be off to a cracking start for PlayStation VR owners if even half of the games in this list are any good, with a broad range of intriguing fantasy games mixed in with action packed shooters that are really finding a home on the platform.

This is just a look at a range of exclusive games, with Sony backing their own system with first and second party developers, and a number of third parties looking to make PSVR their home. Of course, there’s plenty more heading to other systems and cross-platform, which we’ll cover in due course.

Moss

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: 27th February

More than just being adorable, Moss looks like a great game that blend virtual reality with an interactive action adventure world. While you take control of Quill, the large eared mouse protagonist is actually aware of your presence as you, the Reader, look down on the world contained within the mystical book of Moss. You combine both of your abilities to overcome obstacles before you, whether that’s moving parts of the world for Quill, some traditional action adventure gameplay, or assisting Quill in combat.

You can actually play a little bit of Moss right now, as it’s part of the second PSVR Demo Collection.

Blood & Truth

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: 2018

I think it’s fair to say that most people will have come away from VR Worlds wanting an awful lot more of The London Heist. Blood & Truth is the full on sequel to that all-too-brief VR experience in all but name, as it comes from London Studio and builds upon the same kinds of first person gunplay and action.

Coming back from active duty to find his mum threatened by London gangsters, the plainly named Ryan Marks kicks into action to take the whole organisation down. That, believe it or not, includes chasing one of the mobster’s lieutenants through a casino at night, interrogating him, and then leaping out of a window as the whole place is about to explore from the C4 you’ve rigged up everywhere.

Catch our preview from Paris Games Week!

It’s a lot of fun, with plenty of the cheeky chappie cockney gangsters, and we can’t wait to see and play more.

Bravo Team

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: 7th March

Supermassive Games have picked up the PSVR’s baton and they’re running with it. This month will see them release the Until Dawn prequel The Inpatient, and they’ll be following that up in March with the co-op tactical shooter, Bravo Team.

After the President is assassinated in a military coup, the two of you have to trek through a hostile city to try and get to safety. You’ll be moving from cover to cover with an interesting third person view as your character runs, before snapping you to your new spot, ready to pop out and fire at the bad guys. Naturally, with two of you, the levels have been designed with multiple paths through them so you can offer your buddy covering fire when it’s their turn.

Catch our Paris Games Week preview here.

The last we saw of this was an ageing demo, but we’re expecting the finished product to be a lot more polished and varied with its co-op play.

Firewall Zero Hour

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: 2018

Three VR shooters on the trot here, and it’s clear that PSVR is fast becoming a home to this genre. Firewall Zero Hour is something else entirely, though, as a straight up tactical multiplayer shooter. Think Rainbow Six, but in VR.

The main game mode pits two teams against each other, with attackers working to bypass a firewall access point then find a laptop and hack it, while defenders try to stop their progress in order to win.

First appearing at PlayStation Experience in December, the gameplay shown featured slow paced tactical play with free locomotion as opposed to teleporting. That’s fascinating, simply because it’s difficult to pull off in VR, but it also means you’ll need a DualShock 4 or Aim Controller in hand, because the Move Controller has no analogue stick to call its own.

Wipeout Omega Collection

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: Early 2018

“But Wipeout Omega Collection is already out!” you might say, “and it doesn’t have VR!” you might complain. That might be true right now, but it won’t be for too much longer, because a free PSVR update for this glorious remaster was announced back at PlayStation Experience. There’s no date yet, but you can check it out in this trailer:

Apex Construct

Platforms: PSVR, HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, Windows Mixed Reality – Release date: 20th February (PSVR), 20th March (others)

Update: My mistake, this is actually a cross-platform title, releasing on PC-based VR systems on 20th March.

Exploring a post apocalyptic world, solving puzzles and fighting against dog-like robotic hunters with bow and arrow are all things you might expect from a blockbusting action adventure starring a redheaded heroine. That exact same description applies to Apex Construct, however, and it’ll be really interesting to see if it can pull it all off.

Golem

Platforms: PSVR – Release date: 13th March

Another fantastical adventure awaits in Golem, as the story follows a seriously injured child who’s trapped at home and can only dream of venturing out to explore once more. It takes time, but from small beginnings, you start to be able to create and control small rock golems and move them around your room, before your powers grow until you can send 15-foot tall golems out and into the ancient and abandoned city.

Controlling these golems is done through an interesting system that tracks the direction in which you’re leaning. Much like the lead character that you play as, you’re leaning as you’re sat down while they are leaning as they sit on their bed. It’s an intriguing solution when many VR games resort to having players teleport around or resort to analogue sticks and controller tilting.

The last piece of the puzzle is who is making this game. Highwire Games are based in Seattle, having been founded by a number of industry veterans who previously worked at the likes of Sucker Punch and Bungie. The game’s original soundtrack has been penned by Marty O’Donnell of Bungie fame, who’s also composed a musical prequel titled Echoes of the First Dreamer.

PSVR exclusives out of the way, we’ll be returning to look at other VR platforms later this week. Stay tuned!