Sony's new PlayStation VR games: Doom 3 and more
There's no new PSVR headset yet, but new PSVR games have been announced. Here's what we've seen so far.
- Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
Doom 3 in VR. Vivid.
The PlayStation 5 is getting a new VR headset, though not this year. In the meantime, Sony's unveiled a batch of new PSVR games on Wednesday. The theme of most of them: shoot stuff fast.
Shooters aren't my favorite VR genre (I prefer puzzles, mysteries, strange worlds). But several of the games announced also promise multiplayer and cross-play functions, as well as some PS5 enhancements.
There are already a bunch of great PSVR games you can play on a PS5 if you use the old PSVR headset and some older accessories, too.
Doom 3 VR Edition
The 2004 gorefest Doom 3 is being ported over to the PSVR, for PS4 (and it will work on PS5, too). There's already a Doom game on PSVR called Doom VFR that was made back in 2017, but it wasn't very well reviewed. This new Doom 3 port looks to have the expansions, Resurrection of Evil and The Lost Mission, and it looks good. Will it play just as well? It arrives March 29.
Song in the Smoke
A beautiful-looking prehistoric survival game looks like it has slight vibes of both Horizon Zero Dawn and the bow mechanics of VR game In Death Unchained. Wild beasts, mystical forces, and lush graphics. The dual-handed controls require Move controllers. It's arriving sometime in 2021.
Fracked looks like... an irreverent stealth-ops action game, with wall-climbing and lots of murder. NDreams, the developer, also made the really well-made stealth-action-while-kayaking VR game Phantom: Covert Ops. The game has rock climbing, skiing and ziplining (which looks fun) but it requires PS Move controllers. The developer says it'll have PS5 enhancements, including improved resolution. It'll be a PSVR launch exclusive in the summer.
I Expect You To Die 2
The original I Expect You To Die was a great telekinetic spy-themed escape room-like game. The sequel's expected this year on other platforms, and it's also arriving on PSVR. Not at lot of details here, just "later in 2021."
Zenith
A MMORPG in VR, Zenith looks anime and Final Fantasy-inspired and is expected on PC and Oculus VR this year, too. Sony's getting it onto PSVR, likely to time with the other releases. The world looks pretty massive, with combat involving slashing weapons and casting spells. There's also climbing and flying (and who knows what else).
After The Fall
By the makers of VR zombie-survival game Arizona Sunshine, this long-promised 80s-themed post-apocalyptic multiplayer game is coming to PSVR with cross-platform play. No release date, but there's mention of a closed beta, and a release coming soon. VR feels pretty full of survival-shooter games. This trailer looks full of dark moody tunnels, Stranger Things-esque soundtrack riffs, and bloody horror.