As 2017 draws to a close, I thought I would share my thoughts on my favorite PlayStation VR games of 2017.
To be honest with you it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride with PS VR games in 2017 – there has been some fabulous innovative ideas and use of the Sony PSVR kit and some well…. garbage.
Hopefully the games I suggest here can eventually become your favorites as well!
10. Theseus
I’m going to start off with a game about a Greek god, Theseus. Theseus is an interactive cinematic experience based on the Greek mythology of a demi-god called, you may have guessed this, Theseus. In the original story, he traveled to Crete to slay the Minotaur, killing a few undesirables along the way. This VR experience is a new cinematic take on the story of the labyrinth and the Minotaur, as well as of Ariadne, and the love of his life.
I really enjoyed the cinematic experience. Graphically this experience is one of the best out there. The team’s attention to detail is superb, and it helps to bring the game’s settings to life thanks to its cinematic approach and what PlayStation VR can do
Click here for our Theseus review!
9. The Solus Project
The Solus Project is a single-player exploration and survival experience played in first person view, set on a mysterious and seemingly uninhabited alien planet.
Within the game, there are some truly incredible graphics, and rain is beautifully portrayed. Meteor showers are a delight, especially in the way the game portrays the hostile conditions of the alien planet. Life-threatening storms and tornadoes roam the surface, constantly reminding you that this is a survival game and you will die if you don’t take care.
Click here for our The Solus Project review!
8. Manifest 99
Manifest 99 is the first VR release from Flight School Studio – it’s an ominous and eerie story about finding redemption in the afterlife.
In most VR experiences your movements are normally controlled by either the experience itself, be that on rails or in a static position, while some developers choose to give us small chances of moving or teleporting via the DualShock 4 controller or Move wands. Manifest 99 uses a teleportation mechanic while doing things a bit different since it asks that you gaze into the eyes of ominous looking crows and take on that position of scale and perspective as if you’re looking through the eyes of that particular crow, all while you make your way through an old steam train.
The game is very pleasing, the storyline is strong, and it manages you fill you with many emotions during a short time. The quality of the graphics and the art style is superb, and that linked to the atmospheric sounds and music gives the viewer a fabulous emotional immersive experience.
Click here for our Manifest 99 review!
7. Fantastic Contraption
Fantastic Contraption is a challenging puzzle game, where you need to get a blob of jelly back to its home by making a contraption to aid its journey back home.
I loved this game as you can make the contraption as easy or complicated as you want as long as the jelly gets home. The developers of this game have shown how through creativity you can create innovations in gameplay thanks to what the virtual reality hardware can offer. So if you’re looking for a clever, colorful and fun puzzler on PS VR, you should definitely try Fantastic Contraption!
Click here for our Fantastic Contraption review!
6. Archangel
If you like large mechanical robots and shooting the hell outta the enemy but with a nice storyline to follow, then this is one for you! The graphics in the game are really nice, and the animations are so smooth that you do find yourself immersed in the game, which is great for a solid PS VR experience.
The visual explosions and sound effects are solid as well, and it feels great when you destroy a set of enemies with a barrage of rockets. As far as replayability goes, you can play through the game with different settings or go back through as the other character you didn’t select to see if there are any big changes to the overall beats of the story.
All in all, Archangel is an impressive ‘on rails’ shooter that feels right at home on PlayStation VR. I initially thought the game was not going to be something I’d dig, but its immersive storytelling and action combo kept me busy until the end. Skydance Interactive have done a great job with this one, and I honestly can’t wait to see what they develop next.
Click here for our Archangel review!
5. The Lost Bear
Next up we have a lovely platformer which is an innovative 2D game set within a theater environment. This one uses a mix of 2D art and 3D assets to create a unique atmosphere never before seen in VR, offering a really fresh take on how to create games within this genre.
You control Walnut, a young girl that sets out on a journey to save her toy bear from the evil toy snatcher. It’s an interesting journey in which there will be lots of running, jumping and puzzle solving to progress through the levels on this wonderful 2D side-scrolling platformer.
Overall the game is short, featuring only five levels that can be completed in a couple of sittings. But as I have said before, The Lost Bear brings a whole new VR experience to the table which you really should definitely, well, experience! The game had me smiling the whole time I was playing thanks to its great art-style and interesting take on the 2D platformer genre. If you’re looking for a great game for your PS VR, then I recommend The Lost Bear.
Click here for our The Lost Bear review!
4. Tiny Trax
This game threw me back to my childhood and the memories of many hours playing with my slot racing kit. You enter the game and, straight away, you’re treated to your Race Truck area where you can edit your car and make it your own by customizing its color and look. You then have access to Solo or Online play, and you can go to level select for Championships (you need to go through each championship to unlock the next). There are also leaderboards for friends and global rankings for each track, which is a nice touch.
Tiny Trax is a pleasure to play. It’s exciting, visually lovely, and frustrating but addictive. It’s these qualities that make the difference between a mediocre game and a great game – and Tiny Trax is a GREAT game. If you are looking for a fun yet frustrating game on PlayStation VR, buy this one since its inexpensive and a lot of fun.
Click here for our Tiny Trax review!
3. Infinite Mini Golf
Everybody likes a bit of crazy golf whether it’s in real life or as a game, but this VR addition takes it to a new dimension, Infinite Mini Golf lives up to its name as there are infinite possibilities thanks to the Editor and its course creation tools. All the user created maps are playable on all platforms so you might be playing on some that have been created on Xbox or PC and then converted to VR – how cool is that? With so many players in all platforms contributing more and more courses for the game, you could spend years playing new courses every single day! This is a game I highly recommend, since the graphics are beautiful I loved the different environment levels especially the nightmare mansion level this one had so much going on around it I was extremely immersed!
Click here for our Infinite Mini Golf review!
2. Light Tracer
Light Tracer is an interesting take on the platforming genre. This game features a tower and players must lead a princess to the top to save her ailing people. To do so, players will use the power of a “Light Staff” to guide the princess through some puzzles and platforming. You take on the role of a god-like being that controls, manipulates and interacts with both the environment and the princess.
The graphics are nicely done, and the princess is a delight to move around thanks to the smooth animations on screen. I liked how the background music changes for each level, with an eclectic mix of genres that end up fitting the mood of the game. All in all Light Tracer is a fabulous take on the platforming genre on PlayStation VR, managing to immerse the player into a new thoroughly enjoyable immersive puzzle adventure.
Click here for our Light Tracer review!
1. SUPERHOT VR
SuperHot VR is my top game of the year as it covers innovative gameplay and an interesting graphic style that is second to none – and which really shines on PlayStation VR. The brilliance of the gameplay for SUPERHOT VR is that when you see bullets heading your way you can dodge them by moving in real life or by using the many interactive objects to destroy the bullets. Doing this while dodging enemies and punching them dead, or shooting them before they can even get a good look at you, all while planning your next move in slow motion or super speed, makes you feel like a badass in an action movie.
The fact that you can essentially stop time and assess what your next move does add a lot of depth to the game, making it more of a survival game. Your natural fight or flight instinct will kick in while wearing your PS VR headset, giving you a nice adrenaline rush, which makes this VR take on the game even more enticing. Don’t be put off with the clinical color scheme as the gameplay more than makes up for it. I even revisit this title from time to time and still find it exciting!
I’m sure you’ll enjoy this release!
Click here for our SUPERHOT VR review!
What are your favorite PlayStation VR games for 2017? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
