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BATMAN: ARKHAM VR
Not only is the training mission an unparalleled
exercise in wish fulfilment (Wayne Manor! The
Batcave! Batarangs!) but the defiantly sharp, if
short, campaign is the epilogue to Arkham Knight we
needed and deserved. Bats off to you, Rocksteady.SUPERHOTVR
Timemovesonlywhenyoumovein thisexceptional
PSVRfirst-personshooterthatmanagestomake
youfeellikeyou’replayingthrougha slow-moaction
movie.ThefreeSuperhotForeverupdateaddseven
morechallenges.MaketimeforVRbullettime.MOSS
GuideadorablemouseheroineQuillthrougha
fantasystorybookworldfullofvirtualpuzzles,fights
withinsects,andperfectlypitchedDisneyinfluences.
There’snoneedtosaycheese,becauseyou’llbe
smilingasyouplay,alldaylong.BEAT SABER
PS VR firmly on and PS Move controllers in hand,
Beat Saber feels like the game both pieces of
hardware were made for. In it you have to master
songs and challenges by swiping your neon swords
through the air, and dodging with your head.THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM VR
Though compromises have been made to texture
detail and controls, you get all of The Elder Scrolls V:
Skyrim, including the expansions, inside PS VR. The
scale and organic nature of the world at your feet
overcomes any shortcomings.113retrostationTRANSFERENCE
Comehometotheseghostsin themachine.Traipsing
througheachfamilymember’ssurrealvisionofthe
apartmenttheysharein first-personhorroris a
wonderfullydreadfulexperience.Trespasserswillbe
thoroughlyspooked.FARPOINT
Thissci-fishooteris a brilliantshowcaseforthe
PSAimcontroller,a versatilebitofkitthatmakesthe
satisfyingrangeofweaponsfeelweightyandreal.
Thegamematchesit,deliveringa strongstoryand
challengingco-opforgreatVRaction.19
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ACCOUNTING +
One of PlayStation’s funniest games is a dark,
twisted journey into the world of accounting. It’s
an Inception-like dive into increasingly bizarre and
frequently hilarious scenarios that will scratch the
itch of any Rick And Morty fan.With nary a word from
Sucker Punch’s Sly
Cooper series since
2013 (just the odd
throwback here and
there), it’s great to see
all four games available
on the service. On
first sitting down I’m
keen to jump into the
original PS2 games as
represented in The Sly
Trilogy – remastered
for PS3. There’s still
tons to enjoy here:
colourful worlds, and
even more colourful
cartoony characters.
Sly Cooper and the
Thievius Raccoonus
is a more basic level-
based platformer than
I remembered, but by
the time I get to Sly
2: Band of Thieves
and Sly 3: Honor
Among Thieves things
really step up. Not
only do Sly’s thieving
moves,whichseehim
walkingtightropesand
jumpingonspires,feel
wonderfullysmooth,
butit reallyopensup.Hub worlds feel alive,
and the missions you
carry out all focus
around the goal of
completing a final heist.
Different characters
have different gameplay
styles, though Sly’s
remains the best.
With the third game,
too many characters
arguably dilute the
mechanics a bit.
Developed by the
devs of the remaster,
Sanzaru Games, Sly
Cooper: Thieves In
Time took the series
to true HD in its sole
PS3 outing. At the
time overlooked, it’s
a wonderful return to
form. It takes the gang
back to the basics of
Sly and his two best
friends as they add on
time-trotting to their
globe-trotting heist
antics. Revisiting now,
it makestheseriesfeel
freshagainandleaves
mewantingmore.Could
it betimetogetthe
gangbacktogether?It mightbecalledPSNowbutlately
when I’ve been logging into the gaming
subscription service all I can do is
think about the past. PS4 games are
plentiful, but it’s the PS2 and PS3
games that grab my attention, and it’s a raccoon
and his Scooby gang in particular...PS Now for something
completely different
KNOCKOUT LEAGUE
Punching things is possibly the least creative use of
the VR medium, but when it’s used to create a classic
arcade boxing sim that plays like a brutal puzzle
puncher, it’s irresistible. It’s also good for you: it
tracks your calorie count as you work up a sweat.APEX CONSTRUCT
This story-driven FPS demonstrates five-to-eight
hour adventures can work in PS VR. Building its
narrative organically through physically exploring the
game’s world while fending off mechanical creatures
with a trusted bow and arrow is a delight. Ambitious.QAll the Sly Cooper games involve you setting up a heist. It’s
a bit like setting up your very own Ocean’s 11, in fursuits.