Most of the May Sony Games Showcase focused on standard PS5 games, including Final Fantasy XVI, Alan Wake 2, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and the Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake. But it did reserve a (sadly short) period of its livestream for PSVR 2 games.
Surprising no one, Sony confirmed that the Resident Evil 4 Remake will get a free VR Mode. But it also revealed five other upcoming PSVR 2 games, along with some new audio hardware that'll really appeal to headset owners.
For VR fans, the Sony Games Showcase likely won't hold a candle to the Quest Gaming Showcase streaming next week, as that will focus solely on VR games. But it's a relief that Sony is spending at least some time hyping up games for its new headset.
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted 2
Five Nights at Freddy's: Help Wanted was one of our favorite Quest 2 horror games, bringing scenes and jumpscares from five of the original FNAF games to virtual reality. With Help Wanted 2, we may get more spin-off material or (hopefully) a new plotline entirely, augmented with highly-superior PSVR 2 graphics compared to the original.
The trailer itself doesn't show any gameplay, only the usual hook of a security guard unwisely taking a deadly job in a decrepit, animatronic-infested location while a voiceover mocks you and screaming bots lurk around every corner.
Resident Evil 4 VR Mode
When it comes to the best PSVR 2 games, the Resident Evil Village VR Mode numbers among the very best (if you have a strong stomach). It converted the gameplay to work with motion controls while preserving the gorgeous graphics. Now, Capcom plans to do the same with Resident Evil 4 Remake, though it's slightly more difficult since that game uses third-person instead of first-person gameplay.
We've already seen this done successfully with Resident Evil 4 VR for Quest, making Leon's weapons grabbable around your body and making you aim at or knife foes with your own hands instead of a controller. But that port looked very last-gen; this Remake version will really make it feel real when Doctor Salvador charges at you with a chainsaw — and even let you block his attack with a knife!
The only disappointing part of this announcement was that Capcom only said the VR Mode is "In Development," without giving us a specific date of when to expect it.
Arizona Sunshine II
The 2016 action-horror game Arizona Sunshine is considered a VR classic, so a sequel feels long-overdue. The trailer shows lots of irreverent humor as the protagonist plays with zombie limbs and decapitated heads; we're curious if this is just trailer embellishment or if you'll actually have that level of physical interaction in the game.
Regardless, expect lots of explosions and exploding zombie heads as you and your canine companion shoot your way through the desert.
Crossfire: Sierra Squad
If you haven't heard of Crossfire before, it's an FPS launched in 2007 that has retained its popularity with a dedicated fanbase in the decades since. Unlike the aged original, Crossfire: Sierra Squad has modern graphics that'll make you feel like you're really breaching through walls and shooting foes.
From what we've heard elsewhere about Sierra Squad, it'll have 39 weapon types, several game modes (arcade, realism, and hardcore horde), and 60 campaign levels.
Synapse
Starring legendary voice actors David Hayter (Solid Snake) and Jennifer Hale (Commander Shepard), Synapse has you invading the mind of Hayter's rogue black ops agent Colonel Peter Conrad to "extract crucial intel" and prevent Armageddon, guided by Hale's Director of Bureau V.
One of the most beautiful-looking VR games we've seen, it's clear that this is a PSVR 2 exclusive and not just another Quest port with enhanced graphics. The telekinetic combat looks impressively violent, and we're already excited for its July 4 release.
Beat Saber + Queen Music Pack
Beat Saber launched today on the PlayStation Store, bringing one of the most popular VR games in history to the PSVR 2. Along with the new port, Beat Games also announced a new music pack featuring all of the main Queen classics:
- Another One Bites the Dust
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love
- Don’t Stop Me Now
- I Want It All
- Killer Queen
- One Vision
- Somebody to Love
- Stone Cold Crazy
- We Are The Champions
- We Will Rock You
Any previous PSVR 1 owners of the original Beat Saber will now update for free to the new port, which has enhanced graphics and haptics. That includes all of their previous DLC packs.
PlayStation earbuds
Sony only announced the six PSVR 2 games above in its Games Showcase, but there's one more announcement worth mentioning: the new PS5 headphones. They'll have "next-gen audio immersion," simultaneously connect to your PS5 and your smartphone via Bluetooth, and support "lossless audio with latency."
The PS VR2 comes with adequate wired earbuds, but many people upgrade to compatible wireless headphones for better audio quality. The downside with these is that over-ear headphones can be heavy and sweaty in exchange for better sound. So we're curious if these earbuds can deliver a happy medium between strong sound quality and better comfort for VR gaming.
Ultimately, we're a little disappointed that Sony spent so little time on VR, considering how few upcoming PSVR 2 games are actual exclusives from PlayStation Studios.
At the moment, it's really relying on third-party developers to carry the console in its first year, aside from a couple of major exceptions in Horizon Call of the Mountain and Gran Turismo 7. But hopefully, PlayStation has more in store to surprise us as we move into summer, when we traditionally hear more major gaming announcements.
With a wide HDR OLED display, highly accurate controllers, snug design, and its exciting new eye-tracking tech, the PS VR2 employs the power of the PS5 hardware to tremendous effect.
