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Big news for virtual reality fans: Sony has announced 13 more launch titles for the PSVR 2 library. This means over 30 games will be available for the hardware when it releases next month.
The PSVR 2 headset will be released on February 22 and comes with a pair of VR 2 Sense controllers and headphones designed to fit directly into the headset itself. The bundle costs £529 / $549.99 / AU$879.95 but does not include any games. However, there will be plenty of PSVR 2 games for sale separately.
In a blog post (opens in new tab), Sony outlined 13 new launch titles for the virtual reality headset, with an eclectic range of games consisting of sinister and psychedelic. At one end of the spectrum, we have Song in the Smoke: Rekindled; a VR survival action adventure set in a shadowy fantasy world. On the other hand, we have What the Bat?, an absurdist comedy in which you have to perform everyday tasks with baseball bats instead of your hands. In a sense, both are stories as old as time.
Some launch titles announced include fast-paced rowing simulator Kyak VR: Mirage, gritty FPS Pavlov VR, melancholic storyteller Before Your Eyes, and boxing sim Creed: Rise to Glory. The additions to the lineup also include psychedelic rhythm games such as Rez: Infinite, Thumper, and Synth Riders: Remastered Edition.
Polygonal party
While many of the 13 newly revealed titles are remasters and rehashes of older games, the lineup features two titles that stand head and shoulders above the others. Before Your Eyes looks like an immersive, story-driven experience where you live the memories of someone on the verge of death. It’s heavy, melancholy stuff, but it also looks eerily beautiful, judging by the trailer above.
The bleak game also takes advantage of the PSVR 2’s internal camera, allowing you to make decisions simply by looking at objects and people in the game world. I love seeing VR deliver immersive experiences back in the day, and it seems that’s exactly what Before Your Eyes aims to do.
The Last Clockwinder looks more whimsical and uses a vibrant visual style to sell its puzzle elements. In Clockwinder you can create clones that perform your actions repeatedly, allowing you to solve the title’s puzzles with clever sequences. It looks like a delicious headscratcher with a lot of promise.
However, Sony has played all its cards when it comes to the huge titles on offer. Grand Turismo 7, No Man’s Sky, and Resident Evil Village have already been announced for the PSVR 2. Whether the PSVR 2’s triple-A trifecta is enough to attract consumers remains to be seen. That said, Sony’s roster of supporting titles looks promising. I can’t say whether Before Your Eyes or The Last Clockwinder will propel the PSVR 2 to superstardom, but it’s clear that both titles have something unique to offer.