Don’t look now but Sony’s PSVR2 is quietly in the midst of arguably its strongest stretch to date, with a number of massive hitters all coming into focus over the next few weeks.
When I dropped just shy of $1,000 AUD on the PSVR2 at launch, I was fully bought into the hype. A generational leap ahead of the clunky PSVR and Move controller combo, I couldn’t wait to feel those haptics with only one cable coming out of the device.
While an initial smattering of launch titles helped me realize the tech’s potential and see just what’s possible as the space evolves, much like thousands of other consumers, I took my headset off and have scarcely put it back on since February, 2023.
While there have been some gems, like Synapse, for instance, it’s been few and far between.
It’s a shame considering just how much I adore the device, but the objective truth is there are just too few blockbuster titles to draw us all back in. Well, that’s about to change as 2024 draws to a close, as the PSVR2 is in the midst of its hottest streak since it hit store shelves. Four AAA-caliber titles are in focus, making Q4 2024 the best, and perhaps final hurrah for the hardware.
A hot streak like no other
Just days ago, the highly anticipated Metro Awakening rolled out. While not at all a PlayStation-exclusive, it’s nonetheless at home on PSVR2 and by all accounts is another solid romp in post-apocalyptic Moscow.
While only just announced earlier this year at a State of Play event, the return of the mega-popular FPS franchise turned heads in the lead-up to launch. Will it sell systems and get PSVR2 units flying off the shelves? Not quite, but it’s a start for what’s quietly becoming the device’s hottest quarter since launch.
Just a few weeks out comes one of the most heavily teased titles since the PSVR2 was unveiled. Skydance Interactive is finally ready for the world to experience Behemoth on December 5, 2024.
Whenever PSVR2 has been acknowledged by Sony over the past few years, Behemoth has been acknowledged too. Footage was drip-fed for a long while before full-fledged trailers helped it gather steam and now, we’re barrelling towards launch.
Brought to life by the dev team behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, one of VR’s most well-rounded games, period, Behemoth has some lofty expectations around it.
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An action-adventure game with brutal melee combat, stunning visuals, and larger-than-life, Shadow of the Colossus-esque monsters, there’s plenty to be excited about with Behemoth. Whether it sticks the landing remains to be seen, but it’s long been one of PSVR2’s most promoted titles and now, it’s just around the corner.
Following it up as a hefty one-two punch is Alien: Rogue Incursion on December 19, 2024. If you played Alien Isolation back in the day, you’d know how fitting it would be to experience in virtual reality.
While some unofficial mods have made it possible in the years since, Rogue Incursion marks a bold step forward in the space. An officially licensed Alien game built from the ground up for VR in much the same vein as Isolation. You’re the prey and being hunted by nightmarish Xenomorphs. What’s not to love?
And rounding out the heavy-hitters is Hitman World of Assassination’s PSVR2 port. While the series has had a shaky history in VR, this new iteration looks to be spot on, at least based on the vibes of the reveal trailer at the most recent State of Play.
With 21 levels to play through, you can live out your assassin dreams however you like. Stage a murder by poisoning a target’s drink or drop a chandelier on them, the choice is yours. Regardless, there’s plenty of replayability and if the quality holds up, it could be one of the device’s most successful titles.
The last hurrah for PSVR2?
Those four titles all back to back leads us to the most unquestionably stacked period in the PSVR2’s lifespan, at least thus far. But could it be the last?
Beyond this point, we know very little about what the future holds for Sony’s efforts in the VR space. Things have been incredibly quiet since launch, no doubt, but now, it’s more dire than ever. Beyond this last hurrah of sorts, we know only of a handful of smaller titles and ports in the works, not a great deal from any marquee studios you’d want to write home about.
It’s entirely possible this is the last batch of true must-own games for the device before it goes truly dark. The optimist in me wants to believe Sony has a few more tricks left up its sleeve and that at least one first-party team (perhaps a Media Molecule, if I had to pick the best match) is toiling away on a project for the hardware.
But in all likelihood, with a relatively small install base and dwindling attention from its owners, the PSVR2 is almost ready to be put back on the shelf for quite some time.
