What game would get you into VR? | Team Talk

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​With Sony's PSVR2 releasing this week, the world of Virtual Reality will be accessible to more PlayStation gamers than ever before.

Horizon Call of the Mountain, based on Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Sony's ploy to coax you into taking the plunge into VR, but if Aloy and co aren't enough to draw you in, what franchise would be?

Whether its a behemoth franchise or a new character you'd like to see try out this medium, let us know in the comments or in our Discord.

by Team PTC

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​@pass_controller

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Mirror's Edge | Chris Brand

​My very first idea for a game that deserves the VR treatment is one which only those with a strong stomach could endure. Mirror's Edge is a fast-paced, first-person, free-running, hyphen-requiring platformer, featuring a dizzying amount of verticality and lots of sudden movements. What I have conceptualised could be considered torture, yet here I am, almost waiting for a chance to play it and immediately chunder.

I'm not one of those with a strong stomach (maybe due to filling it with alcohol, junk food and cleaning products over the years) but if I had the opportunity, right now, to play Mirror's Edge VR and spend the next 15 minutes washing vomit out of my couch, I would.

I did, briefly, play some VR title on the original Oculus and found that fast movements in the virtual world have quite an effect on me. Maybe sitting down while playing would be enough to convince to brain that I'm not really moving and to please stop doing that? If this, fairly substantial, inconvenience was somehow removed, or lessened to the point where being sick wasn't a gauranteed eventuality, then I'd back a VR Mirror's Edge.

As mentioned in our review of Mirror's Edge Catalyst, it seems a perfect candidate for VR. The City of Glass looks immaculate, though fairly uniform, and exploring is rewarded. Plus, you can unlock a grappling hook which lets you zip around like a low-budget Spider-Man.

At this point, you're probably thinking that Spider-Man would be a good choice for this week's topic, and I agree, but we've come this far and I don't want to back out after shamelessly stealing an idea from James.

The LEgend of Zelda | Liam Andrews

I was torn between two of Nintendo’s greatest franchises I’d like to see get the VR treatment: Animal Crossing or The Legend of Zelda.

I reckon Animal Crossing would be equal parts relaxing and bonkers in VR. On the one hand, wandering around the cosy villages watering flowers and gathering fruit sounds pleasant, but I think traversal, which basically involves your character running along a giant rolling pin, would be very weird (imagine seeing house-sized, well, houses, come looming out of the horizon).

I also think most of AC’s roster of anthropomorphic residents would be a lot less cute when you’re looking them right in the eye. Especially Pietro. Look him up if you're feeling bold.

In the end I’ve gone with Zelda as the title I’d like to see get a VR spinoff. Not the Breath of the Wild era, but classic Zelda, somewhere between Ocarina of Time and Skyward Sword.

Think how great it’d be exploring iconic locations like Hyrule Castle in first-person or wielding the Master Sword with precise strokes to take down bosses. Dungeon exploration and puzzles would be so much more immersive, and a lot of Link’s classic items also lend themselves well to VR controls, such as the Bow, Boomerang and Hookshot.

Perhaps on the Switch Pro / 2?

Gears of War | James Parry

​This feels unlikely to come to pass, given Xbox doesn't have a handy, out-of-the-box VR setup ready to go, but let's pretend Microsoft strikes a deal with Oculus/Meta to package a headset with an additional controller – as they have done in the past – which even works flawlessly with Xbox Series X.

Gears of War for me has had diminishing returns, but even a greatest hits collection of iconic franchise moments would be a huge draw for an Xbox VR system, and built on a tried-and-tested universe.

You'd have to make a call on whether the game was on-rails or free movement, rather than trying to do both, and perhaps putting in a few sprinkles of brand new content to sweeten the deal, but success could pave the way for Halo and other Xbox staples, which Microsoft don't seem to be able to capitalise on at the moment.

The richness of the world is what makes Horizon Call of the Mountain an exciting prospect, and Gears has enough variety in environments and enemies to really transport you.

Also, the existing voice talent and even new performances from series staple John DiMaggio would certainly be welcome, and be a key way to access that crucial feeling of immersion.

Plus, it will help to build the audience for the series back up again ready for the inevitable 20th anniversary re-release in a couple of years time.