Until Dawn: Rush of Blood | PSVR19/10/2016 There's no other way of saying it - Rush of Blood is amazing. It’s the kind of experience you’d expect to find in an arcade, or as a theme park attraction, not as something you can actually own in your own home. Whilst that last sentence probably makes me sound at least twice my age, thanks to PlayStation VR, the game does feel revolutionary. Rush of Blood’s shootouts are at their best when undertaken dual-wielding PlayStation Move motion controllers. The fidelity is impressive, easily accommodating subtle wrist movements to, for example, destroy a line of objects without missing a shot. As enemies swarm towards you, unsettlingly encroaching on and eventually invading your personal space, things naturally get a little more frenzied and the arm flailing begins. Though the controls adjust well, you’ll need to hold your controller(s) out and keep them still whilst holding Option/Start to properly realign if you get too carried away. Weapon boxes are scattered around the environment and can be used to your advantage in these desperate situations, shooting them replacing the default, infinite-ammo pistol in the relevant hand with an ammo-limited upgrade. Each weapon behaves differently and carries unique advantages and disadvantages - like the shotgun’s short range and limiting two shots before reload, but immense firepower - making weapon choices an important tactical factor at higher difficulties. This is especially true as reloading is manual, which is easy to forget when you’re hurriedly attempting to fire clicking weapons because your real life is totally on the line! You’ll also spot deviously hidden collectables and secrets dotted around the place, which, along with Trophies and leaderboards, contribute replay value to the short - though appropriately priced - package. Such is the game's gravitational pull that my second playthrough is already in full swing; what’s more, I’m taking in new sights and travelling new paths all the while. It’s the kind of experience you’d expect to find in an arcade, or as a theme park attraction, not as something you can actually own in your own home. The perfect Halloween party game (seriously, convince someone that scares easily to play and hilarity ensues) Until Dawn: Rush of Blood isn’t just a tired rail-shooter, but the rejuvenator of a stale genre. Virtual reality’s added dimension allows for invasive scares that are impossible to become desensitised to, making it genuinely uncomfortable (in a good way) to physically dodge rotting corpses, get drenched in gory entrails that turn your vision a sticky red, and be bombarded by hideous 3D noise that dares you to look in its direction. We’d be happy to leave the house and pay-per-play, so the fact we can stay home and enjoy Rush of Blood to our heart’s content at the very reasonable asking price of £16 makes it an easy recommendation, and a must-buy for PSVR owners.
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