Upcoming PS VR2 Games That Will Justify The VR Headset Purchase

PlayStation VR2, a brand-new headset for the PlayStation 5, should be a major consideration for VR gamers following its February 22, 2023 launch date. With over 100 games currently in development, fans of the headset will be spoiled for choice in a slew of genres to be experienced and enjoyed with the benefit of VR. Several launch titles have already made a considerable splash on the system, such as "Gran Turismo 7," the latest installment in the hit racing game franchise. Other launch titles include "NFL Pro Era" and "Pavlov VR," a popular multiplayer shooter. The full list of launch titles can be found on PlayStation.Blog.

Those who have, or are planning to pick up Sony's latest foray into VR gaming will have plenty more to look forward to in the coming months. While few titles are currently tied to release dates, the list of confirmed games continues to grow by the week. With a software catalog this expansive, the PS VR2 should be a must-have for consumers who prefer VR to a more traditional gaming experience.

Here are 16 upcoming PS VR2 titles that should help justify the system's lofty $549 price tag.

One of the all-time great horror games, "Resident Evil 4's" place in gaming history is justified by the fact it has been re-released 11 times as of August 2021, having only recently been overtaken by "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim." Nevertheless, the ultra-popular survival horror game is set to see its second VR release later this year on the PS VR2. The first VR version of the game came out on the Oculus Quest 2 in October 2021, more than 16 years after the game's original release on the Nintendo GameCube.

The next-gen remake of the classic game has been confirmed as part of the PS VR2 lineup and should be a must-own title, even for those with minimal horror game experience. Fans of the franchise will now be able to put themselves directly in main character Leon Kennedy's shoes as he aims to rescue the daughter of the President of the United States from a Spanish village inhabited by the mysterious pagan cult, Los Illuminados. It should be noted, however, that because the VR version of the game has been marketed as "supported content," "Resident Evil 4" on the PS VR2 will be free downloadable content and a complement to the base game as opposed to a replacement.

DEFICIT Games' "VR Skater" will fill a massive void in the skateboarding genre on the PS VR2. Based on the initial gameplay footage, it appears to be a clean-looking game that could cultivate a similar vibe to the genre's major franchises (ie; "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, "SKATE") thanks to its independently curated soundtrack featuring artists such as We Are the Union and Thousand Oaks. The game's overall success will ultimately boil down to the gameplay, though the game's trailer effectively displays how the player's real-time actions affect the VR skateboard in real-time.

There do not appear to be any limits as to what one can accomplish on the skateboard in "VR Skater." Players can land a kickflip just as easily as they will be able to grind on rails. Additionally, there appears to be a customization aspect to the game as the trailer highlights an in-game skate shop where players will be able to customize their deck, lending itself to an authentic VR skateboarding experience for the consumer base. Like many upcoming PS VR2 games, "VR Skater's" release date is still to-be-determined.

Boxing games and VR have long gone hand-and-hand dating back to Konami's "MoCap Boxing," a staple in arcades around the United States. The boxing genre has taken on a life of its own with the introduction of VR headsets with a slew of boxing games already hitting the market on previous headsets. "Creed Rise to Glory: Championship Edition" might be the greatest entry in the genre to date when it hits the PS VR2 on April 4, 2023, exactly one month after "Creed III" hit movie theaters around the world. The previous version of the game, which was released back in 2018 around the time "Creed II" came out, received generally positive reviews with 74 out of 100 for the PlayStation 4 version on Metacritic.

"Creed Rise to Glory: Championship Edition" will contain all the must-have features of a VR boxing game in addition to a crisp, unique graphical style that toes the line between cartoony and realistic visuals. While the gameplay should draw avid VR boxing gamers to the title, the game's association with one of the most popular sports movie franchises of all time should only strengthen the game's career mode with no shortage of storylines to keep the player engaged throughout the experience.

"Walkabout Mini Golf" is a visually stunning game for a title that brands itself as a VR miniature golf experience. As simple and self-explanatory as the gameplay might be, the game's visuals should have no issue drawing the player in with crisp, bright graphics and a presentation that should age well throughout the headset's life cycle. As a result, "Walkabout Mini Golf" should be a must-have for players, no matter whether or not they have a vested interest in sports games or the mini-golf subgenre.

Despite the simplicity of the game's graphics, "Walkabout Mini Golf" boasts true-to-life physics that should help make the game as authentic an experience as possible. The game will also feature online multiplayer modes in addition to a "night mode" that will open the door to more challenges should more seasoned players wish to pursue them after mastering the 16 courses in the game. An additional eight courses will be made available by way of downloadable content after the game releases later this year.

The original "A Fisherman's Tale" was released on the first wave of VR headsets in early 2019 to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Jamie Feltham of UploadVR called the game, "a perfect storm of gameplay, immersion and narrative in a single experience." Given the original game's sterling reputation, the sequel, "Another Fisherman's Tale" is set to release on the PS VR2 later this year. The game is expected to bring the same puzzle elements and homely graphics that made the original such a critical success.

The game's unique and pretty graphical style should be enough of a draw even for gamers not traditionally fans of the puzzle and adventure genres. However, those who enjoy those kinds of games can expect more of what the first game brought to the table, with more puzzles and mysteries to solve, in addition to another engaging story. As for the gameplay, the game is based around players using their detachable limbs to find innovative ways to progress through the latest chapter of Bob the Fisherman's story.

Horror fans will have no shortage of options on the PS VR2, with "Afterlife VR" serving to add another quality game to the genre. "Afterlife VR" brings many of the same things to the table as "Another Fisherman's Tale" does, albeit in a more lifelike, unsettling setting. Players will assume the role of Adam Bernhard, a young police officer navigating through a mental hospital in search of his long-lost sister. Players will have to ward off the hospital's patients along the way, keeping themselves alive long enough to uncover the secrets that will lend to the game's completion.

"Our talented team developed many interesting mind games and puzzles that our player needs to think many times how to solve and combine to have a great solution," Vahe Asloyan of Split Games, "Afterlife VR's" developer, said. Asloyan added that the game's enemies will behave differently in different situations, calling for the player to come up with unique solutions in order to progress in the story. "Afterlife VR" is expected to land on the PS VR2 later this year.

Fans of PVP and PVE multiplayer games will feel the love when "Firewall Ultra" comes to the PS VR2 later this year. The game is the sequel to "Firewall: Zero Hour," a new franchise developed specifically for Sony's VR systems. It will also be the first PS VR2 game to be developed in Unreal Engine 5, giving it a unique look and feel relative to other games when it is officially released. Much like in the first game of the series, "Firewall Ultra" players will have the ability to enlist as an elite contractor with the intention of attacking locations and stealing data. They will also be able to link up with friends for PVP and PVE multiplayer missions in this lifelike first-person shooter.

The game's developer, First Contact Entertainment, spoke to Epic Games earlier this year about the significance of the game being developed in Unreal Engine 5. "We don't consider this merely dressing," the studio said. "When your goal is to create as immersive an experience as possible, the closer we can get to people's real-world experience of light and dark, the richer the experience becomes."

PS VR2 owners will get to experience a rail shooter in a vivid horror backdrop with "The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR." Like "Afterlife VR," "The Dark Pictures" is a growing franchise, with the latest installment sure to move the series another step forward. The game is not only a spin-off from "The Dark Pictures Anthology," but also a spiritual sequel to the 2016 VR game "Until Dawn: Rush of Blood," which came out for the original PS VR headset. The fully immersive experience will take players to a variety of settings, chock full of reactive enemies who will only move when the player blinks.

The game's developer, Supermassive Games, announced earlier this year that "The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR" would be delayed until March 16, 2023 to allow for some time to give the game an additional polish. While the game was originally thought to release alongside the PS VR2 headset, fans of the genre will have plenty to keep themselves occupied until the game does make its way onto the headset in mid-March.

After a successful run on Sony's first foray into VR gaming, the popular rhythm game "Beat Saber" is set to return on the PS VR2 and should appeal to a wide-ranging audience. The game, published by Czech game developer Beat Games, is set in a fast-moving, neon world with the player tasked with slicing blocks representing musical beats with two different colored sabers. The game features both original and licensed tracks, the latter of which songs include artists such as Fall Out Boy, Lady Gaga, and Linkin Park, just to name a few. The game also saw several waves of paid DLC with the most recent release occurring at the end of 2022.

The game is as simple as it is fun and addicting. The title picked up VR Game of the Year awards at several gaming awards shows around the world in 2019, and will receive new life when it drops on the PS VR2 in 2023. With more DLC likely, "Beat Saber" should be a fixture in the PS VR lineup for the foreseeable future.

Those looking to pick up a PS VR2 headset to get a glimpse of the future will find solace with a game like "Low-Fi." From a visual standpoint, the game looks to be something akin to games such as "Cyberpunk 2027" and the "Wipeout" series, and could compare favorably depending on how immersive and interactive the surrounding world is. The game will place an emphasis on exploration in the sandbox-style open world as well as the story.

The game will allow for much more than story progression, however, as players will also have the option to simply hang out in the game's city and spend their hard-earned credits in a virtual world reminiscent of the movie, "Ready Player One." No matter how the player chooses to allocate their time within the game, the title should appeal to both hardcore and casual gamers, and thus could wind up being an essential title to own on the PS VR2. According to one of the game's developers on Twitter, the "Low-Fi" is expected to be released within the next few months.

The same studio that brought gamers titles such as "The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners" will bring forth one of the most anticipated VR titles of 2023 when "Behemoth" launches later this year. The game had its most detailed trailer to date dropped at the 2022 Game Awards. The trailer showcased the game's tactical style of combat. The game revolves around the exploration of a medieval wasteland, built on the ashes of a once proud kingdom. It also places a heavy influence on combat tactics and problem-solving to defeat the unique enemies the game has to offer.

The player's main goal is to take down Behemoths, colossal giants who rule over the land. Fans of games such as "Shadow of the Colossus" and "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" should find plenty to like about "Behemoth" from both a visual and gameplay standpoint. The game is currently targeting a release date closer to the end of 2023.

"Galaxy Kart" will be one of the prettiest-looking racing games on the platform when it releases, and quite possibly the best for gamers who prefer arcade-style racing games to the simulation style of games such as "Gran Turismo 7." The game features a wide array of goofy characters ranging from clowns to robots to a humanoid hotdog with a face. The characters only serve to add to a pretty world with race tracks set in various different locations in fantasy and reality.

"Galaxy Kart" places a special emphasis on combat, and given its arcade style, it is more or less a combat game masquerading as a racing game, much like how Nintendo's "Mario Tennis Aces" is a fighting game masquerading as a sports title. Regardless of how it is classified, "Galaxy Kart" can appeal to the PS VR2's casual base thanks to its warm colors and design choices that help it stand out from other racing games. While the game is currently without a release date, it was released on Steam Early Access back in 2020 and will likely release on the PS VR2 before the end of the year.

While games like "Low-Fi" will transport players several years into the future, "Medieval Dynasty" aims to take players back to the past to experience a much simpler, more primal period of time. The game looks to give its players a realistic look at medieval times, with the main character having to find ways to make a living while protecting their family from scoundrels and other elements, such as the weather. The game is much more than a survival game, however, borrowing elements from the "Animal Crossing" series as the player will have the authority to make choices that could lead their town to prosperity. The game also seamlessly weaves a crafting mechanic into its gameplay, making it a unique hybrid of multiple genres in a medieval backdrop.

The game had previously been released on Steam, where it has received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Given how well survival games have translated to VR gaming, "Medieval Dynasty" will be worth a shot for anyone with even a modicum of interest in the genre.

Horror fans will have one more game to sink their teeth into when "Ovrdark: A Do Not Open Story" comes to the PS VR2 later this year. This game is a spin-off of "Do Not Open," another horror game released for PS5 and PC. The game's plot revolves around one fateful night in November 2019 when three people, Julia, Ann and Mike, turn up missing. The player will be tasked with navigating through a cursed house and keeping themselves out of danger as they look to uncover the truth of what happened on that November 2019 evening.

According to UploadVR, the game is being developed exclusively for VR, which could lend itself to a more detailed VR experience. While no trailer for the game exists just yet, if the title's sister game, "Do Not Open" is anything to go off of, horror fans will have a field day with this game, which only adds to an impressive catalog of games in the genre.

Basketball will receive representation in the sports genre when "Blacktop Hoops" comes out for the PS VR2 later this year. The gameplay is simple, yet effective, with "Blacktop Hoops" taking on the identity of an arcade basketball title. Rather than playing 5-on-5 as seen in games such as the "NBA 2K" series, this game has the player primarily competing in one-on-one games. It also appears to incorporate elements of basketball's other elite arcade titles, such as "NBA Jam" and "NBA Street," and online multiplayer will be included in the experience.

The game's graphics also help it stand out, as it shares a similar art style to "Walkabout Mini Golf" for being cartoony without looking totally unrealistic. The game's success will ultimately come down how authentic the physics are, but considering how basketball is less of a contact game than other sports such as football and boxing, "Blacktop Hoops" will have a chance to stand out on the PS VR2. While no release date has been announced, a demo of the game is available for Steam Early Access.

"Final Fury" is perhaps as intriguing of a fighting game as any set to come to the PS VR2 later in 2023. The game seamlessly shifts back and forth between a first-person and third-person experience, though its art style is what ultimately puts it over the top and separates it from other games in the genre. The game is set in a fantasy-like backdrop, with fighters able to perform magic in addition to hand-to-hand combat. The game's cool, wintery tones succeed in creating a vibe that could translate beautifully to VR.

"Final Fury" comes from the same studio that brought gamers "Synth Riders," which recently released on the platform to rave reviews. "We grew up playing games like 'Street Fighter' and 'Killer Instinct' and wanted to be the first to bring this genre to VR in order to fully immerse ourselves in the fights," Kluge Creative Director Abraham Aguero said in the game's announcement. Given the game's influences and the studio's increasingly impressive track record, "Final Fury" could steal the show as far as VR fighting games are concerned when it drops on the PS VR2 later this year.