This week is shaping up to be a busy one for console VR.
While E3 2019 may officially be in the books, it appears as though Sony is only just getting started. Choosing to withdraw from this year’s event—a move that has many of us concerned for the future of the long-running entertainment expo—Sony is now taking advantage of the post-conference madness with the announcement of six new VR titles heading to PlayStation VR over the next five days.
Here’s what PSVR players have to look forward to this week:
VACATION SIMULATOR from Owlchemy Labs
There isn’t enough time to properly convey to you my love for this game. A direct sequel to Owlchemy Labs’ Job Simulator, this endlessly charming adventure takes you across three different locales (Vacation Mountain, Vacation Beach, and Vacation Forest), each packed with a wide assortment of uniquely-crafted minigames that will have you collecting bugs and wildlife, roasting marshmallows, skiing down massive slopes, exploring the seafloor for sunken treasure, and a variety of other relaxing, vacation-themed activities.
Originally released on SteamVR and Oculus this past April, Vacation Simulator arrives on PlayStation VR tomorrow (June 18th).
MINI MECH MAYHEM from Futurlab
Also launching tomorrow is Mini Mech Mayhem, an adorable, pint-sized strategy game from developer Futurlab in which teams of four work together to plan and execute different strategies on a tabletop battlefield. Confer with your teammates to organize the best plan of attack, then step back and see how your decisions play out; think of it sort of like a game of chess, except with lovable mini mechs. Players can also customize both their avatar as well as their personal mech with a surprising amount of detail.
Mini Mech Mayhem launches on PlayStation VR tomorrow (June 18th).
MARS ALIVE from Winking Entertainment
Brought to us by Winking Entertainment, Mars Alive is an open-world survival experience in which players must navigate the harsh conditions of Mars after your colony of 18 is destroyed by an unknown terrorist attack. In order to survive the unforgiving realities of life on the desolate planet, you’ll need to effectively manage your resources (food, water, temperature, and Oxygen), collect clues that will eventually help you return to Earth, and explore your environment using advanced Mars Rover vehicles; all while unraveling an ancient Martian secret. For an extra sense of authenticity, Winking Entertainment referenced detailed research accumulated by experts in planetary science to create a realistic Martian landscape; there’s even a real-time day-night system.
Mars Alive arrives on PlayStation VR tomorrow (June 18th).
LUNA from Funomena
Best described as half-game, half-VR fairytale, Luna is an out-of-this-world music-based puzzler that blends music, art, and storytelling into a visually-captivating experience. Stepping into the role of a bird who—after waking up to the otherworldly call of a mysterious owl feels compelled to ingest the very last piece of the waning moon (are you still with me?)—players will navigate a series of “celestial” puzzles in order to unlock various tree, animal, and plant spirits, which can then be placed and interacted with inside what the developers refer to as “musical terrariums.”
Launched originally on Microsoft Windows back in 2017, Luna arrives on PlayStation VR tomorrow (June 18th) in North America followed by European release June 19th.
PROJECT LUX from Spicy Tails
Spicy Tails’ anime-inspired VR murder mystery Project Lux is heading to PSVR, offering console VR players a mysterious “story-orientated” experience. Set to the backdrop of a futuristic world in which nearly every human being uses advanced “cyberbrains,” it’s your job to unravel the mystery surrounding Lux, a young female artist who was the victim of an attack in which an unknown assailant hacked her cyberbrain and interacted with her emotions. Over the course of the five-part interactive VR series, you’ll dive head-first into a mysterious conspiracy by reliving the memory data of the defendant.
Released originally back in 2017 on SteamVR and Microsoft Windows, Project Lux will launch on PlayStation VR on Friday (June 21st) at the very latest.
SLUMBALL VR from U24 Solutions
Inspired by classic brick-breaking games, Slumball VR is a simplistic (but fun) physics-based VR fitness training app in which you’re tasked with hitting a variety of incoming projectiles across a variety of photorealistic backdrops. This includes everything from smacking around discarded beer cans in underground sewage tunnels, to destroying random flowerpots on open streets; the more damage you inflict, the more points you get!
Released on SteamVR May of last year, Slumball VR will be available on PlayStation VR sometime between now and Friday.
