Is Farpoint the VR Game You’ve Been Waiting For?

Since the reveal of Sony’s Playstation VR headset, a sci-fi shooter called Farpoint has been at the forefront of the marketing campaign – offering gamers a true built-from-the-ground-up-for-VR experience. We’ve finally got our hands on the innovative title to find out if Farpoint is the gun-toting vehicle to fully showcase the PS VR.

Before even diving into the world of Farpoint, it’s highly recommended that you play the title with a VR Aim controller (in addition to your VR headset and camera, obviously). The title was made with this controller configuration in mind, and while you can play the game with the headset and a normal DualShock 4, the Aim controller provides the best intuitive experience and delivers the level of immersion developers Impulse Gear clearly wanted with the game.

The real concern with any VR-related content or games is the responsiveness. The Playstation’s Move controllers (even with the PS3) have always been spot on with their tracking, and the Aim controller is no different. Thanks to the 1:1 tracking capabilities, the game nails the basic feeling of aiming and firing a gun, making the core mechanics in Farpoint extremely satisfying.

Actual avatar movement in the game using the nub on the handle of the Aim controller definitely takes a bit getting used to, but a couple enemies in and it begins feeling like a natural and mechanical process of the experience. The implementation of this movement mechanic is a much more familiar and intuitive system than the ‘teleporting’ often found in VR games today, and that’s the real game-changer. Raising the Aim controller to your headset to look down a scope, or towards your shoulder to change is weapons are just some of the examples of clever motion and gesture implementation in Farpoint.

While many VR games feel like tech demos that developers are experimenting with, Farpoint feels like a fully-fledged shooter, and that’s because it is. There aren’t any sideline mini-games or ideas for the sake of novelty – everything in Farpoint feels organic and is as logical as you’d hope, making owning a VR headset something you’re proud of and would want to show your friends.

We’ve spoken a lot about the nuts and bolts of how Farpoint works as a VR experience, but as a video game in its own right, it’s not a bad shooter at all. When comparisons to the likes of triple-A first-person shooters are made, it obviously looks a little more restricted in that regard, but it’s by no means a watered-down experience.

There’s a fun, high-tension sci-fi story to go with the action, and there are some interesting twists and enemy variation to keep you on your toes. A co-op survival mode also extends the legs of the game, along with an Arcade bonus mode. All in all, it’s an immensely satisfying taste of what the world of Farpoint could be, and for a first time VR outing, that’s a great result.

How much does it cost? Find the best price here.

And if you want to find the best deals on other big games currently available and for pre-order, check out PriceCheck.co.za!

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