Here’s every PSVR exclusive ranked!
PSVR might not be the most advanced VR headset on the market, but there’s one thing we can all agree on – the best PSVR exclusives are some of the best games on any headset. But which are the best of the best? And which should you avoid? Check out our list of every PSVR exclusive to find out!
Note that there are a few exclusions to this list. We haven’t included games that have had functionality or outright playability removed, so Driveclub VR and Starblood Arena are out. Plus we didn’t include games with only optional side-content, so that also leaves out Gran Turismo Sport, Ace Combat 7 and Concrete Genie among others.
Every PSVR Exclusive – The Best And Worst Games Ranked
34. Eden Tomorrow
There were elements of Eden Tomorrow that were pretty spectacular. Exploring its alien world and interacting with its fantastic wildlife was a genuine thrill. But an annoying companion and sluggish gameplay made this one adventure we wanted over soon after it began.
What We Said Then: An intensely disagreeable sidekick, dull pacing and by-the-numbers plotting will put you on autopilot for 90% of the game. There are moments of magic here but, for the most part, Eden Tomorrow is simply a slog. – 4/10
33. Dino Frontier
Dino Frontier has the foundations for an amazing VR town-building sim, it just never built on them. Vibrant visuals and varied units should have made for a game you could revisit time and again. Puzzling, then, that the game only features a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it campaign, with no reason to return after.
What We Said Then: Dino Frontier has a great concept behind it and the foundations for an entertaining city-building game, but it never gets deep enough. The single town you’ll build provides very little room for personalization and the game is so easy that you’ll stroll through to its unexpected ending in no time.
32. Bravo Team
Oh Bravo Team. You had every reason to be good – an immersive new VR shooter from the developers of Until Dawn utilizing the fantastic Aim Controller and full co-op support. What went wrong? A ridiculously short campaign with entirely forgettable level design is what.
What We Said Then: It more or less looked like the PSVR’s very own Onward or Rainbow Six. In reality it’s just another wave shooter, even if it uses a nifty gun controller. – 5/10
31. Separation
Separation is one of those games you might end up admiring more than you actually do enjoying. It has some gorgeous ICO-infused visuals and represents deeply personal topics from its developer. But the game’s just far too slow paced and ambiguous to make much of an impact.
What We Said Then: While I wanted to fall for its wistful mountain climbs and poignant canyon descents, I became too frustrated with its tedious core treasure hunt to stop and pay its wider implications much mind. I suspect that some will make those connections, lost in the game’s alluring fog, but many more will be done with this pilgrimage long before it’s over. – 2/5
30. Stardust Odyssey
Stardust Odyssey’s incredible visual identity and imaginative universe hinted at a deeper, more involving game than what we ended up getting. There are some pretty great features to this one, it’s just not what it could have been.
What We Said Then: With a lackluster story, an obstructive UI experience, and a niche concept, Stardust Odyssey isn’t this holiday’s killer app, but it remains something of a standout for VR deep-divers due to a first-of-its-kind setting and solid movement controls that feel floaty and fun just as they’re meant to. – 3/5
29. Here They Lie
There was a lot of promise to Here They Lie’s early psychological take on horror. And the game definitely features some great ideas and memorable scares. They just never come together in a cohesive whole.
What We Said Then: Virtual reality is an experiential medium and Here They Lie has some memorable experiences. But it all feels fuzzy and thrown together. – 6/10
28. Wayward Sky
There was something very special at the heart of Wayward Sky, but the game never got the room to express it. Gorgeous VR visuals and thoughtful approaches to locomotion and puzzle-solving gave us a world we wanted to get lost in. Sadly, there wasn’t much time to do that.
What We Said Then: Fun at times, charming throughout, but leaving you wanting more. If the game had a more eventful story with deeper dialogue, actual fighting with the robots, more variety in the puzzles, and some real challenges, it would be a more satisfying journey. – 6/10
27. The Inpatient
The Inpatient is a strange one, never making much song and dance about the fact it’s a prequel to the much-loved PS4 exclusive, Until Dawn. Supermassive explores some interesting ideas like voice input here but, ultimately, implementation across the board is pretty shaky.
What We Said Then: As a prequel to Until Dawn, it does a great job of fleshing out the lore a bit more, but it’s a bit short to really stand on its own. That being said, the moments that are there and the scares that they produce are totally worth experiencing. – 7.5/10
26. Mini-Mech Mayhem
Mini-Mech Mayhem is one of those strange situations – a great game that’s tough to recommend because you know no one is playing it. FuturLab put a lot of thought into the tabletop tactics and there’s a lot of depth to discover. But, without anyone else to play it with, there’s not much reason to visit.
What We Said Then: Mini-Mech Mayhem is likely destined for the same kind of obscurity as FuturLab’s Tiny Trax before it, but there’s endless joy to be found from its frantic mash-up of tabletop gaming and VR.
25. Winds & Leaves
Trebuchet’s peaceful gardening game might’ve been on the simplistic side, but it offered a cathartic journey about the joys of farming we won’t soon forget.
What We Said Then: Soothing and wholesome, it’s a game about losing yourself in the satisfaction of honest work and clean living. But, even with the game’s angle of relaxation considered, it’s ultimately just a little too straightforward for its own good and some clunky elements end up holding it back.
24. Golem
Golem was a tough game to review, because it was such a divisive experience. Its story and world-building were incredible, but the game stubbornly adhered to a locomotion system that, frankly, only clicked with a portion of the people that played it. The fun combat also had its own flaws, making this a tricky one to pin down.
What We Said Then: By the end of the experience, I finally felt in stride with its intricacies, learning when to press the attack and when to hold back. – 3/5
23. PlayStation VR Worlds
Some of the experiences on the PSVR Worlds disc have proved to be enduring must-sees to the point there’s even an entire game based off of one. But there’s no denying that two 10-minute rollercoasters (London Heist and Ocean Descent) don’t justify a full-price, which is why it makes so much sense on Sony’s part to have started bundling it in with PSVR headsets for the past few years.
What We Said Then: The PS VR itself comes with a demo disc that’s frankly better than this collection, but if you’re getting the bigger bundle that includes Worlds already, or really want to check out The London Heist, Dangerball, or Ocean Descent, then it’s worth a quick run through.
22. Tumble VR
Sometimes the simplest premises can take on all-new life in VR. Tumble VR, a game literally about stacking blocks, is one of those titles. It’s a great showcase for the immediate power of the platform.
What We Said Then: Some players may not find the physics-based gameplay to be their cup of tea, but if you give it a chance you may be surprised to find that one kind of objective scratches an itch you didn’t know you had.
21. Tiny Trax
FuturLab ultimately shot itself in the foot with Tiny Trax’s punishing learning curve. Winning matches early on was far too tough and required dedication. They eventually addressed this in a patch, but it was too late. That’s a real shame for a game that captured the addictive mechanical intricacies of the studio’s past work very well.
What We Said Then: FuturLab has managed to capture the rewarding mechanical finesse that made its Velocity titles so much fun to play and apply it to an entirely different genre that can be enjoyed with friends. If you’re adamant about not playing online then there’s not much here for you, but if you put the time in you’ll find a whole new obsession for your PSVR. – 8/10
20. RIGS: Mechanized Combat League
Again, RIGS might have a higher place in this list if it was still a well-maintained online game, but developer Sony Cambridge closed soon after its launch and it was left to waste away. A real shame, because this is was a mechanically progressive shooter for the early days of PSVR.
What We Said Then: Guerrilla Cambridge has crafted a superb first-person shooter exclusively for PlayStation VR that utilizes the unique aspects of virtual reality to deliver an exciting gameplay experience you won’t find anywhere else. – 8/10
19. Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV
Okay so maybe not the Final Fantasy VR game we all wanted (or ever even imagined we’d get), but give Monster of the Deep a chance. It uses XV’s world to great effect, resulting in a VR fishing game unlike any other.
What We Said Then: There is enough fan service to keep you smiling and enough original content plus exciting gameplay to make it fun in its own right. Surprisingly, Square Enix was able to craft an addictive fishing game that lets us see brand new sides of beloved characters and really feel like part of the team.
18. Arashi: Castles Of Sin
Arashi promised a Tenchu-like VR stealth game that absolutely delivered in some areas and left a little to be desired in others, but its 5+ hours of VR sneaking is still worth a look.
What We Said Then: Arashi: It’s a rare VR game that gives you genuine choice in deciding how to get from A to B and, when it works, captures the slick elitism of becoming a ninja. But it’s let down by clumsier elements, like bugs, bad enemy AI and underwhelming sword combat. Even these dark forces combined aren’t enough to derail the fun sneaking at the core of the experience, but there’s plenty of room for Arashi to improve with a potential sequel. – ‘Good’
17. Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown
Tabletop role-playing has truly exciting potential for VR and, while Table of Tales is flawed, it definitely delivers on some of that satisfaction in its own unique ways.
What We Said Then: The simple act of playing an animated board game in virtual reality is compelling, strengthened by liberally sprinkling the game with some very clever choices for the player. – 7/10
16. Deracine
From Software’s Deracine is about as far away from Dark Souls as you could get, trading demanding combat for a quaint narrative about faeries. It’s definitely not for everyone, but there are some tricks to this VR adventure that are unique to Deracine.
What We Said Then: Deracine’s initially dulcet tone certainly won’t be for everyone but scratch below the surface and you’ll discover a VR adventure that heads in some fascinating new directions. – 8/10
15. Everybody’s Golf VR
The Everybody’s Golf franchise seemed like a hole in one for VR, but this effort isn’t quite the runaway success we were hoping for. It’s no doubt solid, but PSVR’s tracking limitations and the new style of motion-controlled gameplay don’t make for the smoothest transition.
What We Said Then: Everybody’s Golf VR is a solid adaptation of the franchise for the PSVR. The gameplay is extremely fun and engaging, even if lacking in terms of accuracy a bit due to the limitations of the PSVR as a platform. – 7.5/10
14. How We Soar
Walking sims seem to be a great match for VR but the best example on PSVR is probably this actually-sort-of-really flying sim. To this day How We Soar sweeps us up and takes us away to a place unlike any other in VR.
What We Said Then: It’s a breezy ride that will leave you missing the wind rushing through your hair. If it’s flown under your radar thus far, make sure to right that wrong soon.
13. Bound VR
Bound’s lack of challenge and ambiguous premise won’t be for everyone. But the stunning animation and incredible worlds take on new life in VR. Just remember that this isn’t a game, it’s an experience.
What We Said Then: Bound is really more accurately classified as a piece of performance art that you travel through rather than a traditional game, full of breathtaking locations that feel both real and surreal. It succeeds less as a game — I would score the 2D version significantly lower for example if given the task — and more as a powerful piece of artwork. – 9/10
12. Fracked
nDreams’ explosive shooter looked almost too good to be true, but its action-packed gameplay really delivered. The catch was that it was just far, far too short.
What We Said Then: By all means, its arena-based action is polished and thrilling, offering refined fast-paced action with intense combat setpieces. But the game’s simply over far too soon, never getting a chance to really expand on its core elements and deliver the rich experience its mechanics deserve. – ‘Good’
11. Until Dawn: Rush of Blood
VR rollercoasters tend to be, well, pretty dire. But by embracing the world of Until Dawn for some pretty spectacular scares, Rush of Blood proves itself to be a guilty pleasure that’s still shocking VR newcomers today.
What We Said Then: It may not resemble the franchise’s core values at first glance, but what you’ll find beneath the surface is a game that swaps the sophisticated character development of its predecessor for a sophisticated interpretation of horror genre tropes.
10. Statik
Statik might have been on the overly short side, but when its ingenious puzzles still linger in the mind just like its story, you know Tarsier was onto something. Seriously, just what the hell was going on?
What We Said Then: Statik’s sheer invention and fascinating premise are somewhat betrayed by its short length. No two puzzles are the same, and they’re all well-balanced and thought-out trials, but they left me begging for more. – 7/10
9. Farpoint
Farpoint’s linear campaign may have been a pretty simple affair but the strength of the Aim controller alone makes this still one of the most immersive experiences on the platform. Even in PSVR’s later years, it’s worth tracking down an Aim controller for this.
What We Said Then: Farpoint’s best moments are some of the best slices of entertainment I’ve seen in VR to date. When the action is pumping and the tracking is cooperating, I forget I’m even holding a plastic peripheral at all and truly feel immersed in the world itself. – 7.5/10
8. Iron Man VR
Ultimately Iron Man VR could have used the power of the PS5 to really deliver on its blockbuster ambitions, but it’s still more than worth putting up with the technical limitations to experience the considered, layered combat and fantastic story.
What We Said Then: Camouflaj absolutely delivered a AAA-quality campaign-driven VR game featuring one of the world’s most iconic superheroes, all while showing him in a new light with an original story that isn’t weighed down by the baggage of the MCU and comics. – 4/5
7. Firewall: Zero Hour
Firewall: Zero Hour is pretty easily the best online VR shooter on PSVR, of that there is little doubt. Years on from release and some of the launch issues still persist, but if you want to meet up with friends and do some laser tag without leaving the house? This is the place to do it.
What We Said Then: If you don’t have a PSVR headset yet, then you should buy one for this game. With a few improvements and additions, First Contact could turn what is already a must-have PSVR game into a genre-defining one. – 9/10
6. Hitman 3
We’ll be the first to admit we were sceptical that IO Interactive could really fit its entire Hitman trilogy onto PSVR without the Move controllers. And, yes, Hitman 3 has its share of stumbles, but it really does deliver on the entire experience in immersive and meaningful ways. Even in 2021, it seems, PSVR is still capable of surprises.
What We Said Then: IO’s VR debut is far from perfect; visual hiccups, small interaction issues and half-in DualShock 4 controls are collateral damage in the battle to get the thing to simply work. But, against the odds as always, Agent 47 emerges victorious.
5. Dreams
Dreams didn’t quite end up integrating VR as smoothly as we’d hoped, but there’s no denying the possibilities of the platform. The proof is in the pudding – there’s some genuinely incredible community-made experiences here. If the platform makes it to PSVR 2 we hope it might reach its full potential.
What We Said Then: Paired with the platform’s inherent comfort issues, its sprawling, untamed ecosystem can prove to be a minefield to navigate, but for every unwelcome rollercoaster ride (literally and figuratively), there’s another wish waiting to be fulfilled or something genuinely original to discover. – 4/5
4. Blood & Truth
Sony London really delivered with Blood & Truth, a full VR shooter that poured incredible attention to detail into every facet of its design. Yes, it’s technically ‘on rails’, but each level is packed with the kind of variety and intricacy we should expect from the best VR experiences. We’re very hopeful that the team is continuing on its work with PSVR 2.
What We Said Then: Sony’s London Studio should be proud of what they’ve accomplished here by turning the brief London Heist demo from PlayStation VR Worlds into a fully-fledged narrative that features some of the best performances we’ve seen in VR yet. – 8.5/10
3. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
In some senses, it’s a little disappointing that Resident Evil 7 ended up being perhaps the most ‘AAA’ game on PSVR given it came out a few months after launch. But that’s only because Capcom set the bar so very high with this really incredible port that, to this day, remains one of the scariest and best-looking PSVR experiences.
What We Said Then: Resident Evil 7 embraces virtual reality as a medium and proves that you don’t have to cut corners or make sacrifices to create a compelling VR experience. – 9/10
2. Wipeout: The Omega Collection
It sometimes feels like Wipeout doesn’t get enough love. Not one but three fantastic entries in the series got full VR support here, and it’s honestly some of the most intensive and immersive gaming you’ll find in any headset.
What We Said Then: Wipeout VR is an eccentric mix of new and old; a series delivering on the same kind of regular reliability it has for over two decades but from an entirely fresh perspective. Everything you love about Wipeout is here but with a new lease of life, from the violent crunch of combat to the twitch-like reactions needed to navigate the many courses from the seat of your vehicle. – 7/10
1. Astro Bot Rescue Mission
If Astro’s starring role in the PS5 launch line-up wasn’t telling enough let us reassure you – Rescue Bot is the real deal. A genuinely Mario-tier platformer with incredible invention across its breezy campaign. PSVR doesn’t get any better than this.
What We Said Then: Instead, it fuzes the thrill of seeing a virtual world come to life with the dependably engaging gameplay of one of gaming’s most beloved genres and explores what that can mean with fascinating results. – 8/10
What did you make of our list of every PSVR exclusive ranked? Let us know in the comments below!
