PSVR Review Code Provided by Bloober Team
One of the biggest titles in the horror genre has always been Blair Witch and when Bloober Team first released a video game based on the same premise and setting, it was a huge hit. Its success and the developer’s drive to bring their titles to virtual reality led to them releasing Blair Witch VR on PC and PSVR. It’s one thing to go through a horror setting on a screen, but it’s completely different when you’re thrown in to it. But was the conversion from standard to VR well done?
Story
Take on the role of Ellis, a former police officer with a troubled past, and join the search for a missing boy in the iconic Black Hills Forest near Burkittsville, Maryland. What starts as an ordinary investigation soon takes a turn for the worst. Separated from the search party and alone in the woods with only your service dog, Bullet, for company and assistance, you will find yourself in strange situations. As you press forward in your search for the missing boy, you may find reasons to believe that there may be something more sinister with you…
Gameplay
Just as the standard version of the game, you will have to make your way through confusing pathways, find clues that Bullet can sniff to gain the missing boy’s scent, and solve light puzzles that are essentially find the missing object and bring it where it goes. However, with the game being in VR, some of the pathways and actions are altered a bit, but the overall journey is roughly the same.
However, thanks to it being in VR, you can take some time to pet Bullet for being such a good boy! Plus, they added things like collar colors to choose from for him.
Movement is the hold-and-direct style where you mostly point where you want to go. Turning your hand can help you strafe slightly. If you need to turn, you push a button and do small pivots. Of course, if you have the space, you can always look around by physically moving your body as the game will register this. To pick up, examine, and interact with objects, you have to reach out, press the button to grab it, and use your other hand to interact.
It was a completely different experience to play this game in VR though. The house at the end is much creepier and a lot of the scenarios that were intense in the standard game are heightened when it feels like you are really there. Definitely a different experience.
Visuals and Audio
Graphically, the game is very similar to the standard versions graphics. Of course, with the change that it is all around you and not just on a screen. I believe the same goes for the audio aspects, but, again, it is altered to be all around you. So, in a game like this one, it increases the level of fear it drives.
Replayability
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to play the game again after an initial run. All of the surprising moments would have already been experienced. You could aim to get a different ending though.
What Could Be Better
As someone who played on the PSVR, it felt like my movement was very limited. Especially in the main menu area. I tried adjusting my settings and set up in a few different ways, but was never able to get a free range of motion feeling. This was a bit of a hindrance to the overall experience and it would have been nice if they would have been able to widen the range of motion a bit more.
Conclusion
Blair Witch VR is a terrifying way to experience the darkness of Black Hills Forest! It was a wild and scary playthrough that was entertaining throughout. I just wish that the range of motion was better so that the game could have been experienced without any abruptions. This could be a PSVR-specific issue though. Still, regardless of which platform you have a virtual reality set up for, this is a horror game that is worth your time!
