With Bearly Escape, Smash Drums and Pirates VR: Jolly Roger, we dive back in to the domain of VR headsets – giving the PSVR2 some more love with two new releases as well this time.
Bearly Escape review (Quest)
Bearly Escape delivers a refreshing twist on VR puzzle-platforming, blending an adorable setting with stealth and skill-based mechanics that go beyond what its cute exterior might suggest. Developed for the Meta Quest platform and published by Time Traveller, the game casts you as a brave bear on a mission to rescue your dog and free kidnapped animals from a series of twisted experiments. The premise leans into surreal dream logic, but it works well thanks to its worldbuilding and a tone that balances lighthearted charm with dark undertones.
Gameplay in Bearly Escape is a varied mix, with moments of environmental puzzle-solving giving way to VR-focused sequences like claw machine rescues or stealth sections that feel well-suited for room-scale interaction. These gameplay shifts are ambitious, and while not all transitions are seamless, the ideas feel original. Guiding stuffed animals through obstacle-laden escape routes introduces light platforming that, while not precision-based, adds a welcome sense of urgency and variety.
Controls are generally intuitive, though certain mechanics – like maneuvering the drone claw -can feel fiddly until you get the hang of them. Thankfully, the difficulty curve remains fair, and there’s a genuine sense of satisfaction in freeing each captured creature. Audio design helps sell the atmosphere, with environmental sounds and playful effects enhancing the immersion, though the visual polish is occasionally uneven, with some textures and animations betraying the game’s current early access status on Meta.
Still, Bearly Escape stands out for its personality. The way it intertwines narrative, puzzle elements, and VR-native interactivity gives it a unique identity among recent Quest titles. It’s not without rough edges – particularly in terms of polish and occasional pacing issues – but it’s easy to see the potential as the game evolves. For players looking for something inventive and heartfelt, it’s a delightful journey with both claws and character.
Smash Drums review (PSVR2)
Smash Drums crashes onto PSVR2 with a thunderous entrance after having been out on the Meta Quest for a while, bringing its energetic blend of rhythm action and pure VR spectacle to a new platform. What sets it apart from other VR music titles is the way it leans into the fantasy of being a rock star – not by simulating a full drum kit, but by letting you physically smash drums in time with the beat, destroying stages in the process. This isn’t about technical accuracy or a perfect run per se – it’s about intensity, chaos, and fun.
The PSVR2 version benefits from the headset’s advanced haptics and visual clarity, offering an even more responsive and immersive experience than previous releases – one that’s not held back by being wired either. Environments explode with visual feedback as you keep the beat, from prisons to moon bases, and the adaptive triggers add just a bit more punch to every hit. It’s not the most nuanced take on rhythm games, but its straightforward, arcade-like design works well for short, high-energy sessions. That said, the gameplay loop can start to feel repetitive during longer play sessions, and we think this one’s best in short bursts.
If the multiplayer option from the original version gets introduced at some point this would add some welcome longevity, as that lets up to eight players compete or collaborate in chaotic arenas. Leaderboards and unlockables give players goals beyond the song list, and while the core campaign doesn’t build toward any narrative payoff, the variety of song packs – now including licensed rock, pop rock and metal tracks – helps keep the playlist engaging. Optional DLC expands the library towards more mainstream appeal as well, though it might not appeal to those hoping for a Beat Saber-like variety in genres.
Visually, the game delivers flashy stage effects that elevate each performance, even if the environments occasionally blur into a background haze during the action. The audio side, however, is sharp – punchy, well-mixed, and designed to make each hit feel satisfying. For fans of rhythm games who prefer smashing to strumming, Smash Drums is a loud and proud VR highlight, especially when played in bursts or with friends.
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger review (PSVR2)
Pirates VR: Jolly Roger sails onto PSVR2 with ambitions of delivering a swashbuckling VR adventure, blending exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat in a lively pirate setting. With its Caribbean backdrop filled with skeletons, treasure, and cursed islands, the game taps into familiar genre tropes – but it’s the immersive use of VR mechanics that helps it feel distinct. Whether you’re climbing cliff faces, solving environmental puzzles, or swinging your cutlass at undead foes, there’s a tactile joy to the way interactions are handled.
The game’s story is thin but serviceable, built around a mysterious treasure hunt and carried along by a talkative parrot companion whose commentary adds welcome levity. The campaign doesn’t offer much in terms of narrative twists, but the shifting environments – ranging from sunlit beaches to eerie caves – keep things moving visually. That said, some players may find the voice acting and humor a bit hit-or-miss, with the parrot’s quips walking a fine line between helpful and grating.
Mechanically, Jolly Roger is at its best when you’re engaged in its more physical elements – climbing, swimming, or ducking into tight spaces feels natural with PSVR2’s controls, though there are moments where you’ll wish this was a wire-free experience. Combat is less consistent: while the inclusion of pistols and lanterns mixes things up, enemy encounters can become repetitive and lack the responsiveness seen in more refined VR titles. Enemy AI is often basic, and there’s little depth to how battles play out beyond swinging and shooting.
Visually, the PSVR2 version got a day zero patch and benefits from a crisp presentation and strong lighting effects, though asset reuse and animation stiffness occasionally break the illusion. Still, the overall atmosphere sells the fantasy well, and the game’s varied locations do a good job of maintaining a sense of discovery. The soundtrack and sound design help establish mood, even if they don’t stand out particularly within the genre.
Despite its rough edges, Pirates VR: Jolly Roger offers a fun, if straightforward, pirate adventure for VR players hungry for immersive exploration. It doesn’t quite hit the highs of the genre’s best, but its tactile gameplay and thematic charm carry it further than its flaws might suggest. It looks and feels the part, and we had a lot of fun with it.
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