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Geek Review: Blood & Truth (PS VR)

By now, the wonders of virtual reality gaming should be plain for all to see. All you need to do is experience it for yourself, and chances are, you will be hooked. Following the success that was ASTRO BOT: RESCUE MISSION, Sony and SIE London Studio have another hit on their hands with Blood & Truth for the PlayStation VR.

Blood & Truth is a brilliantly written and acted spy thriller that just so happens to pack in gratifying shooting galleries to become a great game, VR or not. That said, be it explosive set pieces, intense shootouts, to surprisingly interactive character moments, experiencing it all through the magic of PS VR turns everything up a notch.

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As a returning soldier whose family is thrust into an all-out war for control of the London criminal underworld, it is up to you to take out the opposition that stands in your way and get some good old fashion revenge.

Building off the London Heist portion in PlayStation VR Worlds, SIE London Studio has made everyone in Blood & Truth look even better in terms of facial capture and animation. It is a wonderfully realised world, backed by strong performances from the likes of Colin Salmon (Carson) and Steven Hartley (Anthony Sharp) that draws you right into the action.

When a villain gets on your nerve so much with just a change of expression, you know you are in for a good time.

Blood & Truth plays out like a movie, one that you are an integral part of. Be it scoping out an art gallery in the dead of night before a hit, or executing a plan that is simultaneously being discussed in flashbacks, it all feels so familiar, and so right. This is a linear story, but you get to be in it, whether you are flipping the bird at someone (an actual button gives you hand gestures) or just messing about.

The main campaign will last around 5-6 hours, filled to the brim with harrowing gunfights that will take you across a myriad of environments. You can be armed with two pistols by the belt, and two larger weapons on your back, and reloading is as simple as grabbing a magazine from your chest.

It is so intuitive and simple, and all the weapons perform differently and will suit all kinds of players. A rifle might be preferable for its scope and range, but a shotgun always feels good with its power and recoil. The level design in Blood & Truth allows for plenty of experimentation, and enough foes to pump full of lead.

You can look through the scopes to be more precise, or use your offhand to steady your aim. There are mods to unlock, such as laser pointers and silencers, and even paint jobs to obtain. It is truly the player’s choice on how they want to play.

Enemies are often overwhelming in numbers, but are predictable enough for you to have a fighting chance. Cover is key to survival, and the many scenarios you will find yourself in are varied and interesting enough to keeps things fresh. Blood & Truth will have you moving from cover to cover, strafing when needed, as you clear rooms of enemies.

The movement options, while limiting, perform adequately in terms of alleviating motion sickness while still keeping things moving. A Comfort Mode adds in blinders at the sides, but there was little discomfort even while binging the entire campaign.

Certain levels will end in on-rail segments, moving players along as gunmen take their shot at you, while you try to clear as many of the baddies as possible, while looking impossibly cool. Each of these segments is a joy to play, and is easily the closest any of us will come to being an action hero.

The increasing stakes of the story, the combat, and the variety of level designs helps elevate Blood & Truth to a level that most VR titles never come close to, and into true blockbuster territory.

And even though the main draw of Blood & Truth remains the gunplay, it is the entire package that truly sells the VR component of it. You can shoot like a pro, catch grenades in mid-air, dual wield your weapons, dive through windows, and be the badass you always wanted to be.

Or you can inspect everything you grab, toss paper balls into trash bins, and search for hidden collectables in the world and the many drawers in-game. For the more competitive, you can even chase scores by performing well in each of the missions.

If there was ever a time you wished to feel like an action star in a stellar blockbuster spy thriller filled with amazing set pieces, great gunplay, and engaging characters, then look no further than Blood & Truth.

The amount of interactivity with the objects and environments, and even characters, shows just how good London Studio is at creating an enjoyable PS VR experience.

Using the Move controllers is highly recommended, even if you could play with a DualShock 4. The Moves feel right at home, and everything you can do in the game functions much better compared to the cumbersome nature of using the DS4.

The work and attention to detail put into this PS VR title by SIE London Studio is immense, and the sheer enjoyment you will get by putting on your headset is unparalleled, even if it means getting shot at while jumping from a highrise building, all in a good day’s work.

Blood & Truth is available on the PSN for S$54.90.

GEEK REVIEW SCORE

Summary

Another blockbuster hit for the PS VR, Blood & Truth marries unparalleled action with a fun, thrilling spy story.

Overall
9/10
9/10
  • Gameplay - 9/10
    9/10
  • Story - 8/10
    8/10
  • Presentation - 9/10
    9/10
  • Value - 10/10
    10/10
User Review
0 (0 votes)