It’s funny that IOI are doing this and managed to include the interactive elements promised for the Quest version which - to put it bluntly - XR Games were too incompetent to do.
Hitman 3 VR Reloaded could have had most, if not all of these mechanics. After all, a lot of things seem to consist of just putting the tool in the circle. A simple solution, but that’s all that’s really needed. With IOI doing this for PSVR2, it seems to imply that they didn’t bother overseeing the Quest version as surely they would have said at some point that it was unacceptable. XR Games need to fix the framerate and ideally copy as much of these interaction ideas as possible in order to make it playable. Quite frankly, after playing the game it spoiled my favourite game in the trilogy and now I just don’t feel as enthusiastic about it as I did before.
Anyway rant over, and now the PSVR2 version: it looks good! It has all the interaction previously promised to the Quest and added it to a sharper version of the PSVR game. The PSVR port was fun imo, so adding all these interactions should make it ideal provided they work properly. I won’t be buying a PSVR2 for this, but I’m glad they’ve finally done it.
Can we have Blood Money VR next please, IOI? Flat2VR would no doubt jump at the chance, and they’d do a great job!
The price is far more affordable than it used to be. If you have a PS5, then that recent discount for the headset was very affordable (they’ll probably repeat that discount again in the future too). And Quests start from €300, which is more than worth it.
Don’t be fooled by Hitman 3 VR. It looks like an N64 game, but that is XR Games’ fault and not the platform. There are some gorgeous games, and some powerful games, on the system. That’s one of the reasons I hate Hitman 3 VR so much. It makes the platform look extremely weak when it isn’t - it’s just that the developer is completely incompetent. Even Zombie Army VR (their next game) looks awful, is a buggy mess, and lacks interactions. They’re just not a good company.
I’m not mad at the platform. Note that I didn’t completely slag off the MQ3, just that I said it’s not as powerful compared to a PS4/5 or PC.
I’m sure there are some excellent games on the MQ3, but that’s not what I’m interested in for this case.
I’m also furious at the amount of botched VR ports that lead to this VR port, four years later, and it appears to be timed exclusively to the PS4/5. Which only serves to make PC players wait…again. That’s apparently the only way IO can make stuff these days, and I talked to someone on discord about the recent phenomenon of IO taking deals with anyone they come across in exchange for money, which could be seriously diluting their brand and reputation.
I don’t have a PS5, nor a PSVR2 headset, primarily because both combined would be too costly to get, but also because of Sony’s insistence on having paid online services for paid multiplayer games, which is an immediate disqualification from me purchasing it in my book. I have a PC; I have no need for a PS4/5, and IO shouldn’t be making these sorts of deals so damn frequently. It’s alienating is what it is.
I really hope this VR version is good, as that will reflect the quality of the eventual PC integration. Don’t let my anger of this put you down from getting it too much.
I recall an IOI livestream. All questions about a PCVR port were quashed. It was like they were sticking their fingers in their ears and saying lalalalala. So I’d at least wait till next year to see if these features come to the PCVR. Meanwhile, I’ll be busy making myself nauseaus in the Meta Quest version.
Edit: Speaking of intuitive actions… I’ve had 2 instances where I interacted with a keypad. One where you use 4706 I actually used my (in-game) finger. On a safe for a keycard I had to move a cursor with the left stick, accept with button A.
Except we know they will looking from their past actions. It’s pointless keeping up this charade because it isn’t fooling anyone who’s even remotely familiar with how they operate. It makes no financial sense to lock features to ports, and makes no development sense either.
Unless IO want to be Insert big company here and be deliberately spiteful of other platforms.
Oh yeah for sure, it’s not as powerful but it’s better than many think - and I know a lot of people think less of it exactly because of Shitman 3 VR Reloaded.
Presumably the exclusivity is down to Sony paying for it, although I wouldn’t be surprised if the upgrade is being worked on for PC as a patch. The PS5 is a different console and the game is a different version so this is basically a whole new release. PC doesn’t quite work the same way so I suppose that one will be upgraded instead.
But I agree about diluting their brand, although I think having buggy VR releases and not fixing them is the main cause of that. I don’t mind the controller focused original PSVR release, but a lot of the interactions are just broken - especially with the Fiber Wire. But they just kinda abandoned it. I also don’t see them working to rectify the Quest version. We may see one more patch for that, but since the last one made the game perform worse, I don’t think that game will ever be fixed. I don’t think XR Games are capable of it to be honest.
I stopped playing the Quest version for that reason I was working on a speedrun, and even had the Berlin route pretty much down too, but the drops were so bad sometimes that it’d hurt my eyes after a while.
I’ll reinstall it to test the next patch, if there is one, but quite frankly the game has spoiled Hitman 3 for me.
I don’t think we definitively know this will be added/reworked on PC with a patch, at least not yet. H3 VR Reloaded isn’t the best example given that it’s 90% similar to PCVR already, but that thing had Dual Wielding and there’s been no indication that they were gonna update that into the other VR versions. When was the last time IOI updated anything for PCVR anyway?
For all we knew up until today, H3 VR was the last time we’d see Hitman get any sort of VR attempt, since IOI had given the work to a different studio and with how badly it was received, it’s really soured people on ever getting a proper VR version of Hitman…
I really hope I’m wrong at least, and they actually do update the PCVR version with these overhauled mechanics if this version indeed has many of those VR-tailored features you’d expect from that mode… It would be a really bad look to see IOI have so many fragments of one good full VR game for everyone. And so far, each “entry” has its own unique “improvements”. PSVR1: Hitman in VR, but with a controller. PCVR: Freehand movement, but lackluster interactivity. Quest 3: Dual Wielding, but supposed “improved interactions” that aren’t there, and a horribly simplified art style. PSVR2: Playstation gets Freehand movements, possibly more VR interactivity… to be continued?
Essentially, I guess so? The game probably needs some sort of engine/system update or gameplay addition in the files for it to work as it should.
Reminds me of the Resident Evil VR modes on Playstation that require you to download a seperate (free) DLC of a few GB to be able to access the mode on PSVR2. So this, probably allows the game to render in a specific way or allows different ways the player can engage items in the physics engine (by throwing weapons and what-not.)
One of my favouite VR-exclusive ‘features’ for RE8 is the ability to throw your knife at enemies for ranged damage (or to break open crates from afar) lol. It’s silly and a little OP because it always respawns on your arm, but it’s a great touch.
We do. They added PCVR one year after PSVR came out despite them acting all coy.
“Oh ho ho, we know VR is a highly requested thing…we’ll see if we can add it to PC! Tee hee hee, we’re such sly dogs!”.
You’re not IO. It’s just annoying, and honestly a little insulting to our collective intelligence.
They added the stadia unlocks after stadia shutdown, despite going similarly dark for almost seven months on that plan. People wanted them, and we got them. In that vein, it makes no financial sense to keep dual wielding specific to PSVR2 or MQ3 as you’d just anger people.
People will want it, and it’ll generate hype by itself. There is no need to act as if it’s not coming.
Probably part of the exclusivity agreement is IO isn’t allowed to discuss it coming to other platforms for a set period of time. I know it’s annoying but it’s the price of Sony paying for the development of a VR mode that likely would not have been made otherwise.
I mean, I guess NDA’s aren’t too uncommon? But this isn’t exactly new behaviour from IO either, who just don’t speak about anything until they deem it necessary, which again, is really annoying.
Shall I remind you of how everyone knew Conor McGregor was in Hitman weeks before the announcement because his Instagram teased it? IO’s response was just to keep quiet and continue to be vague to build up hype that never really escalated. In fact, it made people equal parts angry (at his inclusion) and frustrated (for waiting so long for confirmation).
No, this behaviour is very in-character for IO.
I know people want this VR port to be good, and I do hope it is for your sake. But we shouldn’t have a trail of failed VR ports in the wake of them making something good, and then lock it to one platform…again. If this were EA or Ubisoft, this would be called out by people in an instant, but this is somehow excusable behaviour because IO is independent. It’s not. Them asking Sony and Meta to partly fund these VR ports is worse as it demonstrates they will trade the goodwill of the customer for short-term gains.
And the worst part is, is that I fear that this too shall pass with nought but a whimper.
Player apathy will win over the morality of re-releasing ports that should’ve had more time in the proverbial oven. People shouldn’t be so quick to roll-over because it’s “a cool VR game that they’ll finally right”; call them out for this nonsense because it is inexcusable.
I fully agree with your frustration and annoyance about how IOI have handled the various VR versions so far and their communication in the past but, just to note:
Unfortunately true in a business move.
But it’s also an unfortunate Catch-22, because we probably never would have gotten a VR mode for Hitman if Sony hadn’t commissioned them to make a PSVR version back in the day… and potentially again with this PSVR2 release that might actually have long-requested features.
The first time around IO were genuinely lacking in money. Hitman’s future rode in Hitman 3 doing well and would forecast if IO could make it independently away from a publisher, This time around? Not so much.
They have four studio’s and three active projects (Fantasy, 007, Hitman). I don’t think money is the problem. They lack the motivation.
I’m not too upset by that; a game in alpha development is going to be kept secret to some extent. But yes, it’s been three years with no word, and I’m starting to think it may have landed in development hell.
Not necessarily a problem when they’re able to license out HITMAN to meta-quest, and other companies for rehashing VR Experiences of equal or lesser value.
I understand the tantalizing feeling that comes from VR and just how you can interact with a world. But beyond that it’s a novelty at best. It’s not meant to discredit one’s excitement for PSVR2. But rather emphasize on how fan requested features such as dual wielding and the implementation of such things within VR ultimately isolate the majority in the community.
This announcement just feels like IO beating the proverbial dead horse just to garner what profit this game can give.
VR1 was suppose to be the quintessential Hitman VR experience, but in reality it was restrictive and clunky and you played within the rules set by the VR version.
VR Reloaded was suppose to be the Reloaded version of the quintessential HITMAN VR experience. This time with dual wield, graphical downgrade, and barebones. But you had to have a Meta-Quest.
Now VR2 which is the Deluxe Reloaded Remaster of the VR Reloaded version of the quintessential HITMAN VR Experience. This time with all the stuff VR1 should have had and all the stuff VR reloaded botched and or stripped not reimplemented or fixed.
In conclusion, wait for reviews and buyers beware.
edit: while this post for the most part comes off as negative. I do want to add that I do believe HITMAN can and could work in VR. I just don’t think making iterations of with WOA in mind was executed properly.
If anything I wish IO learns from these releases and pursues a HITMAN VR project that’s more standalone.
What I more mean is that they lack to motivation to do it internally for the sakes of improving what’s there, instead they hire outsiders (which, I must stress, isn’t necessarily a bad idea; Feral did a phenomenal job on the recent Blood Money Enchanted port) or take deals. They have VR experience, it’s not like they don’t know how to make a VR port.
VR AGAIN, after a failure that was MQ3? Third times a charm, I guess. Trailer does look promising.
I don’t own VR, but it’s quite annoying that it’s just PS. But this may imply, that even next year, IO won’t be done with H: WOA, since they will probably want to later introduce to PC aswell.