Mr. PSVR-2
Virtual Reality does some amazing things. We can go anywhere, become anyone, and do things that normally we wouldn’t do. But have you ever thought about putting on a wingsuit and having the wind against your face while out in the open with nothing but you, nature, and the ground below you? Does developer The Binary Mill allow us to experience terminal velocity? Let’s find out with RUSH for PlayStation VR.
So what is RUSH VR all about? First and foremost, RUSH VR is about a wingsuit flying competition. Now, I know what some may think…wingsuit flying…really? No, really. Remember, in Virtual Reality, you can be anyone and do anything, and in Virtual Reality, The Binary Mill has turned that question into a must-play statement.
When you first start RUSH VR, you are on a plane and you will see AI characters. I am not sure why Tim is looking at me and then at the neatly stacked cans over there and then back at me, or why Martin is looking at Tim. I don’t even know who Tim is, but all I know is that I am just over here trying to get the controls the way I want them. It’s not like I can just get off the plane.
I first want to say that, RUSH VR, you have a very nice selection of control schemes. Want to play with the DualShock 4 and just tilt it? That option is there for you. If you want to just tilt the Move controller, or how about if you want to play with both Move Controllers while having your arms spread out so you can fly like an eagle? Go for it. But what I found that worked best for me was using the PlayStation VR headset for movement. Being able to lean forward so you can dive and pull up right when you want to feel and control very well. Plus, put your arms out in front of you and let your flying superhero dreams come true.
So now that you have your controls, you can practice or jump in. I thought to myself…self…I don’t need any practice. I mean, it’s not like anything could go wrong. I got this and prepared myself as I took my leap of faith. Nothing and I mean nothing, was going to stand in my way of getting to that final goal and winning this race.
Well, maybe I should practice some. I mean, it cannot hurt. Yes, practicing in RUSH VR allows you to get used to learning how to turn, dive, glide, go through the rings, and even use your boost.
After the practice, I felt the courage to give my luck another try and get into the heart of the matter, racing. At first, you are given some options; you can select Join Online, Race, Time Attack, and Score Challenge. Once you complete a run, that run will open up in Time Attack and Score Challenge. When you select racing, you will see four different courses. Each one has a different scene and feel along with music and weather. The first available course is Verdant Valley, as the other courses are locked. So how do you unlock them? Well, you have to earn enough points to unlock the next course.
Your booster grows by going through the check marks and also by your determination to be a daredevil by flying close to the boulders, sides of mountains, and even the ground. I just wouldn’t suggest it right from the beginning without some flights under your belt. Because like in life, you only get one shot, so when you crash here, you’re out. And then after the race, you have to look at your name to see how you did and then everyone will see “CRASHED” next to your name, and then they will know you cannot hang. So do yourself a favor, prove everyone else wrong, and get at least some practice.
What I appreciate is the fact that the time of day and weather will factor in. Not only that, but when you have snow or rain appearing on the visor of your helmet from the weather, you can see the drops or get a sense of how cold it is and add that to the added times of the day; it’s these small things that add to the experience.
After each run that is completed, you get a parachute to get you to the ground, water, or even your campsite, where it doesn’t matter where you land; the fact is you made it. After you have had some time with your run runs, time attacks, and score challenges, it’s time to get into some real fun…online!
Online racing has to be some of the most fun I have had. Racing against everyone to see who is the best. Sometimes I lost, crashed, or won and I still had a lot of fun and that is the most important thing…to have fun. And The Binary Mill did not disappoint. Sure, they could have just left it with 3…2…1…and go. That would be too simple and I would be happy with that and you probably would be too. But when you add the ability while waiting for your match to start or at the end to get Nerf guns and shoot them at each other and when the other players are shooting you and you cannot see as your visor is being filled with Nerf darts, I can’t help but laugh. Oh, want to open a can and start spraying it or throwing it and watching it go everywhere like a rocket, or grab a ball and try to make it through the basket? Again, it’s these small things that didn’t have to be added, but I am sure glad they were.
I loved hearing the different tracks within the courses and also hearing the wind as you’re diving to hit that checkpoint. Adding thunder and lightning while even hearing a plane go by were all nice touches as well; when you hit the boost with the L2/R2 buttons on the Move controllers. Everything just seemed to click and fit.
The graphics were good and clear. I could tell what my surroundings were. Sometimes, on certain races in the background, part of the RUSH VR distance would just form. It’s in no way a bad thing, but I did notice it. But it didn’t distract me from what was most important, the fun of racing at such speeds through the open air, either while racing against AI or other players.
There are a few things that I wish were included in RUSH VR. I would love to be able to talk to others while racing. Being able to have some fun while telling friends they cannot beat you would be fun in the game. Also, I would love to be able to add my music via a USB thumb stick or even an added mode like freeze tag, so instead of crashing and being out if you get touched, you are frozen. Sure, I can join a party or stream the music, so again, this is what I would like, but freeze tag mode while trying to race would be cool. Again, this is one of those things that, if asked, I would put down to be added.
But there is one thing I forgot to mention. For those who love the leaderboards, they are there for you to see where you stack on each run of each course.
The Binary Mill could have easily just given us a barebones experience, but they have given us a lot with Rush VR. From the 20 different runs of each course that get added to the Time Attack and Score Challenge modes to unlocking different wingsuits, online racing, leaderboards, and the ability to interact with objects with other players while waiting for the online to start.
Sometimes experiences need to be flashy to make the statement, but sometimes the fun to be had is the statement you have always been looking for in the experience. And at times in our lives when things may not always look their brightest that we can see, isn’t it nice to know that that fun we just need is a wingsuit away?
Rush VR is out now for PlayStation VR on the PlayStation Store. A review copy was provided. To learn more about The Binary Mill, please visit their site, make sure you like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.
Also, check out the RUSH VR interview.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I have more wingsuits to unlock and soaring to do on those leaderboards.
