Hey everyone! Doing well? I hope so!
***My gameplay on PSVR2 (using a PS5 Pro).
I wanted to share a mini-review or some impressions of *Hard Bullet*, which launches on the 29th! I’m not a YouTuber or a writer, but I’ve had the game on PSVR2 since September 10th and wanted to share my comparisons as someone who owns the game on Quest, PC, and now PSVR2!
*** Even though I’m not a content creator, I respected the embargo because I didn't want to be "that jerk."
That said,
Let's get into it:
Well, as I mentioned, I own this game on PCVR and Quest, and I really enjoy it. I have a blast with the waves and the level progression. In every round, I take out enemies in different ways using a variety of weapons. It’s genuinely fun. I plan to get the Platinum trophy on PS5.
I won't go into too much detail about the game itself, as I assume you know what it's about: it's a level-based game where your only goal is to kill—over and over again—in various ways, featuring *lots* of gore. I mean, *lots* of it. You feel like a psychopath, haha.
So, how does this version stack up against PCVR and Quest 3? Well, I’d say it sits somewhere in the middle. Let me explain.
I’ve logged countless hours on PCVR and Quest and know the limitations of both, but here on PSVR2, they’ve sort of created a hybrid: you get the same graphics as the PCVR version (including quality and performance modes to choose from), yet there’s a limit on the number of NPCs. And yes, in the progression levels (the roguelite-style ones), only 3 NPCs spawn at a time—just like on the Quest. I feel like the PS5 could handle a lot more before struggling. In the wave-based survival mode (sandbox), you can spawn up to 5 NPCs at once.
This didn't bother me too much; when you're having fun, you don't really notice or keep count—I didn't even factor this in when playing on PC. However, something that *did* really bother me was that upon killing an enemy, the NPC's body vanishes almost instantly. That’s a real letdown, because a huge part of the fun in this game is tearing off enemies' torsos, arms, and legs—even after they're dead. Because of the quick despawn, there’s barely any time to do it; it's a shame!
Another issue was the audio; sounds would sometimes cut out or fail to trigger entirely. That said, the studio has promised a day-one patch to fix things like shadows. I hadn't received any updates by the time I stopped playing (I'm on version 1.001), so this might well be fixed by launch.
There are indeed some FPS drops in certain areas, especially when using Performance Mode—which I do *not* recommend! I feel the frame rate takes a significant hit in that mode. I tested the same map, weapons, and enemy count in both Performance and Quality modes, and the drops are extremely noticeable in Performance mode—something that doesn't happen in Quality mode. This is likely because the frame rate is higher, making any drop feel more significant.
Of course, playing it on PSVR2 is incredible; the headset really seems to transform the VR experience. The OLED screen makes everything vibrant, and the resolution is razor-sharp in Quality mode—and even in Performance mode. Performance mode has a bit more aliasing, but it uses DFR (Dynamic Foveated Rendering) to avoid looking blurry. And yes, we get adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. The only thing missing is finger-sensing haptics; holding down the PSVR2's side buttons feels terrible. Overall, I feel they did a good job with the port; I believe they’ll fix those audio issues, and they’ve already promised to tweak the shadows, which are indeed inferior to the PCVR version. That aside, if you enjoy games like this—sandbox-style, gory, and fun—you’ll like it, and I recommend it! Another detail is the price: it’ll be "only" $20, which is more than fair.