Astro Bot Rescue Mission PS4 PlayStation 4 PSVR

My interest in virtual reality never really went away, but over the course of 2018, it definitely grew. This is most likely down to the fantastic drip feed of quality titles that lead to PlayStation VR having its best year yet -- WipEout Omega Collection got its free VR update, and we had several highly regarded titles release later on. I'd tried the technology before, but only in five-minute stints at shows like EGX. With a mounting pile of games I wanted to try, I could only hope and pray for a virtual reality Christmas.

As luck would have it, I was extremely fortunate to be gifted one of Sony's headsets, as well as a couple of games. Naturally, I wanted to get started as soon as possible, and after a bit of a fiddly setup, I was ready to jack into the Matrix. Once I strapped the block of plastic to my face, the first game I sampled was the marvellous Tetris Effect, a game I've been enjoying in two dimensions since it launched back in November. Much has been said about the game's transportive virtual reality experience, and it didn't disappoint. The visual effects surrounding the board have always been something to behold, but when you're immersed in them with PSVR and a decent pair of headphones, it's on another level entirely.

Tetris Effect PS4 PlayStation 4 PSVR

Having gotten my feet wet with a personal favourite, it was time to try something totally new. I decided to give Moss a try. Unlike Tetris Effect, this can only be played in PSVR, and it's easy to understand why. From the very first moment when you're sat in a gigantic cathedral looking down on the story book, it feels like you've stepped into another world, surrounded as you are by impressively detailed environments. Not only is Moss a great advocate for VR, it's also just a lovely puzzle platformer in its own right, involving you in the story and gameplay to great effect.

From the limited number games I've played in virtual reality, I think I have two standouts at the moment. These are the games I kept coming back to between Christmas and New Year, and games I'll absolutely be playing far into 2019. Beat Saber is the first, a game I knew I'd love the moment I laid eyes on it months ago. This simple rhythm action game is incredibly addictive despite a small playlist of songs. All you're doing is chopping virtual blocks with imaginary swords, but it makes you feel amazing, especially when you nail a complicated string of notes. It's even sparked a high score war between myself and a certain Push Square editor (which I'm currently winning), so I'll be playing for supremacy as well as for fun. Bring it, Barker.

Beat Saber PS4 PlayStation 4 PSVR

However, my favourite PSVR game so far is Astro Bot Rescue Mission, which should come as no surprise. It's a gleeful, imaginative platformer that serves as the best example of a VR game done right. The levels are not only gorgeous, but designed to have the player physically searching high and low for those cute little robots, as well as other secrets. It's been said a lot already, but there's something extremely Nintendo about this game, and it's not just the polish and the presentation. It's the ingenious way the tech is used to involve the player in new ways. I'm late to the party, I know, but Astro Bot fully deserves the high praise. It's simply a joy.

Overall, I'm really impressed with PlayStation VR. Granted, I've had the luxury of experiencing some of its best titles from the off, but it's clear the technology has come pretty far in its short time on the market. In a way, I wish I'd been on the PSVR bandwagon since the start, but now seems to be a great time for the burgeoning platform. Not only do I have a few compatible games from the get-go, 2019 promises a fair few more promising VR experiences to come. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, Blood & Truth, Dreams, and plenty of others are looking great, and I'm genuinely excited to see what the future holds for virtual reality.

Did you also get PlayStation VR for Christmas? What are your favourite VR experiences so far, and which games are you looking forward to in 2019? Immerse yourself in the comments below.